The 2025 Mazda CX-50 is an upscale, zippy and well-equipped compact crossover. While it costs more than some rivals, it truly is one of the best in this competitive segment. The CX-50 has stylish and rugged looks, is fun to drive, comes standard with all-wheel drive, and has a high-end interior that rivals some upscale brands. However, the CX-50 doesn’t have as much cargo space as some rivals and the infotainment system has a bit of a learning curve.
Base Price: $43,300
As Tested: $45,315
Horsepower: 227
Mileage: 23 mpg city/29 mpg highway/ mpg combined
The CX-50 debuted for the 2023 model year, becoming Mazda’s newest compact SUV. The trim line-up was consolidated for 2024 and the CX-50 also got an updated infotainment system. For 2025, more features become standard and a new hybrid model is added to the line-up which will be reviewed separately.
The 2025 CX-50 comes in a whopping seven trims: S Select, S Preferred, S Premium, S Premium Plus, Turbo Meridian Edition, Turbo Premium and Turbo Premium Plus. Starting prices range from $30,300 to $43,300. All-wheel drive is standard on all trims.
There are two engines. All S trims get a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 187 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque. The Turbo trims have a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder that produces 227 horsepower with regular gas and 320 pound-feet of torque. With premium gas, horsepower increases to 256. The transmission is a six-speed automatic.
The CX-50 is definitely one of the sportiest compact SUVs. It drives, well, like a Mazda, which means it’s quick and nimble. The base engine provides peppy handling, and the turbo engine cranks it up several notches. My turbo tester boasts quick acceleration from a stop and plenty of get up and go for merging and passing at freeway speeds. The transmission is quick and smooth, whether up- or downshifting. The CX-50 feels planted and balanced when cornering with little body roll – it practically begs to pick up the pace on twisty back roads. Steering has a nice, weighted feel and brakes are responsive. The ride is fairly stiff but not jarring. Visibility is good all the way around. All in all, the CX-50 is a lot of fun to drive!
Fuel economy is decent for a compact SUV. EPA ratings for all of the Turbo models are 23 mpg city and 29 mpg highway with a combined rating of 25. I got 25 mpg during my week with a mix of city and highway driving. The S trims do a bit better at 25 mpg city/31 mpg highway/28 mpg combined.
The cabin is stylish and upscale, similar to what you’d find in some luxury brands. Materials are nice and most are soft-touch. Seats are comfortable and supportive with good leg- and headroom for adults in both rows; however, the backseat best accommodates two adults instead of three due to the large hump on the floor at the middle seat.
Standard features include proximity keyless entry, push-button start, rearview camera, dual-zone automatic climate control, synthetic leather upholstery, six-way manually adjustable driver’s seat, four-way manually adjustable passenger seat, leather-wrapped steering wheel, seven-inch digital gauge cluster, infotainment system with 10.25-inch display screen that functions as a touchscreen when Android Auto or Apple CarPlay is engaged, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, eight-speaker audio system, HD Radio, Bluetooth, four USB ports, Amazon Alexa, rain-sensing windshield wipers, automatic high-beam headlights
Available features include a surround-view camera system, head-up display, real leather upholstery, power-adjustable front seats, heated front seats, ventilated front seats, heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, 12-speaker Bose audio system, satellite radio, navigation, wireless device charging, adaptive headlights, universal garage door opener, and a panoramic moonroof.
Standard driver assistance technologies include forward collision warning, forward automatic emergency braking, stop-and-go adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, driver-attention monitoring, and rear-seat alert.
Available driver assistance technologies include traffic-jam assist (a semi-autonomous system that controls acceleration, steering and braking at low speeds), traffic-sign recognition, reverse automatic emergency braking, and front and rear parking sensors
The infotainment system is a bit clunky. The screen is perched on the dash and can be tough to reach. The touchscreen only works when Android Auto or Apple CarPlay are engaged; otherwise, the system is controlled with a knob on the center console. There are several menus and sub-menus, and it can take a few steps to get to the function you want. At least there are manual controls for volume and tuning.
Cargo space is below average for the class. There are 31.4 cubic feet with both rows of seating in place and 56.3 cubes with the second row folded. Still, there was enough room for some larger items purchased at Costco. A manual liftgate is standard, and a power liftgate is available.
The good:
Stylish looks
Fun to drive
Zippy acceleration
Decent fuel economy
Upscale, comfortable cabin
Many standard and available features and tech
Standard wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
The not-so-good:
Below average cargo space
Clunky infotainment system
Pricing info:
My tester starts at $43,300. Machine Gray Metallic paint is $595. The delivery fee is $1,420 bringing the grand total to $45,315.
Bottom line:
The 2025 Mazda CX-50 stands out in the competitive compact SUV class with its stylish looks, peppy performance, upscale cabin, and many standard features and tech. The CX-50 has less cargo space than some rivals and the infotainment system is a bit clunky, but the CX-50 is still an excellent option.
