2026 Mazda CX-5 to include electric option as well as hybrid – report
03/01/2025 04:00 PM
Mazda North America boss has reportedly confirmed the next-generation CX-5 will be offered with electric power, along with an in-house petrol-electric hybrid system, to rival the Tesla Model Y and Toyota RAV4.
The next-generation 2026 Mazda CX-5 family SUV will be offered with electric power, an executive has reportedly confirmed.
Tom Donnelly, the chief executive officer of Mazda’s North American operations, told U.S. News the imminent third-generation version of Mazda’s best-selling vehicle – the CX-5 – will include an electric drivetrain to join the previously-confirmed in-house full-hybrid system coming to the new model.
It will see the CX-5 double down on electrification to rival the electric Tesla Model Y and the hybrid Toyota RAV4 – the world’s most popular mid-size family SUVs – with the current model limited to 24-volt mild-hybrid systems in some markets.
The executive confirmed the new CX-5 – the first new-generation model in eight years – would make its global debut “in the next few months”, aligning with a recent comment from his South African counterpart who said it would be unveiled between July and September 2025.
“I can't give you exact specifics on [Mazda’s in-house hybrid system], but in the next few months, you'll see the global debut of our next-generation CX-5, and it'll debut in that vehicle,” Donnelly said.
“We did over 100,000 units on [the] CX-5 last year, and it just keeps on keepin' on. And as you know, we're launching a new one soon. We expect that momentum will continue,” he added, referring to the United States new-car market.
These comments confirm the CX-5 name will be retained – after Mazda said last May it has “a plan to equip next CX-5 with a Mazda-developed hybrid engine” in a financial report – rather than switching to a new name, such as CX-40 to slot between the existing CX-30 and CX-50.
The electric CX-5 is likely to appear at a later date, following the expected launch of standard petrol and hybrid models by the end of this year – with Mazda currently working on a separate electric mid-size SUV for some markets, in addition to the electric CX-5.
This Chinese-built model – likely to be called EZ-60 in China and CX-6e elsewhere – was previewed by the Mazda Arata concept at the 2024 Beijing motor show, and will be a sibling to the Mazda 6e sedan and Deepal vehicles under the brand’s joint venture with Changan Automotive in China.
It is unclear whether the electric CX-5 would share its underpinnings with the soon-to-be-revealed combustion-engined model – widely tipped to move to the ‘Small Platform’ used for the Mazda 3, CX-30 and CX-50 – or if it will debut its ‘SkyActiv Scalable EV Architecture’, which is expected to appear in 2027.
MORE: Confirmed – Next Mazda CX-5 to add hybrid power, retain name
An electric application of the Small Platform has been used for the MX-30 EV small SUV, but it has been discontinued in key markets – including Australia and the United States – following poor sales, a high price, and a short driving range.
In late 2023, Donnelly told Automotive Newsthe brand would launch a battery-electric SUV in the United States with an existing nameplate – which is now confirmed to be the CX-5 – after it discontinued the MX-30, leaving it without an electric vehicle.
In addition to the future electric version, the CX-5 is likely to retain its familiar 2.5-litre non-turbo four-cylinder petrol engine, while there has been no news on whether the current 2.0-litre non-turbo and 2.5-litre turbocharged options will continue into the new-generation.
MORE: 2026 Mazda CX-5 – Price, engines, release date and everything we know so far
Meanwhile, the arrival of a parallel-hybrid powertrain developed internally will finally give Mazda a rival to the Toyota RAV4, along with the Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Nissan X-Trail, and Honda CR-V which all offer full-hybrid powertrains.
Petrol and hybrid versions of the new CX-5 are expected to arrive in local Mazda showrooms by the end of 2025 or at the very start of 2026.
More details about the 2026 Mazda CX-5 will be confirmed when it makes its global debut in the coming months.
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