Key Points
- For the 2025 model year, the Mazda CX-50 got a new hybrid powertrain option for improved fuel efficiency.
- Cars.com editors enjoyed the CX-50 Hybrid’s handling characteristics, premium interior, improved fuel economy and competitive pricing.
- The CX-50 Hybrid falls short with its powertrain that is noisy and not as responsive when merging onto highways, as well as its infotainment display that disables touch controls while underway.
The Mazda CX-50 is something of an outlier among compact SUVs in that it is positioned as a more stylish, lower, sportier but arguably less practical alternative to category stalwarts like the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV-4 and Mazda’s own CX-5. An update for 2025 added the option of a hybrid powertrain for improved fuel efficiency at the expense of a lot of the CX-50’s sporty feel.
Related: 2025 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid Review: A Bit More Efficient, a Lot Less Fun
Mazda turned to fellow Japanese automaker Toyota for the hybrid powertrain, which comes from the RAV4 Hybrid. While it’s a proven setup that brings a big increase in fuel economy, the hybrid uses a continuously variable automatic transmission in place of the six-speed automatic found in the gas versions of the CX-50. That results in a significant reduction in responsiveness, acceleration and generally fun times behind the wheel. (The CX-50 Hybrid continues into 2026 with no major changes.)
Cars.com Detroit Bureau Chief Aaron Bragman spent some quality time with a new CX-50 Hybrid to see how it fits into the popular compact SUV segment. Tap the link above for his expert review, or keep reading for a quicker look at four things we like about the Mazda CX-50 Hybrid and two things we don’t.
What Do We Like About the Mazda CX-50 Hybrid?
1. Nimble Handling
Like the gas version, the CX-50 Hybrid offers surprisingly lively handling, with the kind of buttoned-down body control and excellent steering feel you might expect in a sports sedan rather than an SUV. Its firm suspension can make for a choppier ride than some drivers might like around town, especially with the optional 19-inch wheels and tires like those on our test vehicle, but the payoff is a lot more enjoyable driving in the twisties.
2. Upscale Interior
Mazda is known for its premium interiors of late, and the CX-50 Hybrid’s is no exception. With its abundant soft-touch surfaces, quality materials and stylish, clean design, the CX-50’s cabin exudes a more premium look and feel than typical of a mainstream compact SUV. The front seats in our test vehicle were very comfortable, although things are tighter in the backseat.
3. Fuel Economy
The biggest benefit of the hybrid powertrain is a notable bump in fuel economy. Our tested 2025 CX-50 Hybrid gets an EPA-estimated 39/37/38 mpg city/highway/combined, a big improvement over either of the available gas powertrains. The base 2.5-liter engine is rated at 25/31/28 mpg, while the optional turbocharged engine drops that to just 23/29/25 mpg. That 10-13 mpg difference can make a significant difference in fuel costs, as long as you can live with the CVT.
4. Competitively Priced
A 2025 CX-50 Hybrid in the base Preferred trim starts at $35,390, rising to $38,820 for Premium trim and $41,470 for the top Premium Plus (all prices include a $1,420 destination charge). That puts it between the $33,120 starting price for an all-wheel-drive ‘24 RAV4 Hybrid LE and the $37,500 cost of entry for a 2025 CR-V AWD Sport hybrid.
Read More About the Mazda CX-50 on Cars.com:
- How Much Is the 2026 Mazda CX-50?
- 2025 Mazda CX-50 Gets New Toyota-Powered Hybrid Variant
- Which Hybrid Vehicles Have All-Wheel Drive?
- These Cars Do Well in Crash Tests for 2025, According to IIHS
- Research the Mazda CX-50 Hybrid
What Do We Dislike About the Mazda CX-50 Hybrid?
1. Problematic Powertrain
Adapted for use in the CX-50, the Toyota-sourced powertrain combines a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder gas engine with two electric motors, a CVT and standard AWD. Its combined 219 horsepower falls between that of the two available gas powertrains. The hybrid performs well enough in normal around-town driving, but flooring the pedal results in more noise than response, as is often the case with a CVT. That can make drama-free highway merging a challenge.
2. Can’t Touch This
In an age when many carmakers are guilty of relying too heavily on touchscreen-based controls, Mazda gets points for retaining physical knobs and buttons for most climate and audio functions. The problem is, however, that the ancient touchscreen interface is barely usable at all in the CX-50. Relatively small and too far away to be easily reached, the screen disables most touch controls when underway, leaving only the awkward console-mounted rotary dial for even the most basic functions on the fly.
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