New Renault Symbioz vs Nissan Qashqai vs Mazda CX-5

The contenders

NEW Renault Symbioz E-Tech Full Hybrid 145 Iconic Esprit Alpine

List price £33,295
Best price £30,707

Armed with an attractive price and fuel-saving hybrid tech, this newcomer aims to attract buyers looking for maximum value

Nissan Qashqai 1.3 DiG-T 158 N-Connecta

List price £33,025
Best price £29,163

With sharper looks than before and an upgraded infotainment system, the car that started the family SUV revolution seeks to sustain its popularity

Mazda CX-5 2.0 e-Skyactiv G Exclusive-Line

List price £34,160
Best price £31,961

This family SUV first went on sale back in 2017, but it’s still plush inside, good to drive and competitively priced

One of the most fun aspects about cooking at home is that you can be creative and construct a whole new meal when you have leftovers in the fridge. You take what’s already there, bulk it up and transform it into something different from what it was before for a relatively small cost.

A similar approach led to the new Renault Symbioz. It takes the existing underpinnings, hybrid engine and dashboard from the smaller Renault Captur and bulks it up by 186mm in length to form a more substantial car to tackle the value end of the family SUV class. The end result is something attractively priced that brings potentially low fuel costs.

It faces a big challenge, though, because it will have to tackle the popular Nissan Qashqai. This received an update last summer to keep it fresh among rivals, with more striking styling and a mildly upgraded interior to make it more user-friendly.

Meanwhile, our third contender is the Mazda CX-5. True, it’s been around since 2017, but the cheaper versions have always been worthy of consideration. Like the rest of the CX-5 line-up, they bring generous equipment levels and an upmarket interior.

Driving

Performance, ride, handling, refinement

Each of our contenders has a different way of producing its power and accelerating at a respectable pace. The CX-5 has a relatively large petrol engine (2.0 litres) and produces the most power (162bhp), so it’s the quickest from 0-60mph. However, you have to be prepared to change down a gear or two and work the engine hard in order to extract meaningful performance. Thankfully, its six-speed manual gearbox is the slickest to use.

Although the Qashqai’s engine is the smallest (1.3 litres) and, with 156bhp, slightly less powerful than the CX-5’s, the presence of a turbocharger means it accelerates almost as quickly through the gears and pulls harder from low revs. Unlike in the CX-5, you can easily maintain momentum up an incline or gently build up speed without changing down.

The hybrid Symbioz, meanwhile, has a 1.6-litre petrol engine and two electric motors that propel the car at low speeds (provided there’s enough charge in the battery). It’s not particularly eager to set off  from a standstill, but it responds keenly to accelerator inputs once you’re on the move and feels nippy enough around town. The petrol engine then kicks in at higher speeds to lend a hand, so while the Symbioz is the slowest car here, it’s still far from sluggish. It’s also the only one to get an automatic gearbox as standard.

Thanks to its slightly smaller size and firmer suspension, the Symbioz feels the most agile when cornering, with minimal body lean and the highest level of grip. However, its light steering fails to inspire much confidence. 

In contrast, the CX-5’s meaty steering is precise and quick to respond to inputs, and although it’s the tallest car here, the CX-5 still contains body lean well. Relatively low grip levels prevent you from pressing on as enthusiastically as you might like to at times, though.

Meanwhile, the Qashqai has a healthy reserve of grip to feel more secure than the CX-5, but it suffers from the most body lean. The steering could also do with more of a build-up in weight as you turn in to corners to help you feel more connected to the front wheels. As a result, the Qashqai is best experienced at a more laid-back pace. 

Do that and you also get to enjoy its supple ride. Helped by its relatively small, 18in wheels, the Qashqai is the best car here at dealing with scruffy surfaces and soaking up bumps. By contrast, the ride of the Symbioz becomes annoyingly jittery over patched-up roads, so it’s the least comfortable car here. And while the CX-5 is better because it remains level and calm most of the time, it does occasionally jar on really poor road surfaces.

In the CX-5, the brake pedal feels meaty and response builds up naturally; as a result, it’s the easiest to bring to a smooth stop. While the Qashqai’s brakes have the most initial bite, they become unexpectedly grabby when you press the pedal farther down.

Being a hybrid, the Symbioz blends a regenerative braking system (which recovers energy to charge up the battery when you lift off the accelerator pedal) with conventional friction brakes. There’s not much response when you initially press the pedal, but thereafter they’re strong and bring the car to a halt from high speeds with the most composure. 

The CX-5 and Qashqai are the most peaceful inside; road and engine noise are never intrusive, even on the motorway. The Symbioz has more of a split personality where noise is concerned. It’s by far the quietest around town during the short periods when it’s running on electric power. However, it’s the noisiest when the petrol engine is running, with a loud drone invading the interior. You feel vibrations through the pedals, too.

