The 2023 Mazda CX-50 vs. the 2023 Ford Bronco Sport: Which one is better?

2023 Mazda CX-50

The Mazda CX-50 is Mazda’s most rugged SUV. It has the great driving character you expect of a Mazda. But it adds standard all-wheel drive, an off-road driving mode, and available all-terrain tires to make a trail companion, too. Pricing starts at $27,550.

Mazda CX-50 highlights

Torque vectoring: Mazda’s G-Vectoring Control system is something common to luxury cars but rare in the affordable car classes. It brakes each wheel independently to keep body roll to a minimum in turns. Engineers use it to make handling sportier, and only Mazda
MZDAY,
-2.84%
would build a trail-ready SUV yet ensure it’s a great handler on the asphalt first.

Looks at home in a valet lot, too: Most SUVs capable of hitting the trail look rugged in the woods and rugged in the work parking lot, and rugged outside a fancy restaurant. You may not want to wear your technical cargo pants to the club. The CX-50 cleans up classy.

Available Traffic Jam Assist: Mazda’s Traffic Jam Assist system can keep a safe distance from traffic and assist with the steering under 40 mph. It’s not quite the self-driving car of your dreams, but it takes some of the workload off the driver in the kind of mind-numbing driving that feels like work.

Also see: The 9 things that are most likely to affect your auto insurance rates

2023 Ford Bronco Sport

If you want a traditional compact SUV, Ford
F,
-2.28%
will sell you an Escape. If you want something more capable on the mud and the sand, you want the 2023 Ford Bronco Sport. Yes, it’s a compact crossover like the rest of them. But G.O.A.T. (Goes Over Any Type of Terrain) driving modes, standard all-wheel drive, and almost 9 inches of ground clearance make it better on the trail than most. Prices start at $29,215.

Ford Bronco Sport highlights

Proportioned for taller drivers: More headroom. More legroom. More shoulder room. The Bronco Sport is actually smaller overall, with a smaller wheelbase than the CX-50. You’d never know it from the driver’s seat.

Five off-road modes, not one: Yes, these are both off-road SUVs with standard all-wheel drive. But one of these companies has built off-roaders for generations. The difference shows in the drive settings. Mazda has one for “off-road.” Base Bronco Sport models have five. The more off-road-ready Badlands trim has seven. Rocks? There’s a mode for that. Sand? Same. Mud? Yup.

Available heritage model: If you like a vehicle that stands out, the just-for-2023 Heritage models are undeniably good. With a white contrast-color roof and grille and red B-R-O-N-C-O lettering, the Bronco Sport combines 2023 technology with late 1960s retro-cool looks. Buy one in robin’s egg blue, play Marvin Gaye on the Bang & Olufsen
BGOUF,
+0.21%
sound system, and you may just peak.

Similarities

More off-road prowess than most small SUVs, similar power, similar mpg.

Also read: The cars, trucks and SUVs that depreciate the least over 5 years

Conclusion

If you want a small SUV for the drive to work and taking the kids to practice, you have dozens of choices. If you also want to be able to cross the sand and the mud, you have more limited choices. Both the Mazda CX-50 and the Ford Bronco Sport will get you where others can’t. The Bronco Sport will likely get you out of slightly sticker situations on the trail. But the CX-50 cleans up better. Otherwise, they share a lot of traits.

The choice between the two mostly comes down to this: The Mazda is slightly more fun on a paved surface, and the Bronco Sport off one. Which trait appeals to you more?

See: 12 best American road trips

Specs

This story originally ran on KBB.com.