2026 Mazda CX-5: Stamford Buyers Guide

2026 Mazda CX-5 at Riley Mazda in Stamford, CT

Quick Answer: The 2026 Mazda CX-5 at a Glance

The CX-5 is fully redesigned for 2026 and comes in five trims: 2.5 S at $29,990 MSRP, 2.5 S Select at $31,990, 2.5 S Preferred at $34,250, 2.5 S Premium at $36,900, and 2.5 S Premium Plus at $38,990, before a $1,495 destination charge. Every trim pairs a 187-hp Skyactiv-G 2.5-liter engine with a six-speed automatic and standard i-Activ AWD, rated 24 city / 30 highway by the EPA on regular fuel. The new body is about 4.5 inches longer, the back seat and cargo area grow accordingly, and this is the first Mazda with Google built-in. In Fairfield County, the place to see one is Riley Mazda at 75 Myrtle Avenue in Stamford, the family-run store that has anchored the corner since 1959.

A redesign that answers the old car's one complaint

Nobody ever accused the previous CX-5 of driving poorly. What Fairfield County families did notice, usually around the second car seat, was the back row. The 2026 redesign spends its extra 4.5 inches of length exactly there: more rear legroom, more kneeroom, more headroom, and a cargo hold that finally swallows the Costco run and the hockey bag in one go. The silhouette is the newest evolution of Mazda's KODO design language, the cabin strips away most physical buttons in favor of a 12.9-inch center touchscreen (a 15.6-inch display, the largest ever fitted to a Mazda, arrives on the top trim), and Google Maps, Google Assistant, and Google Play run natively through Google built-in, complimentary for the first year through the Mazda Connected Services trial. Wireless Apple CarPlay joins from the Select trim up.

What didn't change is the premise. One engine, one gearbox, all-wheel drive on every single trim. You choose equipment, not hardware, which makes the trim walk unusually honest for this class.

One powertrain, zero decisions

Every 2026 CX-5 runs the Skyactiv-G 2.5-liter four-cylinder with 187 horsepower and 186 lb-ft of torque through a six-speed automatic, with i-Activ AWD standard. There is no turbo option at launch and no front-drive price leader; a Mazda hybrid version is confirmed, but it arrives in 2027. The EPA rates the combination at 24 mpg city, 30 highway, and 26 combined on regular unleaded, and the AWD system is the proactive kind, redistributing torque before a wheel slips rather than after. On a January morning when Myrtle Avenue hasn't seen a plow yet, that ordering matters. Drivers who want to firm things up can flip Mi-Drive between Normal, Sport, and Off-road.

Pick your 2026 CX-5

  • CX-5 2.5 S — from $29,990 MSRP. The full redesign, the AWD, the 12.9-inch screen, and the complete new safety suite, under $30k. Read the 2.5 S guide →
  • CX-5 2.5 S Select — from $31,990 MSRP. Leatherette with microsuede, wireless Apple CarPlay, and heated power-folding mirrors. Read the Select guide →
  • CX-5 2.5 S Preferred — from $34,250 MSRP. 19-inch black-finish alloys, a 10-way power driver's seat with memory, and a power liftgate. Read the Preferred guide →
  • CX-5 2.5 S Premium — from $36,900 MSRP. Bose 12-speaker sound, a panoramic moonroof, and real leather. The premium-feel sweet spot. Read the Premium guide →
  • CX-5 2.5 S Premium Plus — from $38,990 MSRP. The 15.6-inch screen, hands-free liftgate, and Cruising & Traffic Support for I-95 crawls. Read the Premium Plus guide →

Safety that starts at the bottom of the ladder

Mazda made the redesign's biggest functional upgrade invisible: the i-Activsense roster. Features the old car reserved for upper trims, or didn't offer at all, are now standard on the $29,990 base car, including Rear Automatic Emergency Braking, Rear Cross Traffic Braking, Forward Turn-Across Traffic Braking, Emergency Lane Keeping, Blind Spot Assist, Traffic Sign Recognition, and radar cruise control with speed limit assist. For a car that will spend its life merging onto I-95 at Exit 8 and threading the Merritt's stone bridges, a safety spec that doesn't care what trim you bought is the right kind of standard equipment.

