Mazda “not sure” about next-generation CX-5

It’s not clear if the Mazda CX-5 will receive a third generation as the company rolls out two separate new mid-sized SUVs.

“I’m not sure whether we are going to introduce a CX-5 or not, so I can’t give you any details,” said the CX-5’s current program manager, Mitsuru Wakiie, through an interpreter when asked about a next-generation model.

The CX-5 only recently received a facelift, suggesting it’ll remain on sale for a few years yet.

But Mazda started production last year of the CX-50 and CX-60, also mid-sized SUVs.

The CX-50, produced in both the US and China, uses a front/all-wheel drive platform shared with the CX-30 and measures 4719mm long and 1920mm wide on a 2814mm wheelbase.

The Japanese-built CX-60, developed with Europe in mind but also coming here this year, measures 4740mm long and 1890mm wide on a 2870mm wheelbase and uses a rear/all-wheel drive platform.

The CX-5, in contrast, measures 4550mm long and 1840mm wide on a 2700mm wheelbase and is one of the smaller models in the mainstream mid-sized SUV segment.

But globally, the CX-5 was Mazda’s biggest seller by far in 2022 with a total of 365,135 units. For context, Mazda sold 1,116,107 vehicles globally in 2022, which meant the CX-5 accounted for almost a third of the company’s total volume.

The Mazda 3 and CX-30 were distant runners-up with 173,619 sales and 172,057 sales, respectively.

The CX-5 was also comfortably Mazda’s best-seller in Australia in 2022 with 27,062 sales, just over twice as many as the second-place CX-30 and behind only the Toyota RAV4 (34,845 sales) in its segment.

It was also the fifth best-selling vehicle in Australia overall.

The CX-5 isn’t the only Mazda that finds itself with some in-house competition.

The related CX-8, a longer, three-row SUV derived from the CX-5, will soon be abutted by the CX-80, a three-row counterpart to the “narrow-body” CX-60 that’s aimed at the European market. Mazda Australia says it’s evaluating the CX-80 for Australia.

For 2023, the CX-8 is receiving a facelift of its own, with a similar array of changes to last year’s CX-5 facelift. It’s due here in March.

MORE: Everything Mazda CX-5