Kia Sportage vs. Mazda CX-5

Compare repair costs, reliability, and owner reviews

Kia Sportage

$462
Average Annual
Repair Cost

Mazda CX-5

$447
Average Annual
Repair Cost

Overall Reliability Rating

4
Excellent
The Kia Sportage Reliability Rating is 4.0 out of 5.0, which ranks it 6th out of 26 for compact SUVs. The average annual repair cost is $462 which means it has excellent ownership costs. The severity and frequency of repairs are lower than other vehicles, so the Sportage is one of the more reliable vehicles on the road.
4
1
2
Excellent
The Mazda CX-5 Reliability Rating is 4.5 out of 5.0, which ranks it 1st out of 26 for midsize SUVs. The average annual repair cost is $447 which means it has excellent ownership costs. The severity of repairs is low, and these issues are less frequent than average, so the CX-5 is one of the more reliable vehicles on the road.
Cost
Average annual repairs total
$462
inexpensive
expensive
$447
inexpensive
expensive
Frequency
Average annual repair shop visits
0.19
not often
very often
0.28
not often
very often
Severity
Percentage of annual repairs that are urgent
11%
not urgent
urgent
8%
not urgent
urgent

Overall Car Ratings & Details

5 (3)
4 (21)
3 (9)
2 (7)
1
(0)
“i love the kia sportage. it's the best car i've had”
“i love the kia sportage. it's the best car i've had”
5
(0)
4
(0)
3
(0)
2 (1)
1 (1)
“I am very disappointed in all the serious reports from previous owners of the Mazda CX-5 on the NHTSA website. These reports are not getting threw to the customers. All the while Mazda purchased...”
“I am very disappointed in all the serious reports from previous owners of the Mazda CX-5 on the...”

Vehicle Comparison Rundown

The Kia Sportage and the Mazda CX-5 are both compact two-row SUVs. Both the Sportage and the CX-5 seat five, and both come with front-wheel drive as standard, and all-wheel drive as an option.

The Kia Sportage and the Mazda CX-5 have standard engines that are closely matched. The Sportage comes with 181 horsepower, and the CX-5’s standard (and only) engine puts out 187 horsepower. If you want more power, only the Kia Sportage offers an optional engine with 240 horsepower.

Cargo space is very close between these two compact SUVs. The Kia Sportage has 60.1 cubic feet of space with the back seat folded, while the Mazda CX-5 comes in with 59.6 cubic feet. That’s only a half of a cubic foot difference.

These two small SUVs are closely matched. The Kia Sportage has more power in its optional engine, plus Kia’s excellent 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. The Mazda CX-5 excels in the way it drives and handles the road, so be sure to get behind the wheels of both before you decide.