If some Americans buy larger vehicles because they are perceived to be safer in violent collisions, then the latest crash test results for Mazda will likely make you feel a little better behind the wheel of its larger CX-5. Mazda’s stalwart SUV is all-new in third-generation dress for model year 2026, and it’s grown in most dimensions: 4.5 inches longer overall, 0.6 inches wider, 1 inch taller, and an extra 0.3 inches of ground clearance. The wheelbase has been stretched 4.6 inches, and there’s an additional 2.9 cubic-feet of space for passengers and an extra 3.7 cubic-feet for cargo.
Base Trim Engine
2.5-L Inline 4
Base Trim Transmission
6-speed automatic
Base Trim Drivetrain
All-Wheel Drive
Base Trim Horsepower
187 hp
Base Trim Torque
185 lb-ft
Segment
Compact SUV
The new CX-5 that went on sale earlier this year is also 177 pounds heavier (3,856 pounds) than the base version of the 2025 CX-5, but the uplevel 2025 CX-5 Turbo was slightly heavier than the new third-generation CX-5, which no longer offers forced induction. But the question you’re probably asking now is, what does all this mean for safety? The slightly bigger CX-5 just earned the coveted 2026 Top Safety Pick+ award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It’s the highest award the agency offers – and it’s something the CX-5’s top competitor – the Toyota RAV4 – doesn’t have.
Cabin Stays Largely Intact
As a brand, Mazda has done fairly well in IIHS crash testing, having received 100 Top Safety Pick awards since the program began in 2008, including nine Top Safety Pick+ honors. “As this milestone shows, Mazda has consistently demonstrated a commitment to safety and acted quickly to improve its vehicles as our award criteria have evolved,” said IIHS President David Harkey.
IIHS video (above) from the latest CX-5 crashing into an offset barrier shows the driver-side front tire pushing back all the way to the A-pillar and the crumple zones doing their part to absorb much of the impact. Despite the mangled front end, the passenger compartment appears to stay largely intact.
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Frontal, knee, and side curtain airbags deploy to protect the adult driver dummy and a child in the second row, and the video shows little evidence of the engine being pushed back beyond the firewall. The overhead view (below) also shows the hood folding downward at impact but then springing back to nearly flat immediately afterward.
2026 Mazda CX-5 IIHS crash testMazda
Mazda is pursuing a goal of zero fatalities in all its vehicles by 2040. “By combining thoughtful engineering, human-centric design, and advanced safety technologies, we are creating vehicles that help prevent crashes and better protect occupants,” said Jennifer Morrison, MNAO director of vehicle safety strategy.
Will Good Safety Ratings Help Spur Sales?
2026 Mazda CX-5Ian Wright/CarBuzz/Valnet
While CX-5 sales were down 9.6% this year through June, its sibling CX-50 has picked up the slack, with deliveries up 40% this year. Pricing for the new CX-5 starts at $29,990 for the base 2.5 S, while better-equipped models start at $34,250 (Preferred trim), $36,900 (Premium), and $38,990 (Premium Plus). One powertrain is available for now: the 2.5-liter SkyActiv-G four-cylinder with 187 horsepower and 185 pound-feet of torque, but a new hybrid powertrain arrives next year.
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Safety improvements on the new CX-5 include an enhanced 360-degree parking camera, smoother radar cruise control performance, and the new Lane Change Assist. Standard safety and driver assistance technologies onboard include rear automatic emergency braking, emergency lane keeping, and Mazda Radar Cruise Control with Speed Limit Assist.
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
The CX-5 is Mazda’s most popular vehicle in the US – having sold 1.6 million of them here and 4.5 million globally – so there wasn’t a chance the Japanese automaker would cut corners on safety. As an independent third-party testing organization, IIHS provides a valuable resource for consumers seeking out apples-to-apples comparisons as they make final purchase decisions. So far this year, CX-5 sales have been sluggish, but that’s often the case when the factory needs time to retool for an all-new model.
Source: Mazda / IIHS
