2020 Kia Sportage vs Mazda CX-5

What's the difference?

When it comes to value for money, the lower-spec Sportage SX is unbeatable in the range, but a close next-choice would be the SX Plus with its bump in features and improved cabin ambiance.

This will be worth it to many buyers, and it’s nice to see the Sportage is still very worthy of consideration since it now competes in a congested field of new or more recently updated rivals.

The CX-5 Akera is an acquired taste in the sense that it costs more than the GT for what are essentially cosmetic extras. The Nappa leather is lovely, yes, and the sunroof is good (I guess, I don't like them) but it doesn't do anything any differently than the GT.

However, like the GT, it's loaded up with gear and in the case of the turbo, it's the pick of the engines. It's also still right up at the head of the pack dynamically and aesthetically. Fifty grand is a lot of money, but the Akera is a lot of car.

Although almost every single one I see is in this 'Steel Grey' colour (please buy the 'Fiery Red') I think the Sportage has stood the test of time well thanks to its avant garde styling.

This car could have been launched this year and you wouldn’t know any better. The light clusters which sit high on the bonnet, light strip across the rear and bulbous, slightly insectoid styling, really set it apart from the crowd, including its mechanical cousin, the Hyundai Tucson.

Always a subjective call, but I see a Porsche influence which gives it a welcome point of difference.

Mazda’s CX-5 looks a bit more swish and delicate, while Toyota’s RAV4 has a newfound toughness in all its angles. Truly, there’s now a mid-sizer for every taste.

On the inside, the Sportage offers a sportier look than the modern Tucson, but much like the outside, it’s ageing pretty well.

I like the contoured leather bound wheel, traditional quad analog dial instrument cluster, and the nicely integrated dash design.

Some will see the embedded screen as a little older looking than some of its tablet-mounted competition, but it’s bright and functions well. The choice of plastics ranges from great to not-so-impressive as you work your way down the dash.

The seating position is a bit more hatch-like than the glasshouse of the RAV4, Tucson, and Forester. Some will prefer its more engaging feel.

The dash centre might look a little old fashioned with its smattering of buttons, but the shortcuts are a practical alternative to offering most of the car’s functions through a touchscreen.

I really like cut of the CX-5's cloth. It is a bit colour sensitive, although I really like this 'Polymetal Grey Metallic' hue ($495) which changes a lot depending on the lighting conditions.

The second generation has a more resolved, more ears-pinned-back design which is kind of ironic because one of the ads for the previous car used big cat imagery. The sleek headlights, the beautiful proportions and general elegance is going to age just as well as the older machine. That's a good design.

The interior is very clean but still really dark. The 'wood' in the Akera doesn't really help matters, but that's what you get for going for the top of the range. The Nappa leather on the seats is quite lovely, though and the car smells nice (at least when new). As with other Mazdas, the switch count on the centre stack is minimal with some lights moving up to the ceiling console. It's very calm and composed.

A bit of smart packaging goes a long way, and Kia’s done a great job here. Every bottle holder and storage area is oversized and clad in hard-wearing plastics, leaving loads of room for all sorts of objects around the front of the cabin.

The 8.0-inch multimedia suite is no-nonsense. The base software is easy to navigate, and connected to my iPhone without problems every time I got in the car. There’s no lag, either, and being placed in the dash means it's less susceptible to glare.

In the tray under the air conditioning controls there are two 12-volt power outlets, as well as USB and AUX inputs. There’s also a large (if unadorned) armrest console and a glove box on the passenger side.

Although the Sportage's glasshouse isn't as expansive as some of its rivals, visibility is fantastic, and the reversing camera proved paired with front and rear parking sensors made maneuvering in tight quarters a cinch.

Back seat occupants get fantastic amounts of legroom, providing ample airspace for my knees behind my own (182cm tall) driving position.

Amenities are up-to-spec too with large bottle holders in the doors, netted pockets on the back of the front seats, a set of directional air vents, as well as 12-volt and USB outlets.

The rear seats can be reclined in two steps and the Sportage’s rear door apertures are gigantic, allowing for ease of access or the fitting of child seats.

The boot is where the Sportage loses points. Its capacity is listed as 466-litres (VDA) which is modest compared to most of its mid-size competition, although this compromise is largely to facilitate a full-size matching spare wheel which will be significant for some.

The boot may now be 442 litres but it's well down on its obvious rivals, the Tiguan (615 litres) and RAV4 Edge (580 litres). Fold all three elements of the 40/20/40 split fold rear seat and you have a handy 1342 litres and a reasonably flat floor.

The Mazda tradition of tight rear seating continues. I just about fit comfortably behind my own driving position set for 180cm. Kids will be fine but, as ever, the rear door aperture is a bit tricky to quickly enter (like if it's raining). Three across the back is definitely a 'short trips only' proposition. 

There are four cupholders evenly distributed and bottle holders, with a pair in each row. You can also hide your valuables in a good-sized centre console in the front and you have somewhere to put your phone - under the centre stack - when you're on the move.

Mid-size SUVs for 50 grand better be good, no matter where they're from. As with the GT version, you're really gunning for the bottom end of the German crowd here, so you've got to have your marketing types sharply attuned to what buyers will cop switching to a Japanese brand.

The $50,830 Akera scores 19-inch alloys, a 10-speaker stereo, dual-zone climate control, reversing camera, keyless entry and start, hefty safety package, around-view cameras, front and rear parking sensors, active cruise control, heated steering wheel, electric and heated front seats, heated rear seats, sat nav, active LED headlights, LED fog lights, auto wipers, head-up display, lovely Nappa leather trim, powered tailgate, power windows and mirrors, electric sunroof and a space-saver spare.

