Verdict
At RM131,226, the Mazda CX-5 Mk1 Facelift is the cheaper entry point, but the Mazda CX-5 KM at RM168,510 asks RM37,284 more for a 185 hp/257 Nm 2.5-litre engine, versus 155 hp/200 Nm from the Mk1’s 2.0 litre. The KM also brings Smart Brake Support, steering correction, seven airbags and a 2,815 mm wheelbase. Its annual road tax is RM830 against RM439, however. For a Malaysian buyer who values newer safety systems and rear-seat accommodation, the KM is the more complete car; the Mk1 makes sense when the saving matters most.
Pick the Mazda CX-5 Mk1 Facelift if a RM37,284 lower purchase price, RM439 annual road tax, a sunroof and built-in navigation matter more than extra performance and driver assists.
Pick the Mazda CX-5 KM if you want 185 hp, 257 Nm, seven airbags, Smart Brake Support and a longer 2,815 mm wheelbase.
Key differences
- Price: Mazda CX-5 Mk1 Facelift RM131,226; Mazda CX-5 KM RM168,510.
- Engine output: Mk1 Facelift 155 hp and 200 Nm from 1,998 cc; KM 185 hp and 257 Nm from 2,488 cc.
- Dimensions: Mk1 Facelift 4,555 mm long with a 2,700 mm wheelbase; KM 4,690 mm long with a 2,815 mm wheelbase.
- Road tax: Mk1 Facelift RM439 per year; KM RM830 per year.
- Wheels: Mk1 Facelift 17-inch alloys with 225/65R17 tyres; KM 19-inch alloys with 225/55R19 tyres.
- Safety and warranty: Mk1 Facelift has six airbags and a three-year/100,000 km warranty; KM has seven airbags and a five-year/100,000 km warranty.
Mk1 Facelift
- RM37,284 lower purchase price
- Lower RM439 annual road tax
- Sunroof and built-in navigation
- 155 hp and 200 Nm trail the KM’s 185 hp and 257 Nm
- Six airbags instead of seven, with no Smart Brake Support or lane steering correction
- Three-year warranty versus five years
KM
- 185 hp and 257 Nm 2.5-litre petrol engine
- Smart Brake Support, blind spot monitoring and 360-degree view monitor
- Ventilated front seats, rear air vents and power tailgate
- RM37,284 higher purchase price and RM830 annual road tax
- No sunroof or built-in navigation
- 1,654 kg kerb weight versus the Mk1 Facelift’s 1,528 kg
What the Mk1 Facelift has over the KM
What the KM has over the Mk1 Facelift
Based on the published spec sheets of the selected variants — a blank field on one side can also mean unlisted data.
The KM's wheelbase is 115 mm longer, which usually translates to more rear legroom.
Representative body-type outlines, drawn to scale from each car's length and height.
