The 2020 Mazda CX-5 continues Mazda’s commitment to vehicle safety, earning top marks in crash tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). This compact SUV has been rigorously evaluated in various simulated accident scenarios, providing car buyers with valuable insights into its safety performance. For those prioritizing safety in a vehicle, the 2020 CX-5 stands out with its robust construction and advanced safety features.
2020 Mazda CX-5 Small Overlap Front: Driver-Side Evaluation
The small overlap front crash test represents a challenging scenario where only a small portion of the vehicle’s front end impacts a barrier. This test is designed to assess how well the car protects the driver in offset frontal crashes. The 2020 CX-5, part of the 2017-25 model range assessed, achieved a “Good” rating in the driver-side small overlap front test. This top score indicates excellent protection for the driver in this type of collision.
Key findings from the driver-side test reveal “Good” ratings across all evaluation criteria, including structure and safety cage integrity, as well as driver injury measures for head/neck, chest, hip/thigh, and lower leg/foot. The 2020 CX-5 also excelled in driver restraints and dummy kinematics, further contributing to its top safety score.
Technical measurements from the test (Test ID: VTN1706) provide a deeper dive into the vehicle’s performance. Occupant compartment intrusion was minimal, with maximum intrusion at the lower hinge pillar and footrest measured at 4 cm and 6 cm respectively. Upper occupant compartment intrusion was also well-controlled. Driver injury measures were impressively low, with a Head Injury Criterion (HIC-15) of just 195 and no hard contact to the head. Chest compression was minimal at 24mm, and femur and tibia forces were also low, indicating a low risk of leg injuries in a similar real-world crash for a 2020 CX-5 driver.
2020 Mazda CX-5 Small Overlap Front: Passenger-Side Performance
The passenger-side small overlap front test is equally critical, evaluating protection for the front passenger. Like the driver-side test, the 2020 CX-5 earned a “Good” overall rating for passenger-side protection. This consistent performance underscores the vehicle’s commitment to safeguarding all occupants.
The 2020 CX-5 again demonstrated “Good” ratings in structure and safety cage, passenger injury measures, passenger restraints, and driver injury measures in the passenger-side small overlap test. This dual “Good” rating in both driver and passenger-side small overlap tests highlights the balanced safety engineering of the 2020 CX-5.
Technical data from the passenger-side test (Test ID: VTP1719) shows slightly higher intrusion measurements on the passenger side compared to the driver side, but still within acceptable limits for a “Good” rating. Passenger injury measures remained low, although HIC-15 was slightly higher at 262 compared to the driver-side test. Importantly, driver injury measures were also assessed in the passenger-side test and all received “Good” ratings, demonstrating that the structural design effectively protects both front occupants in a small overlap frontal crash in a 2020 CX-5.
2020 Mazda CX-5 Moderate Overlap Front: Original Test Results
The moderate overlap front test, another crucial evaluation, simulates a crash where a significant portion of the vehicle’s front end impacts a barrier. This test is a traditional frontal crash assessment and the 2020 CX-5 continued its streak of top safety scores with a “Good” rating in the moderate overlap front test.
The 2020 CX-5 achieved “Good” ratings across the board in this test, including structure and safety cage, driver injury measures for head/neck, chest, and leg/foot (both left and right). Driver restraints and dummy kinematics were also rated “Good.” These results reinforce the 2020 CX-5‘s ability to protect occupants in a common type of frontal collision.
Measurements from the moderate overlap test (Test ID: VTF1709) indicate minimal occupant compartment intrusion. Footwell intrusion measurements were low, and instrument panel and steering column movement were also well-controlled. Driver injury measures were again excellent, with a low HIC-15 of 104 and minimal chest compression (31mm). Femur and tibia forces were also low, indicating a low risk of leg injuries. The 2020 CX-5‘s performance in the moderate overlap front test further solidifies its reputation as a safe vehicle choice.
2020 Mazda CX-5 Side Impact: Updated Test Evaluation
Side impact crashes are particularly dangerous due to the limited protection offered by vehicle doors. The IIHS updated its side impact test to be more challenging, reflecting real-world, higher-speed side collisions. The 2020 CX-5 was subjected to this updated side test and achieved a “Good” overall rating, demonstrating its ability to protect occupants even in severe side crashes.
In the updated side test, the 2020 CX-5 earned “Good” ratings for structure and safety cage, driver head protection, and rear passenger head protection. Driver injury measures for head/neck and pelvis were also “Good,” while torso protection for the driver was rated “Acceptable.” Rear passenger injury measures were all rated “Good” across head/neck, torso, and pelvis/leg. The 2020 CX-5’s performance in the updated side test, especially with “Good” ratings for rear passenger protection, is a significant safety advantage for families.
Technical measurements from the updated side test (Test IDs: CES2007, CES2108) show controlled B-pillar intrusion. Driver injury measures were generally low, although torso deflection measurements indicated a slightly higher risk to the driver’s torso, leading to the “Acceptable” rating in that category. Rear passenger injury measures (Test ID: CES2108) were all low, confirming good protection for rear occupants in a side impact scenario in a 2020 CX-5.
