Mazda has been on a revamping spree lately, with a lot of changes happening within the organization. This has to do with its missions, visions, and how it is trying to position itself in the market. Some of these might seem a little weird from the financial and future standpoint, like moving a step up and targeting premium brands, or launching a new inline-six, rear-wheel-drive platform, or refusing to give up on the MX-5’s recipe even if that means going against the regulations in place. But, it has also been making some bold calls that will surely draw volumes for the brand, like the introduction of the CX-50.
The CX-50 was rumored to be the CX-5’s replacement, but Mazda plans on retaining them both in its portfolio for the time being. You can argue that the CX-50’s sales will cannibalize the CX-5’s, but what’s the harm if the customer is staying in the same showroom, right? Mazda has big plans for the CX-50, including sales figures that top 150,000 examples every year in the U.S. The SUV will also be fully electrified in the future. That said, is the CX-50 a real threat to the other players in the segment? Well, it sure is, and here are 10 noteworthy features that make the CX-50 a strong contender in the overcrowded segment.
If you are someone who prefers understated, minimalist looks, then there’s a high chance you’ve always been an admirer of Mazda’s designs. The CX-50 follows what Mazda calls the Kodo design language, which is not a whole lot different from what the company has been doing so far. When you compare it to the CX-5, the CX-50 is a little more beefed up and comes with off-road cred to it, like the black wheel cladding, blacked-out grille, and usable roof rails. But, it’s more than just the looks. The CX-50 is also based on a new platform that it shares with the CX-30 and not the CX-5. Coupled with the AWD system and the other off-road tech, it should drive a lot livelier than the CX-5. Also, don’t miss out on the new Zircon Sand Metallic shade which is, in our opinion, the best color offered on the CX-50.
Panoramic moonroofs are common in luxury cars, but not as much in cars that cost less than $50,000. Mazda, however, has offered it on the CX-50. In fact, it’s an even bigger deal because this is the first time Mazda has offered the panoramic moonroof on any of its cars to date! For a vehicle that is geared towards outdoor adventures, a panoramic moonroof is a huge selling point, since it will be a great-to-have feature for those camp nights in the wild.
Just like the exterior, the interior also features the outdoor adventure theme for the most part. Mazda has tried to keep up with it by offering Terracotta leather trim inside the cabin, which is Italian for ‘baked earth’, which in turn is Latin for ‘cooked earth’. In short, it has its resonance with the soil hues and the earthy tones. The seat fabric reflects the nylon material that we’re used to seeing on backpacks used for hiking and climbing. Mazda’s attention-to-detail is commendable because the stitching on the seats is supposed to mimic the laces of a hiking boot.
Mazda isn’t exactly known for its infotainment systems, but, it has put in the efforts in the CX-50 and it’s evident. Even the base trim comes with an 8.8-inch touchscreen system that supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. However, there’s a catch. The ‘touchscreen’ works only when connected to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. If not, you are left with a rotary dial that controls everything. Now, given your preference, this could either be a boon or a bane. While the base trims feature an 8.8-inch touchscreen, the higher trims come with a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system. An eight-speaker system is offered as standard, but audiophiles can upgrade to a 12-speaker Bose audio system for extra moolah.
There is no dearth of storage in (and on) the Mazda CX 50. With all seats in place, you have 31.4 cubic feet of cargo space at your disposal, that’s good enough for a family of four for a weekend getaway. The seats split 60:40 to expand the space up to 56.3 cubic feet. It isn’t the best in this regard when compared to the competitors, but Mazda has played it smart by offering a lot of storage spaces inside the cabin as well. There is a decent-sized glovebox, a bin in the center console, seatback sleeves, and door pockets to throw away your knick-knacks.
Knowing that this is being marketed as an adventure vehicle, Mazda has designed the CX50 to be able to carry transport gear and other equipment on the outside. The tapered roofline can be equipped with high-strength roof rails to add cargo boxes, roof carriers, netted roof luggage baskets, crossbars, etc. To make sure it is truly useful to its core, Mazda reinforced the B-pillars and door jambs. You can also add trailer hitches and harnesses. With the naturally aspirated engine under the hood, you can tow up to 2,000 pounds, and with the forced induction power plant, you can tow up to 3,500 pounds. Pretty cool, huh?
The Mazda CX-50 comes with the same engine as the CX-5, but it’s no slouch, especially in the turbocharged version. The automaker offers a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine in naturally aspirated and turbocharged forms. The one without forced induction makes 187 horses at 6,000 rpm and 186 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm, whereas the turbocharged version puts out 256 ponies at 5,000 rpm and 320 pound-feet of oomph at 2,000 rpm. While we love free-revving, free-breathing engines, the turbocharged option would be our pick here. Don’t discount this as a lousy crossover. It can sprint to 60 mph from a standstill in just 6.2 seconds.
The CX-50 comes with a six-speed automatic transmission and Mazda’s i-Active all-wheel-drive system as standard. This comes into play even when you are towing with the SUV. The towing capacity is rated at 2,000 pounds for the naturally aspirated version and 3,500 pounds for the turbocharged model. The new Mazda SUV comes with four different drive modes as part of ‘Mazda Intelligent Drive Select’. This allows you to toggle between Normal, Sport, Off-Road, and Towing modes. The 2023 CX-50 also features G-Vectoring Control Plus that responds to steering inputs with engine torque and braking adaptations. This helps the compact SUV hold on to the ground better, especially when carving the corners hard.
The 2023 CX-50 is loaded to the brim when it comes to safety and features driver-assistance features, and that’s true even for the base trims. They include:
Surprisingly, a surround-view camera, Blind-spot Prevention, and Traffic Jam Assist are optional on all but top-spec Turbo Premium Plus.
As for the warranty, you get 3-years/36,000-mile basic warranty, 5-year/60,000-mile drivetrain warranty, 5-year/unlimited miles Corrosion warranty, and 3-years/36,000-miles roadside assistance with the CX-50.
Despite having a near-twin model in the form of the CX-5, Mazda did not skimp on the trim levels or leave any vacuum for its competitor to capitalize on. The nine trims that it is available in are a testament to that. Here are all the trims that are offered and how they’re priced:
It must be noted that two of these – the 2.5 S Preferred and Preferred Plus – will be available from late 2022.
The Mazda CX-50 entered production in January this year at the company’s new Mazda Toyota Manufacturing (MTM) plant in Huntsville, Alabama. The deliveries are scheduled to begin soon.
The Mazda CX-50 will be offered in nine trims, starting at $26,800 and going all the way up to $41,550.
The Mazda CX-50 is 5.7 inches longer (thanks to a 4.6-inch longer wheelbase), three inches wider, but 1.4 inches lower than the CX-5. It measures 185.8 inches in length, 75.6 inches in width, and 63.5 inches in height. The wheelbase measures 110.8 inches and it weighs 3,706 pounds.
Although the CX-5 and the CX-50 can be confused as twin-products, they serve different purposes. The CX-5 is meant to stay on the road and has aesthetic features accordingly, whereas the CX-50 is a little more rugged and beefed up. It is longer and wider than the CX-5, but sits lower, thus giving it a station wagon-esque physique like the Subaru Outback. Also, the CX-50 is underpinned on a new architecture that it shares with the CX-30.
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