Mazda CX-5 review

Introduction

Jinba Ittai is a Japanese phrase that represents the unity of rider and horse. It’s also an ideology that inspires Mazda, and supposedly the secret sauce that’s made the Mazda CX-5 the brand’s best selling car in the UK.

You’d think then, given just how important the CX-5 is to the brand, that it’d take no risks with the third-generation version of the car, but that isn’t the case. You see, Mazda has made some fairly controversial changes inside the new CX-5, including removing all of the physical controls that made it so great.

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What Car? indicative Personal lease example (subject to status)

2.5 e-SKYACTIV G MHEV Prime-Line SUV 5dr Petrol Auto Euro 6 (s/s) (141 ps)

Expected annual mileage	5000
Term months	60
Deposit months	12
Monthly payment	£307.90
Initial payment	£3,694.80

Step-by-step

Leasing works a bit like a long-term rental. You drive it, but you don’t own it.

• Choose your car, pick your terms and apply for lease credit online
• Pay monthly rental payments for your chosen term length
• Drive it, enjoy it, then give it back at the end

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• Full manufacturer’s warranty
• Road tax and roadside assistance included
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£3,695 initial payment, 60 month contract, 5000 miles p/a. Subject to status and conditions.

• Lower total monthly cost than PCP/HP
• No balloon payments
• Road tax included

But with most of its rivals having gone the same way, do these changes take the CX-5 to the next level or will it fall foul of its many rival family SUVs, a list that contains the Citroën C5 Aircross, Honda CR-V, Kia Sportage, Nissan Qashqai and Renault Symbioz.

In this review, we’re going to find out exactly how good the latest Mazda CX-5 is, testing it in all the key areas, from performance and handling to practicality and costs.

What’s new?

- July 2025: Third generation Mazda CX-5 revealed
- January 2020: CX-5 voted Best Large SUV Under £28,000 in What Car? Awards
- July 2018: revised Mazda CX-5 announced, with more safety kit as standard
- September 2017: CX-5 passes Euro NCAP crash test, earning a five-star rating
- March 2017: UK pricing and specifications announced for second-generation Mazda CX-5

Overview

A competitive price helps the CX-5 remain worthy of consideration, but it does feel like a bit of a step back over its predecessor. It remains good to drive and is roomier than before, but it no longer has an edge over its rivals when it comes to interior quality or usability. We suggest you consider the Hyundai Tucson’s more user-friendly interior or the plusher feeling Kia Sportage and Nissan Qashqai. Our pick of the CX-5 range is the entry-level Prime-Line, which keeps the price as reasonable as possible while coming with all the kit you need.

Pros

• Loads of interior space
• Tidy handling
• Well priced

Cons

• Petrol engine is gutless at low revs
• Mazda has removed all of the physical controls
• No plug-in hybrid or full hybrid version (yet)

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Performance & drive

What it's like to drive, and how quiet it is

How fast is it and which engine is best?

You can only have the Mazda CX-5 with one engine, and it’s the same 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine (badged eSkyactiv-G 141) found in the Mazda 3 and Mazda CX-30. Mazda says more engine options are on the way, including a full hybrid engine further down the line.

For now, though, you have 139bhp at your disposal and that’ll get you from 0-62mph in 10.5sec in the front-wheel drive version – the four-wheel-drive version is slightly slower. On paper, it’s pretty much a match for the entry-level Nissan Qashqai, but in practice the Mazda feels slower.

Indeed, while you’ll get up to motorway speeds fairly easily, you’ll have to work the engine quite hard in the process. It’d be nice to have a bit more mid-range oomph when you need to overtake slow moving traffic.

Unlike the previous version, every CX-5 now comes with a six-speed automatic gearbox, with no manual option planned. It will eagerly change down a gear when you need a burst of acceleration to help you make the most of the engine’s power. Likewise, if you’re hoping for the diesel version to make an appearance again, you’re out of luck, with Mazda saying that the diesel CX-5 is no more.

Is it agile and is the ride comfortable?

The CX-5 has always been one of the better handling family SUVs and this new one is no different. It feels composed and well balanced in the corners, and there’s a good deal of grip to rely on. The steering is precise, too. Sure, the CX-5 won’t thrill you like a sports SUV, but it instils more confidence than most when put through its paces on a country road.

While it’s far from uncomfortable, the CX-5’s relatively firm suspension means it doesn’t settle down as well as the softer setup in the Citroën C5 Aircross, Hyundai Tucson and Nissan Qashqai. There’s a bit more fidgeting in your seat as it amplifies lumps and bumps a bit more, too. There is an upside to the firmness, though, which is that the CX-5’s ride feels controlled – there’s little of the side-to-side sway you sometimes hear about with SUVs.

