2020 Mazda CX-5 adds torque to the turbo engine, gets more expensive

The 2020 Mazda CX-5 is getting a little more desirable in the new model year. It’s also slightly more expensive.

Most of the benefits are realized with the 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. This engine gets a small boost in torque, going from 310 pound-feet to 320 pound-feet. Horsepower stays the same at 250 horses, and the max power is still made using 93 octane fuel. We saw a similar torque gain in the 2020 CX-9. Mazda says it also added a new “Engine Harmonics Enhancer” that “tunes to the engine with a much more refined and powerful sound.” We’re guessing the turbocharged engine is going to sound just a hair better in 2020.

When equipped with the turbocharged engine and all-wheel drive, the CX-5 also gets an off-road traction assist feature. Similar to the CX-9’s system, Mazda says “when the diagonal wheels lose traction, off-road traction assist will stop reducing the engine torque and increase the brake force on the wheels without traction.” 

Mazda says all CX-5s will also take advantage of improved NVH, making the CX-5 feel a bit more premium and isolated from the road. Every CX-5 will also be equipped with Mazda’s suite of i-Activsense safety features as standard in 2020, as well. This means adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist are both standard features now.

As Mazda tries its best to move into the premium space, it’s changed all the fonts on the badging and displays on the car. Although, Mazda neglected to include any photos of the new look, so we’ll wait to judge on that front.

The premium look and feel comes with a slightly higher price than 2019. A base Sport is $740 more expensive than last year, coming in at $26,135 after the $1,045 destination charge. The most luxurious Signature trim is just a touch more expensive than last year (by $165) at $38,100.

What Mazda hasn’t included in its 2020 rundown is the Skyactiv-D diesel option. We’ve reached out to Mazda to see if we can determine its fate in 2020 and will update this story upon hearing back. Update: Mazda responded to our request for comment. Since the 2019 diesel variant was on a different release schedule than the rest of the 2019 CX-5 lineup, the company isn't talking 2020 diesel yet. The company is treating it as a "future product," therefore it's not commenting on it.

 We can only speculate as to what that means for the diesel CX-5, so we'll wait on official information from Mazda whenever it may come.

The 2020 CX-5 is set to enter dealers sometime this fall.