Mazda All-New CX-5 vs Mazda CX-5

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
Mazda CX-5 in South Africa

Mazda CX-5

2.0 Carbon Edition Auto FWD Petrol 6-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 688,400 ex-showroom
⚡ 121 kW 🔧 213 Nm ⛽ 14.5 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

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

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

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification All-New CX-5 CX-5
Maximum Power All-New CX-5132 kW @ 6000 rpm CX-5121 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque All-New CX-5240 Nm @ 4000 rpm CX-5213 Nm @ 4000 rpm
Engine Size All-New CX-52488 cc CX-51998 cc
Combined Fuel Economy All-New CX-513.2 km/l CX-514.5 km/l
Ground Clearance All-New CX-5205 mm CX-5200 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
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Practicality

CX-5

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

Which One's Right for You?

All-New CX-5

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

CX-5

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec All-New CX-5 CX-5
Model Introduced Year 2026 2017
Generation Third-generation Mazda CX-5 for South Africa Second-generation KF-series Mazda CX-5, current outgoing South African range
Facelift History All-new third-generation model; no facelift applies The second generation arrived in 2017 and received a substantial update from 2021. An all-new replacement is scheduled to reach South Africa on 1 August 2026, while this current range remains on sale.
Facelift Launched Since 2026 2017
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status upcoming Active
Segment Medium SUV Mid-size family SUV
Vehicle Type Passenger Vehicle SUV
Tare Mass Kg - 1575 kg
Spec All-New CX-5 CX-5
Length 4690 mm 4575 mm
Width 1860 mm 1845 mm
Height 1695 mm 1680 mm
Wheelbase 2815 mm 2700 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 205 mm 200 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 200 mm -
Fuel Tank Capacity 56 l 56 l
Boot/Cargo Space 466 l 438 l
Kerb Weight 1629 kg 1575 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2190 kg 2065 kg
Payload Capacity 561 kg 490 kg
Towing Capacity 1500 kg 1000 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows -
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 6.0 m 5.95 m
Front Headroom 1007 mm -
Rear Headroom 1020 mm -
Front Legroom 1058 mm 1041 mm
Rear Legroom 1012 mm 1007 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This All-New CX-5 and CX-5 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 CX-5 48.

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

Safety-equipment index: All-New CX-5 98 vs CX-5 88.

Practicality index: All-New CX-5 66 vs CX-5 61.

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

All-New CX-5 leads by 5 points

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

Evidence leader 68 /100
Lead 5 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 5 points
63
#2

CX-5

78% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 88 Check Performance 48
Performance 48
Efficiency 56
Safety 88
Practicality 61
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance All-New CX-5 +4 Efficiency CX-5 +4 Safety All-New CX-5 +10 Practicality All-New CX-5 +5

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

CX-5

Performance 48/100
Efficiency 56/100
Safety 88/100
Practicality 61/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Mazda All-New CX-5 leads the specification evidence index with 68 pts vs 63 pts for CX-5

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

Related comparisons

Continue with closely related South African models and comparable body styles.

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CX-5 vs Tucson →

All-New CX-5 vs CX-5 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.