New Mazda CX-5 REVEALED to take on family SUVs like the Kia Sportage and Nissan Qashqai | Cars UK

The new Mazda CX-5 is revealed ahead of going on sale in the UK in 2026, with a choice of four trim levels and a single engine option.

The Mazda CX-5 is a bit of a left-field choice in a crowded sector of family SUVs, which includes big-hitters like the Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson and Nissan Qashqai.

That said, the CX-5 is a big deal for Mazda as its best-seller in the UK, with over 100,000 sold since the first generation CX-5 arrived in 2012 (and more than for million worldwide), so the arrival of a new third generation CX-5 – revealed today but not on sale for another year – means staying faithful to what the CX-5 already offers.

So, although this CX-5 is a new car, Mazda has kept the familiar looks intact, made it a bit bigger, tweaked the nose and updated the tech, to deliver what Mazda says “presents a sportier, more confident form, suited to both urban and adventurous driving”. Other tweaks to the looks include some surface smoothing, ‘MAZDA’ script on the tailgate, and new wheels.

Inside, Mazda seems to have missed the memo which says actual buttons are a must-have, with a new Google-based infotainment screen (12.9″ or 15.5″ depending on spec) doing all the lifting, although there is still a bit of a button fest on the steering wheel.

Four trim levels are on offer – Prime-Line, Centre-Line, Exclusive-Line and Homura – with minimum spec including 17″ alloys, LED headlights, digital driver display and adaptive cruise, with more stuff like Panoramic roof, bigger alloys and posh sound available as you move up the trim levels.

The new CX-5 will be available with a single engine option (and the choice of FWD or AWD) which, this being Mazda, isn’t the small capacity turbo you’d expect from other makers but instead a 2.5-litre petrol with a very modest 139bhp and 179lb/ft of torque, and a 24-volt mild hybrid system to help in a small way.

Jeremy Thomson, MD Mazda Motors UK, said:

The Mazda CX-5 is an incredibly important car in Mazda’s history and I’m excited for the third-generation model to join Mazda’s SUV line-up next year.