The third-generation Mazda CX-5 may boast a more high-tech interior and added features, but behind the scenes, the Japanese brand has also implemented extensive cost-saving measures to keep production expenses in check.
Mazda chief financial officer Jeffrey Guyton detailed some of these changes to Automotive News, revealing how the company worked closely with supplier Nippon Steel early in development to reduce both the cost and weight of the new model’s steel body structure. Despite the new Mazda CX-5 growing in size, this collaborative approach has delivered meaningful savings for the automaker.
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Small details, big savings
Elsewhere, Mazda has simplified the way leather is wrapped and stitched on the new CX-5’s steering wheel. Previously, the brand precisely cut and curved the leather so that stitching lined up horizontally, a detail that helped establish Mazda’s reputation for premium interiors.
However, the company has now adopted an angled stitching approach similar to many rivals, arguing customers don’t value the more complex finish enough to justify the additional expense.
Mr Guyton said, “That’s great attention to detail from Mazda, but when we look at it, our customers are not really valuing that approach more than our competitors, but it costs us more money.”
These changes form part of “many, many, many” unseen cost cuts across the new-generation mid-size SUV, allowing Mazda to invest in features buyers will actually notice.
“Simply, we put money where the customer is going to see it, and we’ve tried to find big cost efficiencies where the customer doesn’t value it as much or won’t see it.”
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Read more: Mazda CX-5 set to receive hybrid and electric powertrains
Why does cost control matter?
Keeping costs down is crucial for the brand, with the Mazda CX-5 remaining its best-selling model globally and its top-seller in the US, where it now faces a 15 per cent import tariff. The brand is aiming to maintain margins at least on par with the outgoing model.
Mazda also posted a loss across the first nine months of the current fiscal year, though it expects to return to operating profit by year-end, albeit lower than last year’s result.
More tech, more features
Despite these savings, the new Mazda CX-5 brings substantial upgrades. Headlining the interior is a massive 15.6-inch infotainment touchscreen, which in the US will feature Google Built-in with native apps such as Google Maps and Google Assistant.
The SUV will also offer a fully digital instrument cluster and, for the first time, a panoramic sunroof. Mazda has previously teased the addition of new active safety and driver assistance technologies as well.
Production for Europe began in December, followed by the US in January, with Japanese output starting in April. Mazda says production was slightly delayed to allow extended quality checks, particularly for its more sophisticated software systems.
Mazda Australia has confirmed the new CX-5 will arrive locally in mid-2026.
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Read more: Mazda CX-5 crosses 5 million global sales milestone
Australian powertrain and specs confirmed
At launch, the CX-5 will be offered with a carryover naturally aspirated 2.5L four-cylinder petrol engine producing 132kW and 242Nm, down 8kW and 10Nm on the outgoing model, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive.
The turbocharged 2.5L engine has been dropped, though Mazda has locked in a hybrid version for Australia, promising performance comparable to or better than the old turbo model. The hybrid CX-5 is due in the US in 2027, with Australian timing yet to be confirmed.
| Specification | Details |
| Engine | 2.5L Petrol |
| Power | 132kW |
| Torque | 242Nm |
| Transmission | 6-speed automatic |
| Drivetrain | All-wheel drive |
At 4690mm long, 1860mm wide, and 1695mm tall, the new Mazda CX-5 is 115mm longer and 15mm wider than its predecessor, riding on a wheelbase stretched by 115mm. Even so, Mazda says careful material engineering has ensured the updated platform remains cost-efficient.
A crucial player in a crowded segment
Although overtaken by the Toyota RAV4 in recent sales, theMazda CX-5 has remained in the top-3, in this segment for 13 consecutive years. The new-generation model will face fresh competition not only from an all-new RAV4 but also from Mazda’s own CX-60, which has become more affordable following the introduction of a new entry-level petrol variant.
Even so, with smarter cost control, new technology, and an incoming hybrid, Mazda is betting the latest CX-5 will remain one of its most important global models.
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