Mazda CX-5 review - Reliability and safety

With an engine range carried over from the last car with only small revisions, as well as plenty of existing tech from the rest of the Mazda car range found throughout the cabin, there shouldn't be much that will go wrong with the second-generation CX-5.

Mazda’s reliability record is rated positively by customers - in our 2023 Driver Power satisfaction survey the manufacturer finished seventh out of 32 brands, while the CX-5 achieved ninth place on a 75-car list.

On the safety front, Mazda has made a number of key advances. An increased use of ultra high-tensile steel and underbody structures enhance the car’s strength in an impact without adding significant weight, while Mazda has worked hard on improving pedestrian safety with the front-end design. As a result, Euro NCAP awarded the CX-5 a top five-star crash test score in 2017.

All models come with six airbags as standard. Isofix child seat points feature on the rearmost two seats, too, but it’s the active safety tech that’s come on most: Advanced Smart City Brake Support (standard on all models) is improved over the old car with a wider operating window and the ability to detect pedestrians. 

Adaptive LED headlights are standard on Exclusive-Line and above, while lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control feature across all trim levels.

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Warranty

All Mazdas come with a typical three-year, 60,000 mile warranty. It’s par for the course, but an increasing number of manufacturers offer five or (in Kia’s case) seven-year cover. There’s also a three-year warranty on paintwork, and twelve years cover for rust. There are varying levels of extended cover available to buy, too. 

Servicing

Service intervals for the CX-5 are carried over from the old car, meaning all models require a trip to a garage every 12,500 miles or 12 months, whichever comes sooner. Owners can keep track of their service record via a smartphone app, too. In addition, the company offers a fixed-price maintenance plan, which covers all scheduled servicing parts and labour for the first three years. Prices start from around £700, depending on the model.