Comparing the 2025 Mazda CX-5 vs the 2026 Mazda CX-5

When comparing the 2025 Mazda CX‑5 to the all‑new 2026 Mazda CX‑5, buyers will notice a bold new direction. Mazda has updated its popular compact SUV for the 2026 model year.

While the 2025 CX‑5 delivers the refinement, balanced driving dynamics, and comfortable interior that made it a segment favorite, the 2026 CX‑5 brings a fresh design, expanded overall size for more passenger and cargo space, and modernized technology features like a larger infotainment touchscreen and updated driver‑assist systems. These updates show Mazda’s focus on better comfort and connectivity. They keep the CX‑5’s core appeal. Shoppers can see clear differences between the two model years.

What Are the Biggest Changes with the 2026 Mazda CX-5?

The 2026 Mazda CX‑5 brings major updates to Mazda’s best‑selling compact SUV. It has a fresh look, more space, and upgraded technology. For 2026, Mazda increased the CX‑5’s size. It has a longer wheelbase and more length. This improves rear-seat comfort and adds cargo room. It also fixes a key limitation of past models.

Inside, the cabin gets a modern overhaul with a larger standard touchscreen, and traditional physical buttons like the old rotary controller are replaced by a sleek touch‑focused interface. There are also updates to the design language to mirror its larger SUVs with bold lighting and a refined exterior stance. Under the hood, the base 2.5‑liter engine remains, and Mazda is planning a hybrid option for upcoming years. These updates make the 2026 CX‑5 feel more competitive and comfortable while bringing modern tech and space improvements to the forefront.

New Design

The 2026 CX‑5 features a bold new design that gives the SUV a modern, confident look inside and out. Mazda has updated its Kodo design with a wider, sculpted front end and sharp LED lights. This gives the CX-5 a cleaner, modern look. Slimmer taillights and bold “MAZDA” rear lettering set it apart from the 2025 model.

The vehicle’s overall footprint is larger. It’s about 4.5 inches longer and wider, resulting in a more spacious cabin and improved cargo room, yet it maintains the sleek, athletic silhouette customers expect. Inside, the redesign focuses on a minimalist, tech-forward interior. It features Mazda’s largest-ever infotainment touchscreen and refined materials. These upgrades improve comfort and add a more premium feel for everyone.

Upgraded Technology

The 2026 CX‑5 takes a major step forward in in‑car technology, making this compact SUV feel more modern, connected, and user‑friendly than ever. One of the biggest upgrades is the new Google Built‑In infotainment system, which comes standard with either a 12.9‑inch or available 15.6‑inch touchscreen that integrates Google Maps, Google Assistant voice control, and access to apps right on the dashboard—bringing true smartphone‑like connectivity without extra devices. Standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility also keeps your favorite apps and media easily accessible.

The redesigned interface places key controls and climate functions within easy reach, helping reduce driver distraction, and additional tech features like advanced voice commands and new steering‑wheel touch controls enhance the intuitive feel of the system. These upgraded tech features give the 2026 CX‑5 a more seamless and modern digital experience compared to previous models.

Larger Interior

Here, it delivers noticeably more interior and cargo space compared with the previous generation, addressing one of the biggest criticisms of the compact SUV segment. Thanks to an overall increase in size, with a wheelbase stretched by about 3 inches and more than 4 inches added to the vehicle’s length, the cabin now offers significantly improved legroom, headroom, and comfort for rear‑seat passengers, making longer trips more enjoyable.

Mazda also redesigned the rear doors with wider openings for easier entry and exit and expanded the cargo area with a larger liftgate opening and a lower load floor for effortless loading. With its flexible cargo capacity and more accommodating interior dimensions, the 2026 CX‑5 feels more spacious and practical for families, gear, and everyday use than ever before.

What Didn’t Change In the 2026 & 2025 CX-5?

While the 2026 Mazda CX‑5 brings a host of updates, some core elements remain familiar to drivers coming from the 2025 CX‑5. The compact SUV continues to use the naturally aspirated Skyactiv‑G 2.5‑liter four‑cylinder engine paired with a smooth‑shifting automatic transmission, providing reliable day‑to‑day performance that fans of the model expect.

Mazda also retains its signature engaging handling dynamics and the SUV’s overall driver‑focused feel, keeping the balanced ride quality that made the CX‑5 a favorite in its class. Additionally, although the exterior and interior are redesigned, the CX‑5’s role as a refined, premium compact SUV with strong safety credentials and responsive steering carries over from the 2025 model into the 2026 lineup.

Is There Still a Turbo Engine Option for the 2025 Mazda CX-5?

For the 2026 model, there is no longer a turbo engine option offered in the lineup. Mazda has discontinued the turbocharged 2.5‑liter engine that was available on the 2025 model, and every 2026 CX‑5 comes standard with the naturally aspirated 2.5‑liter four‑cylinder engine producing about 187 hp paired to a six‑speed automatic transmission and all‑wheel drive. This means buyers looking for the extra power and torque of a turbo‑charged model will need to explore other SUVs like the CX‑50, which continues to offer turbo choices, or wait for Mazda’s planned hybrid powertrain for the CX‑5 expected in a later model year.

Visit Beach Mazda and Compare Our 2025 and 2026 Mazda CX-5 Models Today

If you want to see the differences between the 2025 and 2026 Mazda CX‑5 up close, stop by Beach Mazda in Myrtle Beach, SC, where you can compare both model years side‑by‑side and take them for a test drive.

Our friendly sales team can walk you through the key updates. These include the 2026 refreshed design, upgraded technology, and a larger interior. We can also compare them to the well-loved features in the 2025 CX-5 lineup on our lot. Whether you’re curious about space, tech, or styling, visit Beach Mazda to see the differences in person. We will help you choose the CX‑5 that best fits your lifestyle today.

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »