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Mazda CX-5 vs Volkswagen T-ROC

What's the difference?

VS
Mazda CX-5
Mazda CX-5

$33,990 - $61,031

2023 price

Volkswagen T-ROC
Volkswagen T-ROC

$34,270 - $73,390

2023 price

Summary

2023 Mazda CX-5
2023 Volkswagen T-ROC
Safety Rating

Engine Type
Inline 4, 2.5L

Turbo 4, 2.0L
Fuel Type
Unleaded Petrol

Premium Unleaded Petrol
Fuel Efficiency
7.5L/100km (combined)

8.0L/100km (combined)
Seating
5

5
Dislikes
  • Hardly cutting-edge drivetrain tech
  • Clumsy dial-operated phone mirroring
  • Fuel consumption could be better

  • Missing blind-spot warning and rear-cross traffic alert
  • Expensive servicing
  • Tight on rear legroom
2023 Mazda CX-5 Summary

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?

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2023 Volkswagen T-ROC Summary

Pssst! Looking to buy a T-Roc R for six grand less? No, this isn't a fake. You're not going to have to go down a dark alley and talk to a guy in a trench coat, either. This is the real deal - the T-Roc R Grid Edition. Too good to be true?  Well, there is a catch but I think it's well worth it... now follow me down this dark alley over here.

Yes, the T-Roc Grid Edition has arrived in very limited numbers with only 300 or so coming to Australia and this mini monster comes loaded with the same 221kW (300hp) turbo-petrol engine and all-wheel drive system as the T-Roc R, plus all the engineering which makes it superb on the road and the track.

But if you're willing to look past a couple of items which have been removed, then you have found yourself a cut-price superhero rival to Audi's SQ2.

Want to hear and see what it's like to drive, too? Then watch the video above as well.

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Deep dive comparison

2023 Mazda CX-5 2023 Volkswagen T-ROC

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