Verdict
At RM168,510, the Mazda CX-5 undercuts the RM169,000 smart #1 by just RM490, so the decision is not really about entry price. The Mazda is 420 mm longer and has a 65 mm longer wheelbase, plus a 56-litre petrol tank and 7.6 L/100 km rated economy. The smart counters with a 268 hp, 343 Nm rear motor, 49 kWh battery, 315 km range and 150 kW DC charging. Its RM260 annual road tax is far below the CX-5’s RM830.
The #1 Brabus (RM249,000) sits above every CX-5 variant here, so the verdict compares the closest-priced pairing — use the selectors above to match any two trims.
Pick the Mazda CX-5 if you want the larger 4,690 mm SUV, ventilated front seats, head-up display and a five-year unlimited-mileage warranty.
Pick the smart #1 if you can charge an EV and want 315 km of rated range, 150 kW DC charging, 3.3 kW V2L and lower annual road tax.
Key differences
- Price: Mazda CX-5 RM168,510; smart #1 RM169,000.
- Road tax: Mazda CX-5 RM830 per year; smart #1 RM260 per year.
- Length: Mazda CX-5 4,690 mm; smart #1 4,270 mm.
- Wheelbase: Mazda CX-5 2,815 mm; smart #1 2,750 mm.
- Power and torque: Mazda CX-5 185 hp and 257 Nm; smart #1 motor 268 hp and 343 Nm.
- Warranty: Mazda CX-5 five years/100,000 km; smart #1 four years/unlimited mileage, with an eight-year/200,000 km battery warranty.
CX-5
- 420 mm longer body and 65 mm longer wheelbase
- Ventilated front seats, head-up display and 12-speaker Bose audio
- 360-degree camera, front and rear parking sensors, plus a space-saver spare
- RM830 annual road tax versus RM260
- No panoramic glass roof, navigation or auto parking
- No EV battery, 150 kW DC charging or 3.3 kW V2L
#1
- 268 hp, 343 Nm rear motor and 315 km rated EV range
- 150 kW DC charging and 3.3 kW V2L
- Panoramic glass roof, navigation and auto parking
- 4,270 mm body and 2,750 mm wheelbase are shorter than the Mazda’s 4,690 mm and 2,815 mm
- Four-year vehicle warranty versus the Mazda’s five years
- No head-up display, ventilated front seats or listed parking sensors
What the CX-5 has over the #1
What the #1 has over the CX-5
Based on the published spec sheets of the selected variants — a blank field on one side can also mean unlisted data.
The CX-5's wheelbase is 65 mm longer, which usually translates to more rear legroom.
Representative body-type outlines, drawn to scale from each car's length and height.
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM168,510✓ | RM169,000 |
| Body type | SUV | SUV |
| Segment | C-Segment | C-Segment |
| Assembly | CBU | CBU |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM830 | RM260✓ |
| Monthly instalment (est.) | RM1,720/mo✓ | RM1,725/mo |
| Insurance / year (est.) | RM4,728 | RM4,642✓ |
| Fuel or electricity / year (est.) | RM3,025 | RM1,382✓ |
| Energy cost / 100 km (est.) | RM15.12 | RM6.91✓ |
| 5-year running costs (est.) | RM42,915 | RM31,420✓ |
| Charging (estimated) | ||
| AC charge 0–100% (est.) | — | 6.8 hours |
| DC charge 10–80% (est.) | — | 25 min |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | SKYACTIV-G 2.5L DOHC 16-Valve with VVT and i-Stop, Direct Injection | 400V architecture |
| Capacity | 2,488 cc | — |
| Horsepower | 185 hp | — |
| Torque | 257 Nm | — |
| Cylinder Arrangement | Inline 4 | — |
| Fuel | Petrol | Electric |
| Bore × Stroke | 89.0 mm × 100.0 mm | — |
| Compression Ratio | 13.0:1 | — |
| Number of Motors | — | 1 |
| Motor Horsepower | — | 268 hp |
| Motor Torque | — | 343 Nm |
| Battery Capacity | — | 49 kWh |
| EV Range | — | 315 km |
| Charging Rate (AC) | — | 7.2 kW |
| Charging Rate (DC) | — | 150 kW |
| V2L | — | 3.3 kW |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | Conventional Automatic | Single Ratio Automatic |
| Transmission Name | 6-Speed EAT (SKYACTIV-Drive) | — |
| Gears | 6 | — |
| Transmission Manufacturer | Mazda | — |
| Driveline | Front Wheel Drive | Rear Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| 0-100 km/h | — | 6.7 seconds |
