If your shortlist has come down to a Toyota RAV4 and a Mazda CX-5, you are choosing between two SUVs with long, strong reputations, and either can be a sound choice for a family. Perhaps you own one now, or a friend swears by theirs. That is a good place to start from.
Both changed generation this year: the RAV4 in March 2026 and the CX-5 in June. So a few things you may remember about them are no longer true, and the comparison you did last time may now point the other way. Below is what changed, what each costs to buy and run, and how to make sure the car on your quote is the one you think you are getting. When you have decided, Rodar can take your exact grade and colour to our network of over 1,000 trusted automotive dealers and manufacturers and bring the drive-away offers back to you.
The short answer
- Choose the CX-5 if rear-seat space, towing above 1,500kg or all-wheel drive at a lower price matters most. Every grade is AWD, from $39,990 before on-road costs.
- Choose the RAV4 hybrid if fuel use leads your list. In two independent tests it used between 3.1 and 3.7 litres less per 100km than the CX-5.
- Choose the RAV4 plug-in hybrid if you can charge at home and most of your trips are short.
- Whichever you choose, check the exact car on the quote. A RAV4 can be pre-update or updated stock, and a CX-5 can be the new car or the previous one.
What changed since you last compared them
If you last looked at these two a few years ago, several things have changed. These are the changes that matter most.
| What to compare | New Toyota RAV4 (from March 2026) | New Mazda CX-5 (from June 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Rear-seat room | Less knee and shoulder room than the CX-5 in NRMA's test | Edged out the RAV4 for legroom in carsales' test. The previous CX-5 was short on rear legroom |
| Length | 4,600mm (Edge 4,620mm), wheelbase 2,690mm | 4,690mm, wheelbase 2,815mm, both 115mm longer than before |
| Engines | Hybrid or plug-in hybrid only. No petrol-only RAV4 | 2.5-litre petrol only. The 2.0-litre and turbo engines are gone, and there is no hybrid yet |
| Fuel | 95-octane premium unleaded. The previous RAV4 took 91 | 91-octane regular unleaded |
| Drive | 2WD or AWD | AWD on every grade. The front-drive versions are gone |
| ANCAP | Unrated. Updated stock arrives from late October 2026 | Five stars, 2025 datestamp, all variants. The previous model's rating expired in December 2023 |
| Controls | Physical temperature buttons. Fan speed and seat heating are on the touchscreen | No rotary dial. Almost every function, climate included, runs through the touchscreen |
Which car you are actually buying
The RAV4: which build is on your quote?
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The new RAV4 went on sale in March 2026 without an ANCAP safety rating, and ANCAP still lists it as unrated. Toyota calls it the safest RAV4 it has developed. It says production delays meant the car could not be tested under the 2025 rules, so it is updating the car to meet the 2026 rules.
Toyota says updated RAV4s reach showrooms from late October 2026, across the hybrid and plug-in hybrid range, with no price rise. It expects the updated car to earn five stars once testing is done, but ANCAP has not published a rating. Toyota has not said exactly what the update changes.
The part that matters for your quote is this. Toyota says the update cannot be retrofitted, so RAV4s built before it will not receive a star rating. Toyota has not published a way to tell the two apart, and in the weeks around late October a dealer could offer you either.
This is a question of timing, not a verdict on the car. If an independent rating matters to you, ask the seller in writing whether the RAV4 offered is pre-update or updated stock, before you sign. It can matter beyond your own peace of mind, too. CarExpert reports that many government and business fleets are not permitted to buy a car without a five-star rating.
The CX-5: the new car or the previous one?
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The new CX-5 has a five-star ANCAP rating, datestamped 2025, which covers every variant built from April 2026. It scored 90% for adult occupant protection and 91% for child occupant protection.
That rating does not cover the previous generation. Its ANCAP rating dates from 2017 and expired in December 2023, and it has the older cabin and engines. If you are offered a CX-5 at a noticeably lower price, check which generation it is.
The new CX-5 comes in five grades: Pure, Evolve, Touring, GT SP and Akera. All have a 2.5-litre petrol engine and all-wheel drive. Any other grade name, such as Maxx or Maxx Sport, or a 2.0-litre, turbo or front-drive CX-5, is the previous car. Touring, GT SP and Akera were sold in both generations, so for those, ask for the build date and look for the wide touchscreen where the old rotary dial used to be.