The racket continues at higher speeds, because not only is the engine running continuously, but the automatic gearbox also tends to thump through its gears. What’s more, the Symbioz suffers from the most wind noise, which filters through as though the windows haven’t been closed properly. 

Behind the wheel

Driving position, visibility, build quality

With a wide range of steering wheel and seat adjustment, finding a comfortable driving position is easy in all of our contenders. True, some drivers might wish the steering wheel in the Symbioz would drop down even lower, but it’s not going to cause major issues. The Qashqai is the only one not to have electric seat adjustment, but at least you get adjustable lumbar support to help boost comfort. The Qashqai’s seats don’t have as much side bolstering as those in the CX-5 and Symbioz, though, so they don’t hold you in place as tightly when cornering.

Although you sit closest to the ground in the Qashqai, you still get a clear view over the bonnet (as you do in the CX-5 and Symbioz), while its slimmer windscreen pillars are the least obstructive at junctions and roundabouts. The view over your shoulder is compromised by chunky rear pillars in all three contenders, while the Symbioz’s shallow rear window also restricts your view of what’s behind you; the CX-5’s larger rear window is the most helpful in this regard.

Thankfully, front and rear parking sensors are standard on all three to help with low-speed manoeuvring. The CX-5 also has a regular rear-view camera, while the Qashqai and Symbioz upgrade this to a 360-degree view. That said, the images from the latter’s feed are disappointingly fuzzy.

The 10.25in digital instrument panel of the Symbioz impresses; its graphics are sharp and easy to read, and it offers several layout options, one of which places the sat-nav map right in front of you. The Qasqhai’s display, meanwhile, isn’t configurable, but being larger (at 12.3in) makes it the easiest of the three to read. 

In comparison, the CX-5’s combination of analogue instrument dials and a 7.0in digital display looks dated and shows only a limited amount of information. At least it’s supplemented by a head-up display that projects key information onto the windscreen at eye level to keep you looking ahead – something that’s absent in the other two.

In terms of usability, it’s pretty close between the CX-5 and Qashqai. Both have easy-to-use physical knobs and buttons for the air-con and related functions, but their higher positioning in the Qashqai puts them within easier reach, while the temperature display is easier to read at a glance.

The Symbioz has a row of physical switches for the air-con – a set-up that’s more user-friendly than the touchscreen-based controls you’ll find in many other family SUVs. However, some of its other controls are trickier to operate than the equivalents in the CX-5 and Qashqai – including the small heated seat and heated steering wheel icons along the bottom of the touchscreen. 

The CX-5 and Qashqai are a step up from the Symbioz when it comes to interior quality, using an eclectic mix of soft, padded materials and trim finishers to cover the dashboard and doors. The Qashqai’s ambient lighting has the most visual appeal in the dark, but the CX-5 just edges it with   more tactile-feeling controls and denser-feeling materials, as well as full leather (as opposed to half-leather) seat upholstery. 

It’s evident that the Symbioz’s interior has been lifted from the class below. Apart from soft, squidgy plastic on top of the dashboard and a bit of padded material ahead of the front passenger, everything you touch feels hard and hollow, with the plastics on the doors being especially unappealing.

Infotainment systems

Renault Symbioz

The Symbioz’s 10.4in, portrait-orientated touchscreen is one of the best of its type. Sharp graphics and quick responses to inputs give it the most up-to-date feel, while large, well-spaced icons are easy to aim for while driving. As in the Qashqai, Google Maps and Google Assistant are standard to make it even more user friendly. Meanwhile, Iconic Esprit Alpine trim’s nine-speaker Harman Kardon sound system is the best here; it’s brilliantly immersive, with plenty of bass.

Nissan Qashqai

The Qashqai’s 12.3in touchscreen has sharper graphics than the CX-5’s equivalent and responds quickly enough. While the menu layout is a little cluttered, there are handy shortcut icons to get you to commonly used functions. Google Assistant voice control can help you out with certain tasks, and built-in Google Maps functionality means you don’t have to use phone mirroring to get it. The standard audio system sounds flat compared with the others.

Mazda CX-5

Depending on your point of view, the CX-5’s system is either refreshingly simple or a little basic. The monochrome theme lacks visual appeal and the graphics could be sharper, but the screen is easy to read without overloading you with information. The menus are logically laid out, and there’s a rotary controller by the gearlever for easy, precise inputs. Exclusive-Line trim’s 10-speaker Bose sound system is a little underwhelming in terms of clarity and punch.

Space and practicality

Front space, rear space, seating flexibility, boot

Six-footers won’t struggle for head or leg room in the front of any of our contenders, but the Symbioz does feel cosier. You sit closer to the occupant beside you, while the footwells are the narrowest.

