Three generations, thirteen model years, and one change in 2022 that matters more than all the others put together. Here is how to pick, from the people in Goldsboro who take these in on trade every week.
The Short Version
- Best all-round buy: 2022 to 2025. The 2022 refresh made all-wheel drive standard on every trim and reworked the suspension, seats and transmission calibration. Everything after it carried that forward.
- Best value: 2020 and 2021. 2020 made the i-Activsense driver aids and smartphone integration standard across the range, and 2021 added the larger 10.25-inch display.
- Skip the shortcut of shopping by trim name. Mazda renamed the whole lineup for 2022, so a Touring and a 2.5 S Select are the same idea two years apart.
- Most used CX-5s have the naturally aspirated 2.5, and for a commute that is the right engine. The turbo is a want, not a need.
- Service history beats odometer reading on this car, every time.
On This Page
- How the CX-5 has changed by generation
- Why 2022 to 2025 is the pick
- The value pick: 2020 and 2021
- Naturally aspirated or turbo
- What to check on a used CX-5 test drive
- Certified Pre-Owned or plain used
- What mileage is reasonable
- Older loaded CX-5 or newer basic one
- Shopping used CX-5s in Goldsboro and Wayne County
- Questions we get asked
How the CX-5 Has Changed by Generation
Almost every used CX-5 on the market is a second-generation car, so that is where this page spends its time. Knowing which year gained what is the whole skill here.
| Model Years | Generation | What Defines It |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 to 2016 | First generation | The original Skyactiv CX-5. Light on its feet and easy on fuel for its era. These are old enough now that condition and history decide the car, not the model year. |
| 2017 to 2025 | Second generation | Quieter, better built and better finished inside. This is the CX-5 that made the model a mainstream family car, and it is what fills used lots today. |
| 2026 onward | Third generation | All-new, on a longer wheelbase with more rear-seat room, a much larger screen and standard i-Activ all-wheel drive. The turbo is gone. |
The second generation, year by year
| Year | What It Gained |
|---|---|
| 2017 | The redesign. Quieter cabin, sharper styling, better materials, G-Vectoring Control. |
| 2018 | Cylinder deactivation on the naturally aspirated 2.5, and the i-Activsense package reached the base trim. |
| 2019 | The turbocharged 2.5T arrives, along with the Grand Touring Reserve and Signature trims and G-Vectoring Control Plus. |
| 2020 | The important one for value shoppers. i-Activsense driver aids, automatic headlights and rain-sensing wipers become standard on every trim, and so do Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. |
| 2021 | The 10.25-inch Mazda Connect display arrives, and the Carbon Edition joins the lineup. |
| 2022 | The mid-cycle refresh, and the single best year-to-year jump in the car's history. Standard i-Activ all-wheel drive on every trim, revised suspension, seats and transmission calibration, restyled front and rear, turbo up to 256 hp on premium, and the trim lineup renamed. |
| 2023 and 2024 | Carryover years with colour and trim availability changes. Mechanically the 2022 car. |
| 2025 | Final year of the generation, with a new base 2.5 S trim added below the 2.5 S Select. |
Why 2022 to 2025 Is the Pick
One change carries this recommendation, and it is not the restyled grille.
Current-generation CX-5 shown. A used 2022 through 2025 car looks different from this, but shares the family it belongs to.
For 2022, Mazda made i-Activ all-wheel drive standard on every CX-5 trim. Before that it was an option, which means a 2021 or older car you are looking at might be front-wheel drive and you will not always be told. That one line on the window sticker separates the two halves of the used market.
It matters here more than the brochure language suggests. Eastern North Carolina does not get snow worth planning for, but it gets standing water on US-70 in August and it gets wet clay in every new subdivision from Clayton to La Grange. All-wheel drive earns its keep on traction, not on weather forecasts.
The rest of the 2022 package supports the same argument. Mazda revised the suspension, the seats and the transmission calibration in the same year, so the car rides and shifts differently, not just looks different. The turbo went from 250 to 256 hp on premium fuel at the same time.
2023, 2024 and 2025 are the same car with different colours available. That is good news for a used buyer, because it means you can shop three model years as one group and let condition, history and mileage decide rather than chasing a specific year.
The trim-name trap. Mazda renamed the whole lineup for 2022. Touring became 2.5 S Select, Grand Touring became 2.5 S Premium, and so on. If you are comparing a 2021 listing against a 2023 listing, compare the equipment lists, not the badge on the tailgate.
The Value Pick: 2020 and 2021
If a 2022 or newer car is more than you want to spend, this is where to look and why.
