Mazda All-New CX-5 vs Toyota RAV4

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
Toyota RAV4 in South Africa

Toyota RAV4

2.5 HEV GR-S CVT Hybrid CVT Current
ZAR 941,800 ex-showroom
⚡ 137 kW 🔧 221 Nm ⛽ 21.3 km/l
Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Mazda All-New CX-5 vs Toyota RAV4: the short answer

All-New CX-5 and RAV4 are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification All-New CX-5 RAV4
Maximum Power All-New CX-5132 kW @ 6000 rpm RAV4137 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque All-New CX-5240 Nm @ 4000 rpm RAV4221 Nm
Engine Size All-New CX-52488 cc RAV42500 cc
Combined Fuel Economy All-New CX-513.2 km/l RAV421.3 km/l
Ground Clearance All-New CX-5205 mm RAV4186 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
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Performance
Specification evidence leader

RAV4

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: Published Efficiency Published Practicality

Which One's Right for You?

All-New CX-5

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

RAV4

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec All-New CX-5 RAV4
Model Introduced Year 2026 2026
Generation Third-generation Mazda CX-5 for South Africa All-new sixth-generation RAV4 introduced in South Africa in July 2026
Facelift History All-new third-generation model; no facelift applies Full model change for 2026 with HEV, PHEV and GR-Sport derivatives
Facelift Launched Since 2026 Full model change for 2026 with HEV, PHEV and GR-Sport derivatives
Facelift Version Ending Current Current South African 2026 specification
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status upcoming published
Segment Medium SUV SUV
Vehicle Type Passenger Vehicle SUV
Tare Mass Kg - 1725-1740 kg
Spec All-New CX-5 RAV4
Length 4690 mm 4645 mm
Width 1860 mm 1880 mm
Height 1695 mm 1680 mm
Wheelbase 2815 mm 2690 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 205 mm 186 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 200 mm -
Fuel Tank Capacity 56 l 55 l
Boot/Cargo Space 466 l 732 l
Kerb Weight 1629 kg -
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2190 kg 2230 kg
Payload Capacity 561 kg -
Towing Capacity 1500 kg 1000 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows -
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 6.0 m 5.6 m
Front Headroom 1007 mm -
Rear Headroom 1020 mm -
Front Legroom 1058 mm -
Rear Legroom 1012 mm -

In depth: how these cars differ

This All-New CX-5 and RAV4 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 RAV4 50.

Efficiency index: All-New CX-5 52 vs RAV4 84.

Safety-equipment index: All-New CX-5 98 vs RAV4 93.

Practicality index: All-New CX-5 66 vs RAV4 71.

Ownership-cover index: All-New CX-5 not separately scored vs RAV4 not separately scored.

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

RAV4 leads by 5 points

All-New CX-5 and RAV4 are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 73 /100
Lead 5 points
Data 61% source coverage
73
#1 Evidence leader

RAV4

61% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 93 Check Performance 50
Performance 50
Efficiency 84
Safety 93
Practicality 71
Leads by 5 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 All-New CX-5 +2 Efficiency RAV4 +32 Safety All-New CX-5 +5 Practicality RAV4 +5

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

RAV4

Performance 50/100
Efficiency 84/100
Safety 93/100
Practicality 71/100

All-New CX-5

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

What the evidence means

Evidence index Toyota RAV4 leads the specification evidence index with 73 pts vs 68 pts for All-New CX-5

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, RAV4 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 RAV4 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.