2026 Mazda CX-5 First Drive: Better in Every Way (Except One)

It seems like every review of every Mazda SUV goes something like this: “Great to drive, nice interior, too bad the back seat and/or trunk is so small.” Mazda finally addressed that issue for its all-new, bigger 2026 CX-5, but the latest model also introduces a new interface that turns its back on years of Mazda tradition. Has Mazda solved the CX-5’s problems, or has it made them worse?

Big Stretch, Modest Gains

The 2026 CX-5 gets its first new platform since the original was introduced in 2013, and my, CX-5, how you’ve grown. The new iteration is 4.5 inches longer, 0.6 inch wider, and just over an inch taller than the old CX-5, with a 4.8-inch wheelbase stretch. This puts the CX-5 within an inch of the burlier CX-50’s dimensions, though Mazda execs insist the CX-50 is a very different vehicle that attracts a very different buyer. (We’d expect them to say nothing less.)

On paper, interior growth seems less dramatic, with an extra inch of legroom over the old model if you combine the front and rear seats. That puts it squarely in the middle of the compact SUV segment, far from both the limo-like Kia Sportage/Hyundai Tucson cousins and the (relatively) cramped Toyota RAV4. The CX-5’s cargo volume—33.7 cubic feet, up from 30.8—still trails most of its competitors, but overall interior volume is now in the upper half of the segment. More important, the CX-5 feels roomier. Mazda has fitted larger rear doors, which allow for easier access and make the back seat feel less claustrophobic. The tailgate is bigger, too, and the folding rear seats have a useful 40/20/40 split, though they stop short of folding completely flat and level.

Happily, the focus on practicality has had little effect on the CX-5’s sense of style. As we’ve come to expect from Mazda, the new CX-5’s interior is built from class-above materials. Upholstery choices include cloth and both fake and genuine leather, and as for the quality of the switchgear, well, there really isn’t any. Most of the controls have been moved to the center screen (more on that in a bit).

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Still Drives Like a Mazda, But What’s With the Steering?

Yes, brand fans, that Mazda motoring magic is still intact. You might not feel it when you put your foot to the floor, as the new CX-5 carries over the outgoing version’s 2.5-liter naturally aspirated four and six-speed automatic, with all-wheel drive standard (yay, Mazda!). Horsepower is the same at 187, but torque rises by 0.5 percent—that’s 1 lb-ft—to 186. The last CX-5 we tested chugged from 0 to 60 mph in 8.2 seconds, and we expect the new CX-5, with a similar curb weight, to turn in a similar performance. Its EPA-rated fuel economy (24/30 mpg city/highway) is on par with that of its Hyundai and Kia competitors but trails the miserly Honda CR-V and Subaru Forester.

On the road, its six-speed auto feels a bit archaic, largely because it is, but the CX-5 accelerates smartly to freeway speeds and keeps up its pace in the curves. Those who crave more power will have to wait for the 2027 model year when Mazda will add a hybrid powertrain to the CX-5. The new hybrid is an all-new, in-house-designed system as opposed to the Toyota-sourced powertrain in the CX-50 Hybrid.

While the new CX-5 has been tuned for a more compliant ride than the old model (it’s commendably quiet and refined), it still leans toward the sporty end of the spectrum, just as we expect from a Mazda. The chassis engineers used some nifty technical tricks to enhance the SUV’s driving feel. Nothing artificial, mind you, such as introducing extra resistance into the steering at key moments. But rather, the engineers used their control over the powertrain to shift weight as needed, loading the suspension in response to driver inputs and thereby enabling the chassis to deliver feedback as promptly as possible. Pick up your speed on a curvy road, and the CX-5 delivers excellent seat-of-the-pants feedback, delivering a livestream of road-surface data directly to your butt cheeks.

Unfortunately, your fingers get no such treat, as its heavy steering mutes the feedback. It’s like trying to read braille while wearing gloves made of the same thick leather that wraps the steering wheel. You can tell there’s information out there, like a far-away ship whose silhouette you can just barely make out through the fog, but there are no discernible details. That’s a shame; we’d like the steering wheel to communicate with our hands as well as the suspension communicates with our backsides.

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New Infotainment System Shows the Industry How It’s Done

We’ve yet to mention what could be the CX-5’s most significant change, which is the all-new infotainment system. It’s worth talking about, because this is one of the best systems we’ve seen from a so-called legacy automaker. The graphics render crisp and beautiful on the display, responses to inputs are quick, and animations smooth. Pinch and zoom gestures work just like they do on your phone.

We’d compare it to the excellent systems from Lucid, Rivian, and Tesla, but that’d be selling Mazda short. Those relative newcomers treat their interfaces as if operating them is the main reason you’re in the car, while Mazda knows you’re there to drive, and secondary functions should be, well, secondary.

Mazda has a well-thought-out menu structure and widgets that let drivers customize the home screen to their liking (“their” being the operative word for the top-of-the-line Premium Plus model, which uses facial recognition to load the driver’s individual profile). There are no silly extravagances like software-operated A/C vents or a backup beeper that sounds like a whoopee cushion. Pretty as it is, Mazda’s system was clearly designed to let you operate your car with minimal attention taken away from driving. Other automakers, please take note—this is how things should be done.

