2026 Mazda CX-5 2.5 S
MSRP $31,485 including destination and delivery, and the least expensive way into a CX-5. Standard i-ACTIV AWD®, the 187-hp SKYACTIV®-G 2.5 and the 12.9-inch center display are all here. The four trims above it add equipment — not power, not traction and not towing.
What the 2.5 S Carries as Standard
Nothing further up the ladder changes how a CX-5 drives: the engine, the transmission and the all-wheel-drive system are the same on all five trims. So the question on this trim is not what the step up buys — it is what you already have before spending anything more. This is that list.
i-ACTIV AWD®, Standard
The entry trim carries the same i-ACTIV AWD® system the flagship does. There is no front-wheel-drive CX-5 in this lineup and no all-wheel-drive upcharge to add anywhere on the ladder.
12.9 Inches, From the Base Trim
The 12.9-inch center display is standard from this trim. It is the screen four of the five trims carry; only the flagship steps up to a 15.6-inch screen with touch control.
187 Horsepower, and No Turbo Above It
The same 187-hp SKYACTIV®-G 2.5 and 6-speed automatic every CX-5 uses. The redesign dropped the turbocharged engine, so there is no quicker CX-5 on the ladder to move up to.
1,500 Lb and 33.7 Cu Ft
Towing up to 1,500 lb properly equipped, 33.7 cu ft behind the rear seat and 66.5 cu ft with it folded — on this trim exactly as on the one at the top.
Where This Trim Sits
Five trims, one engine, one drivetrain. This is the bottom rung, so the trims compared here are the two directly above it, which are the ones a 2.5 S shopper is usually still weighing — 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 If…
You want a CX-5 and you would rather not pay for equipment you will not use. Standard all-wheel drive, the 12.9-inch display and Mazda’s standard safety suite are already here, and nothing above this trim makes the car quicker or more capable.
Choose a Trim Above It If…
Heated seats, leather, a power liftgate or the 15.6-inch display matter to you. Those are equipment steps and they are the only reason to move up — the engine, the transmission and the standard i-ACTIV AWD® do not change.
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 Every Trim Already Carries
Worth stating plainly, because it is half of the decision: the numbers below are identical on this trim and on the four above it. Nothing further up the ladder makes a CX-5 quicker, thriftier or more capable.
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 this trim and on all four above it
- 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 at Dean McCrary Mazda
The 2.5 S is the bottom of the five-trim CX-5 ladder at MSRP $31,485, including destination and delivery. The next trim up, the 2.5 S Select, is MSRP $33,485. 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 this trim upward, everything above it is equipment. Dean McCrary Mazda stocks the CX-5 lineup on the I-65 Service Road in Mobile.
Is the Entry Trim Enough?
It depends on what you were going to use. The 2.5 S already has the drivetrain and the powertrain the flagship has, the same 12.9-inch center display four of the five trims carry, the same 26 mpg combined rating, the same 1,500 lb of towing and the same 33.7 cu ft of cargo space. What it does not have is the comfort and convenience equipment the rungs above add — heated seats and a power liftgate further up, leather and a heated steering wheel above that, and the 15.6-inch display with the driver-assist package at the top. If none of that is on your list, the money above this trim buys nothing you would notice from the driver’s seat.
Trim mix on the ground changes week to week. Ask our team which 2.5 S cars are in stock and which are in transit, or start with the 2.5 S inventory and the rest of the CX-5 lineup.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the CX-5 2.5 S?⌄
MSRP $31,485, including destination and delivery, and it is where the CX-5 ladder starts. The next trim up, the 2.5 S Select, is MSRP $33,485. MSRP excludes tax, title, license, the dealer documentary service fee and the tag fee.
What comes standard on the 2.5 S?⌄
i-ACTIV AWD®, the 187-hp SKYACTIV®-G 2.5 with the 6-speed automatic, the 12.9-inch center display and Mazda’s standard safety suite. Towing is 1,500 lb properly equipped and cargo is 33.7 cu ft behind the rear seat, the same as on every trim above it.
Is the 2.5 S 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?⌄
Yes. i-ACTIV AWD® is standard on the 2.5 S and on every trim above it, so all-wheel drive is not something you move up the ladder for and there is no upcharge to add anywhere in the lineup.
Does the 2.5 S 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 sit in the CX-5 lineup?⌄
At the bottom of five trims. The ladder runs MSRP $31,485 here, MSRP $33,485 on the 2.5 S Select, MSRP $35,745 on the 2.5 S Preferred, MSRP $38,395 on the 2.5 S Premium and MSRP $40,485 on the 2.5 S Premium Plus. Every rung above it adds equipment; none of them adds power, traction or towing.
Where can I see a 2.5 S 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 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.
