2026 Mazda CX-5 revealed: bigger, more upmarket, but RAV4-fighting hybrid delayed until 2027

Mazda has unveiled its third-know-how CX-5 that brings larger dimensions, a more upmarket interior, and confirmation of the midsize SUV’s first ever hybrid powertrain choice.

Essentially the latest CX-5 will reach Australian showrooms within the 2nd half of of 2026, though the petrol-electric powertrain acquired’t be on hand until 2027 at the earliest for the Japanese impress’s finest-selling mannequin.

Mazda’s designers possess again taken an evolutionary system to the CX-5’s styling, though adjustments from the outgoing mannequin are basic more essential than when the 2nd-know-how model replaced the 2012 usual after merely five years.

DESIGN & DIMENSIONS

The CX-5’s length has increased by almost 12cm to merely fearful of 4.7 metres (4690mm), making it one of the most longer vehicles in its midsize class.

That 11.5cm stretch all is accessible within the 2815mm wheelbase to tie in with Mazda’s claims for expanded rear-seat position, whereas the CX-5 is 15mm wider than earlier than.

The CX-5 seems to be visibly longer than earlier than, with particularly lengthened rear doors and a wider C-pillar.

LED headlights are complemented by double-hockey-stick DRLs, and the decrease bumper ingredients a paunchy-width consumption.

In profile, the silhouette and window shape are comparable to Mazda’s more upmarket midsize SUV, the CX-60 – though the CX-5’s bonnet is basic shorter as this also can merely proceed to accommodate four-cylinder engines rather than Mazda’s six-cylinder motors.

Gloss-shadowy sills and wheel-arch surrounds of the indicate automobile echo the unusual CX-5’s excessive-spec SP grade.

At the rear, MAZDA lettering replaces the Japanese impress’s veteran impress badge for the first time.

The tail-light compose is shut to that employed on Mazda’s larger SUVs, the CX-70, CX-80 and CX-90.

Then again, not like these items, the CX-5 has a shadowy decrease bumper as successfully as visible tailpipes.

INTERIOR

The 2026 CX-5’s cabin seems to be Tesla inspired with its combination of vast central touchscreen and intelligent and uncluttered presentation.

That 15.6-breeze infotainment repeat is the major yet to be fitted to a Mazda, and brings larger than 50 percent of further screen staunch estate over the outgoing CX-5. It ingredients the app-heavy Google Built-In connectivity system.

The fully digital driver repeat is one other enhance, changing the half of-digital, half of-analogue cluster of the outgoing mannequin.

MAZDA lettering additionally replaces a impress on the steering wheel to lend a more premium vibe to an interior that is showcased mostly with a two-tone tan leather and shadowy tidy. One other two-tone choice proven ingredients leatherette upholstery in shadowy and off-white.

CX-5 sticks with a normal gearlever rather than following the constructing for transmission stalks or toggles.

There level-headed seems to be a great deal of room on a centre console that additionally ingredients a spoil up-lid cubby, sloped smartphone charging tray, and cupholders.

One valuable disappearance: there’s no longer a rotary dial/joystick controller for the infotainment system.

REAR SEAT

Longer rear doors no longer totally wait on ingress and egress but could well lend a hand of us getting smaller young folks into youngster seats.

Mazda says rear legroom and headroom every enhance markedly, the worn helped by the very a lot longer wheelbase that’s totally 55mm shorter than the distance between the CX-60’s entrance and rear axles.

This is able to take care of one of the most key criticisms of the CX-5 since its 2012 debut.

A recline characteristic would maybe be on hand on some, or presumably all, variants, whereas a factual panoramic sunroof is additionally on hand for the first time.

BOOT SPACE

Boot position has repeatedly been somewhat average for the CX-5, but is living to enlarge for the 2026 mannequin.

Mazda is no longer yet quoting capacities, but says the CX-5’s baggage compartment gains 5.0cm in length and about 2.5cm in height – with 18mm-decrease loading height to lend a hand stow larger items comparable to bikes.

The rear seatbacks proceed within the versatile 40-20-40 spoil up configuration and also can again be flattened the utilization of convenient liberate levers.

POWERTRAIN

The vast headline alternate for the 2026 CX-5 is the basic anticipated choice of a petroleum-electric hybrid powertrain for the first time.

The novel Skyactiv Z hybrid, nonetheless, acquired’t seem until 2027 and Australia also can merely even prefer to wait until 2028.

That’s a blow for Mazda Australia, as it delays a extremely major declare rival to the market-leading Toyota RAV4 that additionally gains a toddle-in hybrid powertrain in 2026.

It’s additionally unhelpful for the logo in the case of the Current Vehicle Emissions Usual that now brings credit score or fines in response to tailpipe emissions.

Mazda is additionally ditching the 2.5-litre turbo petrol and inferior 2.0-litre from the CX-5 lineup, which is ready to depart merely the getting older Skyactiv G 2.5-litre 4-cylinder to soldier on because the sole drivetrain offering until the hybrid is sooner or later on hand.

The two.5L four has existed within the CX-5 since 2013, and can proceed to beget 140kW and 252Nm by activity of a six-tempo auto. Mazda references all-wheel force totally in its liberate, suggesting entrance-force variants were abandoned.

The CX-5 used to be Australia’s most common SUV from its first paunchy year on sale (2013) until 2019, earlier than it used to be displaced by the Toyota RAV4.

It has never dropped out of the head three sales spots within the medium SUV section in its existence to this level, with larger than 315,000 Australians buying a CX-5 since 2012.