Ah yes, the Mazda CX-5. In many ways, it’s the crossover for those reluctant to get a crossover. With its sporty, car-like dynamics, it’s fun to drive despite its more practical purpose in life. The thing is, the current model isn’t exactly ‘young’ anymore.
The second-generation CX-5 was launched in 2017. Since then, it has received one major facelift and not much else. At seven years old, it’s one of the more ‘seasoned’ options in the compact crossover class. Thankfully, an all-new model is on the way.
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Despite the existence of the CX-50, Mazda itself has confirmed that the CX-5 will live to see an all-new generation. On top of that, the folks from Hiroshima say it’s coming soon with a hybrid powertrain to be offered down the line.
At the moment, Mazda won’t say when the third-generation model will make its debut. That said, 2025 seems to be the target based on past reports. If so, it’ll arrive just in time for the redesigned Toyota RAV4, one of its key competitors. The future CX-5 will feature an ‘enhanced Skyactiv engine’, so we can expect improvements in fuel economy and emissions.
Electrification is also on the cards. The company confirmed that the CX-5 will feature the company’s first true in-house hybrid powertrain. At the moment, Mazda is getting a little bit of help from Toyota with the latter’s 2.5-liter hybrid setup being shared with the current RAV4 and CX-50. It’s unknown if Mazda will continue offering turbodiesel engines in the next model.
The all-new underpinnings will likely form the basis of other similarly-sized Mazda vehicles. Some possible models include the next-gen versions of the 3, CX-30, and CX-50. Given that most of the Mazda CX-5’s competitors have grown over the years, we can expect the next one to grow in dimensions.
A lot is riding on the shoulders of the third-generation CX-5. It’s easily Mazda’s best-selling model worldwide with over 350,000 units sold in 2023. It’s vital that Mazda further improves the CX-5’s recipe, all while bringing something new to the table in this competitive class.
