Last week, Mazda Philippines distributor Bermaz Auto Philippines Inc. (BAPI) officially launched the all-new CX-5. Now in its third generation, the CX-5 gets an evolutionary redesign, a new minimalist cabin with a larger touchscreen infotainment display, as well as an electrified 2.5L SkyActiv powertrain that benefits from the brand’s M Hybrid powertrain.

For now, the all-new CX-5 is available in only one variant: 2.5L AWD HEV Premium Plus, which gets all the bells and whistles, as well as the aforementioned all-wheel drive system. With a price tag of PHP 2.495 million, it’s on the premium side of things, but undercuts the Toyota RAV4 2.5 Limited HEV, which has a sticker price of PHP 2.549 million, and the Honda CR-V RS e:HEV AWD, which retails for PHP 2.838 million.

But didn’t the Department of Energy (DOE) also recognize another variant of the third-generation CX-5 HEV for the Philippine market? Well, we didn’t need to wonder anymore, as Steven Tan, the president & CEO of Mazda Philippines, officially confirmed that there will indeed be a FWD variant of the CX-5 soon.

According to the executive, the CX-5 2.5 FWD HEV is slated to arrive in the Philippines sometime next year. There’s no exact timeline for the front-wheel drive version’s arrival since it will depend on the unit allocation for the Philippine market. While the Philippines is one of Mazda’s key markets in Southeast Asia, Japan still has the lion’s share of unit allocation.

In fact, during the all-new CX-5’s first month of sale in Japan last June 2026, Mazda expected to receive around 2,000 orders per month. Instead, Mazda received a whopping 10,000 orders, crushing the brand’s initial monthly sales target. Moreover, 65% of buyers in Japan preferred the top-of-the-line L variant, while 32% went for the mid-spec G. Last but not least, 3% of the buyers in Japan opted for the entry-level S version.

As for the upcoming FWD version of the all-new CX-5 HEV for the Philippines, it will get the same 2.5L SkyActiv inline-four engine with M Hybrid assist. That means it will generate the same 180 PS and 242 Nm of torque as the range-topping AWD Premium Plus. In addition, it will come with a 6-speed automatic transmission, but will only send power to the front wheels.

As far as features & amenities are concerned, the 2.5 FWD HEV will likely get similar levels of equipment. However, we won’t be surprised if there will be some features removed to make the all-new CX-5 HEV FWD more affordable than the AWD version.

For those planning to get the FWD variant of the all-new CX-5 HEV, better have some patience since it will take about a year before the 2WD version makes its way here.