Mazda Promises Electricity, Asks for Patience: Hybrid CX-5 Not Coming Before 2027

Mazda prefers a slow stroll down evolution’s narrow path. Its recently announced strategy makes bold promises of electrification, but most of what’s been pledged won’t arrive until the rest of the world has already moved on to the next trend.

The brand says a stream of hybrid and electric models will appear before 2030—though almost exclusively in the form of crossovers, because what could be safer? More substantial changes, such as complete redesigns or genuinely modern aesthetics, are pushed deep into the next decade.

One of the more notable milestones in the near future is the hybrid CX-5, expected to arrive in 2027. Crucially, Mazda insists there’s no Toyota DNA here—this hybrid is entirely home-grown, built around Mazda’s own 2.5-litre Skyactiv-G petrol engine.

On the electric front, Mazda plans to expand beyond China. The Changan-collaborated EZ-6 and EZ-60, previously limited to the Chinese market, are now set for global release. Also in 2027: Mazda’s first independently developed electric vehicle.

And that’s not all. The hybrid concept Iconic SP—Mazda’s attempt at an RX-7 spiritual successor—is also slated to hit the streets in 2027.

As for the poor, beloved MX-5, it will cling to its combustion engine at least until 2029.

Existing models like the CX-30, CX-50, CX-70 and CX-90 aren’t due for major updates until sometime near the end of the decade. The Mazda3, which debuted back in 2019, won’t see a full redesign until 2032.