2020 Mazda CX-5's price increase reflects standard safety gear
The crossover costs several hundred dollars more, but like all Mazdas, it packs standard active safety tech.
If safety's a priority, the 2020 CX-5 has you covered.
The 2020 Mazda CX-5 will keep on keeping on for the new model year, though buyers will find standard active safety equipment as standard across the full lineup now.
The added tech is likely the biggest culprit that pushes the CX-5's starting price upward by $740. The base model, called the CX-5 Sport, will start at $26,135 after a $1,045 destination charge. Adding all-wheel drive to any trim (outside of the top Grand Touring Reserve and Signature models) is a $1,400 option.
For those wondering what Mazda's suite of safety technology includes, it's pretty comprehensive. Adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection and lane-departure warning.
Although the newly standard active safety gear is an area buyers will be able to see and touch, there are some internal improvements that won't be as noticeable. The company said engineers have gone through the crossover to improve its NVH characteristics (noise, vibration and harshness). The 2020 model should ride far more quietly than before.
Also new for 2020 are automatic headlights and rain-sensing windshield wipers and the standard 7.0-inch touchscreen gains a cylinder deactivation screen to show how fuel efficient the crossover is behaving. Pulling the 2020 CX-5's key out reveals new key fob design present that continues to roll out to all 2020 model year Mazdas as well.
Buyers will more than likely flock to the CX-5 Touring trim, however. It adds standard goods such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, an advanced keyless entry system, heated front seats, leatherette upholstery and dual-zone climate control. The trim starts at $27,775, or just $115 more than last year. Jumping into the fancier Grand Touring trim reveals a $31,255 price tag, which comes with paddle shifters now. That's also $1,210 more than last year, mind you.
It's not until the CX-5 Grand Touring Reserve trim with a $36,080 price tag (also $1,210 more) that the naturally aspirated 2.5-liter inline-four engine gets swapped for the more powerful turbocharged version. While the standard engine makes 187 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque, the turbocharged engine cranks things up to make 250 hp and 320 pound-feet of torque. Do note, this engine requires 93 octane to get those figures. If 87 octane is all it drinks, performance suffers somewhat, but you won't hurt the car in the process. This trim also bundles all-wheel drive as standard.
Even though the "Grand Touring Reserve" name implies the top end of the trim hierarchy, there's still the CX-5 Signature trim. It'll cost $38,100 (again $1,210 more than last year), but drivers will get some pretty luxurious features such as Nappa leather seats, a head-up display with traffic sign recognition and even genuine wood trim. Like the Grand Touring Reserve, AWD is standard here, too.
The crossover should start reaching dealers shortly, if it hasn't already.
