Car and Driver Compact SUV rankings

[rmtaylor51]

Best Compact SUVs for 2023 and 2024

Wondering what compact SUV to buy? Our testing team looks at over 200 data points when rating vehicles. Check out what made our list of the best compact SUVs to buy in 2023.

www.caranddriver.com

 

[sm1ke]

Best Compact SUVs for 2023 and 2024

Wondering what compact SUV to buy? Our testing team looks at over 200 data points when rating vehicles. Check out what made our list of the best compact SUVs to buy in 2023.

www.caranddriver.com

What are your thoughts on the results?

Personally I kind of expected the CX-5 to be #1, C&D has always been pro-Mazda.

 

[GTA-CX9]

No surprise on cx5.

CRV i'd noticed lately not gotten the same stellar reviews it used too, and Tiguan seems to be reviewing better... I would have mistakenly guessed it would be Tiguan #2 and CRV #3. As owner of CRV, I've been happy but sort of wish I had given the Tiguan a closer look 3 yrs ago.

Forester over RAV did surprise me.

The Koreans don't surprise me to be lagging, but I find it disappointing as last gen they seemed to be quite competitive.

I guess they consider the Santa Fe midsize, but i'd think many would cross shop that one in this group.

 

[Paulson]

No surprise on cx5.

CRV i'd noticed lately not gotten the same stellar reviews it used too, and Tiguan seems to be reviewing better... I would have mistakenly guessed it would be Tiguan #2 and CRV #3. As owner of CRV, I've been happy but sort of wish I had given the Tiguan a closer look 3 yrs ago.

Forester over RAV did surprise me.

The Koreans don't surprise me to be lagging, but I find it disappointing as last gen they seemed to be quite competitive.

I guess they consider the Santa Fe midsize, but i'd think many would cross shop that one in this group.

CRV still ranks higher than CX-5 in most publications. I think it’s primarily due to their new hybrid Powertrain.

Surprising to see the RAV4 so low, considering their hybrids are selling so well.

Seeing as how Mazda has no intent on releasing any new powertrains/hybrids or updating their old tech in the CX-5, I may pick up a Venza later this year.

 

[GTA-CX9]

CRV still ranks higher than CX-5 in most publications. I think it’s primarily due to their new hybrid Powertrain.

Surprising to see the RAV4 so low, considering their hybrids are selling so well.

Seeing as how Mazda has no intent on releasing any new powertrains/hybrids or updating their old tech in the CX-5, I may pick up a Venza later this year.

It wouldn't surprise me to still see a review of CRV on top. And RAV higher. It is Car and Driver though, theyre a finicky bunch.

I just feel for one, Car and Driver's 2017 CRV praise has been tempered more recently. Thought I'd seen at least one other that wasn't all rah rah CRV, but this is all from memory so no one take it as set in stone. Didn't mean to imply it was widespread downgrading of CRV.

I can still see CRV attributes. Huge space, decent touches in cabin, good handling. Excellent driver assistance tech. But Car and Driver has always favoured the CX5 due to it's stellar handling and so for those prioritizing that, the result of it being number 1 makes sense.

Venza I've not seen reviews yet, beyond previews where it's not been driven. But I wonder if they'd up that a class from these results in C and D, like the Santa Fe. Too big for compact, but not quite midsize.

 

[PaulZooms]

,,,,
Surprising to see the RAV4 so low, considering their hybrids are selling so well.

Seeing as how Mazda has no intent on releasing any new powertrains/hybrids or updating their old tech in the CX-5, I may pick up a Venza later this year.

The Venza looks interesting, especially that roof that toggles from opaque to clear with a flip of a switch. 12.3” display would be nice too. Looking forward to checking one out when they land.

 

[Davidiot]

Surprising to see the RAV4 so low, considering their hybrids are selling so well.

Not to me. I test drove one last month.

 

[Davidiot]

The Venza looks interesting, especially that roof that toggles from opaque to clear with a flip of a switch. 12.3” display would be nice too. Looking forward to checking one out when they land.

That roof sounds cool but that infotainment / climate control setup is getting even worse than on the current 2020s. Check that out — no actual nobs or buttons anywhere to be seen. You need to use the touch screen for precise control of your climate control? Even the dash below the touchscreen is just MORE featureless flat, piano-black glass with exclusively capacitive touch controls. Ugh. What a nightmare.

