Verdict
At RM168,510, the Mazda CX-5 costs RM6,490 less than the RM175,000 smart #3, yet asks RM830 a year in road tax against the EV’s RM260. The smart brings a 268 hp, 343 Nm rear motor, 49 kWh battery and 325 km range, plus 22 kW AC and 150 kW DC charging. The CX-5 counters with a larger 4,690 mm body, a 2,815 mm wheelbase, ventilated front seats and a head-up display. For regular long-distance use without charging planning, the Mazda remains the simpler fit; for lower annual tax and EV driving, take the smart.
CX-5
Pick the Mazda CX-5 if you want the larger SUV, petrol refuelling flexibility, ventilated front seats and a head-up display.
#3
Pick the smart #3 if you want a 325 km EV range, 150 kW DC charging, lower road tax and stronger quoted motor outputs.
Key differences
- Powertrain: Mazda CX-5 has a 185 hp, 257 Nm 2.5-litre petrol engine; smart #3 has a 268 hp, 343 Nm electric motor.
- Road tax: Mazda CX-5 is RM830 per year; smart #3 is RM260 per year.
- Dimensions: Mazda CX-5 is 4,690 mm long with a 2,815 mm wheelbase; smart #3 is 4,400 mm long with a 2,785 mm wheelbase.
- Energy and charging: Mazda CX-5 has a 56-litre fuel tank; smart #3 has a 49 kWh battery, 325 km range, 22 kW AC and 150 kW DC charging.
- Climate control: Mazda CX-5 has dual-zone automatic air-con and ventilated front seats; smart #3 has single-zone automatic air-con and powered front seats.
- Warranty: Mazda CX-5 has a five-year/100,000 km vehicle warranty; smart #3 has a four-year unlimited-mileage vehicle warranty and an eight-year/200,000 km…
CX-5
- Larger 4,690 mm body and 2,815 mm wheelbase
- Ventilated front seats, head-up display and 12-speaker Bose audio
- Dual-zone climate control and 40:20:40 reclining rear seats
- RM830 annual road tax versus RM260
- 185 hp and 257 Nm versus the smart’s 268 hp and 343 Nm
- No panoramic glass roof or auto parking
#3
- 325 km EV range with 22 kW AC and 150 kW DC charging
- 268 hp and 343 Nm rear electric motor
- Panoramic glass roof, navigation and auto parking
- Shorter four-year vehicle warranty versus five years
- Shorter 4,400 mm body and 2,785 mm wheelbase
- Single-zone air-con, with no ventilated front seats or head-up display
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM168,510✓ | RM175,000 |
| Body type | SUV | SUV |
| Segment | C-Segment | C-Segment |
| Assembly | CBU | CBU |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM830 | RM260✓ |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | SKYACTIV-G 2.5L DOHC 16-Valve with VVT and i-Stop, Direct Injection | 400V architecture |
| Capacity | 2,488 cc | — |
| Horsepower | 185 hp | — |
| Torque | 257 Nm | — |
| Cylinder Arrangement | Inline 4 | — |
| Fuel | Petrol | Electric |
| Bore × Stroke | 89.0 mm × 100.0 mm | — |
| Compression Ratio | 13.0:1 | — |
| Number of Motors | — | 1 |
| Motor Horsepower | — | 268 hp |
| Motor Torque | — | 343 Nm |
| Battery Capacity | — | 49 kWh |
| EV Range | — | 325 km |
| Charging Rate (AC) | — | 22 kW |
| Charging Rate (DC) | — | 150 kW |
| V2L | — | 3.3 kW |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | Conventional Automatic | Single Ratio Automatic |
| Transmission Name | 6-Speed EAT (SKYACTIV-Drive) | — |
| Gears | 6 | — |
| Transmission Manufacturer | Mazda | — |
| Driveline | Front Wheel Drive | Rear Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| 0-100 km/h | — | 5.8 seconds |
| Rated Economy | 7.6 L/100 km | — |
| Top Speed | 187 km/h✓ | 180 km/h |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4,690 mm | 4,400 mm |
| Width | 1,860 mm | 1,844 mm |
| Height | 1,695 mm | 1,556 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,815 mm | 2,785 mm |
| Weight | 1,654 kg | — |
| Fuel Tank | 56 litres | — |
| Doors | 5 | 5 |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| Boot Space | — | 370 litres |
| Front Tyre | 225/55R19 | 245/45R19 |
| Rear Tyre | 225/55R19 | 245/45R19 |
| Spare Tyre | Space Saver (T155/80 R17) | — |
| Factory Tyres | — | Dunlop SP Sport Maxx 060 |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Japan (CBU) | China (CBU) |
| Front Suspension | MacPherson Strut | MacPherson Struts |
| Rear Suspension | Multi-link | Multi-link |
| Front Wheels | 19" Alloys (Black Metallic) | 19" Flux Alloy Wheels |
| Rear Wheels | 19" Alloys (Black Metallic) | 19" Flux Alloy Wheels |
| Steering | Electronic Power Assisted (EPAS) | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | 7 (Driver and Passenger, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain, Driver Knee) | 7 (Driver & Front Passenger, Side Airbags, Curtain Airbags and Driver's Knee Airbag) |
| ABS/EBD | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stability Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Alarm | ✓ | ✓ |
| Immobilizer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Child Safety Lock | Manual for Rear Doors | Manual for Rear Doors |
| Seat Belts | 3-point All Seats, Front with Pretensioners and Load Limiters | 5 Three-point |
| Blind Spot Info System | ✓ | ✓ |