2020 is the year the CX-5 stopped having a stripped-out base trim. i-Activsense driver aids became standard on every version, which covers the radar cruise, the blind-spot monitoring, the lane-keep assist and the automatic emergency braking. Automatic headlights and rain-sensing wipers came along at the same time, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto became standard equipment.
A 2021 car adds the 10.25-inch Mazda Connect display, which is a genuine daily-use upgrade over the smaller screen, and introduces the Carbon Edition if you want the darker look.
What you give up against a 2022 is the standard all-wheel drive and the refreshed chassis. If you find a 2020 or 2021 car that already has i-Activ all-wheel drive fitted, most of that gap closes and the car becomes a strong buy. Check the window sticker or the badge on the tailgate, and ask us to confirm from the VIN if you are not sure.
Current-generation CX-5 interior shown. Used cars from 2017 onward share the same design priorities.
Current-generation screen shown. On a used car, look for the 10.25-inch display, which arrived for 2021.
Naturally Aspirated or Turbo
Most used CX-5s carry the naturally aspirated engine, and for most buyers that is the right one.
The Skyactiv-G 2.5 naturally aspirated four-cylinder is the volume engine and has been in the car for its whole second generation. It is smooth, it runs on regular fuel, and from 2018 it carried cylinder deactivation to trim highway consumption. For a Goldsboro-to-Raleigh commute it is entirely enough engine.
The 2.5 Turbo arrived for 2019 on the Grand Touring Reserve and Signature trims and it is genuinely quick, especially after the 2022 bump to 256 hp on premium fuel. Two honest caveats come with it. It wants premium fuel to make its headline numbers, and a turbocharger is one more system with a maintenance history you want to see.
Buy the turbo because you want the performance, not because you assume it is the better long-term car. If you are cross-shopping the CX-5 against Mazda's other crossovers, our Mazda models hub is the place to start.
What to Check on a Used CX-5 Test Drive
Twenty minutes of deliberate driving tells you more than any listing description.
- Confirm the drivetrain before anything else. On a 2021 or older car, check whether it is all-wheel drive or front-wheel drive. This is the one spec people assume and get wrong.
- Get it onto US-70 at 65 mph. The second-generation CX-5's whole reputation is built on being quiet and settled at highway speed. If a specific car is noisier than that, something is worn.
- Listen for tyre roar over expansion joints. Cheap replacement tyres undo the car's best quality, and they are also the easiest thing to negotiate.
- Work the infotainment from the rotary dial, not the screen. Second-generation cars are designed around the commander knob. Make sure it is smooth and not notchy.
- Try both smartphone connections. Plug in and confirm CarPlay or Android Auto actually comes up, especially on a 2019 car where it varied by trim.
- Sit in the back for a minute. The second-generation rear seat is good but not enormous. If you are moving three car seats across, do that check before you buy, not after.
- Load the cargo area. Fold the rear seats and look for wear in the load floor, which tells you how the car was actually used.
Current-generation cargo area shown. On a used car, fold the seats yourself and check the load floor for wear.
Certified Pre-Owned or Plain Used
The distinction is real and it is worth understanding before you shop, not at the desk.
A Certified Pre-Owned Mazda carries a factory-backed warranty and a Mazda inspection. That is a different thing from a dealer's own inspection, because the terms are set by Mazda and honored by any Mazda dealer, not just the one that sold you the car. Eligibility is set by age and mileage limits that Mazda controls.
A plain used CX-5 is not a worse car. It is a car that either falls outside those limits or was never put through the process. On an older second-generation car with strong records, plain used is often the sensible buy and the money saved covers a lot of maintenance.
The rule of thumb: the closer a car is to the end of its original factory warranty, the more a certified car is worth paying for. Call and ask which cars currently qualify, because that answer changes as inventory moves. Browse the certified pre-owned inventory to see what is listed.
What Mileage Is Reasonable
Odometer readings are the most over-weighted number in used-car shopping.
A CX-5 with 90,000 miles and a complete service history is a better bet than one with 55,000 miles and nothing on paper. The engine and transmission in these cars are not exotic. What tells you how they were treated is whether the oil changes happened and whether anybody skipped the transmission service.
Around Wayne County a lot of those miles are highway miles, from commuting down US-70 or up I-795 to Wilson. Highway miles are gentler duty than short trips that never get the engine fully warm. Ask where the car spent its life. A one-owner commuter from Kinston or Smithfield is a different proposition from a car that lived on short school runs.
Whatever the number, ask for the records and ask us to put the car on a lift. Our service department sees these every day.
Older Loaded CX-5 or Newer Basic One
The classic used-car fork, and on this particular car it has a clear answer.
Lean newer. The CX-5's biggest year-to-year gains landed in standard safety and drivetrain content rather than in luxury features. A 2022 base car carries standard all-wheel drive and the full i-Activsense suite. A loaded 2019 Grand Touring does not have standard all-wheel drive as a given and sits on the pre-refresh chassis.
