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 versions

Best 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)

Fuel economy score6/10

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)

Fuel economy score6/10

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)

Data: US EPA, fueleconomy.govUpdated Sep 27, 2026

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	Per month	5 years
2.5L 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed automatic	$2,314	$193	$11,571
2.5L 4-cyl · 4WD · 6-speed automatic	$2,492	$208	$12,462
2.2L turbo 4-cyl diesel · FWD · 6-speed automatic	$3,253	$271	$16,267
2.2L turbo 4-cyl diesel · 4WD · 6-speed automatic	$3,370	$281	$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 mpg

Show as a table

Mazda CX-5 best combined mpg by model year
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
Nissan Rogue Best: hybrid	34 mpg	29 mpg	$1,900
Toyota RAV4 Best: hybrid	32 mpg	26 mpg	$2,050
Chevrolet Equinox Best: diesel	32 mpg	28 mpg	$2,300
Honda CR-V Best: gas	30 mpg	30 mpg	$2,150
Mazda CX-5 This page Best: diesel	29 mpg	28 mpg	$2,300
Subaru Outback Best: gas	28 mpg	28 mpg	$2,300
Subaru Forester Best: gas	28 mpg	28 mpg	$2,300
Hyundai Tucson Best: gas	27 mpg	27 mpg	$2,400
Ford Escape Best: gas	26 mpg	26 mpg	$2,500
Kia Sportage Best: gas	26 mpg	26 mpg	$2,500
Jeep Compass Best: gas	26 mpg	26 mpg	$2,500
Jeep Cherokee Best: gas	25 mpg	25 mpg	$2,600
Volkswagen Tiguan Best: gas	24 mpg	24 mpg	$2,700

Mazda CX-5 vs Subaru ForesterMPG, fuel cost, recalls and crash tests side by side

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 ratings

Questions

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.