Room for the family
The CX-5 now has more room in the back
The previous CX-5 was short on rear legroom. The new one is 115mm longer, and all of that went into the wheelbase, which is now 2,815mm against the RAV4's 2,690mm. In carsales' comparison the CX-5 edged out the RAV4 for legroom, and in NRMA's three-car test the RAV4 had less knee and shoulder room than the CX-5. The CX-5's rear doors also open to 90 degrees, which helps when you are lifting a child seat in and out.
Both have two ISOFIX points and three top-tether anchors, according to carsales. For more on fitting a growing family into one car, see our guide to the best cars for new families.
Rear air vents
On a hot day, rear air vents make a real difference in the back. On the CX-5 they start at the Evolve, and the entry Pure goes without them. On the RAV4, NRMA's test of the entry GX and carsales' test of the GXL both found rear vents. If you are weighing the CX-5 Pure, the Evolve costs $3,000 more and adds rear vents, heated front seats, keyless entry and a wireless phone charger.
The boot
The claimed boot sizes are not measured the same way, so they do not compare. Mazda quotes 466 litres for the CX-5 with the rear seats up, measured to the cargo cover. Toyota measures the RAV4's figure to the roof. carsales measured both with a tape measure and found them comparable. If a pram or the camping gear is the real test, bring it to the test drive.
The CX-5 Touring and above add a remote power tailgate. On the RAV4, CarExpert's equipment list puts a power tailgate on the Cruiser, not on the GX or GXL.
What it really costs
Compare all-wheel drive with all-wheel drive
Every new CX-5 is all-wheel drive. The RAV4 comes as 2WD or AWD. So lining up the two entry grades compares a front-drive RAV4 with an all-wheel-drive CX-5. These are the manufacturers' list prices, before on-road costs.
| Grade | Drive | List price before on-road costs |
|---|---|---|
| Mazda CX-5 Pure | AWD | $39,990 |
| Mazda CX-5 Evolve | AWD | $42,990 |
| Toyota RAV4 GX (2WD) HEV | 2WD | $45,990 |
| Mazda CX-5 Touring | AWD | $47,490 |
| Toyota RAV4 GX (AWD) HEV | AWD | $49,340 |
| Toyota RAV4 GXL (AWD) HEV | AWD | $52,340 |
All-wheel drive against all-wheel drive, the entry gap is $9,350: the RAV4 GX AWD against the CX-5 Pure. The pair carsales compared, the CX-5 Touring and the RAV4 GXL AWD, are $4,850 apart. Registration, stamp duty and dealer delivery come on top of every figure here and vary by state, which is why a drive-away price is the fair way to compare. Our guide to getting a good price on a new car explains what goes into one.
Fuel: the hybrid's clearest advantage
Claimed fuel use is 4.5 litres per 100km for the RAV4 2WD and 4.6 for the AWD, against 7.4 for the CX-5. In real driving the gap was wider. On the same 250km route, carsales recorded 5.4 for the RAV4 GXL AWD and 9.1 for the CX-5 Touring. NRMA recorded 5.4 for the RAV4 GX and 8.5 for the CX-5 Touring.
One change narrows the saving. The new RAV4 asks for 95-octane premium unleaded, where the previous model took 91. The CX-5 runs on 91. Even so, at the claimed figures, a litre of 95 would need to cost more than 1.6 times a litre of 91 before the RAV4 AWD cost more to fuel than the CX-5 (7.4 divided by 4.6 is 1.61). The tanks hold 55 litres in the RAV4 and 58 in the CX-5.
Servicing, warranty and roadside
Both are serviced every 12 months or 15,000km. Toyota caps the RAV4 hybrid's first five years of servicing at $1,625 in total, and carsales found the RAV4 the less expensive of the two to service. Mazda also offers capped-price servicing, so ask for the five-year total on the grade you choose.
Both carry a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. Toyota extends cover on the engine and driveline to seven years if the car is serviced to the schedule in its Warranty and Service book. Mazda includes five years of roadside assistance with the CX-5.
