How much does the 2021 Mazda CX-5 cost?

Prices have softened 2.07% compared to this time last year, making it a favorable time to shop this model year.

There are 2,008 listings available, which gives you a solid amount of inventory to compare before you buy.

If you find a listing below $20,763.02, that's toward the low end of the year-round range and worth acting on quickly.

Is the 2021 Mazda CX-5 a good car?

Yes — the 2021 Mazda CX-5 earns a 4.79/5 user rating and a 7.5/10 expert rating. The model scores 9/10 across Look and feel and Cost effectiveness.

Owners consistently praise its luxurious feel, sporty performance, comfortable interior, and wealth of standard features. The CX-5 also fits well if you want a compact SUV that feels more upscale than many rivals while still serving typical family needs.

The trade-offs are clear: poor ride quality and unintuitive technology remain part of the package. Even so, the combination of value, driving enjoyment, and safety helps it stand out for shoppers who want a more engaging family SUV.

Good and great deals account for 27.4% of listings, so there is still room to shop selectively.

Is the 2021 Mazda CX-5 reliable?

Owners rate it 4.79/5, a strong signal of long-term satisfaction.

The owner feedback points to a vehicle you can count on for a luxurious feel, sporty performance, a comfortable interior, and a strong set of standard features. That kind of positive long-term sentiment matters when you are evaluating a used SUV that may already have some miles on it.

The expert evaluation also reinforces the CX-5’s dependable character by describing it as a well-rounded compact SUV with strong safety credentials and a premium feel. Mazda also includes a three-year/36,000-mile basic warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty.

For used buyers, the main long-term ownership risk is that the technology and ride quality may age less gracefully than the rest of the package.

What should I look for when buying a used 2021 Mazda CX-5?

Accident-free inventory is solid at 75.3% — always verify the vehicle history report.

You should still check the history report carefully, because a clean listing percentage does not replace a proper records review. Prioritize a pre-purchase inspection that focuses on ride quality, infotainment operation, and overall interior condition. It is also worth paying close attention to how the vehicle feels on rough pavement, since that is one of the CX-5’s known weak spots.

Key things to evaluate:

• Trim level: The base CX-5 Sport comes with automatic on/off LED headlights, 17-inch gray metallic aluminum alloy wheels, a rear roof spoiler, and rain-sensing windshield wipers. Higher trims add leatherette seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, keyless entry, rear USB ports, a six-speaker audio system, and auto-leveling LED headlights, while the top trims bring leather seats, a power liftgate, a moonroof, premium audio, and more upscale interior materials.
• Powertrain: The standard 2.5-liter four-cylinder makes 187 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque, while the turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder delivers 250 horsepower and 320 lb-ft of torque on regular fuel. Front-wheel drive is standard on lower trims, all-wheel drive is available, and AWD is standard on the turbo-powered Grand Touring Reserve and Signature.
• Safety package: Standard equipment includes adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, forward collision warning, rear cross-traffic alert, forward automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, lane keep assist, and a rearview camera. Available upgrades include a head-up display, reverse automatic emergency braking, driver attention monitoring, a surround-view camera system, front and rear parking sensors, and traffic sign recognition.
• Infotainment: Every CX-5 comes with a 10.25-inch infotainment touch screen, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The system can be frustrating to use through the center-console controller, so make sure you are comfortable with the interface before you buy.
• Fuel efficiency: The non-turbo front-wheel-drive model returns 25 mpg city, 31 mpg highway, and 28 mpg combined. With all-wheel drive, that drops to 24 mpg city, 30 mpg highway, and 26 mpg combined. The turbocharged version with front-wheel drive gets 23 mpg city, 28 mpg highway, and 25 mpg combined, while the AWD turbo model returns 22 mpg city, 27 mpg highway, and 24 mpg combined.

Which 2021 Mazda CX-5 trim should I buy?

The 2021 Mazda CX-5 is offered in 6 trim levels: Sport, Touring, Touring Preferred SV Package, Carbon Edition, Grand Touring, Grand Touring Reserve, and Signature.