The exception is specific equipment you actually want. Leather, the head-up display, the Bose audio system and the power liftgate all came with trim level, and no amount of waiting a model year gets you them on a base car. If those are on your list, an older upper trim is the honest answer.
Everything else being equal, the newer car is the one that will still feel current in three years.
Shopping Used CX-5s in Goldsboro and Wayne County
A few things that are specific to buying one of these here rather than anywhere else.
The CX-5 is the car this store sees most on trade, which means the used ones on our lot are frequently cars we sold new and have serviced since. That is not a guarantee of anything, but it does mean we can often tell you the actual history rather than reading you a report.
Seymour Johnson Air Force Base keeps a steady flow of people moving in and out of Goldsboro, and that shows up in the used market. Cars come in with three years of records and a PCS date, which is a good profile for a used buyer. Ask whether the car you are looking at came from a local owner.
Because our service department is factory-trained on Mazda, you can have any used CX-5 on the lot checked before you commit. Call service on (919) 249-7654 or ask your salesperson to walk it back while you are here. Inventory changes weekly, so check what is listed and call to confirm before you drive over.
Know Your Numbers Before You Shop
The credit application takes a few minutes online, and a valuation on the car you are trading takes about the same. Do both first and you will shop the CX-5 that fits rather than the one you hope fits.
Questions We Get Asked
What is the best year for a used Mazda CX-5?
For most buyers, 2022 through 2025. The 2022 refresh made i-Activ all-wheel drive standard on every trim and brought revised suspension, seats and transmission calibration, and 2023 through 2025 carried that package forward. If your budget lands earlier, 2020 and 2021 are the value pick, because 2020 made the i-Activsense driver aids and smartphone integration standard across the range.
How many generations of Mazda CX-5 are there?
Three. The first ran from 2013 to 2016. The second ran from 2017 to 2025 and is the one filling used lots today. The third arrived for 2026 as an all-new car on a longer wheelbase with a much larger screen and no turbo option. Almost every used CX-5 you will look at is a second-generation car.
Which used Mazda CX-5 years have all-wheel drive as standard?
2022 and newer. Before that, i-Activ all-wheel drive was an option on most trims, so a 2021 or older CX-5 might be front-wheel drive. That single change is the strongest argument for buying a 2022 or later car, and it matters more in a Wayne County thunderstorm than most people expect.
Which used CX-5 years have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto?
They became standard equipment for the 2020 model year and were available on most trims from 2019. Some earlier cars were retrofitted by a dealer, so check the specific vehicle rather than the model year. The 10.25-inch Mazda Connect display arrived for 2021.
Should I buy a used CX-5 with the turbo engine?
Only if you want the performance for its own sake. The 2.5 Turbo arrived for 2019, went to 256 hp on premium fuel for 2022, and is genuinely quick. It also asks for premium fuel to make its best numbers and adds a turbocharger to the maintenance conversation. The naturally aspirated 2.5 is the sensible commuter choice and it is what most used CX-5s carry.
Is Certified Pre-Owned worth it on a Mazda CX-5?
It is worth asking about on any CX-5 that is out of, or near the end of, its original factory warranty. A Certified Pre-Owned Mazda carries a factory-backed warranty and a full inspection, which is a different thing from a dealer's own inspection sticker. Call and ask which cars on the lot qualify, because the eligibility rules are set by Mazda, not by us.
What mileage is too high on a used Mazda CX-5?
Mileage on its own is a poor test. A 90,000-mile car with a complete service history is usually a better buy than a 55,000-mile car with no records at all. Around Goldsboro many cars carry highway miles from US-70 and I-795 commuting, which is easier duty than short trips. Read the service history first and the odometer second.
Should I buy an older loaded CX-5 or a newer basic one?
On this particular car, lean newer. The CX-5's biggest year-to-year gains were in standard safety and drivetrain content rather than in luxury features, so a newer base car often carries equipment an older top trim never had. The exception is if you specifically want leather, the head-up display or the Bose system, none of which arrived by waiting a year.
Can I have a used CX-5 checked before I buy it?
Yes, and you should ask. Our service department is staffed by factory-trained Mazda technicians who see these cars every day and know what to look at. Call (919) 249-7654 to arrange it, or ask your salesperson to walk the car back to the shop while you are here.
What Wayne County Drivers Say
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Tell us which years you are considering and we will show you what is on the ground, records and all.
Sport Durst Mazda of Goldsboro · 3405 McLain Street, Goldsboro, NC 27534 · Serving Wayne, Johnston, Lenoir and Wilson counties
