2018 Mazda CX-5 MPG and Fuel Cost
The 2018 Mazda CX-5 gets up to 28 mpg combined with a gas engine and up to 29 mpg with the diesel, across 4 EPA-tested versions.
EPA fuel economy
2018 Mazda CX-5 · 4 EPA-tested versionsBest gas version
28MPG combined
25 city 31 highway
$2,300 a year to fuel15,000 miles a year at EPA's $4.32 a gallon (regular gas)
2.5L 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed automatic
Best diesel version
29MPG combined
28 city 31 highway
$3,250 a year to fuel15,000 miles a year at EPA's $6.29 a gallon (diesel)
2.2L turbo 4-cyl diesel · FWD · 6-speed automatic
Best version costs $4,750 more in fuel over 5 years vs the average new vehicle (EPA)
At EPA's price assumptions, fuel costs $2,300 to $3,350 a year. New for 2018: a diesel version.
Every 2018 CX-5 version
EPA's ratings for each version it tested. Fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current prices.
| Version | Combined | City / Hwy | Fuel / year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gas | |||
2.5L 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed automatic
EPA listing: CX-5 2WD |
28 mpg | 25 / 31 | $2,300 |
2.5L 4-cyl · 4WD · 6-speed automatic
EPA listing: CX-5 4WD |
26 mpg | 24 / 30 | $2,500 |
| Diesel | |||
2.2L turbo 4-cyl diesel · FWD · 6-speed automatic Best
EPA listing: CX-5 2WD |
29 mpg | 28 / 31 | $3,250 |
2.2L turbo 4-cyl diesel · 4WD · 6-speed automatic
EPA listing: CX-5 4WD |
28 mpg | 27 / 30 | $3,350 |
Fuel cost at your prices
EPA's annual cost uses 15,000 miles a year, 55% city driving and its current prices: $4.32 a gallon for regular gas and $6.29 a gallon for diesel. Change the numbers to match your driving.
| Version | Per year | 5 years |
|---|---|---|
2.5L 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed automatic | $2,314 | $11,571 |
2.5L 4-cyl · 4WD · 6-speed automatic | $2,492 | $12,462 |
2.2L turbo 4-cyl diesel · FWD · 6-speed automatic | $3,253 | $16,267 |
2.2L turbo 4-cyl diesel · 4WD · 6-speed automatic | $3,370 | $16,848 |
At the default settings the results match EPA's annual cost before EPA rounds it to the nearest $50.
Mazda CX-5 MPG by model year
The best-rated version in each model year; the highlighted year is this page. Gas: 26 to 29 mpg (every year from 2016 to 2026); highest in 2016. Diesel: 29 mpg (2018 to 2019).
- Best gas version
- Best diesel version
2018: gas 28 mpg · diesel 29 mpgTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
| Model year | Best gas version | Best diesel version |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 29 | – |
| 2017 | 27 | – |
| 2018 | 28 | 29 |
| 2019 | 28 | 29 |
| 2020 | 28 | – |
| 2021 | 28 | – |
| 2022 | 26 | – |
| 2023 | 26 | – |
| 2024 | 28 | – |
| 2025 | 28 | – |
| 2026 | 26 | – |
How the 2018 CX-5 compares
2018 compact SUVs covered on this site, ranked by their best combined rating. Fuel cost is for each model's cheapest version to run, at EPA's prices.
| 2018 model | Best combined | Best gas | Fuel / year |
|---|---|---|---|
Best: hybrid |
34 mpg | 29 mpg | $1,900 |
Best: hybrid |
32 mpg | 26 mpg | $2,050 |
Best: diesel |
32 mpg | 28 mpg | $2,300 |
Best: gas |
30 mpg | 30 mpg | $2,150 |
Mazda CX-5 This page Best: diesel |
29 mpg | 28 mpg | $2,300 |
Best: gas |
28 mpg | 28 mpg | $2,300 |
Best: gas |
27 mpg | 27 mpg | $2,400 |
Best: gas |
26 mpg | 26 mpg | $2,500 |
2018 CX-5 recalls and complaints
NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls and 349 owner complaints for the 2018 CX-5.What they cover, and crash test ratingsQuestions
Does 4WD lower the 2018 Mazda CX-5's gas mileage?
Yes. On versions that differ only in drive, 4WD lowers the combined rating by 1 to 2 mpg: the 2.2L turbo 4-cyl diesel gets 29 mpg combined with front-wheel drive and 28 with 4WD.
Does the 2018 Mazda CX-5 need premium gas?
No. The diesel runs on diesel fuel, the rest use regular.
How does the 2018 CX-5's MPG compare with the 2017?
For 2018, the best gas version is rated 28 mpg, up 1 from 27.
Sources and method
- US EPA and Department of Energy fuel economy data (fueleconomy.gov), file dated Sep 18, 2026.
- EPA fuel price assumptions: regular $4.32, midgrade $4.93, premium $5.32, diesel $6.29 a gallon; electricity $0.15 per kWh.
- Recall and complaint counts: NHTSA recall file dated Sep 27, 2026 and complaint file dated Sep 26, 2026.
Ratings are EPA estimates. Real-world mileage depends on how, where and in what weather you drive. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.