Used 2021 Mazda CX-5 for Sale nearIrvine, CA

Compare 2021 Mazda CX-5 Trims

The 2021 Mazda CX-5 offers a range of trims from budget-friendly options to well-equipped models, catering to various preferences and needs.

• Starting at $18,877
• Best MPG/MPGe: 25 city / 31 hwy
• Most Popular: Grand Touring AWD

Trim Overview

Prices updated weekly from CarGurus listings.

Quick Compare Table

Listing prices sourced from CarGurus — updated weekly. OEM specs from manufacturer data.

Missing data displayed as "—".

Trim Deep Dives

Sport FWD — "Who It's For"

The Sport FWD is the pick for shoppers who want a budget-friendly option without sacrificing essential features.

• Avg. market price: $18,889 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 25 city / 31 hwy
• Inventory: 132 listings — lower availability; may limit negotiating room
• View Sport FWD listings

Sport AWD — "Who It's For"

The Sport AWD is the pick for shoppers who want all-wheel drive without a hefty price tag.

• Avg. market price: $18,877 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 24 city / 30 hwy
• Inventory: 236 listings
• View Sport AWD listings

Touring FWD — "Who It's For"

The Touring FWD is the pick for shoppers who want a well-rounded vehicle with added comfort features.

• Avg. market price: $20,479 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 25 city / 31 hwy
• Inventory: 427 listings
• View Touring FWD listings

Touring AWD — "Who It's For"

The Touring AWD is the pick for shoppers who want sporty handling and all-wheel drive for varied conditions.

• Avg. market price: $21,636 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 24 city / 30 hwy
• Inventory: 1,170 listings — widest selection in the lineup
• View Touring AWD listings

Grand Touring FWD — "Who It's For"

The Grand Touring FWD is the pick for shoppers who want luxury features without the AWD price premium.

• Avg. market price: $20,487 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 25 city / 31 hwy
• Inventory: 323 listings
• View Grand Touring FWD listings

Grand Touring AWD — "Who It's For"

The Grand Touring AWD is the pick for shoppers who want a blend of luxury and all-weather capability.

• Avg. market price: $23,242 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 24 city / 30 hwy
• Inventory: 1,288 listings — widest selection in the lineup
• View Grand Touring AWD listings

Grand Touring Reserve AWD — "Who It's For"

The Grand Touring Reserve AWD is the pick for shoppers who want the most features and performance in the lineup.

• Avg. market price: $23,505 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 22 city / 27 hwy
• Inventory: 141 listings — lower availability; may limit negotiating room
• View Grand Touring Reserve AWD listings

Signature AWD — "Who It's For"

The Signature AWD is the pick for shoppers who want top-tier luxury and advanced features.

• Avg. market price: $26,167 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 22 city / 27 hwy
• Inventory: 103 listings — lower availability; may limit negotiating room
• View Signature AWD listings

Trim Recommendations

Most Popular — Grand Touring AWD

With 1,288 active listings, the Grand Touring AWD is the clear volume leader in the lineup.

Browse Grand Touring AWD listings

Best Budget Option — Sport AWD

At $18,877 avg market price — below the lineup median of $21,061 — it's the most accessible entry point.

Browse Sport AWD listings

Best for Fuel Economy — Sport FWD

The Sport FWD offers the best fuel economy in the lineup with 25/31 MPG/MPGe.

Browse Sport FWD listings

These recommendations are based on CarGurus' proprietary market data from September 2, 2026, CarGurus experts' opinions, and generative AI.

How much does the 2021 Mazda CX-5 cost?

Prices have softened 2.70% compared to this time last year, making it a favorable time to shop this model year.

With 2,074 listings available, you have a solid amount of inventory to compare before you buy.

If you find a listing below $20,764.60, 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 4.79/5 user rating points to strong owner satisfaction, and the expert rating is 7.5/10. The model scores 9/10 across Look and feel and Cost effectiveness.

Owners consistently praise the CX-5’s luxurious feel, sporty performance, comfortable interior, and wealth of standard features. The expert review also backs up the appeal with strong value and engaging driving manners.

The trade-offs are clear: ride quality is poor, and the technology can feel unintuitive. Even so, if you want a compact SUV that feels more upscale and more engaging than many family crossovers, the CX-5 fits that brief well.

With 33.0% of listings marked as good or great deals, there’s meaningful shopping opportunity in the market.

Is the 2021 Mazda CX-5 reliable?

Owners rate it 4.79/5, a strong signal of long-term satisfaction. Reviews also point to a dependable-feeling ownership experience, with praise for the CX-5’s trouble-free character and the confidence it inspires over time.

The expert review reinforces that impression by describing the model as a solid, premium-feeling SUV with strong everyday usability. Mazda’s warranty coverage also helps support ownership confidence.

For used buyers, the main long-term risk is less about outright durability and more about finding a well-kept example that hasn’t been neglected.

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

At 74.8% accident-free, a meaningful share of listings has prior incidents — history verification is especially important.

You should start with a vehicle history report and then prioritize a careful inspection of bodywork, alignment, and signs of prior repair. Pay close attention to how the cabin, infotainment, and suspension feel during a test drive, since those are the areas where this model’s weaknesses are most likely to show up.

