We drove a $35,000 Mazda CX-5 SUV to see how it stacks up against rivals from Honda and Toyota — here's the verdict

Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider

• The Mazda CX-5 is one of the most popular compact crossover SUVs on the market.
• The 2018 Mazda CX-5 is powered by a 2.5-liter, 187 horsepower, naturally aspirated, SKYACTIV four-cylinder engine.
• The CX-5's main rivals include the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, and Nissan Rogue.
• The 2018 Mazda CX-5 starts at $24,150 while our top-of-the-line all-wheel-drive Grand Touring model starts at $30,945. With fees and options, the as-tested-price came to $34,685.

It's been an eventful ten years for Mazda. The decade opened with not only the trauma of a global recession but also Ford's decision to end a fruitful 30-year partnership.

As a result, Mazda had had to contend with survival without access to Ford's resources.

This meant the development of a new family of engines, a new home-grown platform, and a modern infotainment system.

Done. Done. And Done.

Not only has Mazda recovered from the loss of Ford and the recession, the Hiroshima-based carmaker has acquitted itself rather well to the single life. 

In the fiscal year that ended in March, Mazda's global sales increased 5%, selling more than 1.6 million units. 

In addition, Mazda has positioned itself as the go-to brand for those looking for some driving pleasure. Fortunately, they've delivered that dynamic feel in everything from its iconic MX-5 sports car to the seven-passenger CX-9 family SUV.

But the company's biggest success over the past few years is the CX-5 compact crossover. It's Mazda's entrant in what is arguably the hottest segment of the market. The first generation CX-5 debuted in 2012 while an updated second generation arrived for the 2017 model year. Over the first half of 2018, the CX-5 accounted for 49% of the more than 122,000 cars and SUV Mazda sold in the US. 

Business Insider had the chance to spend a few days with a 2018 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring AWD wearing an eye-catching Soul Red Crystal Metallic paint job.

The base CX-5 Sport starts at $24,150 while the top spec all-wheel-drive Ground starts at $30,945. With options and fees, our CX-5 carried an as-tested-price of $34,685.

Here's a closer look at the 2018 Mazda CX-5: 

The Mazda CX-5 is a compact crossover SUV that slots in between...

... The subcompact CX-3 and...

... The midsize CX-9.

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SEE ALSO: We drove a $42,000 Toyota Highlander and a $40,000 Volkswagen Atlas to see which was the better family SUV — here's the verdict

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