Mazda All-New CX-5 vs Hyundai EX-8 Dropside

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — compare price, performance, fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.

Mazda All-New CX-5 in South Africa

Mazda All-New CX-5

2.5 Active Edition Auto FWD Petrol 6-Speed Automatic Upcoming
ZAR 570,000 last listed
Upcoming in South Africa Confirmed launch information and specifications remain visible while final availability is pending.
⚡ 132 kW 🔧 240 Nm ⛽ 13.2 km/l
VS
Hyundai EX-8 Dropside in South Africa

Hyundai EX-8 Dropside

3.9D Dropside 5MT Diesel Current
ZAR 656,500 ex-showroom
⚡ 103 kW 🔧 373 Nm ⛽ 5.2 km/l
+ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Mazda All-New CX-5 vs Hyundai EX-8 Dropside: the short answer

All-New CX-5 and EX-8 Dropside are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Recorded price context All-New CX-5: announced from ZAR 570,000 · EX-8 Dropside: current from ZAR 656,500

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification All-New CX-5 EX-8 Dropside
Maximum Power All-New CX-5132 kW @ 6000 rpm EX-8 Dropside103 kW @ 2800 rpm
Maximum Torque All-New CX-5240 Nm @ 4000 rpm EX-8 Dropside373 Nm
Engine Size All-New CX-52488 cc EX-8 Dropside3907 cc
Combined Fuel Economy All-New CX-513.2 km/l EX-8 Dropside5.2 km/l
Ground Clearance All-New CX-5205 mm EX-8 Dropside200 mm

Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Specification evidence leader

All-New CX-5

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Efficiency

EX-8 Dropside

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Practicality

Which One's Right for You?

All-New CX-5

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

EX-8 Dropside

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec All-New CX-5 EX-8 Dropside
Model Introduced Year 2026 Current local generation year not confirmed
Generation Third-generation Mazda CX-5 for South Africa Current South African EX-8 Dropside listing; generation notes should be kept tied to the local model year and confirmed derivative data.
Facelift History All-new third-generation model; no facelift applies Model-year updates can affect trim, wheels, screens, safety equipment and colours. Use the latest South African price list when checking a specific vehicle.
Facelift Launched Since 2026 Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV Dropside truck
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status upcoming active
Segment Medium SUV Van
Vehicle Type Passenger Vehicle Van
Color Note - Colour availability changes by model year, production batch and dealer stock, check the current colour selector before ordering.
Dealer Stock Note - Mid grade in the South Africa lineup
Tare Mass Kg - 2650 kg
Spec All-New CX-5 EX-8 Dropside
Length 4690 mm 6620 mm
Width 1860 mm 2100 mm
Height 1695 mm 2355 mm
Wheelbase 2815 mm 3850 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 205 mm 200 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 200 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Fuel Tank Capacity 56 l 100 l
Boot/Cargo Space 466 l -
Kerb Weight 1629 kg 2650 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2190 kg 7800 kg
Payload Capacity 561 kg 5150 kg
Towing Capacity 1500 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Seating Capacity 5 seats 3 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 2 rows
Doors 5 doors 2 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 6.0 m Not Officially Disclosed
Front Headroom 1007 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Rear Headroom 1020 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Front Legroom 1058 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Rear Legroom 1012 mm Not Officially Disclosed

In depth: how these cars differ

This All-New CX-5 and EX-8 Dropside comparison uses the exact derivatives selected above for South Africa. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: All-New CX-5 52 vs EX-8 Dropside 58.

Efficiency index: All-New CX-5 52 vs EX-8 Dropside 31.

Safety-equipment index: All-New CX-5 98 vs EX-8 Dropside 94.

Practicality index: All-New CX-5 66 vs EX-8 Dropside 67.

Ownership-cover index: All-New CX-5 not separately scored vs EX-8 Dropside 65.

These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.

Specification Evidence Index

A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.

Evidence / 100
Evidence-index readout

All-New CX-5 leads by 4 points

All-New CX-5 and EX-8 Dropside are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 68 /100
Lead 4 points
Data 82% source coverage
68
#1 Evidence leader

All-New CX-5

82% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 98 Check Performance 52
Performance 52
Efficiency 52
Safety 98
Practicality 66
Leads by 4 points
64
#2

EX-8 Dropside

74% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 94 Check Efficiency 31
Performance 58
Efficiency 31
Safety 94
Practicality 67
Ownership 65
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance EX-8 Dropside +6 Efficiency All-New CX-5 +21 Safety All-New CX-5 +4 Practicality EX-8 Dropside +1

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

All-New CX-5

Performance 52/100
Efficiency 52/100
Safety 98/100
Practicality 66/100

EX-8 Dropside

Performance 58/100
Efficiency 31/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 67/100
Ownership 65/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Mazda All-New CX-5 leads the specification evidence index with 68 pts vs 64 pts for EX-8 Dropside

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, All-New CX-5 leads. However, EX-8 Dropside may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

All-New CX-5 vs EX-8 Dropside questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in South Africa on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.

Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.

Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.

A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.

Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.

Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.