2017 Toyota RAV4 vs. 2017 Mazda CX-5

If you’re on the lookout for a new SUV, chances are utility is high on your list of must-have features. The 2017 Toyota RAV4 and 2017 Mazda CX-5 were designed to simplify your every journey. When it comes to loading and transporting your belongings, however, the 2017 Toyota RAV4 is much more spacious and accommodating:

• Roof Rack: Unlike the Mazda CX-5, the Toyota RAV4 comes standard with a roof rack, making it easier to transport items like bicycles and kayaks.
• Split-Folding Rear Seats: The Toyota RAV4’s 60/40-split-folding rear seats let you carry longer items, such as surfboards, without cramping your rear-seat passenger like the CX-5’s 40/20/40 rear seats.
• Cargo Area: With the rear seats folded down, the Toyota RAV4 offers up to 73.4 cubic feet of cargo space, which outmatches the CX-5’s cargo area by 13.8 cubic feet.

As five-passenger family vehicles, the 2017 Toyota RAV4 and 2017 Mazda CX-5 offer a fully loaded safety arsenal. Both SUVs come equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system, child-proof rear door locks, second-row head restraints, stability and traction control, and comprehensive airbag protection. Against many SUVs in its segment—the CX-5 included—the new Toyota RAV4 holds an ace in the safety department: standard Toyota Safety Sense (TSS-P). TSS-P is a bundle of high-tech driver assists, which include the following:

• Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection: Using a camera and millimeter-wave radar, this system senses possible collisions with straight-ahead vehicles and pedestrians, and, if necessary, can apply the brakes automatically.
• Automatic High Beams: Nighttime drives through Culver City are much more reassuring with Automatic High Beams—a system that automatically activates your low/high beams based on your surroundings.
• Dynamic Radar Cruise Control: This system operates like traditional cruise control, but allows you to set distance intervals between you and straight-ahead vehicles, as well as speed.