2026 Mazda CX-5 Teases Sharper Styling
It’s official: the Tesla Model Y has been overtaken by the Toyota RAV4 as the world’s best-selling car. That’s according to analysis by JATO Dynamics’ Felipe Munoz, and now Mazda wants to mount an attack, with three shadowy teaser images heralding the imminent arrival of the 2026 CX-5 crossover. This will be the third generation of the CX-5, Mazda’s own best-seller, and to ensure it stays that way, the CX-5 will be evolving slightly with taillights that appear to be influenced by the CX-90 and slim headlights with stacked DRL graphics framing a large grille. From these images, it appears that the CX-5 will still be easily identifiable as a Mazda product, but it’ll look a little more upmarket, and as the brand attempts to reposition itself as premium, that’s a fine move.
New CX-5 Arrives Soon
Some comments on the Mazda USA Instagram page have likened the styling in these snapshots of the forthcoming CX-5 to that of the BMW X3 and Lexus NX, both of which are firmly in the premium crossover camp, so the designers have done their part. Will the substance match the style? According to the automaker’s posts on social media, Mazda intends to reveal the 2026 CX-5 on July 10, promising “greater utility” alongside “human-centric technology and class-leading safety,” so we don’t have long to wait to see where the improvements have been made. Beyond those areas, Mazda needs to impress under the hood if the CX-5 is to compete with the RAV4, which is now only available as a hybrid.
Hybrid Power For The New CX-5
Mazda
Mazda hasn’t given us much to go on, but it’s safe to assume that a version of the 2.5-liter four-cylinder that is currently offered in the CX-5 (with or without turbocharging) will be the initial offering. At some point, a hybrid powertrain is also expected to arrive after Mazda confirmed that it would offer one in 2027. But unlike the CX-50, which uses a hybrid system developed by Toyota, the new CX-5 is expected to use an in-house-developed powertrain, potentially under the new Skyactiv-Z family of four-cylinder engines. That doesn’t mean that Toyota and Mazda aren’t getting along – the next Supra is rumored to be getting a Mazda engine – but it does show that Mazda is becoming more and more capable of rivaling the world’s best in every area. Let’s just hope that the hybrid is a good one. Best-sellers can quickly turn into flops if they and the brand they represent don’t meet expectations, and the mildly updated Model Y is proof.
About the author
Sebastian Cenizo
Senior Editor, Autoblog