The head of Mazda Southern Africa says the as-yet-unrevealed next-gen Mazda CX-5 has already been “pencilled in” for a local introduction in around April 2026…
The next-gen Mazda CX-5 has yet to be revealed, but the head of the Japanese firm’s local division says the upcoming new version of the family SUV has already been “pencilled in” for a local launch in about April 2026.
Craig Roberts, Managing Director at Mazda Southern Africa, confirmed the news to Cars.co.za during an interview at Naamsa’s South African Auto Week 2024 in Cape Town.
“Our next new introduction will be the launch of a new CX-5. That is currently pencilled in – and I use the term ‘pencilled in’ – for around about April 2026,” he told us.
Based on Roberts’ comments, we would speculate that the 3rd-generation CX-5 – which earlier reports suggested might not happen at all – will be revealed globally at some point in 2025, before hitting initial markets in the latter part of next year.
Official details on the next-gen CX-5 are thin on the ground, though Mazda did confirm during a financial results presentation in May 2024 that the new model would be available with a “Mazda-developed hybrid engine”.
As a reminder, the KF-series (2nd-generation) CX-5 has been around since 2017 yet continues to serve as Mazda Southern Africa’s best-selling model. Interestingly, however, the local CX-5 line-up was rationalised from 6 to 3 derivatives in February 2024, with both the 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine and the 2.5-litre petrol mill removed from the range (leaving only the 121 kW/213 Nm 2.0-litre petrol motor).
Other than the new CX-5, is there anything else on the cards for South Africa? Well, though the 3-row CX-80 was initially planned for the local market, Roberts suggested that was no longer the case.
“Mazda globally will be and has launched new product in the larger SUV [space]: CX-80, CX-90 and also CX-70 for the US [United States] market. Those vehicles are not slated for the South African market or various other right-hand-drive markets.
“So, from a new-product introduction perspective, it is somewhat quiet. And it’s one of the challenges that I think we all face – Mazda, in particular – in terms of how quickly we are able to bring new product to market.
“Our competitors are able to do that, it seems, at a way faster pace and I think that’s one of the strategic adjustments that we as a brand globally have to make in terms of how quickly and how effectively – how speedily – we can introduce new products,” he said, pointing to a general industry trend of shortening vehicle lifecycles.
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