Written byOver the last several years, Mazda has built a nice niche in making tasteful-looking, composed SUVs that add a nice touch of luxury and practicality for those who need it most. From urban sprawl to open highways, Mazda delivers drivers athletic handling, upscale cabin ambiance, and eye-catching design from the top down. Fast forward to 2025, and the CX-30 and Mazda CX-5 are competing, and buyers want to know which is the better buy.
Performance, price, and practicality are common denominators especially important for shoppers. Both SUVs are a testament to Mazda’s signature driving dynamics and upscale build quality, but they’re targeted at different needs. The CX-30 is a subcompact SUV with sporty proportions that represents a tremendous value during these inflated prices, and the CX-5 sits one step up the range as a more substantial compact SUV, with ample room and available power on tap.
Okay, so which Mazda SUV is the best for you heading into 2025? This guide is to help you decide whether you want an efficient and sprightly first new car or a small family car that you can squeeze some wiggle room out of on weeknights. We’ll review every detail about the CX-30 and CX-5, including performance, fuel economy, interior, and safety, so you’ll be equipped to make a wise purchasing decision.
So, let’s take a closer look at the 2025 Mazda CX-30 and CX-5. At the end of this guide, you’ll know which best fits your lifestyle, budget, and driving style.
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Overview: 2025 Mazda CX-30 vs CX-5
Mazda SUV lineup 2025 ;CX-30 & CX-5 Mazda fine-tunes its two best SUV efforts for 2025. The second of two subcompact SUVs, the Mazda CX-30, receives minor design changes for a sportier appearance and new tech upgrades, further incentivizing urbanite and solo commuting buyers. The Mazda CX-5 is a compact SUV that continues to remain true to its roots of providing a premium driving experience, and slight performance and infotainment updates for 2025 continue to push it toward that goal.
Both models feature Mazda’s signature KODO design language and premium interiors, though the lifestyles they cater to are quite different. The CX-30 is excellent for drivers who want to take on the city with its sporty and chic design, and the CX-5 delivers more interior space, a larger engine range, and greater cargo room, making it an excellent choice for small families or road-trippers.
Subcompact vs a compact SUV Mazda decision: The CX-30 is sportier and more nimble, and the CX-5 is more of a premium comfort and lounge-holder. Whatever the flexibility of a compact crossover or the usefulness of a midsize SUV, Mazda’s 2025 lineup has you covered. Both models showcase the brand’s commitment to blending performance, luxury, and value in the highly competitive SUV segment.
Price & Value
Price and value are two areas where the 2025 Mazda CX-5 and CX-30 combine well in terms of style, performance, and features—but which Mazda SUV delivers the better value for the money in the 2025 model year?
Pricing remains unchanged, starting at an MSRP of about $29,000 for the 2025 Mazda CX-5 and $30,300 for the CX-30. Both SUVs feature a long list of standard features at the base level, including all-wheel drive, Mazda’s i-Activsense® safety system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and an upscale interior with quality materials.
On the other hand, the CX-30 adopts a more off-road aesthetic with a wider appearance and an array of terrain-based drive modes. By contrast, the CX-5 emphasizes an urban-friendly, upscale ride within a smaller footprint.
CX-30 adds a bit more adventure, especially in higher trims like the Premium Plus or Turbo, where the availability of a panoramic moonroof, improved ground clearance, and greater towing capacity help gear it more toward outdoorsy types. In return, the CX-5 brings high quality materials and a comfy everyday ride.
Both are expected to offer similar reliability, fuel economy, and maintenance costs, helping to keep ownership costs predictable over the long term. Ultimately, the CX-5 is for shoppers who prefer a cheaper yet more premium experience, and the CX-30 is for buyers who want more practicality and off-road readiness.
Interior Comfort & Cargo Space
The Mazda CX-30 boasts a top-shelf feel that’s tough to beat in the subcompact SUV segment. Although it may sound unusual, most of the price-point comfort of the CX-30 is experienced within a case of standard-fit cloth sitting on an optional pair of front seats trimmed in leather and optionally heated. While five can comfortably sit, taller rear passengers will find legroom cramped. On the other end of the spectrum, front and rear seating areas are much more spacious in the Mazda CX-5, meaning it’s the better family hauler for those with rear-seat passengers.