Mazda's older version of 'MZD Connect' fills the 7.0-inch touchscreen which also features digital radio and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. You can control the screen with the rotary dial once you're moving as the touch function is disabled when you're driving.

The sat nav is a bit light on for detail, so your phone is probably more helpful if you're going somewhere tricky.

The Sportage we tested soldiers on with a 2.0-litre, non-turbo petrol engine, producing 114kW/192Nm. It drives the front wheels via a six-speed (torque converter) automatic transmission.

It's also available as a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel all-wheel drive (136kW/400Nm) at a significant price hike ($44,490), although it comes packaged with a newer eight-speed auto.

The Sportage’s powertrain, while not bad for the segment is really the main issue with the value on offer. Newer rivals offer turbo, all-wheel drive, or even hybrid at this price.

The 2.5-litre turbo engine is a familiar one, first appearing in the bigger CX-9 and then the lovely Mazda6. Pushing 170kW at 5000rpm and 420Nm at just 2000rpm to all four wheels via a six-speed automatic, it's a lot more relaxed than the other petrols in the CX-5 range and more refined than the diesel.

It also comfortably out-punches everything else in the segment.

The all-wheel drive system is obviously road-biased - along with the wheels and suspension - and is mostly front-wheel drive to help save fuel.

The 2.0-litre engine is a lower-tech solution than many emerging low-capacity turbocharged solutions, and hence has to be pushed a bit harder to move a vehicle of the Sportage’s (1532kg) weight.

Subsequently, fuel consumption could be better. The Sportage wears an official/combined figure of 7.9L/100km, but I scored 10.7L/100km over my week of mostly urban testing.

I recorded similar figures from tests of other petrol variants in the Sportage range, so this isn’t an outlier, either.

Thankfully, you can fill the Sportage with base-grade 91 RON petrol. It has a 62-litre fuel tank.

The turbo's official combined cycle figure came out at 8.2L/100km, 0.8L/100km more than the non-turbo's ADR readout.

Once again, the turbo excelled, with a 9.2L/100km reading, close to the 9.1 I got in the GT last year in October. It's a point worth making because the 2.5-litre struggles to better 10L/100km in my hands.

An added bonus is that you can run it on standard unleaded.

Despite more recent competitors launching, the Sportage continues to impress with its balanced ride and handling characteristics.

Part of this is down to its Australia-specific suspension tune, but a recent comparison test pitting the Sportage against its Tucson cousin had us preferring the Sportage.

The ride is firm, but not brutally so. When pitched against major rivals, it’s a sportier ride than the Forster or RAV4, yet not as firm as the CX-5 or Tucson. Food for thought when choosing against competitors.

The steering is nice and direct, too, making the Sportage decent to helm around corners.

The Sportage’s weak point is its 2.0-litre petrol engine, as tested here. It’s predictable and works well with the transmission to provide a decent amount of low-down torque for springing off-the-line, but has a tendency to be thrashy and unrefined further up the rev-range.

I recently tested the SsangYong Korando with a 1.5-litre turbo which proved more engaging and powerful.

As mentioned, asking this engine to pull such a heavy SUV pushes up fuel consumption. While many rivals suffer from the same issue, it could be worth considering.

The six-speed auto proved reasonably smooth, and certainly better than CVT-equipped rivals.

For a mid-size family SUV, the CX-5 is still a very nice car to drive. Mazda doesn't have to engineer in nice steering, a crisp turn-in, well-judged brakes or pour the effort and expense into a well-sorted multi-link rear end. We know from other cars in the segment that not all of these things need to be in the mix to make a car sell. 

Even on these huge 19-inch wheels and without the inclusion of dynamic or adaptive damping, the Akera manages to ride well for most of the time. You'll get the occasional jolt from one of those nasty rubber speed bumps that councils have been randomly installing at roundabouts over the past couple of months.

It's also very nice in the corners if the mood takes you and your passengers are willing. While the tyres could be better - this seems to be where Mazda suddenly decides to skimp a little - the all-wheel drive helps keep things calm and composed.

What really makes this car, though, is the engine. No, it doesn't turn it into a performance SUV, that is absolutely not the point, but a lot of smooth torque means your options open up.

Overtaking is quiet and unfussed, 420Nm and third gear working together like Torvill and Dean (there's a contemporary reference for you). What it really means, though, is that kicking around town in the CX-5 is much more relaxed.

You need a lot less throttle, the transmission doesn't have to shift around as much and you see that in the real-world fuel economy. While that's an added bonus that won't cover the extra cost of the turbo, everything else is.

The six-speed auto is pretty good and in this segment isn't a bother because you either get saddled with a CVT or a seven-speed twin-clutch. I'll take a conventional six-speed transmission over a clunky DSG or droning CVT any day.

The CX-5 arrives with six airbags, ABS, brake assist, stability and traction controls, forward AEB (including pedestrian detection), front and rear collision warning, auto high beam, blind-spot monitoring, road sign recognition (including stop signs), speed limiter, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, rear cross-traffic alert and reverse AEB.

You also get two ISOFIX points and three top-tether restraints for the kiddies.

The CX-5 scored a maximum five ANCAP safety stars in April 2017.

Kia continues to offer its seven-year/unlimited kilometre warranty; still one of the best in the business, although Kia has fellow Korean challenger SsangYong biting at its heels with an identical promise on its new Korando.

Kia also backs the Sportage with seven years of capped price servicing, although averaging out to 391.71 per year it’s not as cheap as something like the RAV4.

Mazda provides a healthy five year/unlimited kilometre warranty that now also includes roadside assist.

Service intervals are close together, with 12 months/10,000km - 12 months is normal. 10,000km isn't. Mazda does offer capped-price servicing, with services costing between $315 and $343 meaning $660-plus annual spend. That's before extras like brake fluid and pollen filters.