Mazda has no intention of stopping production of the popular mid-size SUV CX-5, despite the appearance of new models CX-60 and CX-70.

In a conversation with Drive at the launch of the new MX-5 model, Mr. Alastair Doak – Marketing Director of Mazda Australia – revealed that work on the successor version of the CX-5 has begun, but he did not provide details.

`Mazda Corporation has confirmed that a new version of the CX-5 will launch, which is great,` said Mr. Doak.

The second generation CX-5 has now entered its eighth year since launch, longer than the first generation (2012 – 2017).

Mazda’s mid-term plan was updated in 2022 with the first phase lasting until 2025. The second phase will continue until 2027 and from 2028 onwards Mazda will introduce pure electric models globally.

If the CX-5 replacement model is included in the second phase of this plan, it is likely that a hybrid powertrain will be equipped as Mazda aims to electrify the entire product line.

Hybrid technology can be taken from the Toyota RAV4, like the CX-50 is doing in China.

Mazda has yet to confirm the name for the successor model, while the CX-5 and CX-3 nomenclature is separate from the CX-30, CX-60, CX-70, CX-80 and CX-90 lines.

Currently, the CX-5 is in the same segment as the CX-60, a mid-sized SUV launched in 2022. Meanwhile, the CX-70 with 5 seats will also appear this year.

Mr. Doak emphasized that there is still room for five 5-seat SUV models in the product portfolio.

In Australia, our customers do not often compare 3-row cars,` he said.

Last year, the CX-5 topped Mazda’s sales list with 23,083 cars sold, surpassing the BT-50 (17,526) and CX-3 (15,776).

Upcoming upgrades to the CX-5 are expected to feature the Mazda Connected Services system, first introduced on the 2024 MX-5 line and will be widespread across the entire product portfolio.

The CX-5 once topped the SUV sales rankings in 2013 (its first year of launch), and this model maintained that position until 2020 before being surpassed by the Toyota RAV4.

`We will bring products that meet market needs, and in fact, the car market is mainly SUVs. We can identify market needs very clearly and are trying to take advantage of every opportunity