| Rated Economy | 7.6 L/100 km | — |
| Top Speed | 187 km/h✓ | 180 km/h |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4,690 mm | 4,270 mm |
| Width | 1,860 mm | 1,822 mm |
| Height | 1,695 mm | 1,636 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,815 mm | 2,750 mm |
| Weight | 1,654 kg | 1,780 kg |
| Fuel Tank | 56 litres | — |
| Doors | 5 | 5 |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| Boot Space | — | 411 litres |
| Front Tyre | 225/55R19 | 235/45R19 |
| Rear Tyre | 225/55R19 | 235/45R19 |
| Spare Tyre | Space Saver (T155/80 R17) | — |
| Factory Tyres | — | Continental EcoContact 6 Q |
| Wiper Blade (Driver) | 24 inch | 24 inch |
| Wiper Blade (Passenger) | 18 inch | 17 inch |
| Wiper Blade (Rear) | 14 inch | — |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Japan (CBU) | China (CBU) |
| Front Suspension | MacPherson Strut | MacPherson Struts |
| Rear Suspension | Multi-link | Multi-link |
| Front Wheels | 19" Alloys (Black Metallic) | 19" Amps Alloy Wheels |
| Rear Wheels | 19" Alloys (Black Metallic) | 19" Amps Alloy Wheels |
| Steering | Electronic Power Assisted (EPAS) | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) |
| Chassis Notes | — | Comfort Suspension |
| Crash Safety Ratings | ||
| EuroNCAP | — | 5 stars |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | 7 (Driver and Passenger, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain, Driver Knee) | 7 (Driver & Front Passenger, Side Airbags, Curtain Airbags and Driver's Knee Airbag) |
| ABS/EBD | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stability Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Alarm | ✓ | — |
| Immobilizer | ✓ | — |
| Child Safety Lock | Manual for Rear Doors | Manual for Rear Doors |
| Seat Belts | 3-point All Seats, Front with Pretensioners and Load Limiters | 5 Three-point |
| Blind Spot Info System | ✓ | ✓ |
| ISOFIX | 2nd Row with Top Tethers | Available On Front Passenger Seat, Rear Outer Seats |
| Autonomous Braking System | Smart Brake Support (Front, Rear, Turn-Across Traffic, Intersection, Front/Rear Crossing) | Yes, Front and Rear |
| Lane-keeping Assist | Steering Correction | Steering Correction |
| Collision Warning | ✓ | ✓ |
| Seatbelt Reminder | All Seats | All Seats |
| Safety Notes | Adaptive LED Headlights (ALH), Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM), Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), Front Cross Traffic Alert (FCTA), Vehicle Exit Warning, Emergency Lane Keeping (ELK), Driver Attention Alert (DAA), Driver Monitoring (DM), Emergency Stop Signal (ESS), Hill Launch Assist, Auto Hold, Walk-Away Lock | Door Opening Warning, Traffic Sign Recognition, Auto High Beam, |
| Lighting | ||
| Headlamps | Adaptive LED (ALH) with Signature Illumination, Auto Levelling | LED Reflector with Manual Levelling |
| Taillamps | LED Combination with Signature Illumination | LED |
| LED Daytime Running Lights | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rear Foglamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wing Mirror Turn Indicators | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cabin | ||
| Front Seats | 10-way Power Driver Seat with Memory, 6-way Power Passenger Seat, Ventilated Front Seats | 10-way Power Adjustable Driver's Seat with Memory Function, Powered Front Passenger's Seat |
| Rear Seats | 40:20:40 Split-folding, Manual Reclining | 60:40 Split-fold with Sliding Adjustment |
| Front Air-con | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Rear Air-con | Rear AC Vents | Rear AC Vents |
| Sunroof | None | Panoramic Glass Roof |
| Power Sockets | 1 Front 12V, USB-C Front and Rear, 1 Wireless Charger | 1 Front, 3 USB-C, 1 USB-A, Qi Wireless Charger |
| Interior Lighting | LED Map, Overhead and Luggage Lights, Front Footlamps, Ambient Lighting | Map Lights, 64-colour Ambient Lighting |
| Cup Holders | — | 2 Front, 2 Rear |
| Sun Shade | — | Yes |
