2026 CX-5 2.5 S Premium Plus

The screen that defines this trim

Mazda has spent years being the brand that deliberately kept its touchscreens smaller and its physical controls more numerous than competitors, on the theory that a rotary dial is safer to operate while driving than reaching for a screen. The 2026 redesign changes that calculus, and the Premium Plus is where it shows most: a 15.6-inch display, nearly 3 inches larger than the 12.9-inch screen every other trim gets, running crisper graphics and a more capable navigation and media interface. It's a genuine departure from Mazda's usual restraint, and whether that's a win depends on which side of the touchscreen-versus-knobs debate you fall on — but there's no arguing it's the biggest, sharpest infotainment display Mazda has ever shipped.

Cruising and Traffic Support with Lane Change Assist is the other headline feature, and it's the one that actually changes the drive rather than just the dashboard. On a stretch like Route 22 between Green Brook and the I-287 interchange — a corridor that goes from open lanes to stop-and-go with very little warning — the system manages both acceleration and steering input within its lane, and Lane Change Assist can help execute a lane change once you signal, watching the blind spot for you. It's not full self-driving, and Mazda doesn't market it that way, but on a commute that spends real time in traffic, it measurably reduces the fatigue of stop-and-go driving.

The hands-free liftgate, and everything else carried forward

The power liftgate goes hands-free at this trim — a foot-swipe motion under the rear bumper opens it, useful exactly when you'd expect: arms full, keys buried in a bag. Everything from the Premium trim below carries over unchanged: genuine leather seating, the 12-speaker Bose surround system, the power panoramic moonroof, the 19-inch black-finish wheels, and the memory-equipped power driver's seat. Stack it all together and the Premium Plus is less a single new feature than the accumulation of every upgrade on the trim ladder below it, plus the screen and the traffic-support system unique to the top of the range.

What Premium Plus buyers say at Empire Mazda of Green Brook

Robert R. worked out a lease transition into exactly this trim through Empire Mazda of Green Brook and left the sort of detailed review that tells you more than a star rating: "I just completed a new Mazda '25 CX-5 lease. [Empire Mazda of Green Brook] bought out my prior lease's final 5 months and put me in a '25 CX-5 premium plus for basically the same payment I was making. The staff made the experience as easy as possible. Without too much detail, my thanks and compliments... to Mark the GM who simply made the decision a no-brainer and couldn't be more accommodating and informative." That kind of lease-transition handling — absorbing the remaining months on an old lease rather than making a customer wait it out — comes up often enough in the dealership's reviews to look like a standard practice rather than a one-off favor.

Frequently asked questions

What makes the CX-5 Premium Plus different from the Premium trim?

Three things unique to the top trim: the 15.6-inch touchscreen (up from 12.9 inches), a hands-free power liftgate, and Cruising and Traffic Support with Lane Change Assist. Leather seating, Bose audio, and the panoramic moonroof carry over from the Premium trim below.

Is the CX-5 Premium Plus worth the price over the Premium trim?

For buyers who spend real time in stop-and-go traffic, Cruising and Traffic Support with Lane Change Assist alone can justify the roughly $2,000 step — it measurably reduces driving fatigue on a congested commute. The larger screen and hands-free liftgate are worthwhile but more optional conveniences on top of that.

Does the Premium Plus come with a different engine?

No. Every 2026 CX-5 trim, including the Premium Plus, uses the same 187-hp SKYACTIV-G 2.5-liter engine, six-speed automatic transmission, and standard i-Activ AWD. Trim differences on this generation are entirely about equipment.

Where can I test drive the CX-5 Premium Plus near Green Brook, NJ?

Empire Mazda of Green Brook, 220 US-22, generally keeps Premium Plus inventory on the lot given how frequently it's requested; check current inventory or call 732-658-9288 before visiting.