 

[CX-5um]

C/D's long term test. 0-60 in 6.1 seconds. Not bad considering the skinny all-season mpg purposed tires (see Toyo A36, P225/55R-19 99V M+S). I bet with better tires you can get in the sub 6-second range after a broken-in engine.

Specifications
2019 Mazda CX-5 Signature 2.5 Turbo AWD
VEHICLE TYPE
front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door hatchback
PRICE AS TESTED
$39,900 (base price: $37,935)
ENGINE TYPE
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection
Displacement
152 in3, 2488 cm3
Power
250 hp @ 5000 rpm
Torque
310 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm
TRANSMISSION
6-speed automatic with manual shifting mode
CHASSIS
Suspension (F/R): struts/multilink
Brakes (F/R): 12.6-in vented disc/11.9-in disc
Tires: Toyo A36, P225/55R-19 99V M+S
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 106.2 in
Length: 179.1 in
Width: 72.5 in
Height: 65.3 in
Passenger volume: 102 ft3
Cargo volume: 31 ft3
Curb weight: 3812 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS: NEW
Rollout, 1 ft: 0.3 sec
60 mph: 6.1 sec
100 mph: 16.2 sec
130 mph: 39.7 sec
Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 6.7 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 3.2 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 4.4 sec
¼-mile: 14.6 sec @ 95 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 130 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 175 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.78 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 24 mpg
Unscheduled oil additions: 0 qt

EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/city/highway: 24/22/27 mpg
WARRANTY
3 years/36,000 miles bumper to bumper;
5 years/60,000 miles powertrain;
5 years/Unlimited miles corrosion protection;
3 years/36,000 miles roadside assistance

 

[ceric]

What Mazda needs is more foot traffic into their dealers.
My co-worker was shopping for a CUV. On his shopping list: CRV and RAV4. I told him to check out the CX5. He and his wife did. They bought a CX5 in the end.
His assessment: value proposition and good (might not be the best) in all aspects.

 

[wlong01]

What Mazda needs is more foot traffic into their dealers.
My co-worker was shopping for a CUV. On his shopping list: CRV and RAV4. I told him to check out the CX5. He and his wife did. They bought a CX5 in the end.
His assessment: value proposition and good (might not be the best) in all aspects.

Somebody must be getting the word out because I'm seeing a lot more CX-5's. Went to dinner this evening, small parking lot, there were 2 CX-5's not counting mine and a Mazda 6. Didn't see one CR-V.
Hopefully a good sign.

 

[Apollothedog]

I'm not happy with my 2018 CRV. Interior pieces are falling off, had to replace the battery already, and its just not any fun. Seats are more comfortable though. I should have gotten something else other then the CRV. If I could do it all over, I would have considered the Tiguan or maybe the Outback. If the turbo was out then I would have bought the GTR in 2018 instead.

 

[GTA-CX9]

If I could do it all over, I would have considered the Tiguan or maybe the Outback. If the turbo was out then I would have bought the GTR in 2018 instead.

I can echo this "if I could go back". In fact I think I've almost said exactly this recently here.

I'd think if I could, I'd replace my 17 CRV with 1. CX5 turbo 2. Tiguan 3. Outback

But I got caught in a car shuffle. When I got my CRV we had a camry with it, so I liked the size. although not used a ton for it's cargo utility, it has come in handy for travel and moving stuff.

But now with a CX9 having replaced the camry...CRV space is not needed so much.

One day I will get the 2 vehicle mix right.

 

[scottj]

To my eye, Tiguan is like many European cars: really nice to own, until it isn't.

Things tend to get costly after 50-75k miles with European cars. It's one reason why their depreciation is so steep. Japanese cars, until recent exceptions, just kept on keeping on. The recent exceptions so far exclude Mazda, whose engineering is conservative and avoids risky bleeding-edge tech. Even Toyota has been bitten recently by its move to newly complicated transmissions. Honda, of course, is a sadly infamous example of a formerly solid and dependable marque that is newly dicey to own.

But the European marques are in a class of their own when it comes to costing serious money a few years down the line.