What is the best small SUV?
You’d expect great things in a compact crossover SUV from the maker of the MX-5 Miata, and Mazda’s 2018 CX-5 delivers.
Like the Miata roadster, the CX-5 doesn’t amaze with brute power or design frippery. Instead, Mazda’s best-selling vehicle in the U.S. brings a winning combination of excellent chassis poise, sharp styling, upscale interior materials, and an engaging drive character.
It’s also a compelling value in its class. Prices start at just over $25,000 for the base front-drive CX-5 Sport. Add $1,300 for Mazda’s i-ACTIV all-wheel-drive system.
Now into its second year following a complete redesign, the latest CX-5 benefits from improvements such as a stiffer body structure, a more-pliant ride, and a quieter cabin.
The already efficient, 187-horsepower, 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine adds a new cylinder-deactivation system for 2018 that idles two of the engine’s four cylinders when cruising between 25 and 50 mph under light load in order to save more gas. Front-drive CX-5s are EPA-rated at 28 mpg in combined driving, while AWD versions get 26 mpg.
The new CX-5 is also an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety 2018 “Top Safety Pick,” scoring “Good” ratings in all crashworthiness categories. New for 2018, standard blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert systems improve safety. Mazda’s full suite of safety and technology features is standard starting on the mid-level CX-5 Touring (approximately $27,500), adding adaptive cruise control with full stop and go capability, lane-departure warning, lanekeep assist, automatic high-beam control, and low-speed automatic emergency braking.
While not the largest SUV in the segment, the five-passenger CX-5 is still plenty roomy, offering nearly 60 cubic feet of cargo capacity with the standard 40/20/40-split (and reclining) rear seat folded flat.
This SUV is also unexpectedly luxurious, especially in range-topping Grand Touring trim (about $31,200). This version is equipped with leather seating, navigation, a power liftgate, a sunroof, and a 10-speaker Bose premium audio system.
There are some small SUVs that offer more space or updated features such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but none in the segment, we think, that deliver a more compelling balance of fun-to-drive character and overall value than the 2018 Mazda CX-5.
But not everyone’s priorities are the same and for that reason our expert panel has generated a short list of four other small SUVs you might also want to consider, listed below in alphabetical order.