Mazda's Small SUV Could Get A More Rugged Version Soon

Mazda is a notable outlier. It doesn't offer anything like the current glut of off-road SUVs on the market today. Mazda's CX-50 comes close, but the brand tends to keep to its luxury and sporty niches. However, a recent interview with CarSales indicates that the company is always monitoring consumer demand, and that the brand could head for a more rugged SUV if it feels there's a spot in the lineup for such an SUV.

Koichiro Yamaguchi, program manager for the 2026 CX-5, said he monitors customer feedback closely, noting that Mazda lacks a real off-road offering for buyers. This, above all else, is the linchpin around which Mazda's future plans for an off-roader revolve: "I like to monitor customer feedback very carefully," Yamaguchi said. "We want to hear from customers and listen closely to what the market is asking for," Yamaguchi said that the brand is already asking owners what options they'd like to see available on the CX-5 SUV.

Meanwhile, other automakers have gradually increased their commitment to off-road SUVs in the last half-decade or so. Driven largely by a boom in outdoor activity during the pandemic and subsequent commitment from automakers like Subaru, the segment has swelled in recent years. Honda offers a direct CX-5 competitor in the CR-V, and offers a TrailSport version, which boasts some increased capability off-road. Toyota's RAV4 does the same, with TRD versions. Subaru, of course, offers its Wilderness subbrand. These are arguably the most capable of the entry-level off-roader segment, with the brand's full gas-powered SUV lineup featuring a Wilderness trim level.

It's likely Mazda will pursue the basics: that means use of the brand's all-wheel drive system, likely recalibrated for better control off-road, combined with a few key enhancements like increased ride height and off-road tires. All of the above also offer aesthetic enhancements to help them look the part, and it's a given that Mazda would seek to similarly differentiate its off-road models from the rest of the SUV lineup. For now, though, consumer demand is key, and should Mazda buyers ask for such a vehicle, it's possible they'll get it.