Overall, the CX-5 handles better than it rides. For a more even balance of the two, we’d recommend the Kia Sportage and VW Tiguan.

Is it quiet and how easy is it to drive smoothly?

Even at motorway speeds, wind and road noise are both well contained and will never be bothersome. For the most part, the same can be said for engine noise – when you’re at a cruise you won’t really hear it but, because you often have to work it quite hard, it can get quite vocal.

The brakes now use a new brake-by-wire system, meaning the brake pedal electronically communicates with the actual brakes, rather than being physically connected. Even so, the pedal weight is really well-judged and feels natural as you begin to press the pedal, making it very easy to slow to a stop smoothly.

As mentioned, there is no manual gearbox available anymore, but the six-speed automatic is quite smooth, flicking through the gears quickly when you’re on the move.

“Given how good the previous version’s manual gearbox was to use, I think it’s a real shame that the latest CX-5 misses out on it. It feels like the CX-5 has lost a bit of its engagement.” – Dan Jones, Senior reviewer

Interior

The interior layout, fit and finish

What does the interior look like and is it well made?

A plush interior used to be one of the main highlights of the Mazda CX-5, but the latest version feels like it’s taken a step back. You could argue that it still looks smart, especially if you go for one of the higher trims (which give you the option of brighter colour schemes), but the materials themselves aren’t as pleasant or upmarket.

You still get a fairly dense-feeling material on top of the dashboard, in front of the passenger, but you no longer get padded-faux leather panels below it or on the centre console, and you’ll find hard budget-feeling plastics above the driver’s display and all over the doors – even in the top-spec Homura version that we’ve tried.

It’s still better inside than the Ford Kuga, which uses cheaper-feeling plastics overall, but it’s no longer competitive with the Nissan Qashqai. In fairness, actual build quality is still great, with all of the CX-5’s surfaces feeling solidly screwed together.

Is the driving position comfortable and is it easy to see out?

If you like sitting high above the road, the CX-5’s driving position will appeal. True, it isn’t like sitting in a Range Rover, but you sit higher than you do in either the Nissan Qashqai or Renault Symbioz.

The seat lines you up perfectly with the pedals and steering wheel, while finding your ideal driving position shouldn’t be a problem, thanks to the CX-5 having lots of steering wheel and seat adjustment. The latter is done manually in the two cheapest trims and upgraded to electric adjustment from Exclusive-Line.

Combined with the lofty driving position, thin front windscreen pillars ensure that you have a great view out of the front and at junctions. Meanwhile, large rear windows and big cutouts in the rear pillars increase the view over your shoulder.

To make parking easier, every CX-5 comes with front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera, while Exclusive-Line and Homura upgrade the latter to a 360-degree camera.

Is the dashboard and infotainment system easy to use?

Arguably the most controversial change in the new CX-5 is the removal of its physical controls – features that really set the previous version apart from rival family SUVs.

You see, the CX-5 (as with many other Mazdas) offered a hybrid setup that let you use the touchscreen when at a standstill but gave you a physical rotary controller to use while on the move. Now though, you control everything through touch.

That includes making changes to the air conditioning, since those physical controls have also been removed from the CX-5’s dashboard. You do, at least, get permanently displayed icons at the bottom of the touchscreen to change the temperature, but the icons for other air conditioning features are really small and hard to hit on the move.

Speaking of touchscreens, most versions of the CX-5 come with a new 12.9in touchscreen, while top-spec Homura upgrades that to a massive 15.6in screen. Whichever screen size you end up with, the graphics are sharp for the most part, and the reaction to your prods is nice and quick. That said, the menu layout could be more intuitive to use, with some functions being tricky to find.

Both versions come with Google-based software, including built-in Google Maps and Google Assistant, which are one of the best apps around. You also have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring (wired in entry-level Prime-Line and wireless with the other trims), allowing you to bypass the native system.

“As someone that regularly drives long distances and loves music, I really like the top-spec trim’s upgraded BOSE stereo. I can certainly see its deep sound keeping me entertained on extended trips.” – Will Nightingale, Reviews editor

Passenger & boot space

How it copes with people and clutter

How much space does it have for people?

While the previous version of the Mazda CX-5 didn’t exactly struggle for interior space, the newest version is even bigger in almost every dimension.

As a result, a pair of six-footers sitting in the front will have loads of head and leg room, while the width of the interior ensures that they won’t be rubbing shoulders.

Likewise, in the rear, the 115mm growth in length between the wheels will give even your tallest friends plenty of leg room to stretch out, even with a tall person up front, and there’s loads of foot space underneath the front seats. It’s more generous than in a Range Rover Evoque and a match for the Honda CR-V.

