2026 marks a big year for the Mazda CX-5, with the Japanese car maker completely overhauling its popular mid-sized SUV, which now sports an updated design. A longer and wider wheelbase features, as does a completely revamped interior.

The latter sees the departure of dials and buttons, with Mazda embracing modern minimalism. That starts with the 12.9-inch tablet-style touchscreen infotainment system. Sat proudly in the centre of the dashboard, it allows everything to be controlled through the screen.

That includes the dual zone climate control, seat and steering wheel heating, and the driver assist and safety systems. The new Connect system is intuitive and has useful gestures, such as sliding to adjust the climate and volume controls.

That does mean your eyes come off the road for any adjustment though. That then triggers a driver attention alert. It finds its way onto the 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster. That aside, the latter is bright and has a slight Bavarian feel to it.

It’s a shame that the physical controls are gone, but the solution Mazda provides is a decent alternative. You’ll also find wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto from the Evolve trim up, as well as a 15W cord-free charging pad.

2026 Mazda CX-5 G25 GT SP

Around the rest of the cabin, Mazda has set its sights on delivering entry level luxury. The perforated “optional extra” Sport Tan leather seats, which are heated both front (electrically adjustable) and rear, are cloud-like to sit in and the arm rests are so soft they mold to your elbows.

The leather-clad steering wheel only requires the lightest of hands to operate. Second row occupants get an abundance of leg and head room, thanks in part to the fact the CX-5 is bigger than previous generations, and there’s USB-C charging back there too.

Other highlights in the GT SP trim including a head-up display. That’s alongside a 12-speaker Bose sound system, an auto-dimming rear view mirror and a power tailgate. Safety tech includes a 360 camera setup and adaptive LED headlights.

Blind spot monitoring, front and rear parking sensors, intelligent speed control, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise with stop and go smart brake support and auto emergency braking are standard. Dimensionally, the CX-5 GT SP stands at 4670mm long, 1860mm wide and 1695mm tall.

On the outside, it sports a new but strangely familiar face that looks particularly good in the Rhodium White Metallic of our test vehicle. Riding on 19-inch wheels, the paint scheme pops in the sun. Other colours include Aero Grey, Navy Blue, Polymetal Grey, Machine Grey and Jet Black.

2026 Mazda CX-5 G25 GT SP

Featuring all-wheel drive across the range, it’s powered by a 2.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine, producing 132kW and 242Nm. That’s paired to a 6-speed automatic transmission. Mazda claims 9.2-litres/100km in terms of fuel economy.

We saw real world results around 11.0-litres/100km. If anything, it could do with a bit more grunt, and some tweaks to the power delivery. It feels eager when driven properly, but the get up and go comes on too late in the rev range.

It makes it feel a little lacklustre in this quite hefty SUV. At $56,917 the GT SP trim is a good buy, but is also an easy stretch to the Akera range topper. At just $3000 more, it gets a panoramic sunroof, and a larger 15.6-inch centre display.

It also grabs paddle shifters, a hands free tailgate and ventilated front seats. If you don’t need all those extra goodies, but still want that semi-luxury with a hint of sporty feel, the GT SP trim brings comfort, style and spaciousness to the growing family.

This article first published on Exhaust Notes Australia.


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