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Mazda Cx-5 variants
Total price
Monthly payment
Figures are based on a 20% deposit

Finance representative example (PCP)

Total cash price £22,499. Borrowing £17,999 with a £4,500 deposit at a representative APR of 12.9%.

49 monthly payments
£305.36
Fixed interest rate
12.9%
Total amount payable
£29,735.36
Cost of credit
£7,236.36
Optional final payment
£10,578.00
Annual mileage limit
6000 miles

It’s fair to say that the choice of mid-size SUVs on sale is mind-boggling. Every mainstream manufacturer has at least one, usually marketed at adventurous types who frolic around on canoes and surfboards. Few people are really like that, but SUVs like the Mazda CX-5 deal with the mundane day-to-day stuff really well – and let you let your wild side out if you’re so inclined.

Mazda CX-5 buying guide

What Mazda CX-5 trim levels are there?

Right then. Up until 2022, you could get the CX-5 in SE-L, Sport and GT Sport trims, with a Nav or Nav+ suffix if it came with Mazda’s navigation system. All come with two-zone air con and an infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and DAB radio. Sport adds a rear-view camera, bigger wheels, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel and keyless entry. GT Sport gets wood trim, upgraded leather and heated rear seats. A Kuro special edition was also offered.

For 2023, the line-up is Centre-Line, Newground, Exclusive-Line, Homura and Takumi. Centre-Line largely matches SE-L, and Newground adds bigger wheels, heated seats and lime green accents. Exclusive-Line matches Sport for equipment (but also gets a powered tailgate), and Homura adds black detailing inside and out. Top-spec Takumi takes over from GT Sport.

Mazda CX-5 interior and technology

The main thing to remember is that the media screen doesn’t respond to you prodding it once you’re on the move. You need to use the rotary dial under the gear lever to control the infotainment functions. That’s certainly unusual, but there are several benefits once you’ve got used to it – for example, you won’t be taking your eyes off the road for as long, and you won’t get greasy fingerprint marks all over the screen. Win win.

All the other controls are intuitively laid out and feel solid to the touch. That’s the theme running through the interior – materials that feel almost as solid and as plush as what you’d find in the likes of an Audi Q5 or BMW X3. You’ll notice that the CX-5 sticks with analogue dials even though digital dials are becoming much more common. This is a deliberate move, and the dials are easier to read than some of the high-tech alternatives.

Mazda CX-5 engine range explained

(Most popular) Mazda CX-5 2.0 petrol

The 165hp petrol engine will suit drivers who have a short-to-medium annual mileage. It’s not the fastest engine on the block, but it’s about as economical as a Nissan Qashqai and really smooth. Plus, if you’re going to be running a CX-5 for a long time, the 2.0-litre petrol seems to be incredibly long-lasting and reliable by all accounts.

Mazda CX-5 2.5 petrol

Above the 2.0-litre engine is a 194hp 2.5-litre petrol, which only comes with an automatic gearbox and four-wheel drive. It’s limited to the very top-spec car. It’s a little quicker than the 2.0 but a little less economical, too.

Mazda CX-5 2.2 diesel

Mazda’s long-serving 2.2-litre diesel is quite impressive, providing plenty of power and up to 50mpg if you choose front-driven manual versions. There are 150hp and 184hp versions, with both having a choice of gearboxes and the latter also offering all-wheel drive. Mazda seems to have sorted most of the reliability issues that blighted earlier examples of this engine, but you’ll still need to make sure you do longer journeys on a reasonably regular basis.

Your Mazda CX-5 questions answered

The first-generation Mazda CX-5 debuted around a decade ago, while its successor, the latest model, launched in 2017. Every CX-5 sold at Motorpoint is the latest model, with its slim LED headlights and wide grille. The CX-5 was given a facelift in 2022, and Mazda introduced some new trim levels at the same time.

At just under 4.6 metres long, the CX-5 is a little bigger than the Peugeot 3008 and Volkswagen Tiguan. Until the Mazda CX-60 came along, the CX-5 was the brand’s largest car. You shouldn’t have too much trouble slotting into a parking space as front and rear parking sensors come on every CX-5. Inside, the CX-5 has plenty of space for four or five adults to stretch out, as well as novel features like door bins shaped to carry water bottles. The design of the doors means you won’t get your legs dirty getting in and out, either.

Behind the rear seats, there’s a generous 522-litre boot. That’s on a par with the SEAT Ateca and Peugeot 3008, and bigger than the Ford Kuga and Nissan Qashqai.

The Mazda CX-5 offers an easy-to-understand engine range consisting of clever petrol and diesel engines, which use its ‘Skyactiv’ technology to improve fuel economy. If you’re looking for a hybrid SUV, the larger CX-60 comes with a frugal yet powerful plug-in hybrid engine.

By most accounts, the Mazda CX-5 doesn't have too many problems. Its petrol engines are usually very dependable, and the 2.2-litre diesel engine should be reliable if it's used and maintained properly. You'll need to do regular long journeys in a diesel CX-5 to make sure the diesel particulate filter (DPF) has a chance to burn off all the soot it collects.

Yes, we'd class the Mazda CX-5 as an SUV. Mazda uses 'CX' for all of its SUVs, and the CX-5 sits between the smaller CX-30 and the larger CX-60. As Mazda's mid-size SUV, the CX-5 rivals cars like the Nissan Qashqai, Kia Sportage and Ford Kuga.

The Mazda CX-5 is a stylish and practical SUV with a premium-feeling interior. It's reliable and good to drive, and there's a choice of petrol or diesel engines – the latter being particularly suitable if you're up and down the motorway or need to tow a caravan. All in all, the Mazda CX-5 is a pretty good family SUV.

Most CX-5s are front-wheel drive, but all-wheel drive is is available on the 184hp version of the 2.2-litre diesel engine and comes as standard on the 2.5-litre petrol engine with 194hp.

A CX-5 shouldn't be expensive to insure – the entry-level petrol starts in groups 15-17 out of 50, depending on the age of the car, and the most powerful petrol occupies group 21. The diesels span groups 22-27. That's about what you might expect for a family SUV.

Yes, as even the cheapest petrol CX-5 can tow a braked trailer weighing up to 1,800kg. All automatic petrol cars and nearly all diesel cars can tow 2,000kg; the range-topping diesel with four-wheel drive and an automatic gearbox manages 2,100kg.

The Mazda CX-5 has proven to be a reliable car. It was rated the third-best car to own in the 2021 Driver Power survey, a list of the 75 top-rated cars by owners, with reliability praised. Mazda's petrol engines are largely trouble-free and, while the diesel engines don't have the same bulletproof reputation, they will be dependable if you do plenty of long journeys and don't just drive around town.