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM131,226✓ | RM168,510 |
| Body type | SUV | SUV |
| Segment | C-Segment | C-Segment |
| Assembly | CKD | CBU |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM439✓ | RM830 |
| Monthly instalment (est.) | RM1,340/mo✓ | RM1,720/mo |
| Insurance / year (est.) | RM3,725✓ | RM4,728 |
| Fuel / year (est.) | — | RM3,025 |
| Energy cost / 100 km (est.) | — | RM15.12 |
| 5-year running costs (est.) | — | RM42,915 |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | 16-valve DOHC, direct fuel injection, naturally-aspirated with variable valve timing | SKYACTIV-G 2.5L DOHC 16-Valve with VVT and i-Stop, Direct Injection |
| Capacity | 1,998 cc | 2,488 cc |
| Horsepower | 155 hp at 6,000 rpm | 185 hp✓ |
| Torque | 200 Nm at 4,000 rpm | 257 Nm✓ |
| Cylinder Arrangement | Inline 4 | Inline 4 |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Bore × Stroke | 83.5 mm × 91.2 mm | 89.0 mm × 100.0 mm |
| Compression Ratio | 13 | 13.0:1 |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | Conventional Automatic | Conventional Automatic |
| Transmission Name | SkyActiv-Drive with Sport mode | 6-Speed EAT (SKYACTIV-Drive) |
| Gears | 6 | 6 |
| Transmission Manufacturer | Mazda | Mazda |
| Driveline | Front Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| Rated Economy | —✓ | 7.6 L/100 km |
| Top Speed | — | 187 km/h✓ |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4,555 mm | 4,690 mm |
| Width | 1,840 mm | 1,860 mm |
| Height | 1,670 mm | 1,695 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,700 mm | 2,815 mm |
| Weight | 1,528 kg | 1,654 kg |
| Fuel Tank | 56 litres | 56 litres |
| Doors | 5 | 5 |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| Boot Space | 403 litres | — |
| Front Tyre | 225/65R17 | 225/55R19 |
| Rear Tyre | 225/65R17 | 225/55R19 |
| Spare Tyre | Space Saver | Space Saver (T155/80 R17) |
| Factory Tyres | Yokohama Geolandar G98 | — |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Malaysia (CKD) | Japan (CBU) |
| Front Suspension | MacPherson Strut | MacPherson Strut |
| Rear Suspension | Multi-link | Multi-link |
| Front Wheels | 17" Alloy | 19" Alloys (Black Metallic) |
| Rear Wheels | 17" Alloy | 19" Alloys (Black Metallic) |
| Steering | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) | Electronic Power Assisted (EPAS) |
| Crash Safety Ratings | ||
| EuroNCAP | 5 stars — With 6 airbags and stability control | — |
| ANCAP | 5 stars — With 6 airbags and stability control | — |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | 6 (Driver and Passenger, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain) | 7 (Driver and Passenger, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain, Driver Knee) |
| ABS/EBD | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stability Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Alarm | ✓ | ✓ |
| Immobilizer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Child Safety Lock | Manual for rear doors | Manual for Rear Doors |
| Seat Belts | 5 three-point | 3-point All Seats, Front with Pretensioners and Load Limiters |
| Blind Spot Info System | — | ✓ |
| ISOFIX | Available for two outer rear passenger seats | 2nd Row with Top Tethers |
| Autonomous Braking System | — | Smart Brake Support (Front, Rear, Turn-Across Traffic, Intersection, Front/Rear Crossing) |
| Lane-keeping Assist | No | Steering Correction |
| Collision Warning | — | ✓ |
| Seatbelt Reminder | All Seats | All Seats |
| Safety Notes | — | Adaptive LED Headlights (ALH), Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM), Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), Front Cross Traffic Alert (FCTA), Vehicle Exit Warning, Emergency Lane Keeping (ELK), Driver Attention Alert (DAA), Driver Monitoring (DM), Emergency Stop Signal (ESS), Hill Launch Assist, Auto Hold, Walk-Away Lock |
| Lighting | ||
| Headlamps | Halogen projector | Adaptive LED (ALH) with Signature Illumination, Auto Levelling |
| Taillamps | LED Combination | LED Combination with Signature Illumination |
| LED Daytime Running Lights | — | ✓ |
| Front Foglamps | ✓ | — |
| Rear Foglamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wing Mirror Turn Indicators | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cabin | ||
