Gen 3 CX-5: Owners Chime In

[Snake]

I am just quoting the specs of each car. There can't be that much difference. It's the same body as before, just stretched. You have a 24 Cx-5 correct? How about you measure from the top of your head to the roof in both cars. And from your hip to the door? According to everything I have read, the front passenger area didn't change. They added all the space to the rear seats and cargo area. The new one is very slightly wider and taller (~1/2") so it can't be significantly different. I am sure the layout makes it "seem" bigger but the passenger volume in front has to be almost identical. The total interior passenger volume is 104 cubic feet on a 25 and 106.5 cubic feet on a 26.

They lowered the seats in the back of the Gen 3. A tiny bit, not a huge amount and I think they also shortened the rear seat bottoms from front to rear. All of that combined with a stretched cabin will create more room but this isn't just a little bit of extra room, this is night and day difference. Even with a tall person having set the front seat back to accommodate his/her giraffe legs, there is generous space to keep your knees away from the front seat back. I'm a girly man (size Medium) so having the front seats forward to accommodate my medium height creates even more space back there. More than my class leading (of the time) ex-Gen 5 CRV.

I don't think that I mentioned that my new Gen 3 replaced a Gen 5 CRV. Yeah, it's that good, for my needs, anyway.

 

[ruthrj]

I'm a [refined gentleman] (size Medium) so

Fixed that for you

 

[chickdr]

They lowered the seats in the back of the Gen 3. A tiny bit, not a huge amount and I think they also shortened the rear seat bottoms from front to rear. All of that combined with a stretched cabin will create more room but this isn't just a little bit of extra room, this is night and day difference. Even with a tall person having set the front seat back to accommodate his/her giraffe legs, there is generous space to keep your knees away from the front seat back. I'm a girly man (size Medium) so having the front seats forward to accommodate my medium height creates even more space back there. More than my class leading (of the time) ex-Gen 5 CRV.

I don't think that I mentioned that my new Gen 3 replaced a Gen 5 CRV. Yeah, it's that good, for my needs, anyway.

Not trying to argue, it just doesn't make sense. The rear seat, I get. They added 2.5" to the rear area, which is a lot (the specs below seem off in that regard as they only show 0.3" added legroom for the 26 while shoulder room is up 0.8"). The headroom is where I question you as the specs show the two cars are within 1/2" of each other. If these numbers are wrong, please post another site. It would be nice if Mazda would release a document comparing the 25 and 26 interior space.

From Edmunds.com

2025 Front seat:

Front head room	39.3 in.
Front leg room	41.0 in.
Front shoulder room	57.1 in.

Front hip room	55.2 in.

2026 Front seat:

Front head room	39.2 in.
Front leg room	41.7 in.
Front shoulder room	57.6 in.

Front hip room	55.2 in.

2025 Rear seat:

Rear head room	39.0 in.
Rear leg room	39.6 in.
Rear shoulder room	54.8 in.

Rear hip room	55.3 in.

2026 Rear seat:

Rear head room	39.1 in.
Rear leg room	39.9 in.
Rear shoulder room	55.6 in.

Rear hip room	55.4 in.

2025 cargo capacity:
30.8 ft3

2026 cargo capacity:
33.7 ft3

 

[Snake]

Not trying to argue, it just doesn't make sense. The rear seat, I get. They added 2.5" to the rear area, which is a lot (the specs below seem off in that regard as they only show 0.3" added legroom for the 26 while shoulder room is up 0.8"). The headroom is where I question you as the specs show the two cars are within 1/2" of each other. If these numbers are wrong, please post another site. It would be nice if Mazda would release a document comparing the 25 and 26 interior space.

From Edmunds.com

2025 Front seat:

Front head room	39.3 in.
Front leg room	41.0 in.
Front shoulder room	57.1 in.

Front hip room	55.2 in.

2026 Front seat:

Front head room	39.2 in.
Front leg room	41.7 in.
Front shoulder room	57.6 in.

Front hip room	55.2 in.

2025 Rear seat:

Rear head room	39.0 in.
Rear leg room	39.6 in.
Rear shoulder room	54.8 in.

Rear hip room	55.3 in.

2026 Rear seat:

Rear head room	39.1 in.
Rear leg room	39.9 in.
Rear shoulder room	55.6 in.

Rear hip room	55.4 in.

2025 cargo capacity:
30.8 ft3

2026 cargo capacity:
33.7 ft3

The seated position is slightly lower to the floor. If you are seated lower in a vehicle, the headroom improves. IMO, from a driver's perspective, a slightly lower seated position makes a vehicle feel a little sportier and less like a family grocery getter.

