2026 Mazda CX-5 2.5 S Preferred
MSRP $35,745 including destination and delivery, against MSRP $33,485 for the 2.5 S Select one rung below. What that step buys is comfort equipment — heated front seats and a power liftgate. The engine, the transmission, the 12.9-inch display and standard i-ACTIV AWD® are the same on both.
What the Preferred Adds Over the 2.5 S Select
Both trims run the same 187-hp SKYACTIV®-G 2.5, the same 6-speed automatic, the same 12.9-inch display and the same standard i-ACTIV AWD®, so the move from MSRP $33,485 to MSRP $35,745 is comfort equipment and nothing else. Two items, both standard on this trim.
Heated Front Seats
Heated front seats are part of what the 2.5 S Preferred adds over the trims beneath it. On the Gulf Coast that is a handful of mornings a year rather than a season — worth knowing before you decide it is what the step is for.
A Power Liftgate
A power liftgate, opened and closed from the key, the cabin or the tailgate itself. The hands-free version with programmable height adjustment is a separate step further up, on the flagship.
Where This Trim Sits
Five trims, one engine, one drivetrain. The two rungs below are the only ones a 2.5 S Preferred shopper is usually still weighing, so they are the only ones compared here — the full ladder, the colour palette and what changed in the redesign are on the CX-5 model page.
2.5 S
2.5 S Select
2.5 S Preferred
Choose the 2.5 S Preferred If…
Heated front seats and a power liftgate are worth the step from MSRP $33,485 to MSRP $35,745 to you, and you do not need the leather, the heated steering wheel or the 15.6-inch display the two trims above this one add.
Choose a Trim Below It If…
You would use neither the heated seats nor the power liftgate. Nothing about how a CX-5 drives changes as you come down the ladder: same engine, same transmission, same 12.9-inch display, same standard i-ACTIV AWD®.
Other CX-5 Trims in Detail
MSRP includes destination and delivery. Excludes tax, title, license, a $895 dealer documentary service fee and a $16.50 tag fee.
What the Step Up Does Not Change
Worth stating plainly, because it is half of the decision: the numbers below are identical on this trim, on the two beneath it and on the two above it. Nothing here is a reason to move in either direction.
SKYACTIV®-G 2.5
- 187 horsepower at 6,000 rpm
- 186 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm
- Naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder — the outgoing CX-5’s turbocharged engine is not offered
- Regular unleaded, 87 octane
i-ACTIV AWD® & 6-Speed Automatic
- i-ACTIV AWD® standard on every trim in the lineup
- 6-speed automatic transmission
- Paddle shifters on the flagship trim only
- Up to 1,500 lb towing, properly equipped, on every trim
26 MPG Combined
- 24 mpg city / 30 mpg highway / 26 mpg combined
- Five passengers, two rows
- 33.7 cu ft behind the rear seat, 66.5 cu ft with it folded
- 3-yr/36,000-mile basic and 5-yr/60,000-mile powertrain warranty
The 2.5 S Preferred at Dean McCrary Mazda
The 2.5 S Preferred sits in the middle of the five-trim CX-5 ladder at MSRP $35,745, including destination and delivery. The trim directly beneath it, the 2.5 S Select, is MSRP $33,485, and because the CX-5 lineup shares a single 187-hp SKYACTIV®-G 2.5-liter engine, a single 6-speed automatic and standard i-ACTIV AWD® from the 2.5 S upward, that $2,260 difference is entirely equipment. Dean McCrary Mazda stocks the CX-5 lineup on the I-65 Service Road in Mobile.
Is the Step Up Worth It?
It comes down to two items, because they are the two this trim adds: heated front seats and a power liftgate. Neither is available further down the ladder, so the trim is the way to get them. What the step does not buy is worth saying as plainly: the same 12.9-inch center display the trims below carry, the same 187-hp engine, the same 6-speed automatic, the same standard i-ACTIV AWD®, the same 26 mpg combined, the same 1,500 lb of towing and the same 33.7 cu ft of cargo space. The 15.6-inch display, the hands-free liftgate and the 360° View Monitor are two rungs further up, not here.
Trim mix on the ground changes week to week. Ask our team which 2.5 S Preferred cars are in stock and which are in transit, or start with the 2.5 S Preferred inventory and the rest of the CX-5 lineup.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the CX-5 2.5 S Preferred?⌄
MSRP $35,745, including destination and delivery. The trim directly below it, the 2.5 S Select, is MSRP $33,485, so the step up is $2,260 on the same MSRP basis. MSRP excludes tax, title, license, the dealer documentary service fee and the tag fee.
What does the 2.5 S Preferred add over the 2.5 S Select?⌄
Two things: heated front seats and a power liftgate. The engine, the transmission, the 12.9-inch center display and the standard i-ACTIV AWD® do not change.
Is the 2.5 S Preferred quicker than the trims below it?⌄
No. Every CX-5 in this lineup uses the same 187-hp SKYACTIV®-G 2.5-liter engine and the same 6-speed automatic, and the redesign dropped the turbocharged engine entirely. Horsepower is not something you buy up this ladder.
Is all-wheel drive standard on the 2.5 S Preferred?⌄
Yes. i-ACTIV AWD® is standard on the 2.5 S Preferred and on every other trim in the lineup, so all-wheel drive is not part of what the step up buys and there is no upcharge to add anywhere.
Does the 2.5 S Preferred tow or carry more than the other trims?⌄
No. Towing is 1,500 lb properly equipped and cargo is 33.7 cu ft behind the rear seat, 66.5 cu ft with the second row folded, on every trim including this one. Fuel economy is the same 26 mpg combined, 24 city and 30 highway, for the same reason: one engine, one drivetrain.
Where does the 2.5 S Preferred sit in the CX-5 lineup?⌄
Third of five trims. The ladder runs MSRP $31,485 on the 2.5 S, MSRP $33,485 on the 2.5 S Select, MSRP $35,745 here, MSRP $38,395 on the 2.5 S Premium and MSRP $40,485 on the 2.5 S Premium Plus. The screen is 12.9 inches from the bottom of the ladder to the 2.5 S Premium; only the flagship steps up to 15.6.
Where can I see a 2.5 S Preferred near Mobile, AL?⌄
Dean McCrary Mazda is at 1739 E I-65 Service Rd S in Mobile, on the I-65 Service Road. Ask our team which 2.5 S Preferred cars are on the ground and which are in transit — trim mix moves week to week, and the equipment above is set by trim rather than by an option package.
