Kia and Mazda have both reported strong sales for 2026, with both brands seeing positive year-over-year growth for September. But one of those brands is succeeding in large part because of its small crossover, while the other is absorbing a slight loss on that front.
The Kia Sportage Is Seeing A Healthy Sales Bump For 2026
For the months of January to September, theKia Sportagehas seen a healthy 8.7% YTD sales bump. This is par for the course for the crossover, which has reported a steady upward trend every year since 2021.
Units Sold
September 2026
16,033
YTD Sales (Jan-Sept)
145,746
16,033 units is practically a slow month for the Kia Sportage, having sold 18,723 units in August alone. Monthly sales for 2026 have not dipped below 13,901 units so far.
Kia treated the fifth-gen Sportage, launched for the 2023 model year, to a facelift for the 2026 model year. The update saw new headlights, a curved digital cockpit, and improved ride quality, marking a welcome refresh for the already-popular CUV.
The Mazda CX-5 Has Lost A Bit Of Ground In 2026
Mazda had a strong September, seeing a 31.9% YoY growth in sales, helping the brand to recover from a slight 2.9% YTD sales loss. The Mazda CX-5 doesn’t seem to be helping, though this is hardly the worst month it’s had this year.
Units Sold
September 2026
11,345
YTD Sales (Jan-Sept)
95,762
September has been somewhat underwhelming for the Mazda CX-5, but these numbers are actually an improvement from 9,657 units sold in August. The crossover has yet to match its February high of 13,701 units sold.
Mazda relaunched the CX-5 for its third generation in 2025, for the 2026 model year. That should be enough to give a successful nameplate a strong sales bump, but that hasn’t been the case for the CX-5, and Mazda might have no one but itself to blame. The Mazda CX-50 occupies the same size class as the CX-5, but it is offered as a 38-mpg hybrid, and it saw a 19.7% YTD sales bump in the first three quarters, roughly matching the CX-5 at 95,351 units sold.
The Sportage Holds A Substantial Lead On The CX-5
2026 Mazda CX-5 screen-Ian Wright/CarBuzz/Valnet2027 Kia Sportage PHEV front 3/4Kia
Looking at the YTD and recent annual sales figures for both of these CUVs, the Sportage has maintained a solid lead on the CX-5 for three years.
Kia Sportage
Mazda CX-5
2026 YTD (Jan-Sept)
145,746
95,762
2025
182,823
136,335
2024
161,917
134,088
2023
140,780
153,808
2022
125,245
151,594
Look at 2024 and you’ll see a total paradigm shift. The Sportage was trailing the CX-5 by more than 13,000 units in 2023, only to claim a lead of more than 25,000 units in 2024. What happened?
First, 2024 was not the first full sales year for the fifth-gen Sportage, but Kia did introduce a facelift that November. This helped the Sportage to retain the momentum that the crossover had been building since 2022, keeping the numbers strong toward the end of the year and into the start of the next one.
Second, the CX-50 was introduced at the start of 2022, with sales growing from 21,329 units that first year to 110,345 units sold in 2025. Since its introduction, the CX-50 has been steadily claiming a bigger and bigger piece of the Mazda CUV pie each year.
We Wouldn’t Say Either Crossover Is Struggling
2026 Mazda CX-5Ian Wright/CarBuzz/Valnet
There are some folks who will look at the Mazda CX-5’s YTD sales and wonder why crossovers aren’t selling that well. 95,761 units sold in nine months is nothing to sneeze at, no matter how bad your fall allergies get.
For that matter, a 9.5% slip in YTD sales, when we still have a full holiday season left to go, is hardly what we’d call a major downfall. The CX-5 has seen better years, but it has seen worse years, too. Mazda’s numbers are, by and large, on the up for September, and a 2.9% YTD overall loss in sales is a fairly marginal dip.
Comparing price tags, the 2026 Mazda CX-5 starts at $29,990, while the 2027 Kia Sportage starts at $28,990. Saving $1,000 is welcome, but a more meaningful cost comparison might be the one between the CX-5 and the CX-50.
The gas-only CX-50 starts at the exact same price as the CX-5, and gets the same fuel economy, at 24 mpg combined. The CX-50 hybrid starts at $34,750 and gets 38 miles to the gallon, making it the stronger buy when gas prices are high. The CX-5 is a solid, affordable crossover, but it’s competing against the Sportage, as well as other Mazdas.
Base Trim Engine
2.5L I4 ICE
Base Trim Transmission
8-speed automatic
Base Trim Drivetrain
Front-Wheel Drive
Base Trim Horsepower
187 HP @6100 RPM
Base Trim Torque
178 lb.-ft. @ 4000 RPM
Base Trim Fuel Economy (city/highway/combined)
25/33/28 MPG
Base Trim Battery Type
Lead acid battery
Sources: Mazda, Kia.
