| Pros | Cons |
| ✓ Evolved and elegant styling | ☓ Carryover engine & transmission are…eh |
| ✓ Exceptional ride comfort and handling | ☓ Interior materials don’t feel as nice as they look |
| ✓ Notable (if controversial) tech updates | ☓ The large touchscreen juggles a lot of features…for better & worse |
| ✓ Solid value at its starting MSRP | |
2026 Mazda CX-5 overview: Is this third-generation model worth it over the old one?
A few months ago, Tommy and I had the opportunity to try out the all-new CX-5 just outside San Diego, California. Being both a former CX-5 owner and admitted Mazda fanboy, I had plenty to say about the update, but we only had a couple hours with the car at the time. Fast forward a little bit, and now our team has an entire week to really come to grips with this third-gen model, and work out whether Mazda is taking its best-selling SUV in the right direction, or if something is amiss.
Before we dig into all that, though, here are the top-line factors you need to know. This is still Mazda’s most important model by a healthy margin, and that’s been the case since it launched the “SkyActiv” era back in 2012. Over the years, though, the automaker’s ethos has brought in a more premium ambition to older generations, even while it keeps up a concerted effort to make its cars feel special to drive. Elegant style, up-to-date technology, peppy powertrains and one of the nicest interiors around (and certainly the nicest interior for its price point) have been core tenets with the CX-5.
Broadly speaking, the 2026 Mazda CX-5 ticks all those boxes with even more confident strokes. This new model now rides on a three-inch longer wheelbase and gains 4.5 inches in overall length to address one of the previous models’ down sides: passenger and cargo space. The company’s design language evolves with new fascias, brand script on the tailgate and steering wheel and a large, bold 15.6-inch touchscreen. New safety technology makes an appearance, reinforcing Mazda’s stellar reputation over the past few years for safety, as well as its historical prowess with driving dynamics.
So all is good in the neighborhood, right? Well…no, not quite. The 2026 Mazda CX-5 does make notable strides forward, but I have some sticking points for this generation versus the previous one, when I was able to come back to it with fresh eyes and have a little bit more time to pore over the details.
Handling and ride characteristics are major strong points. The engine situation is a bit more complicated.
With any new generation crossover, you expect some range of changes. A more rigid body structure, better-honed suspension and improvements in ride comfort and noise over the old model. The 2026 Mazda CX-5, again, hits all those points. In fact, for a “mainstream” crossover, this car’s ride is fantastically dialed-in. You still feel the road surface so this new model is still communicative and in no way floaty, but it’s never jarring. I thought the old one was pretty well poised and reasonably comfortable, but Mazda’s vehicle dynamics team has done it again, making this generation a pin-sharp handler while also making it remarkably comfortable on the daily beat.
Sadly, I can’t heap as much praise onto the powertrain. The 2.5-liter, naturally aspirated SkyActiv-G engine puts out 187 horsepower and 186 lb-ft of torque in the 2026 Mazda CX-5. Don’t get me wrong: It’s a good engine. This powerplant has served Mazda extremely well for more than a decade, and I’ve had it in not one, not two, but three of my previous cars (two Mazda 3s and a CX-5). I had no issues across the board, nor is the 6-speed automatic a bad wingman for this engine.
So what’s the matter then? Some folks will remark that Mazda has calibrated this carryover unit to be more responsive than before and that it’s enough power for the vast majority of people who bought it instead of the 256-horsepower turbo version. That might technically be true, but time and weight haven’t done this engine any favors over the past 14 years. See, the first-generation CX-5 tipped the scales at around 3,400-3,500 pounds, depending on the trim. This third-generation model is 3,850 pounds…and you feel that strain every time you ask for some power — it just doesn’t feel quick. You need to think twice before going full-bore onto that onramp or making that passing maneuver.
It’s worth noting the Mi-Drive modes do help a little bit, particularly when you switch from Normal to Sport. That sharpens up the throttle mapping and transmission, while you do also get paddle shifters on the Premium Plus. That’s your only real recourse to try and get any more gusto, though, since your only other option is Off-Road, which most owners probably won’t ever touch, so you don’t get as many options as some rivals or even Mazda’s larger SUVs like the CX-70/CX-90.
Fortunately, the sharp steering and chassis dynamics make up for much of the power shortfall.
A new CX-5 Hybrid is also coming with Mazda’s latest SkyActiv-Z engine. We don’t know specs yet, but that should be a major leap forward for performance and especially for fuel economy, as this engine leapfrogs the SkyActiv-X we never saw here in the U.S. The core goal with that new technology is to optimize a perfect air-to-fuel ratio for all driving conditions to help emissions, but I’m hoping that also gives Mazda a little wiggle room to engineer some more punch into the equation. That way you get the best of both worlds: turbo-like power with RAV4 and CR-V-like fuel efficiency.
The last CX-5 set a benchmark with its interior, but can this third-gen follow suit?
Then there are the interior accommodations of the 2026 Mazda CX-5. Even as the second-gen model started to show its age, the look and feel of its cabin kept it near the front of the pack for me. On paper, this new one should be even better, thanks to wider-opening doors, better legroom and more cargo space. Things look pretty good when taking a quick spin, too. Our particular Soul Red Crystal Metallic CX-5 had the optional Sport Tan leather interior option, which definitely makes the strongest aesthetic case over the ubiquitous all-black affair.
Just feel around the interior, though, and that’s where things take a turn. The dashboard is hard black plastic. The door cards? Apart from the elbow rest, they’re hard plastic. Center console? Yep, that’s hard plastic, even where the old higher-end trims at least had some extra leather and stitching for a more premium feel. The armrests offer a little bit more padding while covering both the split-opening storage bin and the wireless charger, but it’s one of only a few softer surfaces throughout the interior, and feels like a bit of a downgrade from the old CX-5. The leather-wrapped steering wheel didn’t feel as premium as I hoped for, either, though at least you do get a leather-wrapped wheel on all trims, including the base 2.5 S.
When you boil it down, Mazda is a medium-sized car company at the end of the day, and it shows a bit with the interior materials. The leather seats are comfortable, and that obviously matters for a family SUV. Nevertheless, you get the sense that Mazda had to make some compromises, especially considering the CX-5’s price point. What you may lose in tactile points (take a look at a new CX-5 and feel around for yourself and see what you think), it gains in technology.
Mazda jumps into the screen game with both feet
One hallmark of the last CX-5 was the Command Wheel-based MazdaConnect infotainment system. As an owner, I’ll still advocate that it was nowhere near as frustrating to use as some other systems (here’s looking at you, Lexus trackpad). That said, Mazda’s system also wasn’t the most intuitive to use and was showing its age, so it’s completely gone here. Instead, you get a Google-based operating system with either a 12.9-inch display on most trims, or a 15.6-inch unit on the Premium Plus.
With that, you get a bunch of baked-in Google apps like Maps and the Google Assistant for voice control. If you prefer to link up through Apple CarPlay, though, you still can (and wirelessly, at that) or use Android Auto.
Unlike the old system, which meshed with physical switchgear, you’re relying on that touchscreen for pretty much everything. Your defrost and hazard controls are still actual buttons, but your HVAC controls? Touchscreen. And so are your heated/ventilated seats, i-ActivSense safety functions, the toggles for traction control and i-Stop auto stop/start and other finer controls.
This new system leaves the screen to do an awful lot of the heavy lifting, and that’s going to cut either way depending on whether you’re a fan of that sort of arrangement in newer cars. Automakers including Mazda contend that getting used to a touchscreen is better than fishing around and taking your eyes off the road for a bunch of similar-feeling buttons. What’s more, you can always just tell the car what to do, like set the temperature, the radio station or the volume.
Still, some folks just prefer redundant controls, and having the drive mode switch on the steering wheel is something I can’t get used to outside a sports car, for some reason. And…was it too much to ask to just keep the physical volume knob on the console, Mazda? It was useful for both driver and passenger, so that’s one part of the old system I wish would have carried over.
Mazda’s safety and driver assistance tech is solid, if you can get past the acronyms
The 2026 Mazda CX-5 is packed to the gills with safety tech including TSR, SBS, BSM, ELK and TCS. Don’t know what any of those mean? I don’t blame you one bit, though Mazda scatters them around the i-ActivSense screen while vaguely pointing at what each feature actually does. Those hardly scratch the surface, though it’s notable that you get adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, Smart Brake Support, blind-spot monitoring and Emergency Lane Keep, all as standard equipment. The 10.25-inch digital gauge cluster is also available on all trims and offers some gauge configuration, though the Active Driving Display (head-up display) is only available on Preferred and higher models.
