2025 Chevrolet Tahoe vs 2026 Mazda CX-5

The 2025 Chevrolet Tahoe arrives with a restyled front and rear, including new lighting signatures, and its available diesel engine has been upgraded for more horsepower and torque. However, most shoppers will recognize the new Tahoe for its improved interior and fancy touchscreen.

Verdict: Although the Tahoe receives only mild mechanical updates for the 2025 model year, its interior takes a healthy step forward. Its primary competitors, the Ford Expedition and the Jeep Wagoneer, no longer look or feel significantly nicer. An upgraded diesel engine also helps separate the Tahoe from the field, offering impressive fuel economy (for a vehicle of this size) and excellent performance.

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. 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.