There’s an old car guy philosophy that says you should wait until the last model year of a vehicle to buy it. The bugs are all worked out.
There really haven’t been any bugs to work out in the current generation of the Mazda CX-5, introduced as a 2017 model. It’s been among my favorite five-seat midsize crossovers. Come to think of it, the first-generation CX-5 was on that list, as well. Around the time you read this, new 2026 third-generation Mazda CX-5s will begin arriving on dealer lots. You know what they used to say in the old car ads: That means last year’s models have got to go.
A quick check of Cars.com shows a healthy supply of new 2025 CX-5s within an hour’s drive of Los Altos. There’s a key word you’re looking for. That word is turbo. The CX-5 S models are nice cars, but at 187 horsepower and 185 pound-feet of torque, they’re not particularly quick.
CX-5s, like most Mazdas, are drivers’ cars, with great handling. That really comes through with the CX-5 Turbo models, which boost the horsepower to 256 and the torque to 320 pound-feet. Zero to 60 happens in 6.2 seconds. The EPA fuel economy estimate is 22 city/27 highway, which could be improved if Mazda offered more than six gears in its automatic transmission.
There’s 30 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, and that nearly doubles to 59.3 cubic feet with the second row folded down. And rear seat passengers get an uncommon amount of legroom for this size vehicle – 39.6 inches. I drove the second-from-the-top trim, the 2.5 Turbo Premium. Base price $38,000 ($39,420 with destination). That price buys a ton of standard equipment, including all-wheel drive, hill launch assist, selectable drive modes including sport and off-road modes, 19-inch alloy wheels, rain-sensing/de-icing wipers, heated power-folding mirrors with turn lamps, a power moonroof, LED auto-on/off headlights, adaptive front lighting, automatic high beams, a body-colored rear roof spoiler, a power rear liftgate, leather-trimmed seats, an eight-way power driver’s seat with memory and lumbar, a six-way power passenger seat, heated front and rear seats, a heated leather steering wheel, an auto-dimming rearview mirror with HomeLink, a wireless phone charger, a 10.25-inch center screen, a 10-speaker Bose audio system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a three-month trial to SiriusXM satellite radio, four USB connections, Mazda Connected Services, and a comprehensive suite of active safety features. It’s almost a one-price deal, but our tester did have a few extra-cost options: Illuminated door sill plates ($500), navigation ($450), a rear bumper guard ($135) and a retractable cargo cover ($250). All of that brought the as-tested price to $40,755.
That’s a fine price for a fine car, but the good news is that this is now last year’s model. Dealers will likely be eager to negotiate price.
I can’t give an opinion on the new, larger 2026 CX-5 until I’ve driven it. But I’ve driven at least one of this generation of CX-5 every year for the past nine years. It’s a terrific vehicle that you should absolutely have on your short list if you’re looking for a five-seat crossover.