A slimmer centre console means the Symbioz also has the smallest cubby under the armrest, but you still get plenty of storage areas elsewhere, as you do in the CX-5 and Qashqai, including a pair of cupholders, a big glovebox and a tray for your phone.

Getting in or out of the back seats is a little trickier in the Symbioz, due to its smaller door apertures. Once inside, though, you’ll find there’s enough head room for six-footers to sit on the outer seats. There’s a bit more clearance above your head in the Qashqai, but taller occupants will be best off in the much airier CX-5. All three contenders offer a reasonable amount of leg room for the class, but the CX-5’s higher-set front seats free up the most foot space underneath. The CX-5 also comes with reclining rear seatbacks, although they don’t have a large enough range of adjustment to boost comfort.

Being the widest, the Qashqai (above) provides the most shoulder room for a third rear occupant, although their legs will have to straddle a central floor hump in all three. Squeezing a third occupant into the Symbioz will be the most challenging, with the tightest shoulder room and a raised centre cushion that is enough to push an adult’s head into the roof lining.

There’s plenty of space in the boots of all three contenders, but the CX-5 edges ahead with room for eight carry-on suitcases below the parcel shelf. The Symbioz can hold the same number, but only if you slide the rear seats all the way forwards and sacrifice rear leg room. Otherwise, with those seats slid all the way back, the Symbioz matches the Qashqai’s ability to take seven cases.

The CX-5 misses out on the height-adjustable boot floor you get in the others, but it’s still the most accommodating when you need to carry anything large or bulky. That’s partly because it’s the only one that integrates remote release levers into the side of the boot so you can fold the rear seatbacks down quickly and easily. The CX-5 is also the only one with seatbacks that fold in a 40/20/40 split (the others are 60/40), so you can thread long items through from the boot between two outer rear passengers. The Qashqai also misses out on an electric tailgate – a feature that’s standard on the CX-5 and Symbioz.

Boot space

Renault Symbioz

Boot capacity 492-1582 litres Suitcases 7*

* With the rear seats slid all the way back

Nissan Qashqai

Boot capacity 479-1422 litres Suitcases 7

Mazda CX-5

Boot capacity 522-1638 litres Suitcases 8

Buying and owning

Costs, equipment, reliability, safety and security

Our contenders are very competitive when it comes to their list prices, and they’re all available with attractive discounts. However, you’ll get the biggest saving on the Qashqai, with this making it the cheapest to buy outright by a significant margin.

Although the differences are much smaller, the Qashqai is also the cheapest option to buy on PCP finance. Put down a £3300 deposit for a three-year deal with a 10,000-mile annual mileage limit and it will cost £411 per month, undercutting the Symbioz (£415) and the CX-5 (£487).

The Symbioz is the cheapest to lease, though, while its lower CO2 output means a company car driver in the 40% tax bracket will save almost £100 per month compared with the CX-5 when paying via a salary sacrifice.

Private buyers should note that hybrids no longer benefit from a £10 discount on their annual road tax cost. Even so, the Symbioz will be the cheapest to run over three years, partly because it’s predicted to lose its value a little more slowly and costs slightly less to insure and service. However, the biggest saving is down to its lower fuel costs. We achieved a real-world economy figure of 57.0mpg on our test route, significantly beating the CX-5’s 38.0mpg and Qashqai’s 36.9mpg.

At this price, the Symbioz comes in top-spec Iconic Esprit Alpine trim, compared with the CX-5’s mid-level Exclusive-Line and the Qashqai’s lower-rung N-Connecta trim. Each comes with alloy wheels, adaptive cruise control, keyless entry and rear privacy glass, but the Qashqai is the only one to miss out on heated front seats and a heated steering wheel. 

In the latest What Car? Reliability Survey, the CX-5 finished a creditable ninth out of the 33 models in the family SUV class. The Qashqai came 14th; the Symbioz is too new to feature. In the overall brand league table, Renault ranked ninth out of 31, while Mazda was 16th and Nissan was well down in 28th place. Each of our contenders comes with a three-year/60,000-mile warranty, which is average for the class.

The CX-5 achieved a five-star safety rating when it was tested by Euro NCAP back in 2017. However, that rating has now expired, due to newer, more stringent regulations that have since been introduced. An earlier version of the Qashqai was tested in 2021 and also achieved a five-star rating, but it’s worth noting that this facelifted version comes with additional safety equipment as standard.

The Symbioz, meanwhile, was tested last year and achieved a four-star rating. One of the reasons for this was that it was found to provide a low level of protection for the driver’s chest in both front and side impacts. Each contender comes with automatic emergency braking, traffic sign recognition, lane-keeping assistance and blindspot monitoring.

