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The removal of Mazda’s rotary dial in the CX-5 could push more customers who prefer physical controls to CX-60.
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Mazda Australia has admitted the new-generation CX-5’s all-touchscreen controls for infotainment and climate will not be for everyone, but the Japanese brand has a solution.
According to Mazda Australia boss Vinesh Bhindi, customers tossing up between the CX-60 and runout CX-5 would look at differences like sizing and price to determine a model best suited to them.
However, with the third-generation CX-5’s introduction of a 15.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system (up from 12.9 inches), which also incorporates climate controls and physical buttons, Mazda’s rotary control dial is now unnecessary.
The control knob will continue to be offered in the CX-60 for the time being, giving customers another consideration point, according to Bhindi.
“This time around, there’s going to be a further option to consider – touchscreen, voice command versus a mixture of touch and dials,” Bhindi told Drive.
“There’s lots of options to consider, and we have options for people to consider and say ‘well, that’s the better one for me’ as opposed to everything is the same, and the only thing that changes is size and price.”
As previously reported, there will be overlap in terms of the new CX-5 and current CX-60 pricing, likely towards the top- and bottom-end ranges respectively, but each model also has its unique strengths, according to Bhindi.
“You look at the practicality side of it, and it could be as simple as size, or it could be as simple as boot space,” Bhindi said.
“And then [for] others, [it’s] the performance element.
“We think we’ve got it covered in terms of if a consumer says ‘I want a different type of power delivery, then there’s those options there’.”
Further differentiating the two models will be powertrains options – the CX-5 launching with a detuned 132kW/242Nm 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine and a Mazda-developed hybrid coming next year.
Meanwhile, the CX-60 has a version of the same 2.5-litre engine, but features a 138kW/250Nm tune.
The CX-60 can also be had with one of two 3.3-litre inline six-cylinder options (one petrol, one diesel, and both with mild-hybrid technology) or a plug-in hybrid powertrain.
The 2026 CX-5 is also built on an updated version of the existing platform, but has grown in all dimensions to 4690mm long, 1860mm wide, 1695mm tall, and with a 2775mm wheelbase.
As for the CX-60, it rides on Mazda’s newer Large Architecture platform shared with the CX-70, CX-80, and CX-90, and measures 4740mm long, 1890mm wide, 1675mm tall, and has a 2870mm wheelbase.
Mazda’s new CX-5 is expected to arrive in local showrooms around the middle of the year.
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Tung Nguyen has been in the automotive journalism industry for over a decade, cutting his teeth at various publications before finding himself at Drive in 2024. With experience in news, feature, review, and advice writing, as well as video presentation skills, Tung is a do-it-all content creator. Tung’s love of cars first started as a child watching Transformers on Saturday mornings, as well as countless hours on PlayStation’s Gran Turismo, meaning his dream car is a Nissan GT-R, with a Liberty Walk widebody kit, of course.
