2026 Mazda CX-5: What Buyers Should Know
Making a competitive SUV in 2026 is not easy. This is one of the most competitive segments in the market, and the 2026 Mazda CX-5 is not just another entry in that crowd. It is Mazda’s best seller, which means this redesign matters in a big way. After getting an early drive in Southern California and then living with this 2026 Mazda CX-5 2.5 S Premium Plus AWD for a full week here in East Texas, I came away with one big takeaway.
Mazda got a lot right.
But the compromises are pretty obvious, too.
The CX-5 design is exactly where Mazda needed to go
Mazda has had a few interesting design swings lately.
The CX-90 had presence, but it was not exactly beautiful from every angle. The CX-70 cleaned that up a bit. But the new CX-5? This might be Mazda’s current design language at its best.
The overall shape is still very clearly CX-5, but it looks cleaner, wider, and more modern. Up front, you get Mazda’s updated lighting signature, LED turn signals, LED running lamps, adaptive headlights, and a broader lower front end that Mazda says helps improve crash performance.
Out back, Mazda has moved away from a traditional rear badge and gone with a wordmark across the hatch, a design trend we are seeing more and more across the industry.
And then there is the paint.
Soul Red Crystal Metallic remains one of the best colors in the business. Yes, it costs an extra $595 on this tester, but Mazda still does red better than just about anyone.
The new CX-5 is bigger where it matters
One of the biggest improvements for 2026 is space.
Mazda stretched the CX-5, and you feel it immediately in the rear seat and cargo area.
Cargo space is solid:
- 34.2 cubic feet behind the second row
- 64.8 cubic feet with the rear seats folded
The cargo area also includes a retractable cargo shade, a temporary spare tire under the floor, side storage areas for smaller grocery items, and rear cargo releases for the 40/20/40 split-folding second row.
That 40/20/40 split is a very Mazda touch. It gives you more flexibility than the usual 60/40 setup, especially if you need to carry longer items while still keeping two rear passengers seated.
The back seat is a major win
The rear seat is another big improvement in the new CX-5.
The rear doors open nearly 90 degrees, which is huge for families loading kids or installing child safety seats. Sitting behind myself at 5’10”, I had plenty of legroom, and the rear seat also reclines slightly for added comfort.
Rear-seat passengers get:
- Rear air vents
- Heated outboard seats
- Two USB-C ports
- Fold-down center armrest with cup holders
- Adjustable headrests across all three seating positions
- Seatback-mounted center seat belt
The center tunnel is fairly large because this CX-5 has standard all-wheel drive, so three across will still be a squeeze. But for four passengers, this is a very comfortable compact SUV.
The new screen looks premium, but the interface needs work
This is where the new CX-5 feels most different from old Mazda products.
Mazda has moved away from its familiar physical command controller layout and into a much more touchscreen-heavy cabin. This Premium Plus tester gets a massive 15.6-inch center display with Google built-in, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a new digital gauge cluster.
The screen itself looks great. The camera system is also a major improvement, with sharper resolution, a 360-degree view, and even an “invisible car” style view similar to what we have seen from Toyota.
But the user experience needs refinement.
A few complaints:
- HVAC controls are too small at the bottom of the screen
- On/off contrast for climate functions is too subtle
- No physical volume knob
- Memory seat controls are buried in the screen
- Start/stop defeat is buried in the screen
- Wireless Apple CarPlay was buggy at first
A lot of this could be improved with software updates, but as it sits, Mazda’s first major move toward an all-touch interface feels like a first attempt.
The interior feels nice, but some cost cutting is obvious
Mazda has built its reputation on premium-feeling interiors, and there is still a lot to like here.
This CX-5 Premium Plus includes:
- Leather-trimmed seats
- Heated and ventilated front seats
- Heated steering wheel
- Head-up display
- Bose 12-speaker audio system
- Dual-zone automatic climate control
- Panoramic moonroof
- Wireless charger
The seats are comfortable, the driving position is excellent, and the new steering wheel feels thicker and more upscale than before.
But there are places where the materials do not feel as premium as past Mazdas. The dash has more hard plastic than expected, the door tops feel cheaper, and the large touchscreen clearly replaces a lot of physical controls that used to make Mazda interiors feel special.
The good news? Most buyers will see the big screen and think “premium.” The bad news? Longtime Mazda fans may notice the cost savings.
The ride and handling are still very Mazda
This is where the CX-5 earns back a lot of points.
The ride quality is excellent. Over rough East Texas roads, broken pavement, neighborhood dips, and highway driving, the new CX-5 feels composed and well damped. It does not bottom out where some vehicles do, and it keeps road noise under control even on highly textured pavement.
The steering feels confident, the suspension tuning is excellent, and the whole vehicle feels well sorted.
