Mazda CX-5 2026 Review
Mazda has successfully modernised its best-selling SUV without losing the qualities that made it so popular in the first place. It's roomier, techier and more premium than before. Which only makes the lack of a hybrid option at launch all the more baffling, especially in a segment where virtually every key rival now offers some form of electrification. A hybrid is coming in 2027, but until then, the CX-5 arrives fashionably late to a party that's already in full swing.
How much does the Mazda CX-5 cost?
Mazda's third-generation CX-5 range starts at $39,990 before on-road costs for the G25 Pure and extends to $54,990 for the flagship G25 Akera.
All five variants are powered by a carry-over naturally aspirated 2.5-litre petrol engine and come with all-wheel drive as standard.
While the pricing represents a modest increase over the outgoing model, the new CX-5 arrives with some substantial changes.
Notable for families, Mazda has stretched the wheelbase by 115mm, increased overall length by the same amount and freed up slightly more rear-seat and cargo space, positioning the new model as a more family-friendly offering without abandoning the formula that made the CX-5 one of Australia's most successful SUVs.
Rear occupants benefit from extra headroom and a substantial 64mm increase in knee room, while boot capacity grows by 43 litres to 466L.
Mazda has also widened the rear door openings and lowered the seating position, making entry and exit noticeably easier, while a larger, lower cargo opening simplifies loading bulky items.
Unlike many rivals that have moved towards hybrid-heavy lineups, Mazda hasn’t taken that step…yet.
The Japanese brand has confirmed a hybrid CX-5 for Australia in 2027, but for now every CX-5 is powered by the same petrol engine and six-speed automatic transmission, meaning buyers choose between grades primarily based on technology, comfort and luxury features.
One of the biggest and most controversial changes is inside, where the CX-5 adopts a much more digital cabin than before. A 12.9-inch touchscreen is standard across most of the range, while the Akera upgrades to a 15.6-inch display.
Regardless of screen size, air-conditioning and heating functions are integrated into the touchscreen.
A 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster for the driver is fitted across the range, while connected services and over-the-air functionality bring the CX-5 into line with rivals.
The entry-level Pure arrives with LED lighting, dual-zone climate control, adaptive cruise control and front and rear parking sensors.
Moving into Evolve adds heated front seats, wireless charging and keyless entry, while the Touring introduces larger 19-inch wheels, a powered tailgate, head-up display and powered driver's seat.
The GT SP takes a sportier approach, adding black exterior detailing, leather trim, a 12-speaker Bose sound system, heated rear seats and a new 360-degree camera system.
At the top of the range, the Akera gains ventilated front seats, an exclusive panoramic sunroof, hands-free tailgate and Mazda's facial-recognition Driver Personalisation System, which can automatically adjust seating, mirrors and display settings to suit different drivers.
Covering safety, every CX-5 comes standard with autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, traffic sign recognition and driver monitoring technology.
Higher grades add adaptive matrix-style LED headlights and the new surround-view camera system.
The CX-5 secured a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating last year, which Mazda expects will be adopted by ANCAP for the Australian market.
While the CX-5 has grown substantially in size and sophistication, Mazda hasn’t reinvented the mechanical package.
Every variant continues to use a naturally aspirated 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, producing 138kW/257Nm when run on 95RON fuel. The car can run on cheaper 91RON unleaded fuel, but peak power drops slightly to 132kW/242Nm.
Power is sent to all four wheels through a revised six-speed automatic transmission and Mazda's latest i-Activ AWD system, with claimed fuel consumption of 7.4L/100km.
Mazda says the transmission has been recalibrated for smoother operation, while updates to the all-wheel drive system and chassis tuning are aimed at delivering greater refinement and comfort without sacrificing the brand's focus on driver engagement.
Mazda Australia predicts the G25 Evolve will be the sweet spot in the range, accounting for around 30 per cent of sales. The entry-level Pure is expected to make up 20 per cent, while just 15 per cent of buyers are forecast to splash out on the range-topping Akera.
There are seven paint colours available, though only Navy Blue Mica and Aero Grey Metallic avoid the options list surcharge. Conveniently, they're also two of the best colours on offer in this author’s humble opinion.
Five interior trim combinations are available across the range, including white upholstery with black inserts and optional tan leather on higher grades.
