Audi Q5 vs Mazda CX-5

Summary: Arriving midway through the model year, the 2025 Audi Q5 compact SUV marks the first redesign of the German luxury brand’s bestselling model since model year 2018. That redesign brings Audi’s current design language and tech suite, helping the Q5 keep pace with more recently-updated rivals like the BMW X3, Lexus NX, and Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class.

Verdict: There’s plenty to like about the new Q5, but it’s far from the definitive small luxury SUV.

Mazda's compact SUV gets its first full redesign in nearly a decade, and the results are a mixed bag.

The 2026 CX-5 is longer, wider, more spacious, and more technologically advanced than its predecessor, with a striking new exterior, standard all-wheel drive (AWD) across the lineup, and Google built-in as standard—a first in this segment. But the carried-over 187-horsepower engine and six-speed automatic transmission feel like relics from a different era, especially when every key competitor now offers a hybrid option with significantly more power and better fuel economy.

Verdict: The 2026 CX-5 is one of the best-looking and best-equipped compact crossovers you can buy, but its sluggish and thirsty powertrain and odd interior quibbles hold it back from greatness. Buyers who prioritize style, interior quality, and value will love it; those who want efficiency or performance should wait for the hybrid in 2027.