Mazda has confirmed the next Mazda CX-5 will get a hybrid, and it will use the company's own SkyActiv-Z system rather than the Toyota-sourced hybrid Mazda fitted to the CX-50 in the United States. Mazda says the hybrid will offer performance comparable to the outgoing 2.5 litre turbo-petrol, which made 170kW and 420Nm, though it has not yet published the hybrid's own outputs.
Petrol first, hybrid later
The new CX-5 lands in Australia on petrol power first. The hybrid is expected with the MY28 range, so around 2028, and there is no Australian price yet. The timing matters, because the CX-5's core rivals already offer hybrids today.
Cartell Assessment
This fills the one real gap in the new CX-5. It squares up to the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage, all of which can already be had with electrified power. A Mazda-developed hybrid with the punch of the old turbo is worth waiting for if you want a sharp-driving family SUV, but a wait until around 2028 is a long time to hold off.
AU Outlook
Expect Mazda to confirm outputs, efficiency and pricing closer to launch. If it can match the RAV4 Hybrid on fuel use while keeping the CX-5's driving feel, it becomes a genuine alternative in the most hotly contested part of the market.
