We’re a little over a week away from our first proper look at the 2026 Mazda CX-5.
Over more than a decade, the CX-5 has been mid-volume manufacturer Mazda’s cash cow, selling more than 4.5 million units globally since its debut in 2012. Even with the similarly sized CX-50 joining the lineup in early 2022, the automaker defied expectations to do what it did with both the CX-30 and CX-90’s debuts, killing off their CX-3/CX-9 predecessors. Instead of scrapping the CX-5, though — and at least as a tacit acknowledgement of the car’s contribution to its bottom line — Mazda is revealing a third-generation model to the masses on July 10.
Before that, though, we get a few teaser images to basically confirm what earlier spy shots already told us about the upcoming CX-5. Its exterior styling looks to be a refinement of the brand’s “Kodo” design language that its used over the past decade across most of its lineup. The headlights appear to be the biggest difference, with a two-tiered LED daytime running light design dipping lower down in the front fascia than the current model.
Around the back, the 2026 Mazda CX-5 gets more of a kicked-out rear end akin to the CX-90 and CX-70, while the taillights are also an evolution from the current-gen model, just with thinner lighting elements (again, like its larger siblings).
There is one major change coming to the CX-5 lineup…but not right away.
The 2026 Mazda CX-5 has been the poster child for the brand’s “SkyActiv-G” engine. It uses that powertrain across its entire lineup, of course, but most people have experienced it here. And they’ll continue to experience it with this new model as well, since it’s likely the upcoming 2026 model will ship with the current 2.5-liter engine, which kicks out 187 horsepower in its base, non-turbocharged form. However, the company is working on an in-house hybrid powertrain to pair with the popular CX-5, though that won’t join the range until 2027. Bummer.
For the moment, Mazda isn’t showing us the new CX-5’s interior, but at least we don’t have to wait too long to find out about that either. The company promises a fresh design, though, coupled with “a more spacious cabin and greater utility”. Both of those have been points against Mazda’s SUVs over the years, even though the aging second-generation CX-5 is still one of the best-driving SUVs in its class. While you can’t see too much with the silouette, the new CX-5 does look ever so slightly longer than the old one, which does lend some credence to better interior passenger volume and cargo space over the current car.
Beyond implying more practical space, Mazda says this new 2026 CX-5 will be “backed by human-centric technology and class-leading safety.” That first part is certainly open to interpretation — though one of the TFL team’s complaints over the years has been the less-than-ideal MazdaConnect infotainment system — though the second one riffs on the current CX-5’s past IIHS Top Safety Pick accolades. In recent years, though, it’s been falling behind as the agency enacts tougher testing, particularly for frontal crash prevention systems, so Mazda needs to bring its A game with updated driver assistance technologies if it wants to remain in the Top Safety Pick+ club.
Mazda will debut the new CX-5 on Tuesday, July 10 at 1:00 AM Pacific Time.
