Picking a car can be hard enough, considering all the choices there are on the market. Then, when you do settle on a car, your next task is determining which trim you want. For the 2021

Mazda CX-5

, trying to decide between the touring and grand touring trims may be harder than you thought.

Mazda CX-5 Touring

The Touring is the most recommended Mazda CX-5 trim by

Edmunds

. With a price of $31,317, it's right above the Sports trim in terms of both money and features.

The Touring's Skyactiv 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine which produces 187 hp and 186 lb-ft of torque comes with a neat little trick. It can deactivate some of the cylinders while cruising at steady speeds. While it's not exactly the fastest vehicle on the road, it can go from zero to 60 in 8.3 seconds.

For those who enjoy an all-wheel-drive vehicle, it's available on the Touring for an extra $1,400. It gets a respectable 25 mpg city, 31 mpg highway, and gets a combined 28 mpg. When filled, it can go for 414 miles before you need to start searching for a gas station.

The interior is more than comfy, with leatherette seats that are available in either silk beige or black. If you prefer the real thing, then you can always upgrade to the Touring Preferred SV package which includes leather seats.

The 10.25-inch touchscreen display is bigger than the one offered in the 2020 model, which was only 7 inches. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard, as well as Aha, Pandora, SMS text message, 911 emergency notification system, Mazda connected services, voice command, and dual USB audio inputs.

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Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring

While the name Grand Touring might imply it's a step above the Touring, that's a bit misleading. It's two steps above it. The Touring is followed by the Carbon Edition, and then the Grand Touring.

This trim starts at just under $34,574, which is $3,257 more than the Touring model. The price increase also comes with an increase in features. For example, the LED lights get an upgrade to headlights with DRL accents and curve-adaptive functionality, front fog lights, and taillights.

The seats are real leather, and available as either black or beige. The six-speed automatic transmission is controlled by paddle shifters. The Grand Touring is also available as an all-wheel-drive model or front-wheel.

Features like a sunroof/moonroof, power-folding mirrors, and heated mirrors are standard. Optional features include power-folding mirrors, heated rear seats, and a heads-up display.

Which to choose

MORE: Did Mazda Copy Subaru for the 2022 CX-5?

Now that we've discussed the two trims, it's time to determine which is the best. Each has some awesome features that make it worthy of notice. So which Mazda CX-5 trim should you pick?

If you're on a budget, then the Touring is the obvious pick. You'll save almost $4,000 by picking the lower-cost CX-5, and it's got enough features that you won't have to feel like you had to settle.

On the other hand, if money is not an issue, the Grand Touring has some pretty nice features that can compete with some luxury models. If you're planning to upgrade to the Touring Preferred SV package, then you might as well spend the extra money for the Grand Touring which will give you so much more.

While you wait for the newer 2022 model,

Car and Driver

report that there will be some noteworthy changes like more supportive seats, suspension improvements, standard all-wheel-drive across all trim levels, and a better ride. However, if you can't wait, then the Grand Touring offers the best features for the best price.

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