There’s no denying that the Mazda CX-5 is one of the most popular and best reviewed compact crossover SUVs on the market. Every year, it wins numerous awards, and the latest model is just as popular as ever, if not even more so, due to an upgraded infotainment system and additional trim levels. In fact, the 2021 Mazda CX-5 now has seven different trims available; so if you head to your favorite Mazda CX-5 dealer, you’re going to find a lot of options to choose from. And while I’m not here to really give you a buyer’s guide, I am going to help you out with sorting through some of these choices.
You’ll need to decide for yourself which features and things you really need and want in your compact crossover. But today, I’m going to run you through the different trims, so you get a general sense of what each of them has to offer. From there, you’ll have to decide on which one has everything you need – or find a Mazda CX-5 dealer with salespeople you can trust, who will help you with figuring out which model is right for you. I’ll do my best to at least point you in the right direction.
Quick Mazda CX-5 Overview
Before I start getting into each trim for the CX-5, let’s take a moment to look at what it has to offer in general. As I said before, it’s a compact crossover, so this is a great choice if you’re interested in an SUV, but you don’t want a large model that can take over your whole life. Two different engines are available for the CX-5, offering up to 250 hp, but I’ll get into more specifics on them further down.
The 2021 CX-5 features an updated infotainment system that includes a 10-inch display, which has replaced the previous 7-inch screen. This updated system has a new interface, support for both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and is a better overall infotainment system than what was offered before. Despite its compact size, the Mazda CX-5 offers 30.9 cu.ft. of interior cargo space behind the rear seats, with nearly 60 cu.ft. of total cargo volume behind the front seats.
The Mazda CX-5 Sport
The starting trim for the Mazda CX-5 is the Sport, which gives us a good sense of what the CX-5 has to offer in general. In addition to what I mentioned above, the Sport has a 2.5L 187 hp engine with front-wheel drive standard, though Mazda’s i-ACTIV all-wheel drive is available. It comes with a 6-speed automatic transmission with manual shift functionality, and overall it’s a responsive and fun vehicle to drive.
You get Radar Cruise Control with Stop and Go and Mazda’s i-Activsense safety package standard with the Sport trim. This package includes Blind Spot Monitoring, a Rear Cross Traffic alert, And smart brake support with pedestrian detection and a collision warning. Other safety features like a Lane Departure Warning with Lane-Keep Assist, a comprehensive airbag suite, and stability and traction control are also standard on the Sport. This trim starts at just $25,370.
The Mazda CX-5 Touring
If you like what the CX-5 Sport has to offer, but you want just a bit more luxury, then you can step up to the Touring trim. The Touring has the same engine and overall performance as the Sport but includes a number of interior upgrades. For example, while the Sport has remote keyless entry, the Touring features Mazda’s advanced keyless entry and start system.
The CX-5 Touring also includes dual-zone automatic climate control with rear air conditioning vents, while the Sport has standard A/C. Seating is nicer in the Touring, with a 6-way power-adjustable driver’s seat and more adjustable front passenger seat than the Sport, with heated front seats and softer materials. Where the Sport has four speakers, the Touring features a six-speaker sound system and has more available luxury options. The Touring starts at $27,110.
The Mazda CX-5 Carbon Edition/Carbon Edition Turbo
An all-new Carbon Edition is now available for the CX-5, offering some exciting new options for this model. The Carbon Edition features leather-trimmed seats that are available in red or black, along with a leather-wrapped steering wheel with red accents to really look stunning. Perhaps the most important thing about the Carbon Edition, however, is that it has a more powerful engine available, which you cannot get with the Sport or Touring.
If you go with the Carbon Edition Turbo, then you get a Turbo engine that delivers up to 250 hp and 320 lb-ft of torque. While front-wheel drive is still standard, all-wheel drive is available for a pretty minor upgrade cost. Just between us: this is the trim I would choose, as it delivers a stunning interior, with an available engine that really makes the CX-5 a blast to drive. Plus, it starts at just $28,995, while the Carbon Edition Turbo, with the more impressive engine, starts at $30,760.
The Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring
The Grand Touring is essentially the luxury model if you want the standard 187 hp engine since that’s what it comes with. At this trim, however, you’re getting just about all of the bells and whistles for the CX-5, including an auto-dimming rearview mirror, dual-zone automatic climate control, and a power sliding-glass moonroof with a one-touch-open feature. The Grand Touring has paddle shifters on the steering wheel, an 8-way power adjustable driver’s seat, a 6-way power front passenger seat, and leather-trimmed seating. This trim also includes a Bose 10-speaker Centerpoint sound system, 7-inch digital driver display, and available options that include a head-up display and more. The Grand Touring starts at $30,560.
The Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring Reserve
If you like the luxury of the Grand Touring, but you want the more powerful engine, then the Grand Touring Reserve is a great choice. It has the 250 hp Turbo engine and all-wheel drive standard, plus great features like a programmable rear power liftgate and adaptive front-lighting system. Inside, you’ll find all of the luxury features of the Grand Touring, plus more, including heated rear seats (not just heated front seats), ventilated front seats, and a heated steering wheel. The Grand Touring Reserve also comes with a head-up display and starts at $35,385.
The Mazda CX-5 Signature
Finally, we come to the CX-5 Signature, which gives you everything the Grand Touring Reserve has to offer, plus some things you probably didn’t even realize you were missing. The Signature has the Turbo engine and all-wheel drive standard, just like the previous trim, but really takes luxury to the next level. You get LED interior lighting, a frameless auto-dimming rearview mirror, and Mazda’s navigation system included with the Signature.
Other luxurious interior details include Nappa leather-trimmed seating, unique stitching on the steering wheel, and genuine layered wood details throughout. The Signature also includes a traffic sign recognition system that helps alert you while driving, plus additional safety features like front and rear parking sensors, a 360-degree view monitor, and a driver attention alert. All of this comes together to make the Signature the ultimate expression of everything the Mazda CX-5 has to offer, though it starts at $37,505, so it’s not going to be for everyone.
Now you have a pretty good sense of what the CX-5 has available at each trim level. There are a number of options offered for many of these trims too, so you can really get what you need to enjoy this excellent vehicle.