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 features such as leatherette seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, keyless entry, rear USB ports, a six-speaker audio system, auto-leveling LED headlights, leather seats, a power liftgate, a power moonroof, a Bose sound system, and more upscale interior materials.
• Powertrain: The standard setup is a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder with 187 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic. A turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder is also available and delivers 250 horsepower and 320 lb-ft of torque on regular fuel. Front-wheel drive is standard on lower trims, while all-wheel drive is available or standard depending on trim.
• 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 is standard across the lineup, but the interface can be cumbersome to use.
• Fuel efficiency: The non-turbo front-wheel-drive model returns 25 mpg in the city, 31 mpg on the highway, and 28 mpg combined. With all-wheel drive, that drops to 24 mpg city, 30 mpg highway, and 26 mpg combined. Turbocharged versions return 23 mpg city, 28 mpg highway, and 25 mpg combined with front-wheel drive, or 22 mpg city, 27 mpg highway, and 24 mpg combined with all-wheel drive.

Which 2021 Mazda CX-5 trim should I buy?

The 2021 Mazda CX-5 is offered in 7 trim levels: Sport, Touring, Touring Preferred SV Package, Carbon Edition, Carbon Edition Turbo, Grand Touring, Grand Touring Reserve, Signature.

Here's the short version:

• Sport: This is the entry point, and it gives you the core CX-5 experience with the standard 2.5-liter engine, the 10.25-inch screen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a strong safety feature set. It makes sense if you want the lowest-cost way into the model, but it is the most basic version.
• Touring: This is the best-value trim for many shoppers because it adds leatherette seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, keyless entry, rear USB ports, a six-speaker audio system, and auto-leveling LED headlights. It’s the trim to target if you want a more polished daily driver without jumping too far up the price ladder.
• Touring Preferred SV Package: This package is the smart move if you want a more premium feel, since it adds a Bose sound system, leather seats, a power liftgate, a power moonroof, and power-adjustable front seats. It suits you if comfort and convenience matter more than keeping the price as low as possible.
• Carbon Edition: This version layers on the Touring Preferred SV Package equipment plus unique styling touches like Polymetal Gray paint, gloss black mirrors, black wheels, red leather seats, and black honeycomb trim. Choose it if you want the most distinctive look in the lineup.
• Carbon Edition Turbo: This is the pick if you want the stronger turbo engine with the Carbon Edition’s appearance upgrades. It’s the right choice if performance matters more to you than maximizing fuel economy.
• Grand Touring: This trim adds more upscale lighting, a digital gauge display, SiriusXM, and other premium touches. It’s a good fit if you want a more luxurious cabin without going all the way to the top.
• Grand Touring Reserve: This is the comfort-focused step up, adding ventilated seats, heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, automatic folding mirrors, and a windshield wiper de-icer. It suits you if you live in a colder climate or want more year-round comfort.
• Signature: This is the most premium version, with Nappa leather, genuine wood trim, ambient lighting, and other upscale details. Buy it if you want the most luxurious CX-5 experience and are willing to pay for it.

The safety package is broad across the lineup, but the best headlights require an upgrade.

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 opportunities.

• Deal availability: 33.0% of listings are priced as good or great deals.
• Inventory: There are 2,074 listings available.
• Price trend: Prices have softened 2.70% compared with last year.
• Clean inventory: 74.8% of listings are accident-free.

If you find a listing below $20,764.60, 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 $22,183 sits slightly below last year's $22,798.

That softer pricing suggests the CX-5 has already absorbed some depreciation, which can help future sellers if they buy at the right price. A model that is already trending below last year’s average may have less room to fall quickly, especially if it’s well equipped and well maintained.

Strong demand also matters here, and the CX-5’s broad appeal helps support that. If you keep mileage reasonable and maintenance records organized, you should be in a better position when it’s time to sell.

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 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has labeled it a five-star vehicle.

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

Mazda equips the CX-5 with 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.

The main caveat is that the best headlights require an upgrade, and the traffic sign recognition system can be slow and inconsistent.

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:

• 33.0% of listings are priced as good or great deals.
• At 74.8% accident-free, a meaningful share of listings has prior incidents — history verification is especially important.
• Price trend: Prices have softened 2.70% compared with last year.
• Owners rate it 4.79/5 — a strong satisfaction signal.
• Mazda added a new Carbon Edition and improved the tech for this model year.

Consider the 2020 if:

• At $20,216, the 2020 costs less than the current year's $22,183 average.
• It leans more toward premium feel than mainstream practicality.

Consider the 2022 if:

• At $24,219, the 2022 costs more than the current year's $22,183 average.
• It brings a more upscale feel and stronger premium positioning.

The bottom line: The 2021 is the best all-around choice if you want the CX-5’s mix of style, safety, and value without paying newer-model pricing. If you’re especially price-sensitive, the 2020 is the better budget path; if you want to spend more for a newer-feeling version, the 2022 is the upgrade path to compare.

These recommendations are based on CarGurus' proprietary market data from September 4, 2026, CarGurus experts' opinions, and generative AI.