2026 Mazda CX-5 Test-Drive Checklist: What You Should Try Before You Buy

It’s just a car—how difficult could a test drive be? Actually, it’s harder than you think, especially if you’re on unfamiliar roads with a friendly salesperson you met an hour ago.

That’s where this 2026 Mazda CX-5 test-drive checklist comes in. After spending a year in a 2023 Mazda CX-50, we’re now daily-driving a 2026 CX-5 for a long-term test. Here’s what we’d focus while we’re kicking the tires on a CX-5, and certainly before we signed our name to the newly redesigned SUV.

1. Interact With the Infotainment Screen. A Lot

The 2026 Mazda CX-5's biggest issue is tech. On the top trim level like our test SUV, a 15.6-inch screen sits at the center of the dash; a 12.9-inch unit is standard on other trims. Over thousands of miles behind the wheel, we’ve seen many bugs and issues with the way the system was designed.

For example, the on-screen controls for the heated seats, ventilated seats, and air recirculation are unacceptably small. They require more concentration than such controls should to use. Lately, I’ve taken to resting my arm on the gear shift stalk to stabilize my hand before I reach forward to activate the ventilated seats.

We also think the airflow controls should have two on-screen buttons like in a Toyota RAV4 instead of the CX-5's one. The point is this: Whatever you normally do while driving is what you should evaluate on a test drive.

Mazda does include Google-based voice commands, and that’s recently been upgraded to Gemini. You can ask the car everything from “What was the 2008 MotorTrend SUV of the Year?” to “Turn the temperature down 2 degrees and increase air flow.” It’s really cool, but as with similar services from other automakers, it’s not free.

The cost for Mazda Connected Services’ Premium plan, which also adds Google Maps and Google Play apps, is $15 a month after the trial period. We’re not saying that’s unreasonable, but know at the outset you’ll be using the screen controls more if you don’t subscribe.

2. Think About Steering Effort

Mazdas tend to have heavier steering than other cars. That doesn’t make them inherently better or worse, but some at MotorTrend would say it’s the latter because of the extra effort you need to turn the wheel in everyday maneuvers without the payoff of an overtly sporty vehicle.

One plus of the heavier steering: I can more confidently place the SUV in its lane on the highway. In every other driving situation, however, I do wish it were a little lighter.

3. Breathe

Breathing is good advice in general, but here it’s given in the context of Mazda’s focus on safety crash test results. It’s truly impressive that every Mazda SUV—even the old ones that haven’t seen many updates—receive 2026 IIHS Top Safety Pick+ ratings. The 2026 CX-5 is among them, and this isn’t given out to just any car or SUV.

IIHS gets stricter with its awards every couple of years, and not every compact SUV earns recognition. As this is written, IIHS’ honor roll for compact SUVs includes the Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Subaru Forester, Mazda CX-50, and Mazda CX-5.

This isn’t something you ever want to test, and it’s good to know Mazda has your back.

4. Spread Out

Mazda has enlarged the CX-5 for 2026, creating an interior that feels more spacious than a Toyota RAV4 and is finally big enough to be compared with the Honda CR-V and Kia Sportage. Installing a car seat is now easier thanks to the extra space and rear doors that open to nearly 90 degrees.

The trunk is also bigger, though the Sportage, CR-V, and RAV4 all have it beat. Unless you travel to car dealerships with measuring tape in hand, this is still a win for Mazda. If you’re replacing an older CX-5, you’ll notice the extra space.

5. Consider This Other SUV

Then again, maybe the extra heft required by the larger interior isn’t completely a good thing. Fuel economy on the 2026 CX-5 is 24/30/26 mpg city/highway/combined, which is just OK in this segment. The SUV moves at a relaxed pace, and that’s fine for many drivers.

However, what if you could get an SUV with the looks of a Mazda and the reliability of a Toyota hybrid? Sound too good to be true? That’s the 2026 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid. The CX-50 offers a different feel in the same segment at a similar price. It’s also quicker than the gas CX-5.

Mazda is prepping a homegrown CX-5 Hybrid, but for now, the CX-50 Hybrid is an interesting alternative with 150 more miles of driving per tank of fuel and a price premium you can pay off over time in fuel savings depending on how many miles you drive every year.

Updates on Our CX-5's Tech Suite

In other news with our yearlong 2026 CX-5 test SUV, we took the Mazda back to the dealer for its third unscheduled service visit. This time we had a couple more software updates. Although I’m not a fan of repeated dealer visits before the first scheduled service, I’m being attentive in the hopes that each software update will improve the CX-5's ownership experience.

Before you go saying "over-the-air updates would make this easier,” first off—yes. If Mazda were ready to roll out over-the-air updates to the 2026 CX-5, I could have avoided one or more of these visits to the dealer. Another option is to make sure an SUV’s tech isn’t underbaked before putting it on sale.

The tech has improved with these updates, but it’s not enough. Perhaps additional updates later in the year will move things further in the right direction.

More On Our Long-Term 2026 Mazda CX-5:

• Our Year With a 2026 Mazda CX-5 Is Off to a Bumpy Start​
• A 1,000-Mile Mazda CX-5 Road Trip Reveals the Good, the Beautiful, and the Very Ugly​
• This One 2026 Mazda CX-5 Feature Is the Best I’ve Experienced on Any Car, at Any Price​

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