UPDATE: 2026/06/25 06:00 EST BY SEAN MCMANUS
The Hybrid CX-5 Joins Ranks With Other Hybrid Mazdas
Added a section with details about Mazda’s current hybrids, and how the new CX-5 will be positioned to beat its rivals in power and price.
The 2026 Mazda CX-5 is priced rather appealingly for its segment. Its base price of $31,485 with destination nearly makes it the cheapest small SUV out there, and once you add all-wheel drive to its Honda, Toyota, Kia, and Hyundai rivals (it’s standard on the Mazda), the CX-5 undercuts them all. Mazda plans to maintain as much of that advantage as possible when it comes to the compact crossover’s upcoming hybrid powertrain, which will reportedly be offered on all trim levels instead of reserved for the most expensive ones.
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
Fuel Economy For All
That’s according to Australian outlet Drive, which discussed the gas-electric CX-5 at length with the company’s regional managing director, Vinesh Bhindi. “Our ambition would be that it won’t be restricted to any particular grade or anything,” Bindhi said. “It will be widely available across the range – side by side.” That’s a somewhat new philosophy for the brand; in previous years, the CX-5’s optional turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder was available only in upper-tier trims, meaning the added power meant spending nearly $40,000 to get into a compatible model.
2026 Mazda CX-5Ian Wright/CarBuzz/Valnet
By comparison, the CX-5 hybrid, whose efficiency-focused Skyactiv Z internal combustion engine and electrical power unit are being designed by Mazda in-house, should democratize its performance and efficiency somewhat, allowing entry-level buyers to enjoy the added power and fuel economy. For comparison, Kia and Hyundai ask about $2,000 more for the hybrid versions of the Sportage and Tucson versus their pure-combustion counterparts, and we suspect Mazda will get close to that achievement with the CX-5 hybrid, endowing it with a starting price of around $34,000.
It’s worth noting that Bhindi’s comments apply only to the CX-5 that’ll be sold in Australia, but we suspect Mazda USA will follow suit, keeping its stylish SUV’s price advantage with or without hybrid power. It’s also worth noting that most of the CX-5’s electrified competitors also come standard with front-wheel drive, while we suspect the future SUV will include all-wheel drive.
Electrified Mazda Performance
2026 Mazda CX-5Mazda
Mazda intends the CX-5 hybrid to take the place of the old turbo model, insofar as performance is concerned, meaning we can expect it to offer more power than the gas-electric CX-50. That crossover uses a powertrain that’s licensed from Toyota, meaning a 2.5-liter inline-four mated to an electrified planetary gearbox that makes a combined 219 horsepower – if you’re paying close attention, that’s the same specification as the previous-gen RAV4 hybrid.
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Instead, we expect the Mazda-designed CX-5 hybrid to offer closer to the 250 hp of its turbocharged predecessor, with the instant-response electric motors picking up the slack. If the automaker can nail its throttle response and transmission tuning, which it has said it hopes to do, the newest CX-5 powertrain could be quite the enjoyable performer while also getting decent fuel economy. Part and parcel to that goal is the new Skyactiv-Z engine, which has far better thermal efficiency than the current Skyactiv-G 2.5-liter, meaning it can be tuned to run leaner without sacrificing power and torque.
The Hybrid CX-5 Joins Ranks With Other Hybrid Mazdas
2026 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid from the rear three-quarter angle in whiteMazda
As one of the brand’s most popular models, we can’t help but think the CX-5 Hybrid is a little late to the party. Its main rivals include the Toyota RAV4 and the Honda CR-V — both of which have offered hybrid variants for years. Nevertheless, Mazda is finally joining the races with an efficient, affordable model of its own. There are currently three other Mazda models with hybrid powertrains, though: the CX-50 Hybrid, the CX-70 PHEV, and the CX-90 PHEV. Let’s focus on the CX-50 Hybrid, since it’s the closest to what we might expect from the new CX-5.
2026 Mazda CX-50 Specs Overview
Base Price
$34,750
Powertrain
2.5-Liter Inline-4 Hybrid
Horsepower
219 hp
Fuel Economy (city/hwy/comb)
39/37/38 mpg
As it stands, the 2026 CX-50 Hybrid makes an adequate 219 horsepower. That already beats the Honda CR-V Hybrid’s 204 horsepower and gets close to the Toyota RAV4’s 236 hp, but the new CX-5 Hybrid is positioned to beat both of those rivals in power and price.
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
2026 Mazda CX-5Ian Wright/CarBuzz/Valnet
Expected to arrive in 2027, the electrified CX-5 could be a huge success for Mazda, which is one of the few independent automakers left in the world. If the hybrid SUV can nail its power and efficiency targets, it would give the brand a pretty impressive trump card over the likes of the 236-hp Toyota RAV4 or the 204-hp Honda CR-V hybrid, especially if it maintains a the price advantage of the gas-only CX-5 as well. That bodes well for Mazda’s continued independence in this increasingly globalized industry, meaning it can continue building crisp-handling and stylish cars, SUVs, and roadsters.
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Source: Drive, Mazda, Toyota, Honda