Here's the short version:

• Sport: This is the entry point, and it gives you the core CX-5 experience with the standard safety suite, the 10.25-inch infotainment screen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and the base 2.5-liter engine. It makes sense if you want the lowest-cost way into the model, but it is the most basic version.
• Touring: This trim adds leatherette seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, keyless entry, rear USB ports, a six-speaker audio system, and auto-leveling LED headlights. It is the best-value starting point if you want a more polished daily driver without jumping too far up the price ladder.
• Touring Preferred SV Package: This package upgrades the Touring with a 10-speaker Bose sound system, leather seats, a power liftgate, a power moonroof, an auto-dimming rearview mirror with Homelink, and power-adjustable front seats with memory for the driver. Choose it if you want the Touring to feel much closer to a premium SUV.
• Carbon Edition: This version combines the Touring Preferred SV Package equipment with Polymetal Gray paint, gloss black exterior accents, 19-inch black metallic alloy wheels, red leather seats, and black honeycomb interior trim. It is the style-forward pick if you want the most distinctive look.
• Grand Touring: This trim adds dual heated mirrors, leatherette-trimmed upholstery, 19-inch brilliant silver alloy wheels, LED taillights, LED fog lights, LED daytime running lights, a power liftgate, paddle shifters, a 7-inch digital gauge display, and SiriusXM. It is a strong step up if you want more convenience and a richer feature mix.
• Grand Touring Reserve: This trim adds ventilated seats, heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, automatic folding door mirrors, and a windshield wiper de-icer. It is the comfort-focused choice for buyers in colder climates or anyone who wants a more upscale cabin.
• Signature: This is the most premium CX-5, with Caturra Brown Nappa leather seats, genuine wood trim, a frameless auto-dimming rearview mirror with Homelink, ambient lighting, a black headliner, and 19-inch silver alloy wheels. Buy this one if you want the most luxurious CX-5 experience.

The safety package is broad across the lineup, but buyers who want the best headlights available should plan to upgrade to the adaptive lighting system.

Is now a good time to buy a used 2021 Mazda CX-5?

This is a moderate, selective buyer’s market, so you can shop carefully and still find worthwhile options.

• Deal availability: 27.4% of listings are priced as good or great deals.
• Inventory: There are 2,008 listings available.
• Price trend: Prices have softened 2.07% compared with last year.
• Clean inventory: 75.3% of listings are accident-free.

If you find a listing below $20,763.02, that's toward the low end of the year-round range and worth acting on quickly.

What is the 2021 Mazda CX-5's resale value?

The current average of $22,306 sits slightly below last year's $22,777.

That softer pricing suggests the CX-5 has become a bit more buyer-friendly, which can help you if you are shopping now. For a future seller, it also means you should expect a market that rewards clean condition, strong equipment, and well-kept examples more than simply age alone.

Because the model still has strong demand signals and a premium reputation, it should remain reasonably attractive on the used market. The current price trend is not dramatic, but it does show that values have eased enough to make buying more appealing than waiting.

Vehicles with strong owner satisfaction ratings, like this model year's 4.79/5, tend to retain buyer demand, which supports resale value over time.

Is the 2021 Mazda CX-5 safe?

The 2021 Mazda CX-5 has been named a Top Safety Pick+ by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), and it earns five-star ratings from NHTSA.

It earns a 8/10 safety score from our experts.

Standard safety equipment includes adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, forward collision warning, rear cross-traffic alert, forward automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, lane keep assist, and a rearview camera. Available upgrades add a head-up display, reverse automatic emergency braking, driver attention monitoring, a surround-view camera system, front and rear parking sensors, and traffic sign recognition.

One caveat is that the traffic sign recognition system can be slow and sometimes misses information. Buyers who want the best headlights available should also look for the adaptive lighting system.

Should I buy a 2021 Mazda CX-5 or consider a different year?

If you're weighing the 2021 against nearby model years, here's how to think about it:

Choose the 2021 if:

• 27.4% of listings are priced as good or great deals.
• Accident-free inventory is solid at 75.3% — always verify the vehicle history report.
• Price trend: Prices have softened 2.07% compared with last year.
• Owners rate it 4.79/5 — a strong satisfaction signal.
• Mazda enhanced the tech and added a new Carbon Edition while keeping the CX-5’s strong safety and premium appeal.

Consider the 2020 if:

• At $20,309, the 2020 costs less than the current year's $22,306 average.
• It emphasizes premium materials and a smooth, quiet ride.

Consider the 2022 if:

• At $24,206, the 2022 costs more than the current year's $22,306 average.
• It adds more upscale feel and premium-territory appeal.

The bottom line: If you want the best balance of price, safety, and upscale character, the 2021 is the smart default. If your budget is tighter, the 2020 can save you money while keeping much of the same appeal. If you want to spend more for a newer-feeling version, the 2022 is the better stretch option.

These recommendations are based on CarGurus' proprietary market data from August 28, 2026, CarGurus experts' opinions, and generative AI.