2020 Mazda CX-5 Roof Strength Test
Roof strength is a critical factor in rollover accidents. The 2020 CX-5 underwent a roof strength test and achieved a “Good” rating, indicating strong roof structure capable of protecting occupants in a rollover.
With a strength-to-weight ratio of 5.54, the 2020 CX-5’s roof demonstrated significant strength relative to its weight. This “Good” rating in roof strength provides further assurance of occupant protection in various accident types.
2020 Mazda CX-5 Head Restraints & Seats
Whiplash is a common injury in rear-end collisions, and effective head restraints can significantly reduce this risk. The 2020 CX-5’s head restraints and seats were evaluated and earned a “Good” overall rating, with “Good” ratings for both dynamic performance and seat/head restraint geometry.
Technical measurements confirm the effective geometry of the head restraint, with a backset of 27mm and distance below the top of the head at 2mm. The 2020 CX-5’s seat design parameters also passed the test criteria, contributing to its “Good” rating in this important safety aspect.
2020 Mazda CX-5 Headlight Ratings
Visibility is crucial for accident prevention, and headlight performance plays a vital role. The IIHS evaluates headlight systems for their effectiveness in providing illumination without causing excessive glare. The 2020 CX-5 offers different headlight variations depending on the trim level.
For Grand Touring, Grand Touring Reserve, and Signature trims, the 2020 CX-5 features LED projector headlights with curve-adaptive functionality and high-beam assist, earning an overall “Good” rating. These headlights provide good visibility on straightaways and curves with controlled glare.
The Sport trim of the 2020 CX-5 also comes with LED projector headlights and high-beam assist, achieving a “Good” rating as well. These headlights offer good visibility with no excessive glare.
However, the Touring trim of the 2020 CX-5 with LED projector headlights and high-beam assist received an “Acceptable” rating. While still providing adequate visibility in many scenarios, the Touring trim headlights did not perform as well as the other trims in IIHS testing, particularly on curves.
2020 Mazda CX-5 Front Crash Prevention: Vehicle-to-Vehicle
Advanced safety technologies like front crash prevention systems are increasingly important in mitigating accidents. The 2020 CX-5 comes standard with Advanced Smart City Brake Support with Pedestrian Detection and Smart Brake Support with Collision Warning. These systems were evaluated for vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention and earned a “Superior” rating.
The 2020 CX-5 successfully avoided collisions in both 12 mph and 25 mph vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention tests, demonstrating the effectiveness of its automatic emergency braking system. This “Superior” rating underscores the 2020 CX-5‘s advanced capabilities in preventing frontal collisions.
2020 Mazda CX-5 Front Crash Prevention: Pedestrian (Day)
Pedestrian detection systems are crucial for urban driving safety. The 2020 CX-5’s pedestrian front crash prevention system, utilizing the same Smart Brake Support technologies, was tested for daytime pedestrian detection and earned an “Advanced” rating.
In tests involving crossing children and adults, as well as a parallel adult scenario, the 2020 CX-5’s system demonstrated significant impact speed reduction or collision avoidance. While not “Superior,” the “Advanced” rating for pedestrian front crash prevention highlights the 2020 CX-5‘s capability to mitigate pedestrian accidents.
2020 Mazda CX-5 Child Seat Anchors (LATCH)
Ease of use for child seat anchors is important for parents. The 2020 CX-5 was evaluated for its LATCH system (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren) and received an “Acceptable” rating.
The 2020 CX-5 has two rear seating positions with complete LATCH hardware and an additional position with a tether anchor and the ability to borrow lower anchors. While rated “Acceptable,” the system provides a functional setup for securing child seats. The “Acceptable” rating is primarily due to the lower anchors being located too deep in the seat and requiring some force to attach, as well as confusing hardware present near the tether anchors.
Conclusion: The 2020 Mazda CX-5 – A Top Safety Pick
Overall, the 2020 Mazda CX-5 demonstrates exceptional safety performance across a wide range of crash tests and evaluations. Earning top “Good” ratings in most IIHS crashworthiness tests and a “Superior” rating for vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention, the 2020 CX-5 is a clear leader in safety within its class. While headlight ratings vary by trim and child seat anchor ease of use is rated “Acceptable,” the core crashworthiness and accident prevention technologies of the 2020 CX-5 make it an outstanding choice for safety-conscious buyers. For families and individuals alike, the 2020 Mazda CX-5 provides peace of mind with its robust safety features and top-tier crash test performance.
About the small overlap front test
About the small overlap front test
About the original moderate overlap front test
About the original side crash test
About the side crash test
About the roof strength test
About the head restraint & seat test
About the headlight evaluation
About the original front crash prevention test
About the pedestrian front crash prevention test
About the child seat anchor evaluation
