Mazda Reveals All-New 2026 CX-5 Stunning Innovations

Refreshed, refined, and remastered

Mazda’s global best-seller, the CX-5, has for many years existed as a masterclass of what’s possible when a brand actually listens to its buyers. Completely new for 2026, the revamped Mazda CX-5 takes things a step further, showering the crossover with all the mechanical upgrades, interior amenities, and styling enhancements that its unwaveringly loyal consumer base has been begging for–all without diluting its fundamental philosophy of being a king of all trades, master of everything.

What’s more, the 2026 Mazda CX-5 will debut Mazda’s very own Skyactiv-Z hybrid engine–an entirely different unit from what’s found beneath the hood of the CX-50 Hybrid, which should take the CX-5’s efficiency and performance capability to unprecedented heights. We’re here to give you the full scoop on what to expect from the all-new 2026 Mazda CX-5.

Feast your eyes, the Mazda CX-5 just got even sexier

I can’t help but start by touching on the 2026 Mazda CX-5’s design. I mean, just look at it. Shimmering in its magnificent Soul Red Crystal Metallic paint job, the 2026 CX-5 proudly flaunts the latest evolution of “Kodo Design,” which showcases a much more chiseled and fresh style compared to its outgoing generation, all without straying too far from the familiar silhouette of the well-established CX-5. While plenty of brands try their hardest to style new generations of established products with radically different aesthetics (I’m looking at you, BMW), I truly believe Mazda’s designers have made the right decisions with the new CX-5. They’ve properly freshened and elevated the model’s proven design language to match the expectations of its loyal buyers, rather than simply aiming for shock value.

The 2026 Mazda CX-5 stays true to what buyers have come to expect from Mazda styling–handsomeness. The all-new CX-5 doesn’t beg for attention; it earns a second look. Borrowing elements such as its tail lights from its bigger siblings, the CX-70 and CX-90, the CX-5’s updated styling not only makes the brand’s lineup more cosmetically cohesive, but it also proves that Mazda knows exactly what people appreciate about their constantly evolving design language, down to the very finest details. What you may not have noticed, however, is that the 2026 Mazda CX-5 also benefits from a size increase. To be specific, the all-new CX-5 is 4.5 inches longer with a 3-inch longer wheelbase, and is also over half an inch wider than its previous generation. That means increased cargo space and improved rear seat cabin space, resulting in an overall more spacious and functional vehicle than the CX-5 has ever been before.

The 2026 Mazda CX-5’s cabin gets vital updates and a more upscale feel

Looking at the CX-5’s new cabin environment, the first and most glaringly obvious change you’ll notice is the massively upscaled, 15.6-inch touchscreen infotainment display. According to Mazda, the all-new system “is focused around Google built-in technology, which offers a more connected experience, with the ability to integrate key Google features, like Google Assistant for intuitive voice control over key vehicle functions like climate control, media, navigation, calls, sending messages, and Google Maps.” For those traditionalists who aren’t too keen on controlling every cabin function through a touchscreen interface, many of the CX-5’s most used buttons have now been relegated to the steering wheel, allowing drivers to keep their attention focused on the road ahead, rather than being distracted by endless submenus and potentially laggy touchscreen surfaces.

Look to the skies, and you’ll notice a new feature that CX-5 buyers have been pining over for years: a panoramic moonroof. The panoramic moonroof allows for much more natural lighting, giving the interior a more breathable and atmospheric ambience that can be enhanced even further by all-new ambient lighting, with a choice of seven colors to mirror any emotion, perhaps best compared to a mood ring.

The 2026 CX-5 will be the first model to debut Mazda’s brand-new Skyactiv-Z hybrid powertrain

Unlike the Mazda CX-50 Hybrid, which optimizes Toyota-sourced hybrid battery technology to achieve segment-competitive efficiency and power to aggressively rival alternatives like the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, Subaru Forester Hybrid, Hyundai Tucson Hybrid, Ford Escape Hybrid, Kia Sportage Hybrid, and the Honda CR-V Hybrid, the 2026 Mazda CX-5 Hybrid will be the first ever Mazda model to equip the groundbreaking Skyactiv-Z hybrid powertrain. According to Stefan Meisterfeld, Vice President of Strategic Planning at Mazda North American Operations, the CX-50 Hybrid utilizes Toyota-sourced technology, unlike the new CX-5, because the CX-50 is built domestically in Huntsville, Alabama, alongside the Toyota RAV4.

Although we don’t yet have any specific details about the new Skyactiv-Z hybrid powertrain’s exact specifications, when we asked Mr. Meisterfeld whether the turbocharged version of the 2.5-liter Skyactiv-G would return with the CX-5’s new generation, he ensured us that although it would not, the 2.5-liter Skyactiv-Z hybrid powertrain would fill the void left behind in its absence, providing not only excellent efficiency, but also engaging driving dynamics. Although there are currently no plans to return the turbocharged Skyactiv-G to the CX-5 lineup, the 2026 Mazda CX-5 will come equipped with the naturally aspirated, 187-horsepower version of the Skyactiv-G 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine as its standard powertrain, and Mazda’s iACTIV all-wheel drive system will become a standard feature as well, thus eliminating front-wheel drive options from the CX-5 lineup entirely.

Final thoughts

The 2026 Mazda CX-5’s cosmetic enhancements do so much with so little, massively elevating the crossover’s stylish appeal without ditching the ethos that made it so popular with buyers in the first place. The CX-5’s improved handsomeness on the outside is reflected just as well inside its cabin, offering upmarket appeal without disrupting attainability, and reflecting everything the model’s loyal buyers have wished for, without unnecessarily adding anything more.

The good news continues under the hood, where the tried-and-tested Skyactiv-G four-cylinder engine remains the gold standard, and the optional brand-new Skyactiv-Z hybrid powertrain offers mechanical competency, efficiency, performance, reliability, and ease of maintenance. As far as I’m concerned, the 2026 Mazda CX-5 makes the right changes in all the right places, and nothing more. The delicate yet obsessively calculated touch of Mazda’s engineers and designers should result in the most desirable evolution of the CX-5 the world has ever seen.

As someone who has personally owned a fully-loaded 2019 CX-5 Turbo, I can’t think of a single box on my model update wishlist that the 2026 CX-5 hasn’t ticked. Not only has the CX-5’s styling been refreshed, but it’s been refreshed in all the right ways, integrating a familiar yet refined front end and a CX-70-inspired rear end.

In the cabin, I’m glad to finally see a panoramic moonroof available on the CX-5, although I must admit I am not overly fond of the massive screen on the dash that replaces many of the physical buttons I enjoyed having in my own CX-5. Hearing that the turbocharged engine won’t return is somewhat disappointing as well, but speaking with Stefan Meisterfeld and hearing that the new Skyactiv-Z powertrain’s development was focused just as heavily on performance as it was on efficiency has me convinced that it could be an admirable replacement for the Skyactiv-G Turbo powertrain. Overall, the 2026 Mazda CX-5 touches all the right bases, and it remains the only crossover in its segment that actually manages to excite me.