Mazda CX-60 vs Hyundai IONIQ 5

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.

Includes an archived model

Current and archived cars are compared side by side. Archived models keep their verified historical specs, while price labels show last-listed context rather than current new-car availability.

Hyundai IONIQ 5
Mazda CX-60 in South Africa

Mazda CX-60

2.5 Individual Edition Auto AWD Petrol Automatic
ZAR 902,000 ex-showroom
⚡ 141 kW 🔧 261 Nm ⛽ 13.0 km/l
VS
Hyundai IONIQ 5 in South Africa

Hyundai IONIQ 5

72kWh AWD Executive Electric Automatic Archive reference
ZAR 1,068,900 last listed
No longer sold new Specs stay visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 225 kW 🔧 605 Nm ⛽ 454 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance IONIQ 5
Fuel Economy IONIQ 5
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality IONIQ 5
🔑 Ownership IONIQ 5
CX-60 starts ZAR 859900 cheaper CX-60 from ZAR 790,200 · IONIQ 5 from ZAR 859,900

Key Specs Side by Side

The specs that matter most — highlighted where one car leads.

Spec CX-60 IONIQ 5
Engine Power 141 kW 225 kW
Torque 261 Nm 605 Nm
Engine Size 2488 cc Not confirmed
Claimed Mileage 13.0 km/l 454 km/l
Ground Clearance 178.8 mm 160 mm
Boot / Load Bay 477 l 527 l
Airbags 7 7
Kerb Weight 1470 kg 2190 kg
Seating Capacity 5 5
Warranty 5 Years/Unlimited km 5

= leads in this spec

Archived models stay fully comparable. Verified specs remain visible; historical fields that were not source-confirmed are marked Not confirmed instead of being guessed.

The Bottom Line

IONIQ 5 holds a noticeable edge over CX-60, especially in key ownership areas.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance IONIQ 5 +41 pts
Efficiency IONIQ 5 +46 pts
Safety Equal
Practicality IONIQ 5 +2 pts
Ownership IONIQ 5 +10 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

CX-60

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less practical in daily usage
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: General Use
🏆 Overall Winner

IONIQ 5

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • More practical for daily use
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Highway Driving Fuel Efficiency Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

CX-60

  • Buyers looking for a balanced all-round vehicle

IONIQ 5

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

Full Specs, Side by Side

Archived cars use verified historical spec records. Rows remain comparable; unavailable historical values are shown plainly rather than estimated.

Spec CX-60 IONIQ 5
Model Introduced Year 2023 2022
Generation First-generation KH-series Mazda CX-60 on Mazda's Large Product architecture First generation Ioniq 5 on Hyundai's dedicated E-GMP electric platform; 800V fast charging architecture allows rapid 18-minute charge from 10-80% at suitable DC fast chargers
Facelift History Mazda introduced the CX-60 locally in 2023, added the six-cylinder Takumi in 2024 and revised suspension and drivetrain calibration for the 2025 update. Launched in SA in 2022; updates to battery specifications and charging capabilities followed; the car has been on Hyundai SA's EV flagship from launch
Facelift Launched Since 2023 2022
Facelift Version Ending Current Discontinued - exact end year not confirmed
Body Style SUV Not confirmed
Model Year 2026 Not confirmed
Production Status Active Not confirmed
Segment Premium mid-size SUV Not confirmed
Vehicle Type SUV Not confirmed
Spec CX-60 IONIQ 5
Ground Clearance 178.8 mm 160 mm
Wheelbase 2870 mm 3000 mm
Length 4745 mm 4635 mm
Width 1890 mm 1890 mm
Height 1687.5 mm 1605 mm
Kerb Weight 1470 kg 2190 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight 2342 kg Not confirmed
Seating Capacity 5 5
Boot Space 477 l 527 l
Towing Capacity 1500 kg Not confirmed
Turning Radius 5.85 m Not confirmed
Load Bed Length 477 l 527 l
Load Bed Width - Not confirmed
Front Legroom 1058 mm Not confirmed
Rear Legroom 990 mm Not confirmed
Front Shoulder Room 1504 mm Not confirmed
Rear Shoulder Room 1441 mm Not confirmed
Boot Space Seats Folded 1148 l Not confirmed
Number of Doors 5 5
Max Payload 872 kg Not confirmed
Boot Volume 477 l 527 l
Doors 5 5
Seats 5 5
Fuel Tank Capacity 58 l 72.6 l
Gross Vehicle Mass Kg 2342 kg Not confirmed
Ground Clearance Max 178.8 mm 160 mm
Ground Clearance Min 178.8 mm 160 mm
Ground Clearance Mm 178.8 mm 160 mm
Height Mm 1687.5 mm 1605 mm
Length Mm 4745 mm 4635 mm
Loadbox Length Mm 477 l 527 l
Loadbox Width Mm - Not confirmed
Payload Kg 872 kg Not confirmed
Cargo Volume 477 l 527 l
Tare Mass Kg 1470 kg 2190 kg
Turning Circle 5.85 m Not confirmed
Turning Circle M 5.85 m Not confirmed
Width Mm 1890 mm 1890 mm

Overall Verdict Score

Decision-grade view of the winner, score gap and category strengths.

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

IONIQ 5 leads by 19 points

IONIQ 5 holds a noticeable edge over CX-60, especially in key ownership areas.

Winner 87 /100
Lead 19 points
Data 86% confidence
87
#1 Winner

IONIQ 5

86% data confidence 4 strong categories
Best at Performance 100 Check Ownership 65
Performance 100
Efficiency 97
Safety 99
Practicality 70
Ownership 65
Leads by 19 points
68
#2

CX-60

94% data confidence 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 99 Check Efficiency 51
Performance 59
Efficiency 51
Safety 99
Practicality 68
Ownership 55
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance IONIQ 5 +41 Efficiency IONIQ 5 +46 Safety Level Practicality IONIQ 5 +2 Ownership IONIQ 5 +10

Moderate difference between the models.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

IONIQ 5

Performance 100/100
Efficiency 97/100
Safety 99/100
Practicality 70/100
Ownership 65/100

CX-60

Performance 59/100
Efficiency 51/100
Safety 99/100
Practicality 68/100
Ownership 55/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Hyundai IONIQ 5 wins with 87 pts vs 68 pts for CX-60

In structured scoring, IONIQ 5 emerges as the stronger overall package. However, CX-60 may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

On our scoring the IONIQ 5 edges ahead overall. That said, the right choice depends on what you actually use the car for — the breakdown above shows exactly where each one wins and loses.

Efficiency scores: CX-60 51 vs IONIQ 5 97. In the real world, diesel variants of either car will beat the claimed figure on long highways and fall short in Joburg traffic.

Safety scores: CX-60 99, IONIQ 5 99. Check each model page for NCAP ratings and which trim levels include AEB and blind-spot monitoring — those features aren't always standard.

Long-term ownership scores: CX-60 55, IONIQ 5 65. Service intervals, parts availability in SA, and whether a service plan is bundled all factor in — check the individual variant specs for that detail.

Practicality scores: CX-60 68, IONIQ 5 70. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: CX-60 59, IONIQ 5 100. This looks at real-world pace — 0–100 kph, highway flexibility, and how either car feels when you actually need to overtake on an N-road.

Resale varies with colour, spec, and market timing, but Japanese brands — and Toyota specifically — have a strong track record in SA. Check current used prices for both on AutoTrader to see the real gap right now.

Ground clearance and 4WD availability are what matter most here. Scroll to the spec table above to compare both side by side — if either model offers a 4WD variant, that's the version worth comparing.

Fuel, insurance, and service costs are the big three. Diesel variants of both models typically save R800–R1,500/month in fuel at current SA pump prices. The IONIQ 5 edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The IONIQ 5 scores better overall, but neither car is a bad buy here. It comes down to what features matter to you — check the full spec table above to see exactly what you gain and lose at each price point.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

The comparison between CX-60 and IONIQ 5 in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: CX-60 scores 59 vs 100.

Efficiency: CX-60 scores 51 vs 97.

Safety: CX-60 scores 99 vs 99.

Practicality: CX-60 scores 68 vs 70.

Ownership: CX-60 scores 55 vs 65.

Final structured scoring gives IONIQ 5 the advantage in this comparison.