2020 Audi Q3 vs 2023 Mazda CX-5

What's the difference?

I’ve said it before: I don’t get coupe SUVs.

What’s the point? The concept is to take an already debatably practical car shape, and then file down its roofline so that it’s… even less practical?

I can’t think of a more vain concept. Have we really fallen so far into SUV obsession that cars like this need to exist?

Audi says yes with the Q3, and I hate to admit it, but this particular coupe SUV has me questioning my thoughts on the topic. I can’t help but admit this is one of the best-looking small SUV’s I’ve ever seen.

But is it skin-deep? Does the Q3 formula still work with a cropped roofline? Is it still nice to drive and packed with tech? Read on to find out.

Australia loves Mazda.

We have all sorts of Mazdas. Big ones, small ones, relatively affordable ones, expensive ones, but one which stands above the rest is the CX-5.

That's because this mid-sizer does a lot of the heavy lifting for the Japanese brand, keeping it in the fight against titans like Toyota in the sales charts.

If you're ready to feel old, this second-generation version of the CX-5 with its eye-catching design is now a whopping seven years old, although it has been tweaked recently in 2022 to bring a few updates, as well as the addition of the variant we're looking at here, the Touring Active.

So, the question we're wrestling with is whether this car's continued massive popularity is still warranted.

Is this still one of the best mid-size SUVs you can buy for your family, or should you be considering more recently arrived alternatives?