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Kia Sportage vs Mazda CX-5: which is the better used buy?

On DVSA MOT records the Kia Sportage and the Mazda CX-5 are too close to call — 1.8 percentage points apart on first-time MOT passes once you allow for the age of each fleet, which is inside what the choice of cars counted can move. A winner is named only at 2 points or more. A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure. Choose on the fault patterns and running costs below.

MOT first-time pass rate

Counted from DVSA’s anonymised MOT test records. “vs age-matched” compares each model against what the national fleet scores at the same age — the only fair better-or-worse number, because an older fleet fails more whatever its build quality.

Kia Sportage
Pass rate80.5%
Age-matched national81.7%
Difference-1.3
Tests32,024
Mazda CX-5
Pass rate83.2%
Age-matched national82.7%
Difference+0.5
Tests7,514

These figures count every generation still on the road, not only the one described below: mostly Kia Sportages registered 2010–2022 and Mazda CX-5s registered 2013–2022.

Source: DVSA MOT Anonymised Data 2025 (Open Government Licence v3.0). National first-time pass rate 77.3%. Class 4 tests in Great Britain, test type NT (a normal annual test), retests excluded. A pass, or a pass with rectification at the station, counts as a first-time pass; DVSA's own initial-test measure counts a rectified pass as a failure and so reports a lower figure. Testing in Northern Ireland is run separately by the DVA under its own rules. The difference is worked out before rounding, so it can be 0.1 away from the two rounded figures beside it.

Kia Sportage

NQ5, 2022+ · compact crossover SUV

The NQ5 Kia Sportage (UK deliveries from 2022) shares the Hyundai Tucson's platform and engines, so faults are similar: 1.6 T-GDI oil consumption claims (largely resolved), PHEV battery cooling pump, and minor TPMS quirks. Kia's 7-year warranty covers most of the risk. Best-buy: 2023+. Worst: early 2022 PHEV.

What goes wrong

  • 1.6 T-GDI oil consumption (shared with Hyundai)moderate
    Oil drop between services
    2022 · Usually goodwill within 7-yr warranty; out of warranty engine rebuild £3,500+
    Check: Dipstick at viewing; service history.
  • PHEV battery cooling pumpmajor
    "Hybrid system" warning; reduced EV range
    2022 PHEV · Under warranty; £1,200+ otherwise
    Check: PHEV battery health check (£30–£50 at Kia dealer).
  • TPMS sensor faultsminor
    "Tyre pressure" warning despite correct pressures
    All NQ5 · £80–£140 per sensor
    Check: Visual check on dash — no warnings.
  • Front suspension bushingsminor
    Knocking on rough roads
    All NQ5 · 50,000+ miles · £250–£400
    Check: Rough-road test drive.
Typical asking price:
not given as a fixed figure — the model guide shows the median and middle 80% of asking prices for the cars advertised on Autoza that day, when at least 10 qualify
Fuel economy:
38–45 mpg 1.6 T-GDI petrol; 1.6 hybrid 43–50 mpg
Vehicle tax:
£200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included — the alternative-fuel discount ended on 1 April 2025 (2026/27 rates). A car registered from April 2017 that listed at over £40,000 new (options included) also pays the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 — it is the price when new that counts, not what you pay for it used.
Best years:
2023, 2024
Years to avoid:
2022 (PHEV)
Used Kia Sportages for saleFull Sportage fault guideUsed Kias

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Mazda CX-5

KF, 2017–2024 (2022 facelift) · mid-size family SUV

The KF Mazda CX-5 (2017–2024) is one of the more reliable mid-size SUVs sold in the UK, but the dominant 2.2 SkyActiv-D diesel suffers fuel-in-oil dilution and DPF blockage on short urban journeys. Pre-2022 cars also have headlight clouding and dated Mazda Connect infotainment. Best-buy years: 2022–2024 (facelift). Worst: 2018.