You might notice the pod mounted atop the steering column too, as this CX-5 also gets driver attention alert as standard fare. As annoying as some systems can be, I never had an issue crop up with it in my week with Mazda’s latest. However, you can pretty easily turn it off, as well as several of the other features. Speaking of actual buttons, one you do still get next to the power tailgate near the bottom-left dash area disables i-ActivSense’s audio warnings. With how annoying some manufacturers’ ADAS systems are these days, that is a serious blessing.
With the introduction of a larger touchscreen, it’s serendipitous Mazda also put some time and effort into its 360-degree camera system. It is only available on the Premium Plus, so that’s a bummer if you’re looking to save some money. If you do spring for all the bells and whistles (including the bigger display), though, it is a tremendous improvement over Mazda’s older offerings. Not only can you access some angles at speed, but it’s crystal clear and, in my experience at least, lag-free.
How about that second-row and cargo space?
The extended wheelbase and overall length affords the 2026 Mazda CX-5 a notable improvement for hauling both people and stuff. Headroom, legroom and knee room all improve over the old car, with 40.2 inches for your head (up from 39.0), 39.9 inches of overall legroom and two additional inches of knee room.
Rear-seat passengers don’t get anything fancy with their experience, even on the top-end model. However, they do still get two USB-C ports, heated seats (Premium/Premium Plus) and HVAC vents (Select and above).
While the 2026 Mazda CX-5 can only tow up to 1,500 pounds, you’re in good stead should you need to throw some gear in the back. Cargo volume has improved significantly over the second generation, amounting to 33.7 cubic feet with the rear seats still in place (3-4 cu.ft. more than before, depending on which model you’re looking at). With the seats down, the difference is even greater, with 66.5 cubic feet of usable space instead of 59.3. You still get 40/20/40 split-folding seats, and under the floor is an actual temporary spare nestled in with the subwoofer, provided you get the Bose premium audio system with the Premium or Premium Plus.
Verdict: The new CX-5 is ultimately better, but keep these suggestions in mind
My premise of “three steps forward, two steps back” with the new Mazda CX-5 effectively comes down to exactly that many points. On the plus side, the new CX-5 still looks great, there’s a ton of useful tech and it drives just as well as it ever has…and even better, in terms of chassis dynamics. On the other hand, I thought the carryover 2.5-liter engine was weighed down a bit in the second-gen, and that’s even more pronounced now. While I love the look both inside and out, the hard-touch materials on the dashboard and center console left me a little dour, compared to how I felt sitting in the old CX-5 — the comfortable seats being one key exception.
Overall, I would still absolutely recommend giving the 2026 Mazda CX-5 a look. With a $31,485 starting MSRP, the new CX-5’s base price is higher than the old one, but packs in a lot of value considering what its rivals cost these days. With this 2.5 S Premium Plus tipping the scales at $41,080, you get all the bells and whistles…but you have to pay all the money for it.
If you’re looking for the best of all worlds, I would seriously consider waiting a few months for the hybrid model to emerge. We should know more soon, and that model could well sort any performance and fuel economy gripes. The standard 2.5 S models manage 24 City / 30 Highway / 26 Combined mpg. That’s fine, but not really much to write home about. Mazda’s former CX-5 Turbo option obviously offers up a lot more grunt for a fuel economy hit, so if you want out-and-out power, your only current option is to stick with the old car.
Say you really want a 2026 Mazda CX-5 right now, though? I’d personally aim for the Select, unless you want a heated steering wheel and seats and/or a power liftgate. In the latter case, get the mid-range Preferred. You still get all the safety features as the base model, but you also get power adjustable leatherette seats, wireless charging, heated and power-folding side mirrors and the rear HVAC vents with the $$33,485 Select. The few nice-to-have features of the Preferred bump the price up to $35,745. If you’re looking to save money above all else, even the base 2.5 S packs a lot of features for a $10K savings over the loaded Premium Plus.
Kase and Tommy offer their own take on the 2026 Mazda CX-5 in the video below, and we’ll have more technical reviews like the TFL Slip Test coming up soon.
