2026 Mazda CX-5 Review -- A New Kind Of Mazda

Some folks in the car community - perhaps rightly so - have a certain perception of Mazda. These are the folks who make the Miata. The folks who, God willing, always will. Everything else is in orbit of this Miata-centric theory of the Mazda universe. Another reality exists, though, and to continue to shoehorn this heliocentric analogy in, we’ll place the CX-5 at the center of the Mazda universe.

That’s where it, in actuality, belongs. Mazda sold 302,102 CX-5s last year (up a tick year-on-year). That made it the brand’s best-seller last year, by an incredible factor of three. More than anything, my time with the CX-5 in a very cloudy San Diego pointed to one thing: Mazda wants more. Dropping all pretenses and analogies, it’s obviously hugely important that Mazda gets this new one right if it does, in fact, want more.

So, what’s new? The looks, most obviously. These consist of a totally new body, one which Mazda says is stiffer and safer for occupants. The pretty stuff on top of the crash cell is new too, including an updated take on the Mazda Face we see across much of the brand’s lineup. It’s an attractive, upscale look EM exactly what the brand has been going for since its upscale push more than a decade ago.

In reality, what matters more than the look is how big the whole thing is. The car is 4 inches longer at the wheelbase than the outgoing CX-5, all of which was used to further optimize passenger space and cargo capacity. Most of this ends up aft of the rear seats. Rear seat passengers will notice things are a bit more airy, and your lanky friend will probably fit back there now. Cargo space receives a similar upgrade, with cargo capacity swelling north of 66 cubic feet (with the seats down) thanks to two more inches in the cargo bay and a wider body overall.

(Full disclosure: Mazda housed and fed me in California so that I could drive the CX-5.)

Under the skin, a few changes have also taken place. For one, the Turbo trim is no more. It was undoubtedly the most fun CX-5, with 250 horses and Mazda’s typically fun driving dynamics, but Mazda tells me it simply wasn’t worth recertifying for another several years in production through various US agencies. Not enough people bought them, and those who did already had them. Meanwhile, a new hybrid powertrain will replace it, but that’ll come later.

For now, Mazda leaves you with one powertrain shared across all five of the CX-5’s trim levels: it’s a 187-horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission and a standard all-wheel drive system. That last item is a bit of a selling point, as some of the brand’s competitors offer cheaper base models with front-wheel drive. Mazda seems to have decided to abstain in favor of offering more for, well, more.

Speaking of more, the big news is the CX-5’s updated tech experience. It’s undoubtedly a look at what’s to come for the rest of the brand’s models, but it’s also the first sticking point in the new CX-5’s formula. Mazda used to offer a litany of physical controls in its interiors. Now, it has reduced by (at a guess) more than half. Pinned to the bottom of the CX-5’s 12 or 15.6-inch screen, you’ll find buttons for media control and climate functions. They’re trying to control too much with too little EM usually the problem with these systems, and as a result, several key functions require a lot of effort to get to. It’s a few taps for volume adjustment, and the same for more granular climate functions. There’s no volume knob. It’s an overcorrection following the elimination of the brand’s much-maligned rotary dial system.

The system itself runs on a Google operating system that works pretty well. We got to try out a few voice command prompts, and the system got us home in San Diego traffic without a problem. Phone projection, similarly, works flawlessly, as do the driver aids. It’s genuinely a good system, bolstered by physical controls on the wheel, but you’ll feel the absence of some of the controls eliminated at one point or another.

The rest of the CX-5’s interior is typically Mazda. It feels more upscale than most competitors, which is fair given Mazda’s pricing structure (more on this below). The seats are nice, and upper trims come with real leather, ventilated seats, head-up displays, and other luxurious items that help the CX-5 feel like the premium crossover SUV it should be.

As for pricing, expect the comparable Mazda to be closer to competitors than before. Mazda had a few, like the Hyundai Tucson, out for us to poke around in. The brand’s representatives really hammered the value angle during our briefing, but of course, some comparisons between trims contained some cherry-picked items.

Mazda by no means has the segment beaten -- it’s not so black and white as that. Different cars prioritize different things for their buyers. Hyundai smokes Mazda on warranties, but the brand does offer similar features and value compared to the Tucson in popular trims, and for a few bucks less. But, the CX-5 costs a few thousand dollars more than a comparable Honda CR-V. The argument there is that the Mazda feels more luxurious. Comparisons aside, the CX-5’s pricing runs from $31,485 to $40,485 depending on trim.

Of course, this wouldn’t be a Mazda review without some talk of the driving experience. Maybe you’ve heard of the Jinba Ittai mission statement: the Japanese phrase for harmony between a horse (car) and its rider (you, who has never ridden a horse, much less saddled one). The CX-5 isn’t inspiring enough to draw such doe-eyed comparisons to the incomparable bond between a horse and its rider, but it’s a fun car to drive on a windy road. The retuned 6-speed automatic listens to you, and there’s enough power to play with. The car rides very nicely, and manages to feel comfy and deliver a sporty enough experience that most folks will be impressed.