2018 Mazda CX-5 Awarded as AutoGuide.com's Utility Vehicle of the Year

The 2018 Mazda CX-5 has been awarded as AutoGuide.com‘s Utility Vehicle of the Year.

The team of editors praised the CUV as a great pick for an excellent “all ’rounder” that checks off all the right boxes for someone shopping in this segment. They were very impressed by the Mazda‘s luxurious interior, pretty design, confident driving dynamics, and value for money. The CX-5 doesn’t make many compromises and goes above and beyond what is expected in its class.

“It really surprised me by how much it reminded me of a BMW in terms of driving dynamics and luxury,” said Jodi Lai, AutoGuide.com Editor-in-Chief. “It’s really clear that Mazda has set some very high standards for itself. This is easily the best looking and best driving car in its class, and it has a cool factor that’s lacking in its major competitors.”

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The Mazda CX-5 won the most points in AutoGuide.com‘s scoring against a field of extremely competitive crossovers and SUVs: The 2018 Volvo XC60, Subaru Crosstrek, Jeep Wrangler, and Kia Niro. Of course, these vehicles weren’t scored against each other, rather were evaluated in regards to how they stacked up against their natural competitors in their respective segments.

As always, the annual testing brought together the best affordable utility vehicles that were new for 2018. AutoGuide.com always wants to make sure the vehicles included are relevant and affordable to most people, so excellent vehicles like the new Porsche Cayenne, Mercedes-Benz G-Class, and Bentley Bentayga aren’t included because (let’s be real here) it’s very easy to be an excellent car when you’re playing in that segment. It’s much more challenging to be outstanding when there’s a budget to adhere to, and that’s where Mazda continues to impress. AutoGuide.com readers also voted for the CX-5 as the Reader’s Choice Utility Vehicle of the Year for 2018.