2024 Mazda CX-50 vs. 2024 Chevrolet Equinox Comparison

A compact SUV may be the perfect amount of car for many shoppers. Most of them easily seat four and sometimes five. They have more cargo space than most midsize cars and give you the height to see around traffic in a world where everyone has an SUV.

But they’re not all interchangeable. Each has its own personality.

The Chevrolet Equinox is among the best sellers in the class, known for its balanced character and lots of cargo space. The Mazda CX-50, meanwhile, combines Mazda’s penchant for sporty handling with more off-road capability than most rivals.

Let’s see how these two stack up in the 2024 model year.

2024 Mazda CX-50

Mazda has long made a sporty-feeling compact SUV, the CX-5. Last year, it took the unusual step of introducing a second – the more rugged CX-50. The 50 looks a bit brawnier and is better equipped for mud and snow, but it keeps the precise handling for which Mazda is known. An optional turbocharged engine makes it more powerful than most compact SUVs outside the luxury classes. Pricing starts at $30,300.

Mazda CX-50 Highlights

Sporty handling: Mazda’s G-Vectoring Control system brakes each wheel independently to keep the car flat in turns. If that sounds like something out of a sports car, that’s the point – it makes the CX-50 feel more athletic than the Equinox.

Standard all-wheel drive (AWD): The term sport utility vehicle may make you imagine grippy AWD, but not every car in the class offers it. Mazda makes it standard on the CX-50. Chevrolet charges $1,600 on each trim to add it to the Equinox.

Available Traffic Jam Assist: Mazda’s Traffic Jam Assist feature can take on some of the stress of driving in bumper-to-bumper traffic. You have to keep your hands on the steering wheel, but it will steer, brake, and accelerate to hold your place in traffic up to 40 mph.

Check this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the CX-50 models for sale near you

2024 Chevrolet Equinox

The 2024 Chevrolet Equinox is the best-selling SUV built by America’s largest automaker. That means it’s been the right answer for millions with its jack-of-all-trades character and low starting price. Prices start at just $26,600 and stay low. Even a fully-equipped model stays in the mid-$ $30,000 range.

Chevrolet Equinox Highlights

Lower price no matter how well you equip it: The least-expensive Chevy Equinox costs more than $2,000 less than the base model Mazda CX-50. The most well-equipped Equinox costs more than $8,500 less than the top-end CX-50. What else could you do with the money?

More cargo space: The Equinox has 7.6 cubic feet more cargo space than the CX-50. That makes a big difference if you use your SUV for something more than commuting. Think of it as two full-size suitcases and a carry-on worth of difference.

Available automatic parking assist: The Equinox is available with a self-parking system that can park the car forward, backward, or parallel. Dread parallel parking? Let the Chevy do it.

Check this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the Chevy Equinox models for sale near you.

Similarities

Similar fuel economy and identical warranties.

Conclusion

The Chevy Equinox is among the best-selling SUVs in America because it does most things reasonably well. It’s also an aging platform likely to be replaced soon – that’s a disadvantage if you want the newest design, but it might help you negotiate a lower price — and it starts at a lower price already.

The Mazda CX-50 is a newer competitor and brings both sporty on-road handling and real off-road prowess. It’s pricier to start and gets even pricier as you move up the trim ladder. Standard AWD helps balance that a little, but you’re still likely to pay more for the fresher look and added ruggedness.

Specifications