It’s underpinned by a Google-based operating system, meaning, among other things, you can download apps you frequently use directly to the car and run them natively. Other automakers have taken this approach at the expense of phone mirroring, but Mazda’s new system plays well with phones. We paired an Android Auto device and easily switched between phone and the car’s native display, allowing a fun game of dueling navigation systems (Google Maps on the car, Waze on the phone). But really, the Mazda system is so good that there’s little need to hook up a phone, and that’s a compliment we rarely pay.

There is a caveat: We sampled the system on Mazda’s massive 15.6-inch screen that comes standard on the top-of-the-line Premium Plus model. Lesser CX-5s will get a 12.9-inch screen, which is still plenty huge, and we think the system will work just as well with a little less real estate.

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Wait, Wait, Where’d the Volume Knob Go?

Moving to a touchscreen meant taking away the command dial that used to live, Audi-style, between the front sets, along with the volume and power knob. We think touchscreens are better than dials; pointing at what you want is, after all, a natural human reflex. Mazda goes one better with integrated Google speech recognition that responds to natural-language commands for things like climate and infotainment. (This is, however, a subscription-based system, with the first year free.) We won’t miss the command dial, but taking away the volume knob, well, that’s a step too far.

We’re not just saying that because we are old-fashioned and don’t want things to change. (Look at the guff we take for holding electric cars in high regard.) We’ve used stereos with all manner of volume controls, including sliders, buttons, thumbwheels, and screens. The CX-5 has volume buttons on the steering wheel and touch/slide controls on the screen, and it’s just not enough. This is a safety issue. Things come up while you’re driving, and you need quiet right now—and there’s no easy way to get instant silence in the CX-5, not even a master power button for the stereo. It’s a glaring omission from a safety-minded company like Mazda. Other automakers have eliminated volume knobs, been lambasted for it, and brought them back. Why hasn’t Mazda learned from their mistakes?

That error brings us to the CX-5’s other glaring fault. It seems like once Mazda decided to remove the volume and command knobs from the center console, the designers didn’t know what to do with the leftover space. They adorned it with plastic, and not just any plastic, but black, glossy, cheap-looking plastic that’s out of step with the rest of the CX-5’s luxury-class interior. Mazda could have redesigned the center console for more storage space, perhaps designing an electronic shifter to free up even more room. Instead, the space between the front seats looks plain and unadorned. Well, Mazda, we know exactly what you should do with that space: Put the volume knob back!

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Choices, Choices and Prices, Prices

Mazda plans to offer the CX-5 in five trim levels, starting with the $31,485, all-wheel-drive, cloth-upholstered S model that gets a complete suite of safety and driver assistance features, including adaptive cruise control and a hands-on lane centering system that works quite nicely. For $33,485, you can get the Select model, with fake-leather-and-cloth seats, rear air vents, keyless entry, and wireless charging, among other upgrades. The $35,745 Preferred is next up, with power driver’s seat and tailgate, 19-inch alloys, heated front seats and steering wheel, and a very handy head-up display. Next up is the $38,395 Premium model, with leather-upholstered seats (now ventilated in front and heated in back), a panoramic sunroof, a Bose stereo and fancier exterior trim.

It should come as no surprise that Mazda had us drive the top-of-the-line, $40,485 Premium Plus model, the only one with additional safety and driver assistance systems, specifically front cross-traffic alert and avoidance, headlights that point where you steer, a parking camera, and a nifty auto lane change system that works with a flick of the turn signal stalk. It’s also fitted with the bigger infotainment screen, a hands-free tailgate, and a 360-degree parking camera. There are no options for any trim, save premium paint colors ($595), but there is a selection of dealer-installed accessories. We like that there are so many models offering so many choices, and while the asking prices might look high at first glance, remember that the CX-5, unlike most of its competitors, gets all-wheel drive as standard for every trim. Despite its premium feel, the CX-5’s prices land it right in the middle of its competitive set.

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A Wonderful SUV, Except That One Thing

As fans of the Mazda brand, we found our first taste of the 2026 Mazda CX-5 to be very satisfying. Though the interior space gains aren’t quite what we expected given the larger footprint, the CX-5’s interior is class-competitive on room and practicality while maintaining the upscale feel we’ve come to expect from Mazda. The CX-5 has lost none of the driving character that has made the brand an enthusiast favorite, though the steering needs to lighten up a little, literally and metaphorically. The new infotainment system is brilliant, and one from which both traditional and tech-focused automakers could learn some useful lessons.

As always, we’ll reserve final judgment until we’ve had the opportunity to drive it longer, do some instrumented testing, and put it up against its latest rivals in the MotorTrend SUV of the Year competition. For now, though, our first impression is that the CX-5 is a better-than-ever choice for drivers who need family-friendly space but won’t yield on driver engagement. As soon as Mazda brings back the volume knob, the new CX-5 will be pretty close to ideal.