A red Mazda CX-5 parked in front of a residential building. - Anton_AV/ShutterstockThe Mazda CX-5 was first revealed at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show and was the automaker's first vehicle built on the Skyactiv platform. It quickly became Mazda's top seller, and it has held that title within the brand's lineup since 2018. Mazda's CX-5 production and sales worldwide reached 5 million units by 2026, underscoring just how central this compact SUV is to Mazda's business worldwide. There's no debate: it's Mazda's most popular SUV by a wide margin.Yet popularity doesn't mean the CX-5 is untouchable. The compact SUV segment is one of the most fiercely contested in the entire auto industry, with nearly every major brand fielding a competitor for buyers who want one vehicle that can handle daily commuting, road trips, and hauling cargo, all without stepping into luxury-car pricing. If price is your main concern, we've also rounded up some cheaper alternatives to the Mazda CX-5, but this list is about something different: models that measure up on merit, not just sticker price.Buyers in this segment have more choices than ever, and automakers know it. That competition has produced some genuinely impressive rivals, and several of them have outscored the CX-5 in reviews from professional automotive journalists and enthusiasts alike. Whether it's interior quality, tech features, ride comfort, or overall value, these competitors have found ways to edge past Mazda's bestseller in the eyes of critics.AdvertisementAdvertisementRead more: 5 Notable Differences Between American And European CarsToyota RAV4A white 2026 Toyota RAV4 parked at a dealership lot. - Jonathan Weiss/ShutterstockIN 2026, the venerable Toyota RAV4 was rated 8.1 out of 10 at Edmunds, while the Mazda CX-5 was rated 6.5 out of 10 by the same outlet. KBB gives the RAV4 an expert score of 4.5 out of 5 stars; KBB has not yet published an expert score for the redesigned 2026 CX-5. U.S. News & World Report's aggregate score has the CX-5 at 9.3 out of 10 and ranked it the No. 1 compact SUV, which runs counter to what Edmunds shows — worth noting as a genuine split among outlets rather than picking a side.The reason the RAV4 pulls ahead on Edmunds and KBB comes down to a few concrete things: It comes standard with a hybrid powertrain across the whole lineup, offers 37.8 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats compared to the CX-5's 33.7 cubic feet, and Edmunds' own testing recorded a 0-60 mph time it did not disclose for the CX-5's comparatively slower 9.0-second run. Car and Driver also gives the edge to the RAV4, with an 8.5 out of 10 expert rating and a #5 ranking among compact SUVs, compared to the CX-5's 8 out of 10 and #6 ranking.When we reviewed the 2026 Toyota RAV4, we noted that it is worth it to upgrade to the new one because it offers everything the RAV4 is known for, with the addition of an efficient and powerful plug-in hybrid powertrain. The CX-5 does not offer the same level of versatility as the RAV4, and that is partly why so many outlets scored the RAV4 higher.Kia SportageA gray 2026 Kia Sportage SUV parked in front of an industrial building. - Jetcityimage/Getty ImagesThe Kia Sportage is also one of the heavy-hitters from the affordable compact SUV range that competes with the same buyer group as the RAV4 and the CX-5. According to a few reputable online car outlets, it does so in a fairly convincing fashion. For instance, KBB gives the Kia Sportage an expert score of 4.6 out of 5 and ranks it #2 on its Best Compact SUVs list, a page where the Mazda CX-5 currently carries no expert score at all.AdvertisementAdvertisementOver at Edmunds, the gas-powered Sportage comes in at 7.8 out of 10, and the Sportage Hybrid climbs even higher to 8.7 out of 10 — both well clear of the CX-5's 6.5 out of 10 from that same outlet. The gap holds up overseas, too: Carwow hands the Sportage an 8 out of 10, compared with a 7 out of 10 for the CX-5 on its own site, though it's worth noting Carwow is testing the European-spec versions of both cars rather than the U.S. models Edmunds and KBB scored.Then again, there is the aforementioned U.S. News & World Report, which puts the CX-5 at 9.3 out of 10 while the Sportage is rated 8.9 out of 10. This only shows just how competitive the segment truly is. When we reviewed the 2026 Kia Sportage Hybrid, we found it edges out the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Limited on both cargo space (73.7 cubic feet versus 69.8) and horsepower (232 versus 219), while undercutting it on price by $765.Honda CR-VA gray 2026 Honda CR-V parked in a dealership lot. - Jetcityimage/Getty ImagesAccording to Car and Driver's comparison tool, the 2026 Honda CR-V earns a perfect C/D Expert Rating of 10 out of 10, while the Mazda CX-5 scores 8 out of 10 on the same page. The gap shows up in awards, too: The CR-V has picked up an Editors' Choice nod and sits at #1 on the outlet's list of the best compact SUVs, while the CX-5 ranks sixth on that same list. Our own review of the Honda CR-V also named it a 2025 Editor's Choice and gave it a rating of 9 out of 10.The