2025 Kia EV5 vs 2025 Mazda CX-60 Review

It’s a sign of the times that almost every mid-sized SUV is now available with some form of electrified propulsion. Most are hybrids, such as the Mazda CX-60, while some are fully electric like the Kia EV5.   

These two can be had for under $70,000 for similarly equipped variants. Though you can spend up to almost $90,000 for the Mazda CX-60 plug-in hybrid in range-topping trim.

The Mazda CX-60 is available as either a 48-volt mild hybrid (meaning a small amount of electric assistance) or a plug-in hybrid, which can run on electric-only power for a claimed 76km. We drove the mild hybrid CX-60.

The Kia EV5 is a newer model and needs no liquid fuels, but as with any EV, it needs to be charged, and longer journeys need to be more carefully planned. What that buys them though, is no need to ever fill up with petrol. Which would you choose? 

Value for money  

The Kia EV5 and Mazda CX-60 are better value than their pricing might have you expect. Both have suitably luxurious and well-featured cabins in their own, yet different, ways.  

At $69,990, the EV5 in the mid-spec Earth grade gets the larger 88.1kWh battery which Kia says will give a range of 500km. Reasonable value, even if that really means a useable 420km or so.

Meanwhile, $65,990 will get you the mid-spec Mazda CX-60 G40e GT mild hybrid. The Mazda has a much smaller battery (0.33kWh) which assists the 3.3-litre petrol engine, but can’t propel the vehicle by itself.   

And the term ‘hybrid’ might have you expecting the Mazda to be economical, but at around 10.5L/100km during the time we had the vehicle, it isn’t really.  

Behind the wheel  

After driving these two back-to-back, it’s clear the CX-60 has crisper, more direct steering and a tauter ride. It’s a rewarding, sporty drive on curvy roads at medium and highway speeds, though at lower speeds the ride can feel less compliant.  

The EV5 is less sporty, but its more supple ride is a welcome feature for a vehicle designed for the daily grind on city roads of variable quality.   

Like most other current Kia vehicles, the EV5 does have a ride, handling and steering tune that is specific to vehicles for the Australian market. However, unlike any other Kia sold here before, the EV5 is built in Kia’s factory in China.  

Both of these are well-suited to urban driving, and the slightly sharper driving CX-60 or more compliant EV5 will be down to personal preference.   

Safety and practicality  

While both the EV5 and CX-60 are well designed for handling all the needs of modern life, such as oversized water bottles and smartphones, the Kia does have an advantage.  

The compact nature of its electric drivetrain means there’s a flatter floor that allows for more storage in the front console area than the Mazda.

We found the Bluetooth connection was more consistent in the Kia, but the Mazda had a better implemented speed monitoring system.    

Both the EV5 and the CX-60 have 5-star ANCAP safety ratings, though the EV5’s 2024 rating was achieved under the current protocols, which are stricter than those that applied when the CX-60 was rated in 2022.   

Verdict  

Both the Mazda CX-60 and the Kia EV5 have strong appeal for those looking to include some electrification in their next new mid-sized SUV. The CX-60 does have its benefits, including its well laid out interior and the range of petrol, diesel or plug-in hybrid options available. But despite the EV5’s driver assist systems needing work, its better resolved handling and cool, clean cabin design gets it over the line as the more modern, refined medium SUV out of these two.   

2025 Mazda CX-60 Mild-Hybrid 

 2025 Kia EV5