There’s more head room than you’ll find in the Nissan Qashqai and Renault Symbioz, so you’ll need to be well over six feet tall before it becomes a concern.

Nevertheless, shoulder room will be a bit tight with three people in the rear, as it is with most rivals, and there’s a bit of a transmission tunnel for the middle seat passenger to straddle.

How much room does it have for luggage?

The CX-5 has a 583-litre boot – an increase of 61 litres over the old model. To give that some context, we managed to fit eight carry-on sized suitcases in the back of the old CX-5, matching the Honda CR-V and one more than the Nissan Qashqai.

The VW Tiguan has an even bigger boot (652 litres), and managed to swallow nine cases but, with its boosted size, we suspect the CX-5 might now match that when we test it.

Should you need more space, the rear seats split 40/20/40 and can be folded with levers in the boot. That split is really handy when you need to seat four and load long items through. The Honda CR-V and Skoda Karoq are even better, though, because they both offer rear seats that slide back and forth, allowing you to favour rear space or boot space.

You don’t get any underfloor storage if you go for Exclusive-Line or Homura trim, because of its BOSE subwoofer, but you do have two cubbies on either side, for smaller odds and ends.

“Not only does the new CX-5 have a bigger boot than before, but I found that the new flat loading lip is really useful and makes lifting heavy items into the boot a doddle.” – Lawrence Cheung, New cars editor

Buying & owning

Everyday costs, plus how reliable and safe it is

How much does it cost and what equipment do you get?

The Mazda CX-5 has a competitive entry-level list price that’s similar to the Kia Sportage. It’s not much more than an entry-level Hyundai Tucson or Nissan Qashqai and undercuts the Ford Kuga, while being way below the Audi Q3 and Honda CR-V.

That said, without a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) or fully electric version in the range, the CX-5 is quite a costly company car. It’s worth checking out the plug-in hybrid versions of the Audi Q3, Honda CR-V or VW Tiguan if you are paying via salary sacrifice and have to keep an eye on benefit-in-kind (BIK) tax.

There are four trim levels to choose from and all get plenty of standard equipment, with even the entry-level Prime-Line coming with 17in alloys, LED headlights and adaptive cruise control. We reckon it’s worth sticking with this trim, because it keeps the price as reasonable as possible.

It’s worth considering Centre-Line for its added luxuries, though. It has a heated steering wheel, privacy glass, a power tailgate and head-up display, as well as 19in wheels.

Above that is Exclusive-Line, which is very well-equipped, getting a 360-degree parking camera, heated rear seats, electric front seats and it allows you to add an optional panoramic sunroof.

Finally, there’s top-spec Homura. It gets all the bells and whistles, including special 19in alloys, some nicer materials inside, adaptive LED headlights, ventilated front seats and the larger 15.6in infotainment screen we’ve talked about.

Is it reliable, and how long is the warranty?

While the latest CX-5 is too new to have been included in the 2025 What Car? Reliability survey, the previous version did very well and placed near the top of the family SUV category.

Mazda as a brand, meanwhile, placed in 15th position out of the 30 included manufacturers, putting it below Honda, which claimed 1st place, and Citroën in 10th, but above its other rivals, including Ford, Renault, Skoda and Volkswagen.

Should anything go wrong, the CX-5 comes with a six-year/100,000-mile standard warranty, which is generous, even if it’s still not quite as good as Kia’s seven-year warranty or Toyota’s 10-year offering (providing you regularly service the vehicle with a certified service centre).

How safe is it, and is it easy to steal?

The safety experts at Euro NCAP awarded the CX-5 the full five star rating when it was tested in 2025, giving it impressive scores when it came to both protecting adults in the front and children in the rear.

Every CX-5 comes with plenty of standard safety equipment, including automatic emergency braking (AEB), lane-keeping assist, lane-change assist and a system that’ll bring the car to a safe stop, should the driver become incapacitated.

The CX-5 has plenty of modern security features, such as a Thatcham Category 1 Alarm, a battery back-up siren (to sound the alarm even if a thief attempts to disconnect the car’s battery), an engine immobiliser and advanced locking.

“Opt for the Qashqai’s automatic gearbox and suddenly you’re looking at CX-5 money. If you’re only after an auto’, I think that’s worth keeping in mind.” – Claire Evans, Consumer editor

Buy it if...

-You need a family SUV with lots of interior space

-A big boot is important to you

-You want value for money

Don’t buy it if…

-You want a really comfortable family SUV

-Physical controls are important to you

-You’re after a full-hybrid or plug-in hybrid

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