Mazda All-New CX-5 vs Honda CR-V

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance, petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.

Mazda All-New CX-5 in South Africa

Mazda All-New CX-5

2.5 Active Edition Auto FWD Petrol 6-Speed Automatic Upcoming
Launch price pending
Upcoming in South Africa Confirmed launch information and specifications remain visible while final availability is pending.
⚡ 132 kW 🔧 240 Nm ⛽ 13.2 km/l
VS
Honda CR-V in South Africa

Honda CR-V

2.0 Hybrid e:HEV Hybrid e-CVT Current
ZAR 819,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 204 kW 🔧 335 Nm ⛽ 20 km/l
Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Mazda All-New CX-5 vs Honda CR-V: the short answer

CR-V has a modest catalogue-index lead, while All-New CX-5 remains close.

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification All-New CX-5 CR-V
Maximum Power All-New CX-5132 kW @ 6000 rpm CR-V204 kW
Maximum Torque All-New CX-5240 Nm @ 4000 rpm CR-V335 Nm
Engine Size All-New CX-52488 cc CR-V1993 cc
Combined Fuel Economy All-New CX-513.2 km/l CR-V20 km/l
Ground Clearance All-New CX-5205 mm CR-V198 mm

Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

All-New CX-5

Strengths
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: General Use
Specification evidence leader

CR-V

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
Weak Spots
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Efficiency

Which One's Right for You?

All-New CX-5

  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

CR-V

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec All-New CX-5 CR-V
Model Introduced Year 2026 2023
Generation Third-generation Mazda CX-5 for South Africa Built on Honda’s global SUV platform with focus on comfort and safety
Facelift History All-new third-generation model; no facelift applies Latest generation introduced with improved design, features, and safety technology
Facelift Launched Since 2026 Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status upcoming active
Segment Medium SUV SUV
Vehicle Type Passenger Vehicle SUV
Color Note - White, Black, Silver, Grey, Blue, Red
Dealer Stock Note - Top grade in the South Africa lineup
Tare Mass Kg - 1750 kg
Spec All-New CX-5 CR-V
Length 4690 mm 4690 mm
Width 1860 mm 1860 mm
Height 1695 mm 1690 mm
Wheelbase 2815 mm 2700 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 205 mm 198 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 200 mm 198 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 56 l 57 l
Boot/Cargo Space 466 l 497 l
Kerb Weight 1629 kg 1750 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2190 kg 2250 kg
Payload Capacity 561 kg 500 kg
Towing Capacity 1500 kg 1500 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 2 rows
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 6.0 m 5.7 m
Front Headroom 1007 mm 970 mm
Rear Headroom 1020 mm 970 mm
Front Legroom 1058 mm 1049 mm
Rear Legroom 1012 mm 1041 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This All-New CX-5 and CR-V comparison uses the exact South African derivatives selected above. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: All-New CX-5 52 vs CR-V 77.

Efficiency index: All-New CX-5 52 vs CR-V 80.

Safety-equipment index: All-New CX-5 98 vs CR-V 91.

Practicality index: All-New CX-5 66 vs CR-V 66.

Ownership-cover index: All-New CX-5 not separately scored vs CR-V 60.

These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.

Specification Evidence Index

A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.

Evidence / 100
Evidence-index readout

CR-V leads by 8 points

CR-V has a modest catalogue-index lead, while All-New CX-5 remains close.

Evidence leader 76 /100
Lead 8 points
Data 94% source coverage
76
#1 Evidence leader

CR-V

94% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 91 Check Ownership 60
Performance 77
Efficiency 80
Safety 91
Practicality 66
Ownership 60
Leads by 8 points
68
#2

All-New CX-5

82% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 98 Check Performance 52
Performance 52
Efficiency 52
Safety 98
Practicality 66
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance CR-V +25 Efficiency CR-V +28 Safety All-New CX-5 +7 Practicality Level

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

CR-V

Performance 77/100
Efficiency 80/100
Safety 91/100
Practicality 66/100
Ownership 60/100

All-New CX-5

Performance 52/100
Efficiency 52/100
Safety 98/100
Practicality 66/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Honda CR-V leads the specification evidence index with 76 pts vs 68 pts for All-New CX-5

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, CR-V leads. However, All-New CX-5 may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

All-New CX-5 vs CR-V questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the exact South African derivatives on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.

Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.

Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.

A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.

Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.

Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.