2026 Mazda CX-5 spied ahead of reveal expected later this year
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A camouflaged example of what appears to be the next-generation Mazda CX-5 has been spied in the United States before its reveal before the end of the year.
The next-generation 2026 Mazda CX-5 mid-size SUV has been caught on camera for the first time.
An image shared by Instagram user @sapphireallroad to spy photographer KindelAuto appears to show the upcoming third-generation version of Mazda's best-selling vehicle testing in California – where Mazda's North American division is headquartered.
While the angle and quality of the single image make it difficult to get a good look at the new CX-5, it appears to have a familiar look to the current model – but with a stretched body, inheriting a rear design similar to the CX-90 and Mazda 3 hatch.
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In addition, the grille appears narrower than the current model with guidance from the more rugged CX-50, a left-hand-drive-only SUV slotted above the CX-5 in Mazda's global line-up.
If history is a guide, previous new-generation Mazda vehicles have not been spied for the first time until close to their world premieres – from six months for the CX-90 and CX-50, to less than a month for the current Mazda 3 – indicating the new CX-5 could be unveiled by the middle of the year.
While it might look similar – if the spied example represents the final production model – the next-generation CX-5 is expected to be an all-new car with Small Platform underpinnings derived from the current Mazda 3, CX-30 and CX-50.
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Mazda confirmed last May the model would add a full-hybrid system using technology developed in-house – not the Toyota RAV4-derived hybrid system found in the CX-50 – and retain the CX-5 name rather than switching to CX-40 or another badge.
According to members of a CX-5 forum in Germany, the new CX-5 will reportedly launch in Europe between September and November 2025 with mild-hybrid, hybrid and plug-in hybrid options.
A full-hybrid powertrain in the CX-5 will finally give the brand a rival to the top-selling Toyota RAV4 Hybrid globally – including Australia, where 95.2 per cent of the 58,718 RAV4s sold in 2024 were electrified, with the model now offered exclusively as a hybrid.
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The CX-5's length will reportedly grow 110 millimetres over the current model to 4685mm, which would see it leapfrog most of its rivals to become one of the largest mid-size SUVs with a similar length to a Mitsubishi Outlander and Nissan X-Trail.
In 2024, Mazda delivered 22,835 CX-5 vehicles in Australia, making it the third best-selling model in its segment, behind the RAV4 (58,718) and Outlander (27,613).
The CX-5 is Mazda's biggest seller globally, followed by the CX-30 and Mazda 3.
The post 2026 Mazda CX-5 spied ahead of reveal expected later this year appeared first on Drive.
