Overview

Should you buy one?

If you don’t need a hybrid powertrain and you value an engaging driving experience, the Mazda CX-5 is an excellent choice. There’s nothing at all wrong with the car – its biggest problem is the sheer number of competitors it’s squaring up against, all of which do a better job of shouting about their existence.

But we like the CX-5. It has a classy, well-trimmed interior and, despite being an oh-so practical SUV-shaped car, it has swoopy, unusual styling. It also offers one of the sharpest handling experiences for the class, yet also rides reasonably well and is surprisingly upmarket such a reasonable cash price.

The best overall choice is the manual diesel version, although you’ll need to step up to Mazda’s mid-range Exclusive-Line specification to get it. Luckily, you won’t feel short-changed if you choose the entry-level petrol model, especially when it comes to equipment, as it’s well-equipped in every trim level. The only caveat with the petrol engine is that it drinks more fuel than the diesels, especially when you’re hammering it.

What’s new?

Not a lot, really. The Mazda CX-5 was last updated in 2022 – and it was one of the lightest updates we think we’ve yet encountered. Despite this, (and the fact that it never seems to garner as much attention as the Nissan Qashqai or Skoda Karoq) we urge you to not overlook it, as we’ve always rated the CX-5’s interior, handling and ride.

Company car drivers will be disappointed to learn there isn’t a plug-in or electric version in the CX-5 range. But, despite that, it’s good to own, comes with a long list of standard equipment and represents a good value alternative to more mainstream rivals. That latter point is important because it faces up to a packed roster of talented family SUVs.

Its main opposition comes from the excellent Volkswagen Tiguan, but there’s also the Kia Sportage, the Hyundai Tucson and the Renault Kadjar to contend with. Plus, the Citroen C5 Aircross, Peugeot 3008 and Vauxhall Grandland are all screaming for your attention.

The CX-5 is powered by a range of tried-and-tested combustion engines, which clearly show Mazda’s willingness to fly in the face of convention. There are no small displacement turbo petrols and not a single plug-in in the lineup. You can, however, specify a 2.2-litre diesel, a 2.0-litre petrol, and a 2.5-litre petrol.

Mazda’s trim levels have been constantly evolving over the past few years but, at the time of writing this review, the CX-5 range was separated into five specifications called Centre-Line, Newground, Exclusive-Line, Homura and Takumi.

Centre-Line is the most basic. Prices starts from around £31,000 and standard kit includes 17-inch alloy wheels, black cloth seat upholstery, dual-zone climate control, a wireless smartphone charger and all-round parking sensors.

At the other end of the spectrum, the CX-5 Takumi has every scrap of equipment Mazda could cram into the SUV’s frame. You get 19-inch alloy wheels, adaptive LED headlights, colour-coded exterior trim, a 360-degree parking camera and heated and ventilated seats trimmed in brown nappa leather.

Over the next few pages we’ll walk you through every aspect of the Mazda CX-5, assessing its practicality, interior quality, comfort, technology, driving experience and running costs before offering our final verdict on the car. If you’re interested in learning more about how we reached our decision on the CX-5, check out our how we test cars explainer page.