Mazda All-New CX-5 vs Hyundai Tucson

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
Hyundai Tucson in South Africa

Hyundai Tucson

2.0D AT Executive AWD Diesel 8-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 764,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 137 kW 🔧 416 Nm ⛽ 13.9 km/l
Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Mazda All-New CX-5 vs Hyundai Tucson: the short answer

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

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification All-New CX-5 Tucson
Maximum Power All-New CX-5132 kW @ 6000 rpm Tucson137 kW @ 3800 rpm
Maximum Torque All-New CX-5240 Nm @ 4000 rpm Tucson416 Nm @ 2000 rpm
Engine Size All-New CX-52488 cc Tucson1995 cc
Combined Fuel Economy All-New CX-513.2 km/l Tucson13.9 km/l
Ground Clearance All-New CX-5205 mm Tucson181 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
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: General Use
Specification evidence leader

Tucson

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

Which One's Right for You?

All-New CX-5

  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

Tucson

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

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec All-New CX-5 Tucson
Model Introduced Year 2026 2004
Generation Third-generation Mazda CX-5 for South Africa Fourth generation Tucson on Hyundai's i-GMP platform; distinctive parametric design language makes it one of the more striking mid-size SUVs in SA
Facelift History All-new third-generation model; no facelift applies Fourth generation launched in SA in 2021; major step change in styling, interior quality, and technology over the third-gen car
Facelift Launched Since 2026 2021
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status upcoming published
Segment Medium SUV SUV
Vehicle Type Passenger Vehicle SUV
Color Note - White, Black, Silver, Blue, Grey, Green
Dealer Stock Note - Executive grade in the South Africa lineup
Drivetrain Note - Drive layout derived from the official derivative naming: 2.0D AT Executive AWD
Tare Mass Kg - 1720 kg
Spec All-New CX-5 Tucson
Length 4690 mm 4630 mm
Width 1860 mm 1865 mm
Height 1695 mm 1665 mm
Wheelbase 2815 mm 2755 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 205 mm 181 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 200 mm -
Fuel Tank Capacity 56 l 54 l
Boot/Cargo Space 466 l 540 l
Kerb Weight 1629 kg 1720 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2190 kg 2110 kg
Payload Capacity 561 kg -
Towing Capacity 1500 kg -
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows -
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 6.0 m 5.4 m
Front Headroom 1007 mm -
Rear Headroom 1020 mm -
Front Legroom 1058 mm -
Rear Legroom 1012 mm -

In depth: how these cars differ

This All-New CX-5 and Tucson 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 Tucson 69.

Efficiency index: All-New CX-5 52 vs Tucson 56.

Safety-equipment index: All-New CX-5 98 vs Tucson 92.

Practicality index: All-New CX-5 66 vs Tucson 73.

Ownership-cover index: All-New CX-5 not separately scored vs Tucson 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

Tucson leads by 4 points

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

Evidence leader 72 /100
Lead 4 points
Data 90% source coverage
72
#1 Evidence leader

Tucson

90% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 92 Check Efficiency 56
Performance 69
Efficiency 56
Safety 92
Practicality 73
Ownership 65
Leads by 4 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 Tucson +17 Efficiency Tucson +4 Safety All-New CX-5 +6 Practicality Tucson +7

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

Tucson

Performance 69/100
Efficiency 56/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 73/100
Ownership 65/100

All-New CX-5

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

What the evidence means

Evidence index Hyundai Tucson leads the specification evidence index with 72 pts vs 68 pts for All-New CX-5

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, Tucson 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 Tucson 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.