2014 Best Cheap SUVs

2015 Mazda CX-5

If anything on this Cheap list matches the Ford Escape for sporty road manners, it’s this five-passenger rival from Mazda. Some drivers would argue the CX-5 has an even purer feel than the Ford. Everyone can agree its handsome body suffers similarly tight rear-seat legroom and has a smidge less cargo volume. While we like its well-laid out dashboard and solid cabin materials we are troubled by the generation-old nature of its infotainment hardware. But wow, what a responsive, well-behaved compact crossover. Mazda released the 2015 CX-5 in early 2014, virtually unchanged from the 2014 model. Base versions, called Sport, use a 155-horsepower four-cylinder and feel underpowered. Touring and Grand Touring models come with a larger, 185-horsepower four and acquit themselves quite well, especially given their 26-mpg city/highway combined EPA rating. The clear Cheap choice is an AWD Touring. It starts at $27,010 and includes leather upholstery, power driver’s seat, Bluetooth, backup camera, and blind-spot monitors. The good news is that you can load an AWD Touring with two key options to basically create a loaded CX-5 for a Cheap-SUV-qualifying $29,625. Start with the $1,485 Touring Technology Package. It contains a navigation system, bi-xenon headlamps, and rain sensing wipers. It also includes Mazda’s Smart City feature designed to automatically apply the brakes to avoid a low-speed frontal collision. To add a nine-speaker audio system and a power moonroof, click on the $1,130 Bose/Moonroof Package. Enjoy.