Starts at $30,500
Rank
Pros
Cons
What's New for 2025?
The big news this year is the arrival of the CX-50 Hybrid, which leans on its Toyota-sourced powertrain to deliver nearly 40 mpg in mixed driving. Mazda has also seen fit to give every CX-50 the larger 10.25-inch infotainment display, which is a smart move, as widescreen interfaces are quickly becoming the norm in this segment. Other minor equipment changes include standard Alexa Built-In and broader availability of the wireless phone charging pad, which now comes standard on all models except the entry-level Select. One thing the plenty pricey CX-50 Turbo variant didn't need was a $2,400 price increase, but that's what it got.
2025 CX-50 Selector
2025 Mazda CX-50
FAST FACTS
"The CX-50 is a well-rounded and highly likable little SUV that also happens to be one of the best-looking compact vehicles you'll find. We favor the new hybrid variant with its Toyota-sourced powertrain excellence, but every CX-50 delivers capable handling and a refined driving experience. You also get the expected technology features, including a standard 10.25-inch infotainment screen, plus a high-mounted backseat that's comfortable even for taller adults. It's a winner."—Ranked #1 out of 15 Compact SUVs
MotorDonkey's proprietary vehicle data identifies every significant version of each model so that you can compare and decide. Ordered by price from low to high, here are the versions of the 2025 Mazda CX-50 that you need to be aware of, along with our expert analysis and recommendations.
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The base CX-50 has a lot of things going for it, but the engine isn't one of them. It runs out of breath at higher speeds, and it's also rather inefficient for an ordinary four-cylinder engine. Better to stretch for the CX-50 Hybrid if you can, or even the CX-50 Turbo if you feel like spending that much. Zero to 60 in the mid-8-second range is not great for a contemporary compact SUV.
The CX-50 Hybrid has the lowest towing capacity of any CX-50 at 1,500 pounds, trailing the Turbo by a whopping 2,000 lbs, but it compensates with nearly 40 mpg in combined driving. The RAV4-sourced powertrain provides decent pep, too, making this Mazda a have-your-cake-and-eat-it kind of proposition. It's not perfect, though. For one thing, it weighs about 300 lbs more than the RAV4 Hybrid, which is partly because the Mazda gets a heavier nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) battery versus the Toyota's lithium-ion pack — but whatever the reasons, that gap explains why the RAV is both slightly quicker and slightly more fuel-efficient. For another, that NiMH battery pack's placement under the floor causes rear legroom to drop by two inches compared to the non-hybrid CX-50s, and this rig didn't have a lot of rear legroom to spare. It's not exactly a seamless powertrain swap, then, but all things considered, we still think the CX-50 Hybrid is the pick of the litter.
This is easily the fastest version of the CX-50, and the most capable towing-wise, too — but it's also far and away the most expensive. With a price edging past $40k just to get in the door, the CX-50 Turbo is getting close to the territory of entry-level luxury SUVs. We'd be more enthusiastic if the 2.5T engine were thrilling to drive, but the truth is that it doesn't really feel like a turbo, for better or worse. It gives the CX-50 confident acceleration, for sure, but we'd prefer confident-plus for our $40k-plus.
Publisher and Donkey-in-Chief
Josh has been reviewing cars professionally since joining Edmunds.com fresh out of grad school in 2008, personally driving most new cars on the market every year since. He also served as the project manager for Edmunds' expert vehicle rankings from their inception in 2018, building the product out from the back end to the front end. Josh is a card-carrying member of the Motor Press Guild and a lifelong car nut who has tested, compared and critiqued a ridiculous number of cars in his career.
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