Mazda All-New CX-5 vs Changan UNI-S

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
Changan UNI-S in South Africa

Changan UNI-S

1.5T AT CE Petrol 7-Speed DCT Current
ZAR 469,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 138 kW 🔧 300 Nm ⛽ 14.49 km/l
Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Mazda All-New CX-5 vs Changan UNI-S: the short answer

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

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification All-New CX-5 UNI-S
Maximum Power All-New CX-5132 kW @ 6000 rpm UNI-S138 kW
Maximum Torque All-New CX-5240 Nm @ 4000 rpm UNI-S300 Nm
Engine Size All-New CX-52488 cc UNI-S1500 cc
Combined Fuel Economy All-New CX-513.2 km/l UNI-S14.49 km/l
Ground Clearance All-New CX-5205 mm UNI-SNot Officially Disclosed

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

UNI-S

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

UNI-S

  • 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 UNI-S
Model Introduced Year 2026 2026
Generation Third-generation Mazda CX-5 for South Africa First current South African UNI-S retail generation, offered in CS, CL and CE grades.
Facelift History All-new third-generation model; no facelift applies No South African facelift has been announced since the UNI-S entered local retail sale in 2026.
Facelift Launched Since 2026 Not Applicable
Facelift Version Ending Current Not Applicable
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status upcoming active
Segment Medium SUV Compact SUV
Vehicle Type Passenger Vehicle Passenger car
Spec All-New CX-5 UNI-S
Length 4690 mm 4539 mm
Width 1860 mm 1865 mm
Height 1695 mm 1680 mm
Wheelbase 2815 mm 2656 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 205 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 200 mm 167 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 56 l 51 l
Boot/Cargo Space 466 l 475 l
Kerb Weight 1629 kg 1505 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2190 kg 1825 kg
Payload Capacity 561 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Towing Capacity 1500 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 2 rows
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 6.0 m 5.66 m
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 UNI-S 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 UNI-S 59.

Efficiency index: All-New CX-5 52 vs UNI-S 55.

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

Practicality index: All-New CX-5 66 vs UNI-S 68.

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

UNI-S leads by 1 points

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

Evidence leader 69 /100
Lead 1 points
Data 67% source coverage
69
#1 Evidence leader

UNI-S

67% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 92 Check Efficiency 55
Performance 59
Efficiency 55
Safety 92
Practicality 68
Leads by 1 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 UNI-S +7 Efficiency UNI-S +3 Safety All-New CX-5 +6 Practicality UNI-S +2

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

UNI-S

Performance 59/100
Efficiency 55/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 68/100

All-New CX-5

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

What the evidence means

Evidence index Changan UNI-S leads the specification evidence index with 69 pts vs 68 pts for All-New CX-5

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, UNI-S 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 UNI-S 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.