The CX-5 cargo space is much larger than the CX-30 for cargo. The CX-5 features 30.8 cubic feet of cargo capacity behind its rear seats and up to 59.3 cubic feet behind the front seats, ample room for groceries, gear, or weekend luggage. With seats upright, the CX-30 has 20.2 cubic feet of storage space, expanding to 45.2 cubic feet when the seats are folded—still usable, but it’s most suited to a single or couple’s commuter.
Both SUVs are comfortable for everyday use, with supportive seats and a quiet cabin. But if you want a larger ride with a more spacious rear seat and adaptable cargo space, the CX falls by a significant margin on the comforting comparison of the scale. Conversely, the CX-30 is excellent for city use and those who want an interior with some of the best styles on the market in a smaller space.
Performance & Driving Experience
We still find the Mazda 2025 roster to be as dynamic as it is polished in its driving talent. The Mazda CX-5 offers respectable capability with two engine options; a base 2.5-liter four-cylinder good for 187 horsepower and a turbo that increases output to as much as 256 horsepower on premium fuel. Pair it with the turbocharged engine, and you get rapid acceleration and smooth power delivery, which isn’t always the case in the compact SUV class. Mazda CX-5 horsepower specs inspire confidence behind the wheel on highways and city streets.
If you want something a little smaller but just as fiery, try our CX-30 Turbo review. Or the CX-30 bolsters a zippy 0-to-60 mph time with a turbocharged 2.5-liter engine pumping out 250 horsepower under the right conditions. Mazda’s well-calibrated suspension and steering combine to make the CX-5 and new-for-2020 CX-30 feel stable on a twisty road and comfortable over uneven urban pavement.
Optional all-wheel drive (AWD) helps improve grip and stability in bad weather or rougher conditions, allowing Mazda SUVs to tackle various driving scenarios. The 2025 Mazda models stay silent and steady on the highway, providing a peaceful ride. They come alive in city traffic, where delicious responsiveness and tiny turn circles can be appreciated. This gives them a nimble, assured feel.
Mazda’s performance packs performance, efficiency, and well-behaved road manners. Turbocharged or not, Mazda guarantees lively driving without the usual downsides of daily usability.
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Fuel Economy
So, which Mazda SUV offers the lowest cost to refuel in 2025? The CX-30 and CX-5 both deliver two pretty different efficiency profiles. Mazda lists the new 2025 CX-30 with a front-drive, 2.5-liter engine as getting 26 MPG city and 33 MPG highway, but that’s with larger all-season tires. These figures are a bit lower with all-wheel drive choice. At the same time, a 2025 Mazda CX-5 with the same setup, standard AWD, is rated at an EPA-estimated 24 MPG city and 30 MPG highway.
Drivers in the real world report that the CX-30 frequently meets or exceeds its EPA figures, with a particular tendency to outshine the performance in mixed driving. The heavier, slightly larger CX-5 sees a slight dip below its official ratings under typical driving conditions especially around town.
Both models employ Mazda’s Skyactiv-G engine technology, which has been designed to improve thermal efficiency and achieve lower fuel consumption. The i-Activ all-wheel drive system has also been optimized for power distribution only where needed to maximize fuel economy.
If fuel economy is king, you’ll likely get the most out of your gallons in 2025 in a Mazda CX-30.
Technology & Infotainment
Mazda CX-30 infotainment hits that good balance between shape and style. An 8.8-inch center display is standard, which grows to 10.25 inches in higher trims. It is operated using a rotary dial and a couple of buttons (not a touchscreen while the car is moving). While a few drivers may bemoan the lack of direct touch functionality, Mazda’s interface, which is still sharp and fairly intuitive but has more than a smidge of menu diving, eliminates needless distractions from behind the wheel.
By comparison, the tech features of the 2025 CX-5 up the ante with a standard 10.25-inch display and optional 10-speaker Bose premium audio system. It delivers sharp sound, allowing you to make every ride enjoyable. Both SUVs feature standard (and connected) Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration (with navigation, calls, music, and more).
Optional in higher trims of the CX-30 and CX-5, wireless charging is another feature likely to help keep all devices powered up with the availability of several USB-C ports. Bluetooth pairing is quick and stable, and Mazda Connected Services offers remote vehicle status, remote start, and other functions through a smartphone app.
