2022 Honda Odyssey vs 2022 Mazda CX-5

The 2022 Honda Odyssey was a minivan that catered to families with its practical design and thoughtful features. Its sliding side doors made it easy to load children into car seats, even in tight parking spaces, and the spacious third-row seat provided comfort for additional passengers like grandparents or carpool buddies. The Odyssey's cargo space was impressive, offering the same volume as a Chevrolet Suburban when the third-row seat was folded and the second-row seats were removed. Despite its practicality, the Odyssey's design adhered to the classic minivan style, with some stylish touches like kinked sliding doors and dark grey 19-inch aluminum alloy wheels on the Touring trim. The interior boasted quality leather upholstery and a user-friendly layout, although the centre stack's switchgear placement initially seemed haphazard.

In contrast, the 2022 Mazda CX-5 featured subtle exterior updates, including new LED headlights and taillights, revised bumpers, and a redesigned grille. The top-of-the-line Signature trim added body-colour lower exterior trim, enhancing its premium appeal. Inside, the CX-5 retained its luxurious feel with Nappa leather upholstery, real wood trim, and polished metallic accents. The new seats provided improved comfort and support, addressing previous complaints about the seating position. The CX-5's interior was well-equipped with dual-zone automatic climate control, heated and ventilated front seats, and a heated steering wheel. However, the back seat remained snug, and the control layout of the Mazda Connect infotainment system required some acclimation. Cargo space was adequate, with 871 litres behind the rear seats and 1,680 litres with the back seat folded.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey was powered by a 3.5-litre V6 engine, delivering 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. It featured a front-wheel-drive system and a 10-speed automatic transmission with pushbutton controls. While it lacked all-wheel drive and hybrid options, the Odyssey offered a Natural Resources Canada fuel consumption estimate of 10.6 litres per 100 kilometres in combined driving. During testing, the Odyssey averaged 10.4 L/100 km. The minivan's driving character was enjoyable, with quick acceleration for highway merging and responsive handling on twisty roads. However, repeated use of the brakes on downhill grades led to pedal vibration and audible grumbling, indicating a need for more heat-resistant brakes.

The 2022 Mazda CX-5 offered two engine options. The base engine was a Skyactiv-G 2.5-litre four-cylinder, producing 187 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque, paired with a revised 6-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive. It had a fuel consumption estimate of 9.3 L/100 km in combined driving. The turbocharged engine, available on higher trims, delivered 256 horsepower and 320 pound-feet of torque on premium gas, with a fuel consumption estimate of 9.8 L/100 km. The CX-5's driving dynamics were improved, with increased structural rigidity and reworked suspension tuning, resulting in a quieter and smoother ride. The Mazda Intelligent Drive Select (Mi-Drive) offered Normal, Sport, and Off-Road settings, enhancing the driving experience.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey offered easy access with wide-opening doors and a lower ride height. Inside, the Touring trim featured quality leather upholstery, power-adjustable front seats with heating and ventilation, and a tri-zone automatic climate control system. The minivan provided ample storage space, including shelving in the front door panels and a floor tray between the dashboard and centre console. The second-row seats were comfortable, with plenty of legroom and the option to remove the centre section for added flexibility. The Magic Slide second-row seats allowed for easy access to the third-row seat, which was comfortable for adults. The Odyssey offered 929 litres of cargo space behind the third-row seat, expanding to 2,452 litres with the third-row seat folded and 3,984 litres with the second-row seats removed.

The 2022 Mazda CX-5 addressed previous complaints about its ride and seating with new furnishings. The front seats provided improved comfort and support, and the driving position was sportier. The back seat remained snug, but heated outboard cushions and air conditioning vents added comfort. The control layout of the Mazda Connect infotainment system required acclimation, as it lacked a touchscreen display and natural voice recognition. Storage space was adequate, with a small bin under the centre armrest and wireless smartphone charging. The CX-5 offered 871 litres of cargo space behind the rear seats, expanding to 1,680 litres with the back seat folded.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey Touring was equipped with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display, satellite radio, Bluetooth, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. The Touring trim added HondaLink connected services, CabinWatch and CabinTalk technology, and a rear entertainment system with a 10.2-inch display. However, the infotainment system was considered outdated, with a small screen and limited voice recognition capabilities. The Odyssey's embedded navigation system required specific voice commands and was less intuitive than smartphone-based navigation.

The 2022 Mazda CX-5 featured a Mazda Connect infotainment system with a 10.25-inch display and Bluetooth. The system lacked a touchscreen interface and natural voice recognition, requiring the use of centre console and steering wheel controls. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, along with Mazda Connected Services. The CX-5 offered a 10-speaker Bose premium sound system on higher trims, providing satisfactory audio quality. However, the lack of a touchscreen and advanced voice recognition limited the system's usability.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey came equipped with Honda Sensing, a comprehensive suite of safety features including adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and lane-centring assist. The Odyssey also had automatic high-beam headlights and a rear-seat reminder system. However, the safety features lacked refinement, with occasional false warnings and abrupt responses. The Odyssey earned a five-star rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS.

The 2022 Mazda CX-5 featured the i-Activsense package, which included adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Higher trims added adaptive headlights, a surround-view camera system, front and rear parking sensors, automatic rear braking, and a driver monitoring system. The CX-5's safety features operated mostly in the background, providing a more natural experience. The CX-5 received a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS.