2019 Mazda CX-5 Signature AWD
Highs: The best chassis in the class, the best engine in the class, the best interior in the class.
Lows: One of the thirstiest engines in the class, narrow interior, small cargo hold.
2019 Toyota RAV4 Limited
Highs: Humongous interior space, cushy seats, thrifty on fuel.
Lows: Noisy, feels brittle and insubstantial, polarizing styling.
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On the Road
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It's surprising for a Toyota, and especially so for a RAV4, how connected and communicative the RAV4's steering is. And the vehicle as a whole is pretty well balanced and planted. Before you get any warning light or big interruptions, you can feel the stability control intervening in subtle ways to keep the thing neutral and controlled around corners. We were quite surprised to learn that we like the brake pedal more in the RAV4 than in the Mazda. The CX-5's is a little squishy at the top of its travel, while the Toyota's is part of the brand's unexpected commitment to verve in its pedestrian products. And it's not just in feel: The RAV4's handling and braking numbers0.84 g of grip on the skidpad and a 161-foot stop from 70 mphare the best in the segment, while the Mazda's 0.78 g and 175-foot stop tend toward the back in spite of the CX-5's subjective composure and comfort.
The Mazda's optional boosted four is the burliest engine in the class. It doesn't rev very high or sound particularly great, but it does make the CX-5 the quickest by a substantial margin despite weighing a relatively hefty 3812 pounds. Our test vehicle's 6.2-second zero-to-60-mph pull was almost two seconds quicker than both that of a mechanically identical RAV4 Adventure model we previously tested and of the last CX-5 we took to the track with the standard 186-hp 2.5-liter. Paired with one of the last six-speed automatic transmissions in a segment increasingly turning to eight- and nine-speeds and CVTs to tease out every last mpg, Mazda's 2.5 turbo does suffer somewhat compared to others in terms of fuel economy, which the EPA estimates at 22 mpg city, 27 highway, and 24 combined. But experientially, the six-speed is deeply satisfying, being smooth, quick-shifting, and with perfectly spaced ratios that keep it from feeling or sounding too busy. Engine behavior is where the Toyota drops behind the Mazda; the RAV4's 2.5 is gritty and loud, and the eight-speed automatic feels slow and abrupt in its actions. But with its more modest output, the Toyota crushes the Mazda in fuel economy, with 25 mpg city and 33 highway for a combined 28 mpg. On our 75-mph highway fuel-economy loop, the RAV4 averaged 32 mpg to the CX-5's 30 mpg.
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The Bottom Line
The Toyota RAV4 is a spacious and comfortable cruiser and surprisingly engaging. On the one hand, the RAV4 joins the Camry sedan as unlikely indicators of a shift toward enthusiasm at Toyota. But on the other, both are the volume models, and their honing shows that Toyota is serious about modifying its reputation for building reliable yet staid vehicles. There's a competence to the latest RAV4 that has never been there before. All it needs now is a powertrain that doesn't sound and feel like it's two decades old.
