Mazda All-New CX-5 vs Jaecoo J7 SHS

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance, petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.

Mazda All-New CX-5 in South Africa

Mazda All-New CX-5

2.5 Active Edition Auto FWD Petrol 6-Speed Automatic Upcoming
Launch price pending
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
Jaecoo J7 SHS in South Africa

Jaecoo J7 SHS

SHS Plug-in Hybrid Current
ZAR 689,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 255 kW 🔧 525 Nm ⛽ 100.0 km/l
Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Mazda All-New CX-5 vs Jaecoo J7 SHS: the short answer

J7 SHS holds a noticeable catalogue-index lead over All-New CX-5.

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification All-New CX-5 J7 SHS
Maximum Power All-New CX-5132 kW @ 6000 rpm J7 SHS255 kW @ 5500 rpm
Maximum Torque All-New CX-5240 Nm @ 4000 rpm J7 SHS525 Nm
Engine Size All-New CX-52488 cc J7 SHS1500 cc
Combined Fuel Economy All-New CX-513.2 km/l J7 SHS100.0 km/l
Ground Clearance All-New CX-5205 mm J7 SHS174 mm

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

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

All-New CX-5

Strengths
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: Published Practicality
Specification evidence leader

J7 SHS

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

Which One's Right for You?

All-New CX-5

  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

J7 SHS

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec All-New CX-5 J7 SHS
Model Introduced Year 2026 2025
Generation Third-generation Mazda CX-5 for South Africa Current South Africa J7 SHS range
Facelift History All-new third-generation model; no facelift applies Current South Africa version listed by official source
Facelift Launched Since 2026 2025
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status upcoming active
Segment Medium SUV SUV
Vehicle Type Passenger Vehicle SUV
Tare Mass Kg - Not Available
Spec All-New CX-5 J7 SHS
Length 4690 mm 4500 mm
Width 1860 mm 1865 mm
Height 1695 mm 1670 mm
Wheelbase 2815 mm 2672 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 205 mm 174 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 200 mm 170 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 56 l 60 l
Boot/Cargo Space 466 l 500 l
Kerb Weight 1629 kg 1795 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2190 kg 2210 kg
Payload Capacity 561 kg 420 kg
Towing Capacity 1500 kg 1300 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 2 rows
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 6.0 m 5.4 m
Front Headroom 1007 mm 1010 mm
Rear Headroom 1020 mm 975 mm
Front Legroom 1058 mm 1050 mm
Rear Legroom 1012 mm 910 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This All-New CX-5 and J7 SHS comparison uses the exact South African derivatives selected above. 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 J7 SHS 91.

Efficiency index: All-New CX-5 52 vs J7 SHS 96.

Safety-equipment index: All-New CX-5 98 vs J7 SHS 94.

Practicality index: All-New CX-5 66 vs J7 SHS 62.

Ownership-cover index: All-New CX-5 not separately scored vs J7 SHS not separately scored.

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

J7 SHS leads by 17 points

J7 SHS holds a noticeable catalogue-index lead over All-New CX-5.

Evidence leader 85 /100
Lead 17 points
Data 68% source coverage
85
#1 Evidence leader

J7 SHS

68% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Efficiency 96 Check Practicality 62
Performance 91
Efficiency 96
Safety 94
Practicality 62
Leads by 17 points
68
#2

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
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance J7 SHS +39 Efficiency J7 SHS +44 Safety All-New CX-5 +4 Practicality All-New CX-5 +4

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

J7 SHS

Performance 91/100
Efficiency 96/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 62/100

All-New CX-5

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

What the evidence means

Evidence index Jaecoo J7 SHS leads the specification evidence index with 85 pts vs 68 pts for All-New CX-5

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, J7 SHS leads. However, All-New CX-5 may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

All-New CX-5 vs J7 SHS questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the exact South African derivatives 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.