| Front Seats | Manual Adjustable | 10-way Power Driver Seat with Memory, 6-way Power Passenger Seat, Ventilated Front Seats |
| Rear Seats | 40:20:40 Split-folding | 40:20:40 Split-folding, Manual Reclining |
| Front Air-con | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Rear Air-con | — | Rear AC Vents |
| Sunroof | Front, tilt and slide | None |
| Power Sockets | 1 front | 1 Front 12V, USB-C Front and Rear, 1 Wireless Charger |
| Interior Lighting | Map Lights | LED Map, Overhead and Luggage Lights, Front Footlamps, Ambient Lighting |
| Cup Holders | 2 front, 2 rear | — |
| Audio | Touch-screen with radio, CD, MP3, AUX, USB and Bluetooth, Bose 9 speakers | 12.9" Touchscreen with Voice Recognition, Wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and 12-Speaker BOSE Sound System |
| Convenience | ||
| Power Windows | Four Windows, Driver's Side Auto Up and Down with Anti-Pinch | All Windows, One-touch Up and Down with Anti-pinch |
| Engine Start | Keyless Push Start | Keyless Push Button |
| Locks | Remote Control Activation | Keyless Operation, Walk Away Lock, Auto Door Lock |
| Auto Start/Stop | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Headlamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Wipers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cruise Control | Passive Cruise Control | Mazda Radar Cruise Control (MRCC) with Stop & Go, Cruising & Traffic Support (CTS) |
| Tiptronic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Audio Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Tilt | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Telescopic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Boot Operation | Remote Control Activation | Power Tailgate |
| Parking Sensor Front | — | Yes |
| Parking Sensor Rear | 4 Sensors | Yes |
| Reverse Camera | Yes | Yes, with 360-degree View Monitor |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Navigation | ✓ | — |
| Head-up Display | — | ✓ |
| Power Door | — | Conventional |
| Hill Start Assist | ✓ | ✓ |
| Instrument Cluster | Electroluminescent Analogue | Full LCD Monitor |
| Parking Brake | Electronic | Electronic |
| Convenience Notes | — | Head-up Display, 360-degree View Monitor with See-Through View, Wireless Phone Charger, Power Tailgate, 10-way Power Driver Seat with Memory, 6-way Power Passenger Seat, Ventilated Front Seats, Dual-zone Auto Air Conditioning with Rear Vents, Frameless Auto-dimming Rear View Mirror, G-Vectoring Control Plus |
| Warranty | ||
| Warranty Mileage Manufacturer | 100,000 km | 100,000 km |
| Warranty Manufacturer | 3 years | 5 years✓ |
| Warranty Notes | — | Complimentary scheduled maintenance including parts, lubricants and labour |
Specs shown for the selected variant of each car. ✓ marks the better figure where lower/higher is objectively better. Road tax: West Malaysia, private registration. Running-cost estimates assume 20,000 km/year. Fuel at RM1.99/litre (RON95, subsidised). Insurance: comprehensive motor tariff, no NCD. Instalment: 10% down, 2.5% flat rate, 9 years. Prices checked October 2026.
Used cars for sale
Our reviews & guides
Mk1 Facelift vs KM FAQ
Is the Mazda CX-5 Mk1 Facelift or Mazda CX-5 KM better?
The Mazda CX-5 KM is better equipped and more powerful, with 185 hp, seven airbags, Smart Brake Support and a 2,815 mm wheelbase. The Mk1 Facelift is the rational pick if its lower price and RM439 annual road tax are the priority.
What is the price difference?
The Mazda CX-5 KM costs RM37,284 more than the Mazda CX-5 Mk1 Facelift, based on prices of RM168,510 and RM131,226 respectively.
What safety equipment does the Mazda CX-5 KM add?
The KM adds a driver knee airbag, blind spot monitoring, front and rear cross-traffic alerts, Smart Brake Support, collision warning, steering correction and a 360-degree view monitor. The Mk1 Facelift has six airbags, ABS/EBD and stability control.
Which one is locally assembled?
The Mk1 Facelift is assembled in Malaysia (CKD), while the KM is fully imported (CBU) from Japan. Local assembly generally helps pricing and spare-parts supply, and CKD programmes usually signal a longer-term commitment to the model here.
Which has the better warranty?
The KM carries a 5-year manufacturer warranty against 3 years for the Mk1 Facelift. KM: Complimentary scheduled maintenance including parts, lubricants and labour.