How you will use it
Towing depends on the drivetrain, not the badge
Mazda quotes braked towing of up to 1,800kg for the new CX-5 with its genuine towing kit, and every grade has the same engine and all-wheel drive. The RAV4 hybrid is rated to 1,500kg braked with AWD and 800kg with 2WD. An 800kg limit can rule out a camper trailer or a small boat. If you already own a trailer, check its loaded weight before you choose the 2WD RAV4 to save $3,350.
Do you need all-wheel drive?
For mostly sealed-road driving, a 2WD RAV4 does the job, and it is the least expensive RAV4 to buy and the most economical on paper. AWD earns its place if you tow more than 800kg or often drive on gravel or snow. On the CX-5 the question does not come up, because every grade is AWD.
The spare tyre
Every CX-5 comes with a space-saver spare. Reviews of the RAV4 disagree on which grades can have a full-size spare. If you cover long country distances, ask what spare comes with the exact grade on your quote.
Controls on the screen
Both cars have moved more controls onto the touchscreen. The CX-5 has lost Mazda's rotary dial: almost every function now runs through the screen, with the climate controls kept in a row along its bottom edge. The RAV4 keeps physical temperature buttons, but fan speed is on the screen and the seat heating controls are touch-only. If you chose your current Mazda partly for the dial and buttons, spend some time with the new one on the test drive.
The plug-in hybrid RAV4
The RAV4 plug-in hybrid starts at $58,840 for the XSE 2WD, before on-road costs. It suits a household that can charge at home and does mostly short daily trips. If you are thinking about a novated lease, note that plug-in hybrids lost the fringe benefits tax exemption for new arrangements from 1 April 2025. Our guide to novated leasing explains how it works now.
In October 2026, a safety recall was issued for 5,925 RAV4 plug-in hybrids sold this year, over a fault that can cause a loss of drive. Toyota is fixing affected cars free of charge. If you are quoted a plug-in RAV4, ask whether the recall work has been done.
Which one suits your household
- Two child seats and long drives to family: the CX-5 Evolve or Touring, for the rear room, the wide-opening rear doors and the rear vents.
- A camper or trailer above 1,500kg: the CX-5, which Mazda rates to tow up to 1,800kg braked.
- Plenty of stop-start city driving: the RAV4 hybrid. The GX 2WD if you tow no more than 800kg, or the GXL AWD as the like-for-like rival to a CX-5 Touring.
- Short daily trips and a charger at home: the RAV4 XSE plug-in hybrid.
- A five-star rating you can check today: the new CX-5, or an updated RAV4 once ANCAP publishes its rating.
- Trading in one of the two: your own car is the best guide. Think about what you liked in it and what you missed, whether that was the ride, the cabin, the fuel bills or the dial and buttons.
If neither feels right, the Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson and Nissan X-Trail are worth a look. Kia's warranty runs seven years with unlimited kilometres, and Hyundai's runs seven years when the car is serviced on schedule in its network.
How Rodar helps you get the one you chose
Once you know which car suits your household, what is left is getting the right one at a fair price, without giving up your weekends to showrooms. That part we can take off your hands.
Tell us the model, grade and colour. Dealers from our network of over 1,000 trusted automotive dealers and manufacturers come to you, and their drive-away offers arrive side by side, so you compare the full amount you will pay rather than a list price. If you are still between the two cars, a drive-away price on each is the fair way to settle it.
Timing depends on the model and on stock availability across the network. When the car is in stock and your finance is already sorted, delivery can take as little as 24 to 48 hours. Most cases take one week onwards.
If the car you are replacing is a RAV4 or a CX-5, it can go in as the trade-in on the same deal. We can arrange finance alongside the car too: a car loan, or a novated lease if your employer offers one. A lender decision can come back within 24 hours.
Rates and repayments are indicative only and subject to lender approval. Rodar Pty Ltd is an Authorised Credit Representative (555548) of Fintelligence Pty Ltd (ACL 511803).
Both are good cars, and narrowing it to two was the hard part. When you are ready, tell us which one you have chosen and we will do the legwork from there. There is more on how it works in our FAQ. No pressure, and take your time.
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