Review: 2026 Mazda CX-5 GT SP

Mazda’s ever-popular CX-5 is now in its third generation, with 2026 models featuring some exterior upgrades, extra tech and new cabin materials.

There’s only one carryover “Skyactiv G” powertrain available across the range: a 2.5-litre four-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine with six-speed automatic transmission that gets lower power and torque outputs than before to comply with inbound Euro 6 emissions regulations.

Mazda has also ditched its 2.5-litre turbo-petrol engine in line with global emissions standards and Australia’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard, and is working on a hybrid.

“The hybrid development is progressing intensively behind the scenes at Mazda Corporation,” a Mazda Australia spokesperson said. “We will have more information to share when appropriate, but suffice to say that it will drive just like a Mazda should — and this is just as much a focus with this powertrain as the efficiency credentials.”

2026 CX-5 drive-away pricing

+ G25 Pure AWD: $43,990

+ G25 Evolve AWD: $48,274

+ G25 Touring AWD: $53,338

+ G25 GT SP AWD: $58,311

+ G25 Akera AWD: $61,506

* Pricing is drive-away in WA

Options:

+ Black and white Maztex trim (Touring only): $1000

+ Tan leather trim (GT SP and Akera only): $1000

What’s it like?

Honestly, Mazdas look best in red — make that Soul Red Crystal Metallic — but there are seven colours this year, including new Navy Blue Mica.

Mazda Connected Services is fitted across the CX-5 range, which lets you use a smartphone app to get things like vehicle status and health, stolen vehicle assistance, remote lock, geofencing and emergency SOS services integration. It’s complimentary for the first three years.

For 2026, you’re looking at a bigger car all round — longer, wider and higher.

It’s spacious, and my GT SP, which is just one spec down from the flagship Akera, feels premium enough, with black leather upholstery (though I prefer tan) and a leather steering wheel, ambient lighting, a 10-way powered driver’s seat (and an eight-way powered passenger seat), wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (available from the Evolve spec up), wireless charging, 12-speaker Bose sound, a 360-degree camera with “see-through” view and two USBs at the back.

All up, the look is minimalist.

Mazda has largely abandoned physical controls, so there are no switches for obvious things like climate control or volume. Instead, everything is integrated into the 12.9-inch infotainment screen, which makes it fiddly adjusting temperature — a bit like trying to pluck your eyebrows in a moving car. You have to get your finger on exactly the right spot, which does mean taking your eyes off the road for a split second.

You do, however, get steering wheel controls for some functions, also a head-up display in this spec, which is almost visible with polarised sunglasses during the day if you tilt your head slightly.

Braked towing capacity is 1800kg, there’s 466 litres of cargo space (1594L with the second row down), with a space-saver tyre under the boot floor, and you get a remote-operated tailgate you can open and close via key fob or a button on the dash (only the Akera is remote-operated/hands-free).

The drive

All 2026 CX-5s are all-wheel drive — so there’s no longer a FWD option in this range.

With the lower power and torque outputs, you’re looking at 132kW/242Nm using regular unleaded (91 RON) petrol — compared with 140kW/252Nm in the 2025 GT SP petrol AWD — though Mazda says you can boost that to 138kW/257Nm with 95 RON.

Steering is on the firm side, which I like because it gives the car a more planted feel on the road.

G25 designates Mazda’s Skyactiv-G 2.5-litre four-cylinder naturally aspirated engine — which means it’s not fitted with a turbocharger or supercharger, so air goes into the engine “normally”, much like your own breathing, rather than being forced in under pressure to boost power.

The upside? It’s simpler and easier to maintain.

The downside? Less power and torque than a turbocharged or supercharged engine of the same size because it relies only on atmospheric pressure to pull air into the cylinders.

So, yes, it feels comparatively underpowered to me — till you get used to it — but this is a family-friendly medium SUV, after all.

And you do get a livelier drive in Sport mode.

Either way, the bonus is the engine sound, which is, really, what I hear most in the cabin — and it has a nice, satisfying pitch.

Not so much the tick-tick of the indicator that I find too “sharp” on Mazdas, though you can adjust the volume in settings.

Cruise control takes several moments to work out: you have to hold down, not simply press, the mode button on the steering wheel for a couple of seconds to activate it.

Is it safe?

All CX-5s have a five-star ANCAP safety rating based on 2023-25 testing criteria, scoring 90 per cent for adult-occupant protection, 91 per cent for child-occupant protection, 93 per cent for vulnerable road-user protection and 87 per cent for safety assist.

Standard ADAS functions include autonomous emergency braking (car-to-car, vulnerable road user, junction and crossing, back-over and head-on) as well as blind-spot monitoring and radar cruise control with stop and go, plus a lane-support system with lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning and emergency lane keeping.

Warranty and servicing

The CX-5 GT SP comes with a five-year unlimited-kilometre warranty and five years of roadside assistance.

Servicing is every 15,000km/12 months, with capped pricing available for the first seven years/105,000km, costing $352, $526, $352, $621, $352, $526 and $352 respectively.

What is Skyactiv technology?

Skyactiv branding takes in a range of Mazda technologies, including engine, transmission and chassis design, announced in 2011 in Japan under the “sustainable zoom zoom” philosophy.

It’s getting on to 15 years old, but has evolved with improvements and refinements.

Elements include:

+ Naturally aspirated, turbocharged (both diesel and petrol) and hybrid powertrains with high compression ratios for petrol engines and comparatively low compression ratios for diesel engines. Mazda says the compression ratio of its petrol engine “significantly” improves efficiency, resulting in 15 per cent increases in fuel efficiency and torque, including increased torque at low to mid engine speeds.

+ Both manual and automatic transmissions, with Mazda claiming its Skyactiv-Drive automatic transmission combines all the advantages of conventional automatic, continuously variable and dual-clutch transmissions. So, in essence, it describes the smooth take-off of an automatic transmission, with some of the responsiveness and direct feel of a dual-clutch transmission and none of the slippage and droning of a CVT under heavy acceleration.

+ Lighter and more rigid body and chassis with reduced weight, in part, through expanded use of high-tensile steel. Each part of the frame is configured to be as straight as possible. It makes sense: a straight frame does not require complex bending and stamping, and is more resistant to twisting and flexing.