I'm not a tall person so headroom was never a concern in either of our 5s. I would say that the dimensions of the driver side front are about the same. However, the passenger side front has a wider floor space.

 

[chickdr]

You say "slightly lower to the floor", but the seats are height adjustable right? My 21 GT Reserve had height adjustments on both front seats.

 

[Snake]

You say "slightly lower to the floor", but the seats are height adjustable right? My 21 GT Reserve had height adjustments on both front seats.

Yes slightly lower to the floor compared to our Gen 2. And yes, height adjustable.

 

[cz5gt]

folks for those interested, go and sit in one. You will experience what we did. Thats the only way to explain it... I did that and quite like the driver seat and comfort in the front.

 

[chickdr]

I don't doubt it "feels" bigger. The question is, do the numbers back it up? It is like someone saying their car feels faster after adding a CAI, or cat-back exhaust. It may sound faster, but it is not likely to be faster.

Question? Do you have the tan interior? They didn't have that in the older gen so if you have black in a Gen 2 and tan in a gen 3, I suspect it would feel bigger due to the lighter color and more airy feel.

 

[Snake]

I don't doubt it "feels" bigger. The question is, do the numbers back it up? It is like someone saying their car feels faster after adding a CAI, or cat-back exhaust. It may sound faster, but it is not likely to be faster.

Question? Do you have the tan interior? They didn't have that in the older gen so if you have black in a Gen 2 and tan in a gen 3, I suspect it would feel bigger due to the lighter color and more airy feel.

I'd get any light colored interior filthy in short time. Therefore, I'd only ever own dark gray or black int. However, if my work was more gentle on the interior, Id get the new two-toned white/black. It's super classy looking.

I'm going to say this one last time, go sit in one at your local Mazda dealership. If you like the way it seats, take it for a test drive. It's free to do that. We'd like to get some feedback from you.

 

[zx10guy]

I can't think off the top of my head which Youtuber reviewer did this. But there are a few reviews where the reviewer stated their height so you have a reference. Then they sat in both a 25 and 26 to show the differences in space between the 2nd and 3rd gen. Every video I saw showed a very visible increase in space with the 2026 for the rear seat passengers.

 

[chickdr]

I can't think off the top of my head which Youtuber reviewer did this. But there are a few reviews where the reviewer stated their height so you have a reference. Then they sat in both a 25 and 26 to show the differences in space between the 2nd and 3rd gen. Every video I saw showed a very visible increase in space with the 2026 for the rear seat passengers.

Yes, for rear seat passengers. That makes sense as 2" was added to the rear seat and 2.5" was added to the cargo area....

 

[Snake]

Yes, for rear seat passengers. That makes sense as 2" was added to the rear seat and 2.5" was added to the cargo area....

I don't have an issue with front driver space in our Gen 2 and I'd say it's the same size in the Gen 3. It was already adequate for my body size. If a driver is a Clyde, then the Gen 3 will allow the front seat to go back as needed and that new 2" of extra space in the back will keep rear leg room reasonable. In the Gen 2, even my medium height put the front seat back too far for adequate leg room behind.

When I have time in the next day or two, I will take cross section pics of the Gen 2 and Gen 3 rear leg room with the driver seat in a comfortable position for me. You'll see a noticeable improvement in the Gen 3.

 

[chickdr]

Never doubted the rear legroom was much better with 2" of extra wheelbase directed to added rear seat room. My doubt is this from your original post: "The Gen 3 is taller by least a few inches than the Gen 2". It simply isn't.

I would also say that with the addition of a panoramic S/R the size of the S/R is much larger and with the sunshade open, there will be a much larger area of raised roof as the glass is at roof height with no headliner. This will give more headroom over a larger area with the sunshade open. This certainly contributes to the more open feel of the 26.

 

[Snake]

Never doubted the rear legroom was much better with 2" of extra wheelbase directed to added rear seat room. My doubt is this from your original post: "The Gen 3 is taller by least a few inches than the Gen 2". It simply isn't.

I would also say that with the addition of a panoramic S/R the size of the S/R is much larger and with the sunshade open, there will be a much larger area of raised roof as the glass is at roof height with no headliner. This will give more headroom over a larger area with the sunshade open. This certainly contributes to the more open feel of the 26.

We park ours side by side every night. My Gen 3 stands 2" taller than my wife's Gen 2. And my Gen 3 genuinely feels like it's taller inside as well. Might just be geometry tweaks inside but that's how it "feels". It's also 2" taller at the front end.