Used alternative

2023 Range Rover Evoque

Before you decide to buy one of our new contenders, consider that you could have a two-year-old Range Rover Evoque instead. You’ll get a highly desirable SUV that’s good to drive and has a classy,  well-equipped interior. What’s more, you could get a plug-in hybrid P300e, with an official electric range of 39 miles. If you can plug it in regularly, this can help to lower your fuel bills.

Our verdict

The Symbioz has relatively low company car tax and running costs in its favour, plus its sliding rear seats help you to make the most of the space available. It also has the slickest interior displays. However, it’s hard to overlook its noisy driving manners, budget-feeling interior and disappointing safety score. It takes last place.

The CX-5 can still compete with fresher-faced contenders when it comes to interior quality and refinement, plus it’s the most practical car here. However, its lacklustre engine and slightly dated interior mean it just misses out on top spot.

So, the Qashqai wins this test, helped by its recent refresh, which has left it with an interior that’s more user-friendly than before and almost as plush as the CX-5’s. The Qashqai’s strengths also include effortless performance, hushed cruising manners and a comfortable ride, while the fact that it’s the most affordable on PCP finance seals the deal.

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1st – Nissan Qashqai

For Supple ride; quietest cruiser; gutsy performance; user-friendly dashboard controls; cheapest to buy outright and on PCP finance
Against You don’t sit all that high; not as well equipped as its rivals; only
so-so to drive
Recommended options None

What Car? rating 4 stars out of 5

Nissan Qashqai review >>

Nissan Qashqai deals >>

2nd – Mazda CX-5

For Most interior space and biggest boot; best steering; plushest interior, with plenty of physical controls; loftiest driving position
Against Engine is gutless at low revs; priciest to buy outright or on PCP finance; dated instrument panel
Recommended options Driver Assistance Pack (£800)

What Car? rating 4 stars out of 5

Mazda CX-5 review >>

Mazda CX-5 deals >>

3rd – Renault Symbioz

For Keen price; most economical on fuel; cheapest as a company car; sliding rear seats add versatility 
Against Noisy engine; most wind noise; clunky automatic gearbox; cheap-feeling interior; disappointing safety score
Recommended options None

What Car? rating 2 stars out of 5

Renault Symbioz review >>

Renault Symbioz deals >>

Specifications: Renault Symbioz E-Tech Full Hybrid 145 Iconic Esprit Alpine

Engine 4cyl, 1598cc, petrol, plus two electic motors
Peak power 141bhp (total)
Peak torque 184lb ft (total)
Gearbox 4-spd automatic (petrol), 2-spd automatic (electric), front-wheel drive
0-60mph 9.8sec
Top speed 106mph
Braking 30-0mph 8.8m
Braking 70-0mph 49.7m
Noise at 30mph 54.7dB
Noise at 70mph 65.5dB
Kerb weight 1447kg
Tyre size (standard) 225/45 R19
Test economy 57.0mpg
Official economy 60.1mpg
Fuel tank 48 litres
CO2 emissions 106g/km

Specifications: Nissan Qashqai 1.3 DiG-T 158 N-Connecta

Engine 4cyl, 1332cc, turbo, petrol
Peak power 156bhp at 5500rpm
Peak torque 192lb ft at 1800-4000rpm
Gearbox 6-spd manual, front-wheel drive
0-60mph 9.4sec
Top speed 128mph
Braking 30-0mph 8.5m
Braking 70-0mph 48.0m
Noise at 30mph 57.6dB
Noise at 70mph 64.6dB
Kerb weight 1375kg
Tyre size (standard) 235/55 R18
Test economy 36.9mpg
Official economy 44.1mpg
Fuel tank 55 litres
CO2 emissions 144g/km

Specifications: Mazda CX-5 2.0 e-Skyactiv G Exclusive-Line

Engine 4cyl, 1998cc, petrol
Peak power 162bhp at 6000rpm
Peak torque 157lb ft at 4000rpm
Gearbox 6-spd manual, front-wheel drive
0-60mph 9.0sec
Top speed 125mph
Braking 30-0mph 9.4m
Braking 70-0mph 55.0m
Noise at 30mph 57.2dB
Noise at 70mph 65.2dB
Kerb weight 1545kg
Tyre size (standard) 225/55 R19
Test economy 38.0mpg
Official economy 43.5mpg
Fuel tank 56 litres
CO2 emissions 146g/km

Weather conditions Damp, 4deg C

Cars pictured

Renault Symbioz E-Tech Full Hybrid 145 Iconic Esprit Alpine with Diamond Black paint (£650)

Nissan Qashqai 1.3 DiG-T 158 N-Connecta with Fuji Sunset Red metallic paint (£745)

Mazda CX-5 2.0 e-Skyactiv G Exclusive-Line with Soul Red Crystal paint (£900)

Read more: Best and worst family SUVs >>