The 2024 Mazda CX-5 remains steadfast in its commitment to offering style, sporty handling, and a posh interior without breaking the bank. While its slightly bigger and more rugged CX-50 stablemate made it to our list of the best midsize SUVs and crossovers for 2023, we highly recommended the CX-5 for buyers wanting a used SUV. But even if bought new, there’s much to love in the CX-5.
2024 Mazda CX-5: What’s New?
The Mazda CX-5 is the Japanese automaker’s top-selling vehicle in North America. The 2024 CX-5 came as a pleasant surprise and will help tide things over until the all-new, third-gen CX-5 appears sometime in 2025. On the flip side, rumors are circulating that the existing CX-5 could probably be the last we’ll see of the marque, so we’re happy to see it return to U.S. dealerships.
Whether or not Mazda continues the CX-5’s lineage, the 2024 model gets updated packaging, a new Carbon Turbo trim, and better fuel economy for CX-5 variants equipped with the naturally-aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine.
2024 Mazda CX-5 Powertrain & Fuel Economy
All Mazda CX-5 S variants have a naturally-aspirated Skyactiv-G 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 187 horsepower and 185 lb-ft. of torque. It pairs to a slick six-speed automatic gearbox and an i-Active all-wheel drivetrain. Moreover, Mazda’s G-Vectoring Control Plus is standard for better handling and balance while driving around corners.
Mazda gave the base engine a new cylinder deactivation system to help it sip less fuel, and it worked: The EPA-estimated fuel economy is now 26 in the city, 31 on the highway, and 28 combined, a two mpg improvement over the outgoing variant.
Meanwhile, CX-5 Turbo variants have a 2.5-liter Skyactiv-G four-banger with 256 horsepower and 320 lb-ft. of torque on 93 octane gas. But if you feed it with 87 octane juice, it still provides 227 horsepower and 310 lb-ft. of torque. The turbo engine shares the non-turbo powerplant’s six-speed automatic transmission and i-Active AWD.
Trim Levels, Standard Equipment & Pricing
The 2024 Mazda CX-5 has eight trim levels: S Select, S Preferred, S Carbon Edition, S Premium, S Premium Plus, Carbon Turbo, Turbo Premium, and Turbo Signature. Below is a breakdown of each, along with the starting MSRP. The pricing info below includes the $1,375 destination fee.
If you have questions about new vehicle financing and how auto loans work, this short but helpful video will point you in the right direction.
CX-5 2.5 S Select
The base S Select starts at $30,675. Despite being the entry-level model, it has a generous list of features and creature comforts like heated front seats, leatherette upholstery, automatic leveling LED headlights, 17-inch gray metallic alloy wheels, dual-zone automatic climate control, front and rear USB ports, keyless entry, privacy glass, and automatic rain-sensing wipers, to name a few. Meanwhile, it has a 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen with Bluetooth and smartphone connectivity to handle the in-cabin entertainment.
CX-5 2.5 S Preferred
The 2024 Mazda CX-5 2.5 S Preferred starts at $32,025. Apart from having all the standard goodies from the base model, it has more features like a power moonroof, a power liftgate, genuine black or brown leather seats, power-operated front seats, power lumbar support and memory settings for the driver’s seat, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror.
CX-5 2.5 S Carbon Edition
If you love Mazda’s Polymetal Gray paint, the CX-5 Carbon Edition is the one to choose. It starts at $33,325 and includes the groovy gray paint color, black or red leather upholstery, 19-inch alloy rims, gloss black interior accents, a 10-speaker Bose premium audio system, and dual USB-C charge ports.
CX-5 2.5 S Premium
The 2024 Mazda CX-5 2.5 S Premium starts at $35,275. It gets the Mazda Intelligent Drive Select (Mi-Drive) system that features Normal, Off-Road, and Sport driving modes. Meanwhile, the features list includes custom 19-inch alloy rims, adaptive front lighting, heated side mirrors, paddle shifters, a seven-inch LCD meter display, and LED daytime running lights.
CX-5 2.5 S Premium Plus
The Mazda CX-5 Premium Plus starts at $37,875. It adds a full-color heads-up-display (HUD), ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, power-folding wing mirrors, and a windshield wiper de-icer. New for the 2024 model year is wireless smartphone connectivity and wireless smartphone charging.
CX-5 2.5 Carbon Turbo
The 2024 Mazda CX-5 Carbon Turbo starts at $38,375. It gets a turbocharged engine, bespoke 19-inch black metallic alloy wheels, Terracotta leather seats, a black headliner, and Zircon Sand Metallic or Rhodium White paint with black exterior accents.
CX-5 2.5 Turbo Premium
The Mazda CX-5 2.5 Turbo Premium starts at $39,175. It receives all the content from the 2.5 S Premium and gets more goodies like a leather tiller, contrasting red interior stitching, a gloss black front grille, an active driving display, and traffic jam assist.
CX-5 2.5 Turbo Signature
The range-topping 2024 Mazda CX-5 Turbo Signature has a $41,975 starting price. The features include silver 19-inch alloy wheels, a gunmetal front grille, Nappa leather seats, genuine woodgrain interior trim, ambient foot illumination, and LED interior lighting. Moreover, it has standard navigation, a frameless auto-dimming rearview mirror, a 360-degree monitor, and parking sensors for the front and rear.
Mazda i-Activesense
The 2024 Mazda CX-5 is standard with i-Activesense, a package of advanced driving aids that includes blind-spot warnings, lane departure mitigation, adaptive cruise control, and forward collision warning, to name a few.
Mazda Warranty
Every 2024 Mazda CX-5 has a three-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty. Other factory warranties include a five-year/unlimited mileage corrosion warranty and three years/36,000 miles worth of complimentary roadside assistance. Options are available to extend the warranty on any Mazda vehicle, including the CX-5.
Alvin Reyes is an Automoblog feature columnist and an expert in sports and performance cars. He studied civil aviation, aeronautics, and accountancy in his younger years and is still very much smitten to his former Lancer GSR and Galant SS. He also likes fried chicken, music, and herbal medicine.
Photos & Source: Mazda North American Operations.