| Audio | 12.9" Touchscreen with Voice Recognition, Wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and 12-Speaker BOSE Sound System | 12.8" Touchscreen with Wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto |
| Convenience | ||
| Power Windows | All Windows, One-touch Up and Down with Anti-pinch | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti Pinch |
| Engine Start | Keyless Push Button | Keyless (Depress Brake Pedal) |
| Locks | Keyless Operation, Walk Away Lock, Auto Door Lock | Keyless Operation |
| Auto Start/Stop | ✓ | — |
| Auto Headlamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Wipers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cruise Control | Mazda Radar Cruise Control (MRCC) with Stop & Go, Cruising & Traffic Support (CTS) | Adaptive Cruise Control with Highway & Traffic Jam Assist |
| Tiptronic | ✓ | — |
| Steering Audio Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Tilt | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Telescopic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Boot Operation | Power Tailgate | Yes, Powered |
| Parking Sensor Front | Yes | — |
| Parking Sensor Rear | Yes | — |
| Reverse Camera | Yes, with 360-degree View Monitor | Yes, With 360-degree Camera |
| Auto Parking | — | Yes |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Navigation | — | ✓ |
| Head-up Display | ✓ | — |
| Power Door | Conventional | — |
| Hill Start Assist | ✓ | ✓ |
| Instrument Cluster | Full LCD Monitor | Full LCD Monitor |
| Parking Brake | Electronic | Electronic |
| Convenience Notes | Head-up Display, 360-degree View Monitor with See-Through View, Wireless Phone Charger, Power Tailgate, 10-way Power Driver Seat with Memory, 6-way Power Passenger Seat, Ventilated Front Seats, Dual-zone Auto Air Conditioning with Rear Vents, Frameless Auto-dimming Rear View Mirror, G-Vectoring Control Plus | — |
| Warranty | ||
| Warranty Mileage Manufacturer | 100,000 km | Unlimited✓ |
| Warranty Manufacturer | 5 years✓ | 4 years |
| Warranty Notes | Complimentary scheduled maintenance including parts, lubricants and labour | 8-year/200,000 km Battery Warranty |
Specs shown for the selected variant of each car. ✓ marks the better figure where lower/higher is objectively better. Road tax: West Malaysia, private registration. Running-cost estimates assume 20,000 km/year. Fuel at RM1.99/litre (RON95, subsidised). Electricity at RM0.44/kWh (TNB domestic, home charging); public DC charging costs around RM1.30/kWh. Charging times estimated from battery capacity and peak charging rates. Insurance: comprehensive motor tariff, no NCD. Instalment: 10% down, 2.5% flat rate, 9 years. Prices checked November 2026.
Used CX-5 & #1 for sale
Our reviews & guides
Mazda CX-5
CX-5 vs #1 FAQ
Is the Mazda CX-5 or smart #1 better?
The CX-5 is the better fit for buyers wanting the larger SUV, petrol refuelling and equipment such as ventilated seats and a head-up display. The smart #1 suits drivers with charging access who prioritise EV range, rapid DC charging and lower road tax.
What is the price difference?
The Mazda CX-5 is RM490 cheaper than the smart #1. This is a negligible gap, so charging access, driving range needs and equipment matter more than the purchase-price difference.
Can the smart #1 charge quickly enough for longer trips?
The smart #1 has a 49 kWh battery, 315 km rated range and up to 150 kW DC charging. It also supports 7.2 kW AC charging and 3.3 kW V2L, but its suitability depends on access to charging along your route.
How long does charging take?
The #1's 49.0 kWh battery takes about 6.8 hours for a full AC charge, and an estimated 25 minutes from 10% to 80% on a DC fast charger at its 150 kW peak.
Which has the better warranty?
The CX-5 carries a 5-year manufacturer warranty against 4 years for the #1. CX-5: Complimentary scheduled maintenance including parts, lubricants and labour. #1: 8-year/200,000 km Battery Warranty.
