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Pricing
Winner: Tie (Details Below)
Both the Mazda CX-3 and CX-5 are priced well for their respective classes. The CX-3 has a lower starting price than many of the models in the subcompact SUV class. It starts at $19,960 and comes in three grades: Sport, Touring, and Grand Touring. The starting MSRP of the top Grand Touring model is $24,990.
The CX-5 starts at $24,045. Mid- and top-tier grades have listed MSRPs of $25,915 and $29,395 respectively. The top-of-the-line model pricing is lower than the Honda CR-V’s most expensive model, $400 less than the top MSRP of the Hyundai Tucson and $600 less than the highest starting MSRP for the Nissan Rogue.
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Performance
Winner: 2017 Mazda CX-5 (Details Below)
Simply put, the Mazda CX-5’s standard 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine is more capable of propelling the crossover down the road than the Mazda CX-3’s standard 2.0-liter four-cylinder power plant.
Neither engine will blow the doors off the competition, but the CX-3 only puts out 146 horsepower, which is not enough to make it feel quick, though it is capable. The CX-5’s engine is stronger and has no trouble accelerating.
Both SUVs handle well and have Mazda’s hallmark sporty driving dynamics. Other subcompact and compact SUVs have stronger engines, though many offer a more disconnected drive.
Mazda will soon offer a 2.2-liter diesel engine in the CX-5. That power plant should offer more torque and better fuel efficiency than the standard 2.5-liter gasoline engine.
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Fuel Efficiency
Winner: 2017 Mazda CX-3 (Details Below)
The 2017 Mazda CX-3’s standard engine is more fuel efficient than the Mazda CX-5’s base offering. The CX-3 achieves an above-average EPA-estimated 29 mpg in the city and 34 on the highway. In the all-wheel-drive model, those numbers drop to 27 mpg the city and 32 on the highway.
While the CX-5’s fuel economy estimates are above-average for the class, they’re not as good as the CX-3’s numbers. The standard CX-5 engine achieves 24 mpg in the city and 31 on the highway. The all-wheel-drive model of the SUV gets 23 mpg in the city and 29 on the highway.
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Seat Comfort and Interior Refinement
Winner: 2017 Mazda CX-5 (Details Below)
Both the Mazda CX-3 and CX-5 have handsome cabins made with upscale materials, though they stop short of being luxurious. The CX-3 has comfortable front seats that easily fit a driver and passenger, while the back seat has a definite lack of space for adults.
Both rows of the CX-5’s seating are comfortable for a driver and adult passengers, featuring ample leg- and headroom. Both models seat up to five.
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Interior Technology
Winner: 2017 Mazda CX-5 (Details Below)
The 2017 Mazda CX-5 has more standard features buyers are looking for than the CX-3. However, both models’ offerings are on par with their class. Both come standard with Bluetooth, HD Radio, push-button start, a 7-inch touch-screen infotainment system, voice command activation, and a rearview camera. The CX-5 comes with two USB ports, as opposed to the CX-3’s one.
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Cargo Space
Winner: 2017 Mazda CX-5 (Details Below)
Cargo space is not a high point for either the Mazda CX-3 or the CX-5. The CX-3 has much less cargo space than what its competition offers. The CX-3 has 60/40 spilt-folding rear seats while the CX-5 has a more versatile 40/20/40 split-folding rear seat. The CX-5 has less cargo space than the Honda CR-V, Nissan Rogue, and Toyota RAV4.
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Safety
Winner: Inconclusive (Details Below)
The 2017 Mazda CX-3 received a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), achieving all Good scores. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the CX-3 its five-star overall rating.
The 2017 Mazda CX-5 has not been evaluated by the IIHS or the NHTSA.
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Reliability
Winner: 2017 Mazda CX-5 (Details Below)
The Mazda CX-5 has higher predicted reliability than the CX-3, as calculated by J.D. Power and Associates. The CX-5 scores a three out of five for reliability, while the CX-3 comes in right behind it at 2.5 out of five.
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The Winner Is …
2017 Mazda CX-5 (Details Below)
The Mazda CX-5 rates better than the CX-3 in a number of categories and is the better SUV in this head-to-head competition. It is more practical for its target audience: families.
If you’re not sold on the larger size of the CX-5 but want a vehicle with a more spacious interior, consider the new Nissan Rogue Sport, which has more head- and shoulder room than the CX-3. The Honda HR-V and Buick Encore also earn high ratings in the subcompact SUV category.
As good as the CX-5 is, its competition has similar overall scores in U.S. News & World Report rankings. The 2017 Honda CR-V is the top-ranked compact SUV and the winner of U.S. News' Best Car for the Money and Best Car for Families awards. The Hyundai Tucson and Ford Escape are also highly rated.
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More Shopping Tools From U.S. News & World Report
If you still haven’t decided which SUV is right for you, use our compact SUV rankings and subcompact SUV rankings to narrow it down. Before you buy, use our Best Price Program to help you find the dealer in your area with the best price. On average, the Best Price Program can save you over $3,000 on a new car.
CX-5 vs. CX-3: Which Small SUV Is Best for Me?
Should you go small or smaller? The Mazda CX-5 and CX-3 not only compete against best-selling Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Hyundai, and Ford models in the hotly contested compact and subcompact SUV categories, they also compete against each other.
The CX-3 and CX-5 models feature styling and features consumers are looking for and they are both relatively freshly designed. The two crossovers also feature many of the same styling cues you’ll recognize from the Mazda CX-9 and the company’s cars.
The Mazda CX-5 has been completely redesigned for 2017, from the powertrain options, to the paint colors offered, to a host of new technologies and safety features. It is one of U.S. News’s top-rated compact SUVs.
The Mazda CX-3 is one of the best subcompact SUVs you can buy. It hasn’t had any major changes compared to the 2016 model, when it was a new offering from the Japanese automaker.