2026 CX-5 2.5 S
Quick Answer: The 2026 CX-5 2.5 S
The 2.5 S is the base trim of the redesigned 2026 CX-5, priced at $29,990 MSRP before the $1,495 destination charge. It carries the same 187-hp SKYACTIV-G 2.5-liter four-cylinder, six-speed automatic, and standard i-Activ AWD as every other trim in the lineup — nothing mechanical is held back for higher trims. Standard equipment includes the 12.9-inch center touchscreen, a 10.25-inch digital gauge cluster, Google built-in, and the entire i-Activsense safety suite (blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic braking, lane-keeping, radar cruise control). What it skips: wireless CarPlay, leatherette upholstery, and the bigger 15.6-inch screen that shows up two and four trims up. It's in stock now at Empire Mazda of Green Brook, 220 US-22 in Green Brook Township.
What "base trim" means on a redesigned CX-5
On a lot of compact SUVs, the base trim is a signal you're supposed to look past — cloth seats, a small screen, and a shorter features list that quietly nudges you toward the next rung up. The 2.5 S doesn't work that way. Because Mazda ships one engine and one AWD system across the entire 2026 CX-5 range, the 2.5 S drives identically to the $38,990 Premium Plus. Same 187 horsepower, same 186 lb-ft, same six-speed automatic, same i-Activ AWD doing the same proactive torque management before a wheel even thinks about slipping. What separates the 2.5 S from the trims above it is entirely about what you touch and see inside the cabin, not what happens when you put your foot down.
The 12.9-inch touchscreen — a genuinely large display for an entry trim in this class — runs Google built-in from the day it leaves the lot, meaning native Google Maps and Google Assistant work without plugging in a phone, complimentary for the first year through the Mazda Connected Services trial. Pair that with the 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and the 2.5 S doesn't feel stripped down the way "base trim" sometimes implies.
The safety suite doesn't ask you to upgrade for it
This is the detail that makes the 2.5 S worth a serious look rather than a courtesy mention: the entire i-Activsense package is standard here, not optioned. Blind Spot Monitoring, Road Keep Assist, Head-on Traffic Avoidance, Vehicle Exit Warning, front and rear parking sensors, and Smart Brake Support-Rear Crossing all come on the $29,990 sticker. Add the 2026 refresh's newly standardized Rear Automatic Emergency Braking, Rear Cross Traffic Braking, Forward Turn-Across Traffic Braking, Emergency Lane Keeping, and Mazda Radar Cruise Control with speed limit assist, and the base CX-5 is carrying a safety spec sheet that plenty of "mid-trim" competitors still charge extra for.
What you're skipping by starting here
Two things separate the 2.5 S from the 2.5 S Select one step up: wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, and leatherette-trimmed seats with microsuede inserts. The base car's cloth seats and Google-built-in-first approach to connectivity are perfectly livable, but if wireless phone mirroring specifically matters to your daily commute, that's the trim to look at instead — the 2.5 S Select guide covers exactly what the $2,000 step buys.
What Green Brook buyers say about theirs
Base-trim buyers at Empire Mazda of Green Brook tend to come in cross-shopping, not settling. Patti W. tested a different Mazda entirely before landing on a CX-5: "My husband and I came in to test drive a CX-30 and ended up leasing a CX-5. John Branco our salesperson made the transaction very easy and painless. This was a hassle-free experience and that's saying a lot for someone that usually dreads going car shopping." That's a pattern in the dealership's reviews — shoppers walking in with one model in mind and leaving with the CX-5 once they've compared trims and pricing side by side on the showroom floor.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Mazda CX-5 worth buying at the base trim?
For most drivers, yes — the 2.5 S carries the identical engine, transmission, and AWD system as every trim above it, plus the full i-Activsense safety suite standard. The trade-offs are cosmetic and convenience-related (cloth seats, wired rather than wireless phone connectivity), not mechanical, which makes the base 2026 CX-5 a stronger value case than most "entry trim" SUVs in this class.
What are the downsides of the base 2026 CX-5?
The main ones are wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto (added at the Select trim), leatherette upholstery instead of cloth, and the smaller 12.9-inch screen rather than the Premium Plus's 15.6-inch display. Every safety and drivetrain feature carries over unchanged.
Does the 2.5 S come with AWD?
Yes — i-Activ AWD is standard on the 2.5 S and every other 2026 CX-5 trim. There's no front-wheel-drive version of the redesigned CX-5.
Can I test drive the 2.5 S near Green Brook, NJ?
Empire Mazda of Green Brook, at 220 US-22, typically keeps 2.5 S inventory on the lot; call the sales line at 732-658-9288 or check current new inventory before making the drive from Bridgewater or Watchung.
MSRP excludes the $1,495 destination charge ($1,540 in Alaska), taxes, title, registration, and dealer-installed options; actual selling price is set by the dealer. Fuel-economy figures are EPA estimates and will vary with driving conditions. Equipment and availability can shift with production timing — confirm current specs with Empire Mazda of Green Brook. Google built-in is complimentary for one year via the Mazda Connected Services trial. Customer quotes are excerpted from public Google reviews of Empire Mazda of Green Brook.