Reviewed: The 2025 Mazda CX-50 Turbo – Wannabe Adventurer or Pure Driving Delight?

by Greg Karpinski

You’d be forgiven if you’ve been a bit confused by Mazda’s latest naming conventions.  The CX-5 has been around for several years now, but then came the recent upstart, known as the CX-50, released for the 2023 model year.  It wasn’t created to replace the CX-5, but instead to compliment it as part of Mazda’s now burgeoning fleet of crossovers.  Like the CX-5 it’s also a two-row crossover and largely shares the same drivetrain and engines but differentiates itself with flared fenders and a lower roof, which results in a rather mean stature.  Is that enough for the CX-50 to have its own personality?

The Fine Print: Mazda heard we liked the Miata, so they thought we might really dig a chonky “Miata” and sent us a 2025 CX50 Turbo with a full tank of gas for a week.   

Mostly – it’s tough to get away from the fact that both the CX-5 and CX-50 compete in the same segment; however, they are built for distinctly different audiences, plus the new for 2026 CX-5 also has been moved upmarket, running on a new, larger platform, with more of a purposeful focus on luxury, like the larger CX-90.  The CX-50 looks adventure focused, ready to usher you to a trailhead for your latest hiking or biking expedition. 

We may be biased, but the CX-50 is the looker in Mazda’s crossover lineup – tidy proportions, wide, bulging fenders and a low roof paired with sexy 20-inch black and machined wheels pushed to the corners give this little rig an impressive look and stance.  Overall length is 185.8-inches long, rolling on a 110.8-inch wheelbase, standing roughly 64-inches tall and 80-inches wide.  That puts the CX-50 both longer and wider than the CX-5, but a bit squatter, too.

Our tester came finished in Wind Chill Pearl, borrowed from the Toyota paint catalog, but looks great against the black cladding and exterior trim of the CX-50.  In low light, it looks like a regular shade of white, but when the sun hits it, it gleams like fresh snowfall.  The low roof serves a practical purpose as well – Mazda intentionally designed it this way to make it easier for owners to mount bikes and kayaks on the roof or load up a roof box as cargo space remains at a bit of a premium. 

Inside, the CX-50 maintains the upscale appearance that we’ve come to appreciate from almost all of Mazda’s vehicles and the first thing we noticed were the seats – neatly trimmed in black leather with brown detailing, they were firm enough for spirited driving, but comfortable enough for a long haul as well, only lacking a bit in lateral support.  On our top-trim Premium Plus tester, they were also heated and cooled with 8-way power for the driver, including adjustable lumbar.  Rear passengers get some love too with outboard heating.

In terms of space, it’s plenty usable, with 41.7-inches of legroom up front and a pretty generous 39.8-inches for rear seat passengers.  Headroom is a bit tight for the segment at 38.6-inches up front and 37.6-inches for the rear – if you or your family happen to be a bit on the tall side, you’ll want to make sure you all comfortably fit before signing on the dotted line.  There’s enough cargo space to haul around all your kids’ trappings with 31.4 cubic feet behind the second row.  Folding those seats down increases the space to 56.3 cubes, plenty for the weekly Costco run, but lagging a bit behind competitors like the RAV4, CRV and Forester.  However, the interior does feel more spacious than the numbers might suggest – large windows and the panoramic sunroof help the cabin feel light and airy.

On the tech front, Mazda has made the 10.25-inch center display standard across the CX-50 lineup and those who love Android Auto and Apple CarPlay will rejoice because it’s wireless as well.  The display is controlled with a rather chintzy-feeling little knob and, for something that is going to be touched very frequently, we expect a little better from Mazda.  The good news, however, is that Alexa is now built in, so you can ask the CX-50 to call your buddy, change the tunes or probably even add something to your Amazon cart, completely hands free. 