At the time of writing, Mazda had not confirmed servicing costs for the new CX-5. We'll update this story once that information is provided.
What’s good about the Mazda CX-5?
More than 20,000 Australians have bought a second CX-5; a level of customer loyalty most brands would envy. With that in mind, it's hardly surprising Mazda hasn't attempted to reinvent its best-selling SUV.
The new 2026 Mazda CX-5 evolves an existing design language rather than a completely new vocabulary, and the result is an SUV that remains one of the most attractive offerings in its segment.
The proportions are cleaner, the stance is more confident, and the overall design feels elegant without trying too hard.
The interior follows a similar minimalist theme. It feels thoughtfully designed and more upmarket than most mainstream rivals, with a level of sophistication that belies its price point.
The cabin layout is clean, visibility is great, and there's a strong sense that Mazda has prioritised the driver's experience.
Pricing will also definitely work in the CX-5's favour. It undercuts many key rivals and will appeal to buyers considering petrol-powered versions of the Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson and Mitsubishi Outlander.
While it may not feel quite as peppy as some alternatives, its value proposition is difficult to ignore.
Ride comfort is one of the biggest improvements in the newest version of Mazda’s best-selling SUV.
While the chassis architecture remains largely familiar, Mazda has introduced a longer wheelbase, revised suspension tuning, new lower-rate springs and updated dampers.
The result is a vehicle that feels impressively composed over uneven surfaces while maintaining the connected driving feel Mazda describes as “oneness with the car”.
Marketing speak aside, there's a cohesiveness to the way the CX-5 responds to driver inputs. The dampers do an excellent job of managing rough road surfaces, body control remains tight, and the SUV feels more settled than before without sacrificing engagement.
The technology package is generally well executed too. Like the larger CX-60, the infotainment display sits comfortably within the driver's line of sight, reducing the need to take your eyes far from the road.
Mazda has also positioned the climate controls at the bottom of the screen, keeping them within around 30 degrees of the driver's peripheral vision.
The various menus, including safety systems, are intuitive to navigate, as are the climate controls (mostly), and importantly, systems such as lane-keeping assistance don't automatically reactivate every time the vehicle is restarted after being switched off.
One of the standout features is the enormous 360-degree camera system on higher variants. The display is huge, offers multiple viewing angles and provides enough visibility around the vehicle that even with the mirrors folded, drivers can still confidently see obstacles and corners.
The digital displays are also clear and easy to read, homescreen widgets can be customised and over-the-air software updates are supported, helping future-proof the ownership experience.
Mazda has also put some thought into the steering wheel controls, which can be operated via either swipes or clicks.
It's a surprisingly effective system, allowing drivers to make larger adjustments with a swipe – such as increasing cruise control speed by 10km/h – or finer one-step changes with a click.
Another effective change is the new wordmark on the steering wheel. Replacing the traditional Mazda badge with simple lettering sounds minor on paper, but it does wonders for the cabin's modernity.
What’s not so good about the Mazda CX-5?
Keeping a best-selling nameplate competitively priced inevitably requires some compromises, and a few are evident inside the cabin, mainly in terms of materials.
While much of the interior looks premium, there are several areas where hard, scratchy plastics feel more apparent than they should.
Some surfaces get away with it, but others like the hard sheet of plastic behind the rear centre armrest are noticeable enough to slightly undermine the otherwise upmarket presentation.
The move towards screen-integrated climate controls is certain to divide buyers. One of the few areas where established brands have traditionally maintained an advantage over newer Chinese rivals is the tactility of physical controls.
Mazda has moved further towards touchscreen integration here, and whether that's a positive or negative will largely come down to personal preference, and your tolerance for repeatedly stabbing at a screen while trying to adjust the fan speed.
And unfortunately, as a first for the brand, the execution isn't flawless. While a shortcut button for Apple CarPlay is visible on-screen when within the fan settings page, it can't be accessed directly from the climate control menu.
Instead, drivers must first tap a small exit button positioned in the upper-left corner of the display – about as far away from the driver as possible.
Speaking of small, the menu bar icons on the standard 12.9-inch touchscreen are a touch too tiny for those with larger fingers.
It sounds like a trivial complaint, but it's the sort of thing you'll notice every day. Thankfully, with the Ozempic epidemic in full swing, many buyers won't need to stretch to the top-spec Akera and its larger display just to hit the right button.
