2019 Dodge Journey vs. 2019 Mazda CX-5

For enhanced safety, the front and middle seat shoulder belts of the Dodge Journey 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 Mazda CX-5 has only front height-adjustable seat belts.

The Dodge Journey offers optional built in child booster seats. They’re more crash worthy than an added child seat because of their direct attachment to the seat. Mazda doesn’t offer the convenience and security of a built-in child booster seat in the CX-5. Their owners must carry a heavy booster seat in and out of the vehicle; Journey owners can just fold their built-in child seat up or down.

Compared to metal, the Journey’s plastic fuel tank can withstand harder, more intrusive impacts without leaking; this decreases the possibility of fire. The Mazda CX-5 has a metal gas tank.

Both the Journey and the CX-5 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras and available rear parking sensors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Dodge Journey is safer than the Mazda CX-5:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Dodge Journey is safer than the Mazda CX-5:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

There are over 4 times as many Dodge dealers as there are Mazda dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Journey’s warranty.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Journey has a standard 160-amp alternator. The CX-5’s 100-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

The battery on the Journey is in the front fender, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the Journey’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The CX-5’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2018 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Dodge vehicles are better in initial quality than Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Dodge 19th in initial quality. With 2 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is ranked 22nd.

The Journey’s optional 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 33 more horsepower (283 vs. 250) than the CX-5 GT Reserve/Signature’s standard 2.5 turbo 4 cyl.

As tested in Motor Trend the Dodge Journey V6 is faster than the Mazda CX-5 4 cyl.:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Dodge Journey uses regular unleaded gasoline. The CX-5 GT Reserve/Signature requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Journey FWD’s standard fuel tank has 5.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the CX-5 FWD’s standard fuel tank (20.5 vs. 14.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Journey AWD’s standard fuel tank has 5.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the CX-5 AWD’s standard fuel tank (21.1 vs. 15.3 gallons).

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certifies the Dodge Journey as a “Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle” (PZEV). The Mazda CX-5 is only certified to “Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (SULEV) standards.

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

The Journey has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The CX-5’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Journey’s wheelbase is 7.6 inches longer than on the CX-5 (113.8 inches vs. 106.2 inches).

The Journey offers optional seating for 7 passengers; the CX-5 can only carry 5.

The Journey has 17.9 cubic feet more passenger volume than the CX-5 (121.7 vs. 103.8).

The Journey has 1.1 inches more front headroom, .4 inches more front shoulder room, .9 inches more rear headroom and 2.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the CX-5.

The Journey’s cargo area provides more volume than the CX-5.

The Journey’s cargo area is larger than the CX-5’s in almost every dimension:

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Journey. The CX-5 doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Maximum trailer towing in the Mazda CX-5 is limited to 2000 pounds. The Journey offers up to a 2500 lbs. towing capacity.

The Journey has a maintenance free battery for long life without checking the battery’s water level. The CX-5 doesn’t have a maintenance free battery, so the water level in the battery’s cells must be checked often to prevent damage.

The Journey’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge – which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The CX-5 has neither an oil pressure gauge nor a temperature gauge.

The power windows standard on both the Journey and the CX-5 have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Journey is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The CX-5 prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Journey GT’s front power windows open fully with one touch of the switches, and the driver’s window also automatically closes, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The CX-5’s passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

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

The Journey has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. When the ignition turns off, the headlights turn off after a delay timed to allow you to securely get to your front door. The CX-5 only offers an automatic headlight on/off feature as an extra cost option.

The Journey’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Mazda only offers heated mirrors on the CX-5 Grand Touring/Signature.

The Journey has a 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. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the CX-5 Touring/Grand Touring/Signature.

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

The Journey GT has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The CX-5 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Journey is less expensive to operate than the CX-5 because it costs $126 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Journey than the CX-5, including $113 less for fuel injection and $295 less for a power steering pump.