Hi Ali,

Very different cars, and it depends which year you’re looking at. The current Sorento, introduced in 2014, is one of our favourite big cars — huge inside and out, massively comfortable and an almost unbeatable long-haul car. Plus it has seven seats, which is always useful. The CX-5, by contrast, is much smaller, more agile, more fun to drive and has much lower CO2 and therefore cheaper road tax, but it’s a touch thirsty and it only seats five. If you need the seven seats, go for the Sorento. If you don’t, go for the Mazda, but don’t buy the old-shape Sorento as it’s awfully clunky, thirsty and unrefined.