This is still one of the better-driving compact SUVs in the segment.
The issue is not the chassis.
It is what is under the hood.
The engine is the biggest weakness
For 2026, Mazda dropped the turbocharged engine from the CX-5 lineup, leaving one powertrain:
- 2.5L Skyactiv-G 4-cylinder
- 187 horsepower
- 186 lb-ft of torque
- 6-speed automatic transmission
- Standard i-Activ AWD
On paper, that is fine.
In the real world, it feels underpowered.
Our 0-to-60 testing returned:
- 9.04 seconds in Sport mode with brake-torque
- 9.44 seconds in normal driving
That is just too slow for a redesigned compact SUV in 2026.
The six-speed automatic is tuned well, and I appreciate that Mazda still uses a traditional automatic instead of a CVT. But with only six gears and no turbo, there is only so much the transmission can do.
The rumored Mazda hybrid powertrain for 2027 cannot come soon enough.
What Mazda got right
- Exterior design
- Soul Red Crystal paint
- Rear-seat space
- Cargo packaging
- Ride quality
- Seat comfort
- Camera quality
- Standard all-wheel drive
- Overall driving dynamics
What Mazda missed
- Underpowered base engine
- No turbo option
- Too much screen dependency
- No physical volume knob
- Small climate controls
- Some interior material downgrades
- Gloss black wheels look less premium than expected
Final thoughts: Good, but not my segment favorite
The 2026 Mazda CX-5 is a good compact SUV.
It is comfortable, stylish, quiet, roomy, and still has that Mazda chassis tuning that makes it feel better to drive than many of its competitors. At $41,080 as tested, it also undercuts some similarly loaded hybrid competitors by a few thousand dollars.
But this version falls short of being my favorite in the segment.
The Hyundai Tucson Hybrid still has the edge for me because it offers more power, better fuel economy, better tech execution, and features like blind-view cameras that Mazda really should consider adding.
That said, if Mazda can clean up the software, improve the touchscreen layout, and bring in that expected hybrid powertrain, the CX-5 could become a much stronger contender very quickly.
For now, the bones are excellent.
The powertrain is the problem.
Watch our review on the GT: Garage Talk YouTube Channel
Key Specs:
- 2.5L Skyactiv®-G Inline 4-cylinder Engine
- 187 Horsepower
- 186 lb-ft of Torque
- 6-Speed Automatic Transmission
- i-Activ AWD®
- Mazda Intelligent Drive Select with 3 Modes:
- Normal
- Sport
- Off-Road
- 4-wheel Independent Suspension
- Front Suspension: MacPherson Strut with Stabilizer Bar
- Rear Suspension: Multi-link with Stabilizer Bar
- 19-inch Alloy Wheels with Black Metallic Finish
- 225/55R19 Toyo Open Country H/T All-Season Tires
- Temporary Spare Tire
- Leather-Trimmed Seats
- Seating for 5
- 10-Way Power Driver’s Seat with Memory
- Power Front Passenger Seat
- Heated and Ventilated Front Seats
- Heated, Manual Tilt/Telescoping Leather-wrapped Steering Wheel
- 40/20/40 Split-Folding Rear Seats
- Heated Outboard Rear Seats
- 10.25-inch Full Digital LCD Meter
- 15.6-inch Color Center Display
- Wireless Apple CarPlay® & Android Auto™
- Active Driving Display
- 12-speaker Bose® AM/FM/HD Radio
- Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems:
- Front & Rear Smart Brake Support
- Lane Keep Assist & Lane Departure Warning System
- Driver Monitoring
- Front & Rear Parking Sensors
- Blind Spot Monitoring
- Rear Cross Traffic Alert
- Mazda Radar Cruise Control
- 360° View Monitor
- Cruising and Traffic Support with Lane Change Assist
- Rear Smart Brake Support
- Blind Spot Assist
- 33.7 Cubic Feet of Storage Behind the Rear Seats
- 66.5 Cubic Feet of Storage with the Second Row Folded Flat
- Qi Wireless Charger
- Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control
- Power Panoramic Moonroof
- Mazda Advanced Keyless Entry
- Hands-Free Power Rear Liftgate
- EPA Fuel Economy 24/30/26 (city/hwy/cmb)
- Regular Unleaded Fuel with a 15.3 Gallon Tank
- Warranty:
- 5-year/60,000-mile Limited Powertrain Warranty
- 3-year/36,000-mile New Vehicle Limited Warranty
- 3-year/36,000-mile Roadside Assistance
- 1-year Mazda Connected Services Trial
- Exterior Color: Soul Red Crystal Metallic
- Interior Color: Black
- Starting Price: $29,990 (2.5 S AWD)
- Price As Tested: $41,080 (Includes Destination)