| ISOFIX | 2nd Row with Top Tethers | Available On Front Passenger Seat, Rear Outer Seats |
| Autonomous Braking System | Smart Brake Support (Front, Rear, Turn-Across Traffic, Intersection, Front/Rear Crossing) | Yes, Front and Rear |
| Lane-keeping Assist | Steering Correction | Steering Correction |
| Collision Warning | ✓ | ✓ |
| Seatbelt Reminder | All Seats | All Seats |
| Safety Notes | Adaptive LED Headlights (ALH), Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM), Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), Front Cross Traffic Alert (FCTA), Vehicle Exit Warning, Emergency Lane Keeping (ELK), Driver Attention Alert (DAA), Driver Monitoring (DM), Emergency Stop Signal (ESS), Hill Launch Assist, Auto Hold, Walk-Away Lock | — |
| Lighting | ||
| Headlamps | Adaptive LED (ALH) with Signature Illumination, Auto Levelling | LED Reflector with Manual Levelling |
| Taillamps | LED Combination with Signature Illumination | LED |
| LED Daytime Running Lights | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rear Foglamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wing Mirror Turn Indicators | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cabin | ||
| Front Seats | 10-way Power Driver Seat with Memory, 6-way Power Passenger Seat, Ventilated Front Seats | Driver and Passenger Powered Seats |
| Rear Seats | 40:20:40 Split-folding, Manual Reclining | 60:40 Split-folding |
| Front Air-con | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control | Single-zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Rear Air-con | Rear AC Vents | Rear AC Vents |
| Sunroof | None | Panoramic Glass Roof |
| Power Sockets | 1 Front 12V, USB-C Front and Rear, 1 Wireless Charger | 1 Front, 2 USB-C Front, 2 USB-C Rear, 1 Wireless Charger |
| Interior Lighting | LED Map, Overhead and Luggage Lights, Front Footlamps, Ambient Lighting | Map Lights & Ambient Lighting |
| Cup Holders | — | 2 Front, 2 Rear |
| Sun Shade | — | Manual Sunshade for Glass Roof |
| Audio | 12.9" Touchscreen with Voice Recognition, Wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and 12-Speaker BOSE Sound System | 12.8" Touchscreen with Wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto |
| Convenience | ||
| Power Windows | All Windows, One-touch Up and Down with Anti-pinch | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti Pinch |
| Engine Start | Keyless Push Button | Keyless (Depress Brake Pedal) |
| Locks | Keyless Operation, Walk Away Lock, Auto Door Lock | Keyless Operation |
| Auto Start/Stop | ✓ | — |
| Auto Headlamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Wipers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cruise Control | Mazda Radar Cruise Control (MRCC) with Stop & Go, Cruising & Traffic Support (CTS) | Adaptive Cruise Control |
| Tiptronic | ✓ | — |
| Steering Audio Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Tilt | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Telescopic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Boot Operation | Power Tailgate | Yes, Powered |
| Parking Sensor Front | Yes | 4 Sensors |
| Parking Sensor Rear | Yes | 4 Sensors |
| Reverse Camera | Yes, with 360-degree View Monitor | Yes, With 360-degree Camera |
| Auto Parking | — | Yes |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Navigation | — | ✓ |
| Head-up Display | ✓ | — |
| Power Door | Conventional | — |
| Hill Start Assist | ✓ | ✓ |
| Instrument Cluster | Full LCD Monitor | Full LCD Monitor |
| Parking Brake | Electronic | Electronic |
| Convenience Notes | Head-up Display, 360-degree View Monitor with See-Through View, Wireless Phone Charger, Power Tailgate, 10-way Power Driver Seat with Memory, 6-way Power Passenger Seat, Ventilated Front Seats, Dual-zone Auto Air Conditioning with Rear Vents, Frameless Auto-dimming Rear View Mirror, G-Vectoring Control Plus | — |
| Warranty | ||
| Warranty Mileage Manufacturer | 100,000 km | Unlimited✓ |
| Warranty Manufacturer | 5 years✓ | 4 years |
| Warranty Notes | Complimentary scheduled maintenance including parts, lubricants and labour | 8-year/200,000 km Battery Warranty |
Specs shown for the selected variant of each car. ✓ marks the better figure where lower/higher is objectively better. Road tax: West Malaysia, private registration.
Used CX-5 & #3 for sale
CX-5 vs #3 FAQ
Is the Mazda CX-5 or smart #3 better?
The smart #3 is better for EV driving, lower annual road tax and charging capability. The Mazda CX-5 is better if you need a larger body, petrol refuelling flexibility, ventilated seats and a head-up display.
What is the price difference?
The Mazda CX-5 is RM6,490 cheaper than the smart #3. The smart’s lower RM260 annual road tax saves RM570 per year against the Mazda’s RM830.
Which one is better equipped for charging or long trips?
The smart #3 is the charging-focused choice, with a 49 kWh battery, 325 km stated range, 22 kW AC charging and 150 kW DC charging. The Mazda CX-5 instead uses a 56-litre petrol tank, avoiding charging stops.