The 2026 Mazda CX-5 has earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s highest safety honor, the Top Safety Pick+ award, after growing significantly for its third generation. The latest crash tests show the larger SUV maintaining a largely intact passenger compartment despite substantial front-end damage.
2026 Mazda CX-5 Gets Larger and Heavier
The all-new third-generation Mazda CX-5 has grown in most dimensions for the 2026 model year. It is 4.5 inches longer overall, 0.6 inches wider, 1 inch taller and has an additional 0.3 inches of ground clearance.
The wheelbase has also increased by 4.6 inches, while passenger space has grown by 2.9 cubic feet and cargo capacity by another 3.7 cubic feet.
The new CX-5 weighs 177 pounds more than the base version of the 2025 CX-5, bringing its weight to 3,856 pounds. However, the uplevel 2025 CX-5 Turbo was slightly heavier than the new third-generation model, which no longer offers forced induction.
IIHS Crash Test Shows Strong Passenger Protection
The 2026 CX-5’s Top Safety Pick+ award is the highest honor offered by the IIHS. The result also distinguishes the CX-5 from its top competitor, the Toyota RAV4, which does not have the same award.
Mazda has received 100 Top Safety Pick awards since the program began in 2008, including nine Top Safety Pick+ honors. “As this milestone shows, Mazda has consistently demonstrated a commitment to safety and acted quickly to improve its vehicles as our award criteria have evolved,” said IIHS President David Harkey.
In the IIHS video of the latest CX-5 hitting an offset barrier, the driver-side front tire is pushed back toward the A-pillar while the crumple zones absorb much of the impact. Despite significant damage to the front end, the passenger compartment appears to remain largely intact.
Frontal, knee and side-curtain airbags deploy to protect the adult driver dummy and a child in the second row. The video shows little evidence of the engine being pushed beyond the firewall.
An overhead view shows the hood folding downward during the impact before springing back to a nearly flat position immediately afterward.
Mazda Targets Zero Fatalities by 2040
Mazda is pursuing a goal of zero fatalities in all its vehicles by 2040. “By combining thoughtful engineering, human-centric design, and advanced safety technologies, we are creating vehicles that help prevent crashes and better protect occupants,” said Jennifer Morrison, MNAO director of vehicle safety strategy.
Safety improvements on the new CX-5 include an enhanced 360-degree parking camera, smoother radar cruise control performance and the new Lane Change Assist.
Standard safety and driver assistance features include rear automatic emergency braking, emergency lane keeping and Mazda Radar Cruise Control with Speed Limit Assist.
2026 Mazda CX-5 Pricing and Powertrain
CX-5 sales were down 9.6% this year through June, while its sibling CX-50 recorded a 40% increase in deliveries during the same period.
Pricing for the new CX-5 starts at $29,990 for the base 2.5 S. Better-equipped versions start at $34,250 for the Preferred trim, $36,900 for the Premium and $38,990 for the Premium Plus.
For now, the CX-5 is offered with one powertrain: a 2.5-liter SkyActiv-G four-cylinder producing 187 horsepower and 185 pound-feet of torque. A new hybrid powertrain is scheduled to arrive next year.
Mazda Earns Multiple 2026 IIHS Safety Awards
The IIHS Top Safety Pick awards cover multiple vehicle segments, including small, midsize and large cars and SUVs, with luxury models placed in their own category. There is no set limit on the number of winners in each segment.
Almost the entire Mazda lineup earned an award in its respective segment, with the MX-5 Miata the only model left out.
The Mazda 3 sedan and hatchback both earned Top Safety Pick+ awards in the small-car category. Among small SUVs, the CX-30, CX-5 and CX-50 also earned Top Safety Pick+ honors.
The CX-50 is similar in size to the CX-5 but features unique styling and more rugged plastic fender flares. The CX-5 was not tested for whiplash protection, while the CX-50 received its only “Poor” result in that test and otherwise performed similarly.
The CX-70, CX-90 and plug-in hybrid versions of both models also earned Top Safety Pick Plus awards, adding to Mazda’s 2026 IIHS safety honors.
