Compare the2026 Mazda CX-5VS 2026 Chevrolet Trax

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages

Safety

© 1999 - 2026Advanta-STAR Automotive Research, all rights reserved. This vehicle comparison and all of the content in it are provided only by license from Advanta-STAR Automotive Research Corporation of America (Advanta-STAR). If you are not a legally licensed user of this vehicle comparison, it is against federal law to access it, copy it, forward it, or use it in any manner whatsoever. Any unauthorized use of this vehicle comparison is a violation of U.S. and international law and is punishable criminally and civilly. Removal of this watermark/notification without prior written license and approval received from Advanta-STAR is an agreement, understanding, and/or stipulation by the person(s), entities, agents, attorneys, and any other persons involved in the removal of this watermark/notification (including but not limited to Search Optics, LLC and any and all parent entities, sister entities, and subsidiary entities of Search Optics, LLC and/or any other entity, agent, attorney, and persons related in any manner to Search Optics, LLC) to: 1) an agreed upon amount of liquidated monetary damages of a minimum of $1,250,000.00 US Dollars in favor of Advanta-STAR; 2) the jurisdiction and enforcement of any legal claims associated with this matter asserted by Advanta-STAR in the United States Federal District Court in Portand, Oregon; and 3) service of process of any legal claims asserted by Advanta-STAR associated with this matter may be accomplished by First-Class Postage by the United States Postal Service or comparable service. RFXHM-3TRJJ 2a06:98c0:3600::103 2026/03/10

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Mazda CX-5 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The Chevrolet Trax doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Mazda CX-5 are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Chevrolet Trax doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

The Mazda CX-5 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Trax doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The CX-5 has a standard Secondary Collision Reduction System, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Trax doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The CX-5 has a standard Rear Smart Brake Support that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Trax doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The CX-5 has all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Trax doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The CX-5 Premium Plus has a standard 360° Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Trax only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

The CX-5 has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the Trax’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the CX-5 has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Smart Braking Support - Rear Crossing automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Chevrolet charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Trax and the Trax’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert does not include automatic braking.

The CX-5’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Trax doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the CX-5 and the Trax have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems and rearview cameras.

The Mazda CX-5 weighs 820 to 873 pounds more than the Chevrolet Trax. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts. Crosswinds also affect lighter cars more.

Warranty

The CX-5’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Trax’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

Reliability

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the CX-5’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Trax’s camshafts. If the Trax’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Mazda third in reliability, above the industry average. With 8 more problems per 100 vehicles, Chevrolet is ranked fifth.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2026 Auto Issue reports that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Mazda 3 places higher in reliability than Chevrolet.

Engine

The CX-5’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 50 more horsepower (187 vs. 137) and 24 lbs.-ft. more torque (186 vs. 162) than the Trax’s 1.2 turbo 3-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

The CX-5 has 2.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the Trax (15.3 vs. 13.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The CX-5 has a standard locking fuel door which locks and unlocks with the power locks. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Trax. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the CX-5’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Trax:

	CX-5	Trax
Front Rotors	12.9 inches	11.8 inches
Rear Rotors	11.8 inches	11.3 inches

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Mazda CX-5 has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Chevrolet Trax has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The CX-5 has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the CX-5 flat and controlled during cornering. The Trax’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The CX-5 has engine speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Trax doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the CX-5’s wheelbase is 4.4 inches longer than on the Trax (110.7 inches vs. 106.3 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the CX-5 is 1.7 inches wider in the front and 1.9 inches wider in the rear than on the Trax.

For better maneuverability, the CX-5’s turning circle is 1.2 feet tighter than the Trax’s (36.8 feet vs. 38 feet).

Passenger Space

The CX-5 has 8.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Trax (106.5 vs. 98).

The CX-5 has .1 inches more front headroom, 3.1 inches more front hip room, 1.9 inches more front shoulder room, 2.1 inches more rear headroom, 1.2 inches more rear legroom, 6.6 inches more rear hip room and 1.3 inches more rear shoulder room than the Trax.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the CX-5’s rear seats recline. The Trax’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The CX-5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Trax with its rear seat up (33.7 vs. 25.6 cubic feet). The CX-5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Trax with its rear seat folded (66.5 vs. 54.1 cubic feet).

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the CX-5 Preferred/Premium has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button, or on the CX-5 Premium Plus, by just kicking your foot under the back bumper, completely leaving your hands free. The Trax doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

Towing

The CX-5 has a 1500 lbs. towing capacity. The Trax has no towing capacity.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the CX-5 Preferred/Premium, the memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Trax doesn’t offer a memory system.

The CX-5 Preferred/Premium’s standard Entry/Exit Assist glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Trax doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The CX-5 Preferred/Premium has a standard heads-up display that projects speed in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Trax doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The CX-5’s front and rear power windows all open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Trax’s power windows’ switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully.

On a hot day the CX-5’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Trax can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The CX-5 has a standard Pushbutton Start that allows you to start the engine without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Keyless Start costs extra on the Trax.

The CX-5’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Trax’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the CX-5 Premium Plus has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Trax doesn’t offer cornering lights.

When the CX-5 Preferred/Premium is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Trax’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The CX-5 Select/Preferred/Premium’s standard rear view mirror has an automatic dimming feature. This mirror can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on it, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Trax doesn’t offer the luxury of an automatic dimming rear view mirror.

Both the Mazda CX-5 and Chevrolet Trax offer exterior mirrors that can be folded to provide convenience. The CX-5 offers available power folding mirrors, which allow for easy, one-touch folding or unfolding at the driver’s discretion. This provides added convenience when maneuvering or parking, as well as when walking past the parked vehicle. In comparison, the Trax’s foldable mirrors are manual, requiring the driver to get out and physically fold them once parked and unfold them before getting in.

Both the CX-5 and the Trax offer available heated front seats. The CX-5 Premium also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Trax.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the CX-5 Premium keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Trax doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The CX-5 has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Trax doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

The CX-5’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The Trax doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

The CX-5’s standard automatic temperature control maintains the temperature you set, automatically controlling fan speed, vents and temperature to maintain a consistent, comfortable environment. The Trax LS doesn’t offer automatic air conditioning.

Both the CX-5 and the Trax offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the CX-5 Select/Preferred/Premium has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Trax doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

With standard voice command, the CX-5 offers the driver hands free control of the radio and the navigation computer by simply speaking. The Trax doesn’t offer a voice control system.

Compared to the Chevrolet Trax, the Mazda CX-5 Preferred/Premium eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries with its standard integrated Homelink® universal remote controlled from the rear view mirror.

Economic Advantages

According to iSeeCars.com the 2026 Mazda CX-5 retains 57.6% of its original value after 5 years, more than the 52.73% resale value of the 2026 Chevrolet Trax after five years, which can save the Mazda’s owner.

See Available Inventory