One absolutely maddening quirk of the CX-50 and other recent Mazdas we’ve tested, such as the CX-90 and CX-30, is the keyless entry system.  Like many other automakers, Mazda includes touch entry for the driver and passenger when the fob is present.  Where Mazda differs a bit is that if you touch the handle to unlock the driver’s door, and then walk around to open the door for your passenger, the passenger door will not unlock, despite the fob being present in your pocket.  Yes, you can configure the car to unlock all the doors when you unlock the driver’s door, but why doesn’t it simply send another unlock signal when the fob is presented at the passenger door, regardless of status?  We’re sure there’s a good reason for it, but we can’t seem to figure out what that reason is.

Base CX-50s make do with an eight-speaker audio system, but our Premium Plus tester includes the 12-speaker Bose premium audio system with surround effects and while an audiophile may not be impressed, it sounds pretty good to our ears.  Mazda has also included all the swag that buyers now expect in this segment – dual zone automatic climate control, wireless charging, Mazda Connected Services and a rather excellent driver assistance suite with 360-degree cameras, lane departure, adaptive cruise and blind spot monitoring, which displays in the rather excellent heads-up display.

Pulling out onto the road, the CX-50 immediately shines with a sense of familiarity from anyone who has owned or enjoyed one of Mazda’s vehicles.  Body control and handling are Mazda-good, which is to say REALLY good from anyone else.  Mazda included MacPherson struts up front and a torsion beam out back, but the chassis tuning and steering feel does a lot to inspire confidence in what is essentially a warm hatch on stilts with that 2.5L SkyActiv-G turbo four-cylinder under the hood.

Mazda lets owners choose their own adventure with that 2.5L turbo four as well – if you pour in 87 octane, it’ll put out 227hp and 310lb-ft, but if you fill it with the good stuff (93 octane), power jumps to 252hp and 320lb-ft.  It’s like the same car, but after it had a strong cup of coffee – just a touch of turbo lag off the line and it absolutely rips once it hits boost, hitting 60mph in 6.5 seconds and on through the quarter mile in 15 seconds at 92mph.  Power delivery is managed by a traditional six-speed automatic gearbox and Mazda’s i-ACTIV all-wheel drive is standard across the lineup.  This system engages the rear wheels when needed, maximizing efficiency without sacrificing grip.

Oh, and what glorious grip it is – Mazda outfitted the 20-inch wheels on our Premium Plus tester with 245 section width rubber, which is pretty chunky for something in this segment.  The CX-50 tips the scales at 3915 pounds so it’s certainly not a lightweight, but kudos to Mazda for keeping it under two tons.  This certainly pays dividends at the pump, as the CX-50 Turbo is rated for 23mpg city and 29mpg out on the highway, which is only down about two miles per gallon from the base model.  Mazda has somehow managed to balance performance and efficiency like in the Miata, but this time accomplished the feat in a crossover. 

As tested, our CX-50 Turbo Premium Plus rings the register at $45,170, which is right in line with all the top offerings from Honda, Toyota and Subaru.  The good news is that there’s a lot to like here – the styling is sharp and athletic, with that rugged but premium vibe that stands out.  The compact size is great for zipping around town and is easy to park but still feels composed and comfortable out on the highway.  Inside, Mazda has nailed the look of the cabin with thoughtful design, high-quality materials where your hands naturally land, resulting in something that feels a bit more upscale than the price might suggest.  And then of course there’s the turbo – it’s quick and responsive and when paired with Mazda’s excellent handling magic, this crossover actually feels fun to drive. 

But all is not perfect – interior space is on the smaller side, especially in headroom and in the cargo area, which trails rivals and is noticeable when trying to load up some gear.  There are also a few spots on the interior that feel cheaper than what you’d expect on a $45k crossover and the steering – it’s great when you’re moving, but has an artificial weight at low speeds, almost like it wants you to skip arm day.  That said, the CX-50 Turbo is stylish, athletic and packed with personality.  It’s basically the espresso shot of compact SUVs.