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Mazda's new sales hero? First picture of possible next-gen 2026 Mazda CX-5 testing in the US before it's unleashed to take on Toyota RAV4, Kia Sportage and Mitsubishi Outlander

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2026 Mazda CX-5 spy photo (image: sapphireallroad)
Chris Thompson
Journalist
16 Jan 2025
3 min read

A sneaky photo of a camouflaged SUV in a US carpark appears to be the new Mazda CX-5 undergoing testing, according to the photographer.

The photo, despite being somewhat blurry, shows a mid-size SUV parked in a California parking lot, captioned ‘Mazda CX-5; Next generation spotted for the first time in US’.

Instagram user @sapphireallroad is said to have submitted the snap to @KindelAuto, who published the blurry photo to their Instagram story.

The image has since been shared to numerous social media groups, but there’s been no confirmation the mule is indeed the next-gen CX-5.

Still, the shape and features visible on the test car strongly suggest it is as such, with the silhouette, pillars and windows all looking similar to the current CX-5.

Of course, the nature of the photo means details like the wheels, grille or headlights can’t be made out to determine any further information.

Mazda has already confirmed some details about the next-gen CX-5, most notably that it will feature a hybrid drivetrain.

Whether a non-hybrid is still to be available is yet to be determined. Currently the CX-5 is available with a naturally aspirated 2.0-litre or 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine, or a 2.5-litre turbo engine here in Australia. A 2.2-litre diesel engine was previously available.

When the hybrid does land for the next CX-5, it’ll be a Mazda-developed system as opposed to the Toyota system Mazda currently uses in the North American CX-50.

2025 Mazda CX-5 render (image: Thanos Pappas)
2025 Mazda CX-5 render (image: Thanos Pappas)

Mazda’s new Skyactiv-Z engine under development is likely to be incorporated into the hybrid system, though Mazda CEO Masahiro Moro said last year the high-efficiency hybrid system developed in-house will aim to have a point of difference from the Toyota system the brand has used previously.

“We have been using Toyota’s hybrid system, and that’s an excellent system,” said Moro-san in 2024.

“So to have a unique difference is the basic concept that we have. In our case, in the engine and the electric motor balance, we will mainly focus on a high-efficiency engine.”

2024 Mazda CX-5 (image: Tom White)
2024 Mazda CX-5 (image: Tom White)

It's expected the new CX-5 will be revealed this year, and more details will be forthcoming at that time.

Chris Thompson
Journalist
Racing video games, car-spotting on road trips, and helping wash the family VL Calais Turbo as a kid were all early indicators that an interest in cars would stay present in Chris’ life, but loading up his 1990 VW Golf GTI Mk2 and moving from hometown Brisbane to work in automotive publishing in Melbourne ensured cars would be a constant. With a few years as MOTOR Magazine’s first digital journalist under his belt, followed by a stint as a staff journalist for Wheels Magazine, Chris’ career already speaks to a passion for anything with four wheels, especially the 1989 Mazda MX-5 he currently owns. From spending entire weeks dissecting the dynamic abilities of sports cars to weighing up the practical options for car buyers from all walks of life, Chris’ love for writing and talking about cars means if you’ve got a motoring question, he can give you an answer.
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