Mazda CX-5

Third-gen family SUV features mild hybrid petrol power and expanded dimensions On sale Early 2026 Price from £35,000 (est)

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LOOKING AT THE fresh face of this new, thirdgeneration Mazda CX-5 family SUV, see if you can spot the following elements in its design.

First, Yohaku, which - Mazda tells us - means the beauty of empty space. Second, Sori, which means curves with poise and balance.

And finally, Utsuroi, describing the delicate play between light and shadow.

Well, all of that might take a grounding in Japanese art and culture to be able to nod along with, but the new CX-5 is certainly an imposing sight. And it needs to be, because it competes in one of the most hotly contested markets around: the family SUV heartland, which is dominated by the Kia Sportage, Nissan Qashqai and Volkswagen Tiguan.

To get its teeth into these rivals, the new CX-5 has grown in terms of both its size and the technology it offers. It's longer, wider and taller than the car it replaces, and its wheels have been pushed to the very edges with the aim of increasing interior room.