The store on Myrtle Avenue

Riley Mazda is one of Stamford's oldest car-business names: founded by James Riley in 1959, now run by the third generation, with the Mazda franchise in the family since 2007. General Manager Curtis Riley grew up in Stamford and has worked at the dealership since 1998, and the store runs on the Japanese hospitality idea of Omotenashi, which in practice means the low-pressure, out-the-door-number style of selling that its 4.8-star Google rating, across more than 2,000 reviews, keeps describing. One July buyer put it in seven words: "Great customer service! We love our new CX-5 !" — Terri G. Another, after her purchase: "I had a great experience purchasing a CX-5 at Riley Mazda. I worked with Miguel Barraza who was very knowledgeable and helpful." — Joan P.

The dealership sits at 75 Myrtle Avenue, a few blocks from the Stamford Transportation Center, which makes it one of the few dealerships in Fairfield County you can reach by Metro-North. Buyers come from Greenwich, Darien, New Canaan, and Norwalk; more than a few reviews mention driving past a closer Mazda store to get here.

Owning one in Stamford

The ownership half of the story lives in the CX-5 service & repair guide: the maintenance rhythm, the two complimentary first-year services Riley includes with every new Mazda, what I-95 commutes and coastal winters actually do to a compact SUV, and the dealership's library of DIY troubleshooting guides. The money half, including Connecticut's 6.35% vehicle sales tax and the annual municipal car tax, is in the pricing & leasing guide.

Frequently asked questions

Is Mazda coming out with a 2026 CX-5?

Yes — the 2026 CX-5 is the model's first full redesign in roughly a decade, and it's arriving at dealerships now. It grows about 4.5 inches in length, gains a roomier back seat and cargo area, and introduces Google built-in to the Mazda lineup for the first time.

How much will the new 2026 Mazda CX-5 cost?

MSRPs run from $29,990 for the 2.5 S to $38,990 for the 2.5 S Premium Plus, plus a $1,495 destination charge. Connecticut then adds its 6.35% sales tax and registration; the pricing guide walks through the full math and current offers at Riley Mazda's specials page.

Is the 2026 Mazda CX-5 a good car?

It keeps the traits that made the CX-5 the perennial pick of the class — steering feel, cabin quality above its price — and fixes its main shortfall, rear-seat and cargo space. Add standard AWD and the expanded standard safety suite, and it's a stronger all-arounder than the car it replaces. The honest trade-off: no turbo engine at launch and no hybrid until 2027.

Does the 2026 CX-5 have AWD?

Yes, i-Activ AWD is standard on all five trims. Mazda's system monitors wheel loads continuously and shifts torque proactively rather than waiting for slip, which is precisely the behavior you want on unplowed side streets off High Ridge Road in January.

Will the new Mazda CX-5 have a hybrid version?

A Mazda hybrid powertrain is confirmed, but it launches in 2027. If you want an electrified Mazda SUV this year, Riley Mazda stocks the CX-50 Hybrid, which shares the CX-5's footprint with a more rugged flavor.

What colors does the 2026 CX-5 come in?

Seven: Machine Gray Metallic, Rhodium White Premium, Soul Red Crystal Metallic, Polymetal Gray Metallic, Aero Gray Metallic, Jet Black Mica, and the new Navy Blue Mica.

Where can I test drive a 2026 CX-5 near Stamford?

At Riley Mazda, 75 Myrtle Avenue — the store serves Stamford, Greenwich, Darien, New Canaan, and Norwalk, and you can start the numbers online through its digital retailing tools before you ever park on the lot.

Five trims, one showroom

The per-trim guides below sort out where your money is best spent, but the short version is this: the redesign gave the cheapest CX-5 the same engine, drivetrain, and safety hardware as the dearest one. Everything after $29,990 is comfort and glass. Sit in a 2.5 S and a Premium ten feet apart on the Myrtle Avenue floor and you'll know within five minutes which side of $37,000 you are.

More 2026 Mazda CX-5 guides

MSRP figures exclude the $1,495 destination charge ($1,540 in Alaska) plus taxes, title, registration, and dealer-installed options; the dealer sets the actual selling price. Fuel-economy figures are EPA estimates; real-world mileage will vary. Equipment, colors, and availability can shift with configuration and production timing; confirm current specs with Riley Mazda. Google built-in and remote services are complimentary for one year via the Mazda Connected Services trial. Customer quotes are excerpts from public Google reviews of Riley Mazda.