2020 Mazda CX-5 vs 2019 Honda Passport

The 2019 Honda Passport was essentially a stubbier version of the Pilot, sharing the same wheelbase, doors, windshield, and hood. It was about an inch and a half taller with a nearly 1-inch lift in ride height. The Passport had a boxier and more broad-shouldered look compared to the Pilot’s minivan-like appearance. Standard features included an enlarged blacked-out grille, restyled front bumper, gloss-black mirrors and window trim, and black 20-inch wheels. Inside, the Passport resembled the Pilot with an upright dash, digital instrument panel, and a glossy black touchscreen. The fit and finish were above average, with soft and supportive leather seats. However, some parts of the interior felt dated, and the rear door panels were less padded compared to the front.

The 2020 Mazda CX-5, on the other hand, executed the concept of premium better than its competitors. It featured more standard equipment, revised instrumentation, and modifications to reduce noise, vibration, and harshness. The turbocharged engine saw an increase in torque output, and AWD versions gained a new off-road traction assistance feature. The CX-5’s design, both exterior and interior, was captivating and upscale. The Signature trim included premium Nappa leather upholstery, real wood, and a black headliner, giving it a luxurious feel. However, the Caturra Brown leather was almost indistinguishable from the black cabin, reducing the level of contrast.

The 2019 Honda Passport came with a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive was standard, with AWD optional on all but the Elite trim, where it was standard. The Passport excelled in power, offering safe and predictable passing power with no lag. However, the 9-speed transmission had an uncomfortable delay when manually downshifting from fifth to fourth gear. The Passport had a soft suspension and overly light steering, making it less enthusiastic about sporty driving. It could tow up to 5,000 pounds with AWD and had an EPA-estimated fuel economy of 19 mpg city, 24 highway, and 21 combined for AWD models.

The 2020 Mazda CX-5 offered a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine making 187 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. FWD was standard, with AWD optional. The Grand Touring Reserve and Signature trims featured a turbocharged version of the engine, producing 250 hp and 320 lb-ft of torque with premium fuel. The turbocharged engine provided a healthy amount of power, but the CX-5 had excessive body motions when driven aggressively. The G-Vectoring Control Plus technology and upgraded brakes enhanced the driving experience, but the SUV’s high center of gravity caused rocking and rolling through curves. The turbocharged engine had a combined fuel economy of 24 mpg, while the naturally aspirated engine with AWD had 26 mpg combined.

The 2019 Honda Passport offered ample space with 41.2 cubic feet of storage behind the rear seats and 77.9 cubic feet with them folded. It featured a three-zone climate control system, heated outboard rear seats, additional USB ports, a household outlet, and manual window shades. The instrument panel was easy to read, and the climate controls and other buttons were logically placed. However, the infotainment screen and its surrounding polished black trim smudged easily, and the push-button, pull-tab gear selector required an adjustment period.

The 2020 Mazda CX-5 had a more upscale cabin but was less spacious than its competitors. The front seats were comfortable, but rear passengers might find legroom lacking. Cargo space measured 30.9 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 59.6 cubic feet with the back seat folded. The Touring trim added dual-zone automatic climate control and heated front seats, while the Grand Touring trim included a power height-adjustable front passenger seat. The Signature trim featured Nappa leather, genuine wood trim, and more luxurious touches. However, the air conditioning took a long time to cool the cabin on hot days.

The 2019 Honda Passport’s EX-L trim featured an 8-inch high-res touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and 4G WiFi. The Garmin navigation system was fast and accurate, with superb live traffic data and auto-rerouting. Honda Sensing, which included forward emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and lane-keep assist, was standard on all models. However, the best tech features were restricted to the top trims, and the infotainment system lacked shortcut buttons for the stereo, navigation, and other functions.

The 2020 Mazda CX-5’s Mazda Connect infotainment system featured a 7-inch touchscreen in the Sport trim, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto added in the Touring trim. The Grand Touring trim included an 8-inch touchscreen, satellite radio, and a 10-speaker Bose premium sound system. The Signature trim added a navigation system, a surround-view camera system, and a SiriusXM data subscription. The system could be controlled via the touchscreen, center console controls, steering wheel controls, or voice-recognition technology, but none of these methods were ideal. The voice-recognition technology was particularly frustrating, often failing to interpret commands or provide feedback.

The 2019 Honda Passport featured Honda Sensing driver assists and blind-spot monitoring on EX-L and above trims. The NHTSA had not rated the Passport overall but gave it 4 out of 5 stars for front crash tests and 5 stars in all side-impact tests. The IIHS had not tested the Passport but awarded a Top Safety Pick rating to the mechanically identical 2018 Pilot, which scored an Acceptable rating for the passenger-side frontal crash test.

The 2020 Mazda CX-5 came with a comprehensive suite of standard ADAS under the i-Activsense banner, including adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, and lane-keep assist. The CX-5 earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS and a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA, with the highest marks in nearly all individual testing parameters.