In short, the tech in the CX-30 and CX-5 is relatively intelligent and easy to use. Whether you’re after entry-level ease or range-topper amenities such as Mazda smartphone integration and Bose audio, both offer an upscale infotainment experience in a compact SUV segment that positively bursts with competition.
Safety Ratings & Driver-Assistance Features
To make our ratings for each individual vehicle as accurate and relevant as possible, we endeavor to check base model versions of cars. We also consider the trim level to examine a vehicle’s safety features further.
The CX-30 and CX-5 continue Mazda’s tradition of confidence behind the wheel for 2025 safety, but official 2025 IIHS and NHTSA safety ratings may not yet be released. Still, the 2024 versions of both SUVs scored top marks—the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ rating for the Lexus and a 5-star overall score for the Lexus from the NHTSA. With how similar Mazdas are from year to year, we can expect the 2025 models to be no different.
Mazda’s i-Activsense suite is standard across all CX-30 and CX-5. It includes advanced features such as automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning with lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Even the base trims offer solid value with these features as standard.
Drivers seeking more tech can examine both models’ available options, which include a 360-degree camera system, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability, front and rear parking sensors, and traffic jam assist. The CX-5 wins here slightly, with higher-end trims offering more comprehensive driver aids. The CX-5’s display screens are larger if visibility is your concern.
Both vehicles are excellent choices, but the CX-5 offers just a touch more advanced driver-assistance features, which means it’s the safer choice for certain buyers.
Design and style
The 2025 Mazda design language impresses further in an elegant Kodo design language that remains true to the naive beauty of simplicity. In a CX-5 vs. CX-30 styling comparison, the CX-5 represents a more grown-up, muscular look with its expansive grille and bold character lines. In contrast, the CX-30 sports additional coupe-like lines that make urban escapades look effortless. The two sports have similar sleek LED lighting and Mazda-defining curves, but the CX-5 is a more aggressive feeling SUV.
Mazda doesn’t offer swaths of colors, but the rich tones of Soul Red Crystal and Machine Gray Metallic are available on both models. The wheel designs differ slightly; the CX-5 has larger 19-inch alloy wheels on some higher trims, and the CX-30 uses sportier 18-inch types. Inside, materials reflect an upscale spirit—think soft-touch surfaces, leather-wrapped seats, and high-end materials. The CX-5 takes the lead inside with a more expansive and premium environment, while the CX-30 prizes simplicity. Both exhibit Mazda’s care for the details.
Who Should Buy the CX-30?
The Mazda CX-30 is just right for city slickers (ahem, Cardiff, get ready), first-car buyers, and any single person who wants a bit of style, comfort, and speed for not too much cash. It has a small footprint suited for squeezing through city traffic and filling up tight parking spaces, but a rich cabin and fluent gait that belie its low entry price.
For buyers searching for a practical vehicle with a fun-to-drive character, the CX-30 meets all the specifications. As a bonus for shoppers wanting more space between them and the pavement, the 3 is also a great choice, thanks to Mazda’s exceptionally long list of standard features that won’t break the bank.
Who Should Buy the CX-5?
The Mazda CX-5 is an excellent pick for families, road-trippers, and shoppers needing slightly more room and performance than a standard daily driver. Combining a luxurious interior, a comfortable ride, and an optional turbocharged engine, the CX-5 is easy to like.
The versatile cargo space makes it especially good for small families who need room for strollers, groceries, or gear. It’s a quiet cabin; supportive seats will be welcome on those long road trips. The CX-5 also provides a bit of excitement with upscale and controlled handling and a high-end feel—sans luxury price tag—for those looking for more than mere transportation.
Conclusion: The Final Verdict
Which of these SUVs is the right one for you is a question of preference, so let’s look at how the Mazda CX-30 compares to the Mazda CX-5. More nimble, more fuel efficient, and more affordable to get into, the CX-30 is perfect for city dwellers and lone-wolf commuters. The CX-5, however, offers more room to work with inside, a more comfortable ride, and more powerful available engines and is better suited for families and road trips.
If you need a small crossover that can easily fit in parking spaces, the CX-30 could be your best bet. However, the CX-5 has the advantage of space and refinement. Mazda has long combined high-end models with its trademark driving dynamics, upscale styling, and solid reliability, and both are sold as high-end models.
If you choose the CX-30 or CX-5, you will be offered a sporty, dependable Mazda SUV slated for 2025.
