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Some siblings just can't stay out of each other's hair. The Mazda CX-5 and CX-50 are like that. When the CX-50 appeared on the scene for 2023, the brand's second entry among compact SUVs was positioned as slightly larger and more upscale, although there was plenty of overlap between the two.
Mazda North American Operations president and CEO Tom Donnelly describes the CX-5 as "slightly more urban" than the CX-50, which he characterizes as "rugged" and "outdoorsy." Those distinctions strike us as mostly imaginary. The truth is that the freshly redesigned 2026 CX-5 narrows the gap, and these two SUVs overlap more than ever.
The new CX-5 adds 4.6 inches between the axles, meaning that it now shares the same 110.8-inch wheelbase as the CX-50. A 4.5-inch increase in overall length puts the new CX-5 just 1.2 inches shy of the CX-50. The CX-50 remains just over two inches wider, while the CX-5 is some three inches taller than its in-house rival. As a result of that growth spurt, the CX-5 now exceeds the CX-50 in both passenger and cargo space. Mazda paid particular attention to rear-seat room, with more rear legroom and over two inches of additional knee room than before; rear headroom is greater as well. Whereas the rear seat previously couldn't match competitors such as the Honda CR-V and Volkswagen Tiguan, it now has plenty of legroom and knee clearance for a six-footer sitting behind a similar-sized driver. Wider and taller rear doors also enhance access. Out back, a larger liftgate opens to the more generous cargo area, where a lower floor eases loading of luggage, and the rear seatback is split 40/20/40 to allow long, narrow items (such as skis) to nestle between the rear-seat passengers.
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Up front, there's a new steering wheel that incorporates more controls and has a smooth leather rim that feels great. The gauge cluster is now a 10.3-inch digital display, and the available head-up display is more than twice as large as before. The big change, however, is the infotainment system. The display grows from the previous 10.3 inches to 12.9 inches, or 15.6 inches on the Premium Plus. The long-serving rotary controller has been kicked to the curb; Mazda has finally embraced the touchscreen. It has done so with a convert's fervor, scrapping even the audio system's volume and tuning knobs.
Mazda has also embraced voice control, via Google's built-in software. Other Google apps include Google Maps and Google Play, as well as Google's AI helper, Gemini. Gemini can operate in-car features, such as the climate control. If you'd rather just reach out and adjust the temperature or the fan speed yourself, without assistance from Silicon Valley, the climate controls are now onscreen; oft-used functions live at the base of the display, but some (seat heating/ventilation and the available heated steering wheel, for instance) require opening the climate-control home screen. Sadly, the high-quality physical switchgear that previously performed these functions has been jettisoned.
The front seats are a comfortable blend of softness and support, and the door armrests are thickly padded. There's a new two-tone color treatment for the mid-level models too. Still, the top-spec Premium Plus interior finishes aren't as nice as those in the equivalent CX-50, with fewer soft-touch surfaces and more hard plastic.
The 187-hp 2.5-liter engine with standard all-wheel drive carries over from before, although Mazda claims to have tweaked the powertrain logic. The combo of the naturally aspirated engine and the six-speed automatic provides more linear response than some turbo fours and CVTs, but this powertrain isn't a fireball. In the old CX-5, the 187-horse four managed a class-competitive 7.9 seconds to 60 mph, but the new model is larger and heavier. The optional 256-hp turbocharged engine was chosen by only a small percentage of buyers and has not returned (though the CX-50 still offers it), while a hybrid powertrain is set to join the lineup next year. Unfortunately, fuel economy has slipped slightly, with EPA estimates of 24 mpg city and 30 mpg highway, versus the previous 26/30 mpg.
The returning powertrain strikes a note of familiarity, but the new CX-5 also feels like a Mazda in its driving dynamics. Mazda's manager of vehicle dynamics engineering, Dave Coleman, describes the goals for the chassis tuning as retaining the outgoing model's fun-to-drive characteristics while stirring in a bit more compliance for improved ride quality. Our Southern California drive route didn't provide the ride-quality torture test of our pothole-devastated pavement back home, but the CX-5 did a great job masking the patches of deteriorated tarmac that we did encounter. And when the road turned twisty, the new CX-5 exhibited the same athleticism for which this model has long been known, guided by steering that is natural-feeling and perfectly weighted.
Mazda has added some new active-safety features, including several applications of automatic braking: in response to approaching cross traffic when backing up, and when turning across traffic. Adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, traffic-sign recognition, and blind-spot assist are now standard on all models. Mazda also boasts that the new CX-5 earns top scores in all IIHS crash tests. Adaptive cruise still requires a hand on the wheel but will now automatically execute lane changes (which the driver must initiate by activating the turn signal); it can also slow for curves and brakes earlier for slowing traffic ahead.
With the additional standard equipment, prices have inched up by just under $1000 at the low end to more than $3000 for the top model: The 2026 CX-5 ranges from $31,485 to $40,485. That now completely overlaps—and even exceeds—the base-engine CX-50, at $31,395 to $36,395. We don't pretend to understand the product positioning here, but maybe it's best just to take a laissez-faire approach. Let the two siblings fight it out in the showroom; for buyers, there's no wrong choice here.
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Specifications
Specifications
2026 Mazda CX-5
Vehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base: S, $31,485; Select, $33,485; Preferred, $35,745; Premium, $38,395; Premium Plus, $40,485
ENGINE
DOHC 16-valve Atkinson-cycle inline-4, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection
Displacement: 152 in3, 2488 cm3
Power: 187 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque: 186 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm
TRANSMISSION
6-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 110.8 in
Length: 184.6 in
Width: 73.2 in
Height: 66.7 in
Passenger Volume, F/R: 54–55/50–52 ft3
Cargo Volume, Behind F/R: 67/34 ft3
Curb Weight (C/D est): 3900 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 8.2 sec
1/4-Mile: 16.5 sec
Top Speed: 116 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 26/24/30 mpg