What goes wrong

  • Safety recall R/2019/187recall
    Soot may accumulate around the intake shutter valve on the inlet side of the engine
    70,435 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 26 January 2012 and 30 June 2018
    Large recall — 70,435 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.
  • Safety recall R/2021/435recall
    Low pressure fuel pump impeller might become deformed
    26,974 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 3 April 2018 and 27 October 2018
    Large recall — 26,974 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.
  • Engine — 2.2 SkyActiv-D fuel-in-oil dilutionmajor
    Engine oil level rising above max on dipstick; diesel smell on dipstick; reduced oil viscosity; in extreme cases runaway-engine risk
    2017–2021 (pre-software update); risk persists on any 2.2D used mainly for short urban trips · £180–£280 oil + filter change at independent specialist; £700+ if injector seals also need replacement
    Check: Dipstick at viewing — oil level should be at or below max, not above. Sniff the dipstick for diesel. Ask the seller for the typical journey length: a 2.2D used mostly for sub-9 miles commutes is a red flag regardless of mileage.
  • DPF — 2.2 SkyActiv-D diesel particulate filtermajor
    Limp mode; "DPF full" warning; loss of power on hills; failed regeneration cycles
    All 2.2 SkyActiv-D, mileage- and usage-dependent · Typical issue 55,000+ miles when used for short urban journeys · £600–£1,200 forced regen + cleaning; £1,800–£3,000 DPF replacement
    Check: Ask the seller for proof of recent motorway driving. Run a 30-minute mixed-speed test drive with an OBD reader connected (£20 phone tool) — watch DPF soot load. Avoid any car where the DPF has been removed or tampered with: under the DVSA MOT inspection manual (8.2.2.1) a missing or tampered-with DPF is a major defect, which fails the MOT, and GOV.UK says removing one is almost always illegal.
Typical asking price:
not given as a fixed figure — the model guide shows the median and middle 80% of asking prices for the cars advertised on Autoza that day, when at least 10 qualify
Fuel economy:
2.2 SkyActiv-D 42–47 mpg real-world; 2.0 SkyActiv-G 31–35 mpg; 2.5 SkyActiv-G 28–33 mpg
Vehicle tax:
£200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included — the alternative-fuel discount ended on 1 April 2025. A car registered from April 2017 with a list price over £40,000 when new adds the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 (£640 in all). Cars registered 2001–2017 pay a CO2 band, roughly £20–£790/year (2026/27 rates).
Best years:
2022, 2023, 2024
Years to avoid:
2018
Used Mazda CX-5s for saleFull CX-5 fault guideUsed Mazdas

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Which one suits you

Kia Sportage

Good for: Family buyers wanting Kia's 7-year warranty for peace of mind.

Less good for: Buyers needing premium badge.

Mazda CX-5

Good for: Family buyers wanting a premium-feeling Japanese SUV with strong long-term reliability, lower depreciation than German rivals, and a quiet refined cabin (especially post-2022 facelift). Best fit for drivers doing regular motorway miles.

Less good for: Short-trip city-only drivers buying the 2.2 SkyActiv-D — fuel-in-oil dilution and DPF clogging are use-pattern issues, not luck. Choose the 2.0 / 2.5 SkyActiv-G petrol or look elsewhere. Also not for buyers needing seven seats — CX-5 is strictly five-seat.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is more reliable, the Kia Sportage or the Mazda CX-5?
Neither stands out on the MOT measure. Their first-time MOT pass rates sit 1.8 percentage points apart once each is compared against the national rate for cars of the same age, which is too close to call (we name a winner only at 2 points or more). A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure. The MOT checks safety and emissions items, not the engine, clutch or gearbox, so this is one measure of how each car holds up rather than a full reliability verdict. Pick on the specific faults each is prone to instead.
How do the MOT pass rates of the Kia Sportage and the Mazda CX-5 compare?
80.5% of Kia Sportages pass their MOT first time (32,024 tests in DVSA's records) and 83.2% of Mazda CX-5s pass their MOT first time (7,514 tests). The national first-time rate is 77.3%, but cars of the Kia Sportage's age average 81.7% and cars of the Mazda CX-5's age 82.7% — so the Kia Sportage runs 1.3 points worse than its age group and the Mazda CX-5 runs 0.5 points better than its own. A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure.
Which years of the Kia Sportage and Mazda CX-5 should I avoid?
Kia Sportage: The plug-in hybrid reached the UK at the end of March 2022, and the first-year cars are the ones owners most often report battery thermal management issues on. How often it happens is not known. Mazda CX-5: 2018 examples — the first full UK model year for the KF — saw the highest count of engine-related owner complaints, including oil leaks, oil consumption, and earliest reports of fuel-in-oil dilution on the 2.2 SkyActiv-D. Pre-update Mazda Connect was already feeling dated.
Is the Kia Sportage or the Mazda CX-5 cheaper to run?
On fuel the Kia Sportage has the edge: its most economical version returns up to 50 mpg, against up to 47 mpg for the Mazda CX-5, on the figures in our model guides. For cars registered from April 2017, vehicle tax works the same way for both: the £200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included, plus the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 on a car that listed at over £40,000 new — the price when new, not what you pay for it used. Any Kia Sportage or Mazda CX-5 registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017 pays a CO2 band instead, roughly £20–£790/year (2026/27 rates). Insurance differs mainly by driver and postcode rather than by model, so treat any model-level insurance figure with caution.

MOT figures are counted from DVSA records and are the only measured statistic here. Prices, economy and tax bands are indicative and vary by specification, condition and where the car has lived. Last reviewed: 2026-10-06 / 2026-10-06.