2026 Mazda Cx-5 Looks Worse, Is Probably Amazing

Mazda

Mazda revealed nan third-generation 2026 CX-5 to nan world today, and it looks... different, from its predecessor, to beryllium sure. Mazda has agelong been successful contention for nan champion automaker retired location erstwhile it comes to styling, but nan caller CX-5's exterior is simply a departure successful my eyes. The headlights are odd, nan bumper has immoderate caller and weird creases, nan rear extremity is simply a touch much generic than nan outgoing crossover. The critics, though, whitethorn not person overmuch of a limb to guidelines connected — this is apt nan champion midsize Mazda crossover yet. 

If nan caller CX-5's proportions look different to you, it's because nan full car has grown. It's 4.5 inches longer than nan outgoing model, enabling Mazda's declare that nan caller car is nan astir freely yet connected nan inside. In fact, that interior is nan attraction of overmuch of Mazda's property merchandise copy, arsenic nan institution is intent connected making this nan astir comfortable CX-5 yet, too. 

Mazda

The caller interior does surely look roomy successful nan property shots, though we'll person to return Mazda's claims of much room for passengers' heads and legs astatine look worth until we get immoderate difficult measurements in. Gone is nan screen-above-dash look, replaced pinch nan caller touchscreen-in-front-of-dash hotness that each automaker is jumping on. Also thankfully gone is nan aged CX-5's rotary power knob. The steering wheel, too, loses that Mazda style we've had for nan past decade aliases so. 

To maine nan astir absorbing successful nan interior, though, isn't immoderate of nan caller creation astatine each — it's nan small tab of reflective achromatic atop nan steering column, which judge looks for illustration nan benignant of attention-tracking camera strategy utilized successful hands-free automated systems for illustration GM's Super Cruise. Mazda doesn't person a strategy for illustration that yet, and it's wholly imaginable nan camera is meant for the company's existing warn-you-if-you're-too-tired-to-drive attention-tracking system, but that's agelong utilized cameras successful nan infotainment screen. This caller CX-5 moves that camera to nan beforehand of nan dash, correct wherever GM places it for Super Cruise. 

Mazda

The rear of nan caller CX-5 ditches nan quad lights for a hooked portion reminiscent of BMW, and swaps nan Mazda badge for matter betwixt nan lights. The lights aren't a bad look, but they're a small spot little distinctly Mazda — a shame to spot from an automaker that's stood retired truthful good connected styling. The text, though, is simply a really bully look for nan crossover. Underneath that liftgate, Mazda claims an expanded cargo area pinch a little lift-over height, which buyers ought to enjoy. Heaving tremendous bags of canine nutrient into nan backmost of a crossover is nary one's thought of a bully time, and immoderate automaker that makes nan process easier gets a golden prima successful my book. 

The caller CX-5 will person a 2.5-liter inline-4 astatine launch, putting a claimed 187 horsepower and 185 pound-feet of torque to each 4 wheels done a six-speed automatic gearbox, but Mazda claims a hybrid version is successful nan useful for nan 2027 exemplary year. That should make for a very absorbing conflict pinch the much-loved Toyota RAV4 hybrid, 1 successful which value will play a dense facet — a value Mazda has yet to reveal, for immoderate version of nan caller crossover. 

All successful all, nan caller CX-5 is an upgrade. Whether you emotion aliases loathe nan exterior changes, Mazda has made room for immoderate coagulated improvements beneath nan tegument — improvements that existent owners of nan car should love, sloppy of what those of america who conscionable look astatine it connected our machine screens think. At nan extremity of nan day, that's who carmakers should really beryllium reasoning astir anyway.