And if you were hoping to offset the touchscreen-heavy experience with a voice assistant, I have bad news.
Unlike American-market models with integrated Google functionality, Australian buyers can't use voice commands to adjust the climate control settings. Apparently asking the car to make things a bit cooler is a privilege reserved for the land of Fahrenheit.
There's also no physical volume dial, a feature many buyers (like me) still appreciate. Instead, volume adjustment lives as an on-screen icon in the menu bar, positioned closer to the passenger than the driver.
Steering wheel controls become the easiest solution, though that's not ideal if you're halfway through a roundabout and want to turn down your music.
And interestingly, integrated navigation has disappeared entirely. Regardless of variant, owners will need to rely on Apple CarPlay or Android Auto for mapping duties.
The centre console is another example of style taking precedence over usability. Its split-opening lid looks premium, but accessing the storage compartment requires an awkward upward reach from the driver's seat, making a simple everyday task more cumbersome than it needs to be.
Beyond the cabin, the CX-5's biggest challenge may be what's under the bonnet.
On paper, it's becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the growing number of hybrid alternatives.
The Toyota RAV4, Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson and Subaru Forester all offer electrified options. While those variants typically cost more upfront, the potential fuel savings could quickly stack up for drivers covering significant annual mileage.
Fuel consumption during our drive only reinforced that point. An initial average of 8.9L/100km quickly climbed to 11.9L/100km when driven more enthusiastically, figures that aren't especially competitive in an increasingly economic segment.
Performance from the sole engine offering is also more adequate than exciting. There's certainly enough power for everyday duties, but little to genuinely engage enthusiastic drivers.
Interestingly, Mazda believes this is an area the upcoming hybrid powertrain will help address.
Should I buy a Mazda CX-5?
The new 2026 Mazda CX-5 is a reminder that Mazda still knows how to build a thoroughly likeable SUV.
It's handsome, comfortable, thoughtfully engineered and feels more premium than much of the mainstream medium-SUV segment. Mazda has successfully modernised its best-selling nameplate without losing the qualities that made it such a hit in the first place.
But there's no escaping the elephant in the room: it's 2026, and launching a medium SUV without a hybrid option feels like a massive misstep.
All its major rivals offer electrified alternatives, while buyers can also choose plug-in hybrid versions of some too.
Mazda has confirmed a hybrid CX-5 is coming in 2027, which is welcome news, but it also makes the decision to launch the new-generation model without one feel all the more puzzling. More surprising still is that there won’t be a plug-in version at all.
Mazda's answer is to steer buyers towards the slightly larger CX-60 PHEV, but that feels more like a workaround than a solution.
The CX-60 may offer the electrified powertrain some buyers are looking for, but it lacks the effortless drivability that has long been a CX-5 hallmark, with its occasionally hesitant transmission calibration making it feel less polished in everyday motoring.
Yes, Mazda's growing EV lineup offers an alternative path to electrification, but it's difficult to see vehicles such as the CX-6e serving as a direct replacement for the average CX-5 buyer.
The reality is that many CX-5 buyers aren't looking for a futuristic electric crossover. Some are looking for a CX-5 with a hybrid powertrain, and right now, Mazda doesn't offer one.
That's frustrating because the rest of the package is pretty impressive. In many respects, the CX-5 is one of the strongest models Mazda now sells.
Yet for many buyers, fuel economy and running costs won't be a secondary consideration – they'll be the deciding factor.
If you don't care about hybrid power, the CX-5 deserves a spot near the top of your shortlist. If you do, it may be worth waiting until 2027.
2026 Mazda CX-5 at a glance:
Price: $39,990 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Output: 132kW/242Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.4L/100km ADR Combined
CO2: 173g/km ADR Combined
Safety rating: Not tested
Related: Mazda CX-5 off-road variant under consideration
Related: 2026 Mazda CX-6e SUV Australian pricing
Related: Mazda CX-5 off-road variant under consideration
- Premium cabin presentation and sophisticated styling
- Bigger cabin and boot deliver meaningful gains in day-to-day practicality
- Excellent ride comfort and handling
- In-screen climate controls and volume functions require focus to use
- No hybrid option until 2027
- Real-world fuel consumption can climb quickly
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
