Toyota RAV4 takes facelifted Mazda CX-5 on in video comparo

One is deemed more utilitarian, while the other more premium-feeling and sportier

There’s no denying Mazda has done a truly excellent restyling job with the recent CX-5 facelift, turning a vehicle that looked okay into a bit of a head turner. It inhabits the same market segment as the much more established but far less visually appealing Toyota RAV4, so AutoGuide decided to get one of each and do a comparo to see which comes out on top.

Mazda majors on looks, its driving experience and the upmarket feeling interior ambiance, while the Toyota impresses through its smoothness and practicality. Both are deemed capable, but they obviously address very different buyers, even if they are direct rivals in terms of size and price.

If this were purely a beauty pageant, the Mazda would easily sneak home the tiara, but it isn’t and the conclusion here has to be more nuanced than that.