margin holds up across other outlets as well. Edmunds gives the CR-V a 7.5 out of 10, ahead of the CX-5's 6.5 out of 10 from the same testing team. KBB rates the CR-V 4.8 out of 5 and ranks it #1 on its Best Compact SUVs list, a page where the new CX-5 has no published expert score. Carwow is the one exception here — it scores the CR-V and the CX-5 evenly at 7 out of 10 apiece, a tie worth stating plainly rather than smoothing over.AdvertisementAdvertisementU.S. News & World Report's score is, once again, the minority opinion here, putting the CX-5 ahead at 9.3 out of 10 against the CR-V's 8.9 out of 10. Taken together, that's three outlets favoring the CR-V, one tie, and one outlet favoring the CX-5. Objectivity is difficult to find, since cars are complex and none of us want the same things, but as it stands it seems like these experts want what the current CR-V offers.Volkswagen TiguanA white 2026 Volkswagen Tiguan SUV parked in a dealership lot. - Jonathan Weiss/ShutterstockJapanese automakers tripled their U.S. sales between 1970 and 1976, reaching 8% market share, and Toyota passed Volkswagen as the top import brand by 1975. However, Volkswagen has always been keen to rival its Japanese automakers, and it is the same today with the Tiguan compact SUV. According to Car and Driver's comparison tool, the 2026 Volkswagen Tiguan earns a C/D Expert Rating of 9 out of 10, while the Mazda CX-5 scores 8 out of 10 on the same page.The Tiguan also carries an Editors' Choice badge on that comparison; the CX-5 does not. The gap holds across other outlets, too. Edmunds gives the Tiguan a 7.6 out of 10 and ranks it #6 among Small SUVs, ahead of the CX-5's 6.5 out of 10 from the same testing team which ranked it as the 13th best small SUV. KBB rates the Tiguan 4.4 out of 5, again on a page where the CX-5 has no published expert score. Carwow hands the Tiguan an 8 out of 10, compared with a 7 out of 10 for the CX-5 on its own site.Once again, U.S. News & World Report is the one outlet that breaks from this pattern, scoring the CX-5 at 9.3 out of 10 against the Tiguan's 8.9 out of 10. Taken together, that's four outlets favoring the Tiguan and one favoring the CX-5. Our own review of the 2026 Volkswagen Tiguan noted that VW has certainly found its footing in the U.S. market, and if it continues to be as popular as it is, it is "definitely on its way to joining the Teutonic pantheon."Hyundai TucsonA white 2026 Hyundai Tucson parked on a dealership lot. - Jonathan Weiss/ShutterstockThe Hyundai Tucson rounds out this list, and it's a fitting way to close things out. Edmunds tested some of the most popular affordable compact SUVs in the U.S. for its Best Small SUV Under $40,000 comparison, and every other pick on our own list here — the RAV4, Sportage, Tiguan, and CR-V — placed in Edmunds' top five. The Mazda CX-5 didn't make that list at all.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe Hyundai Tucson Hybrid, meanwhile, topped it outright, earning an 8.7 out of 10 and the #1 spot. That same Tucson Hybrid also holds the #1 spot on Edmunds' general Best Small SUVs list, where its score rises to 8.8 out of 10. The Mazda CX-5 scores 6.5 out of 10 on that same general list and ranks 13th. Interestingly, U.S. News & World Report is the one outlet that has favored the CX-5 over every other rival in this piece — until now.On its Compact SUVs rankings, the Tucson and the CX-5 are tied for #1, each scoring 9.3 out of 10. It's a useful reminder of how scattered the automotive review industry can be: The same outlet that ranks the CX-5 above four other well-regarded SUVs suddenly calls it dead even with the Tucson, while Edmunds — testing the same two cars — sees the Tucson finish miles ahead. Carwow lands in the middle, scoring the Tucson and the CX-5 evenly at 7 out of 10 apiece.How we made the listA close-up of a red 2025 Mazda CX-5 parked. - Anton_AV/ShutterstockAs we've noted throughout this piece, preferences vary, and priorities differ from buyer to buyer. A hybrid shopper is likely to lean toward the RAV4, since every trim in its lineup is a hybrid. A buyer focused specifically on resale value, for instance, might prefer the CX-5 over the Hyundai Tucson, since the CX-5 is one of a few Mazda models with excellent resale value: We've found it depreciates 37.9% to 39% after five years, compared to 47% for the Tucson.Regardless of individual priorities, the five SUVs above have, by and large, outscored the Mazda CX-5 across most reputable, verifiable rankings from major automotive outlets and testers. To keep this list grounded, we cross-referenced ratings from Edmunds, KBB, Carwow, U.S. News & World Report, and Car and Driver, alongside data from the automakers themselves and hands-on testing from our own writers who have driven and evaluated each of these vehicles.AdvertisementAdvertisementWant the latest in tech and auto trends? Subscribe to our free newsletter for the latest headlines, expert guides, and how-to tips, one email at a time. You can also add us as a preferred search source on Google.Read the original article on SlashGear.
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