LOOKS

The 2025 Mazda CX-50 hybrid features Mazda’s traditional, bold-looking Soul Red Crystal Metallic paint color. It’s arguably the best-looking SUV in its class — rugged with sleek sidelines, and more daring in design than some of its rivals.

The CX-50 hybrid features a panoramic moonroof, rain-sensing windshield wipers, roof rails, LED headlights, heated power side mirrors, and a power rear liftgate

The Premium Plus Package on my CX-50 hybrid test vehicle included: 19-inch alloy wheels with all-season tires, black metal paint trim inserts, auto power-folding side mirrors, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror with Homelink.

Ground clearance on the CX-50 hybrid maxes out at 8.1 inches.

Moving inside the CX-50 hybrid, Mazda shows why it is a standout company that straddles the line between luxury and non-luxury vehicles. The CX-50’s interior seating was extremely high-quality, with a black and brown two-tone color scheme. The upscale, near-luxury design will have you thinking this is a vehicle that costs way and has a much fancier name on the badge. The interiors of Mazda vehicles are where they truly shine, and that is absolutely the case here on the CX-50 hybrid.

The vehicle is roomy and comfortable for all five passengers, who will experience leather-trimmed seating, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, power driver seat with lumbar and driver seat memory, power passenger seat, heated front seats, dual-zone auto climate control, and rear air conditioning vents. Seating is quite comfortable on drives long and short.

Cargo space is not class-leading, coming in at just 29.2 cubic feet of space with all seats up, and 56.3 cubic feet with the rear row folded down.

HOW’S THE RIDE?

The CX-50 hybrid is powered by a 2.5-liter hybrid engine system (with three electric motors) that delivers a solid total of 219 horsepower and 163 pound-feet of torque, paired with an electronically controlled CVT transmission, and electric all-wheel drive. By comparison, the regular version of the CX-50 offers 187 horsepower and 185 pound-feet, and the turbo cranks things up to 256 horsepower and 320 pound-feet.

The CX-50 hybrid’s drive modes include Normal, Power and Trail mode, and towing capacity is 1,500 pounds (compared to 3,500 pounds on the non-hybrid).

Your 0-to-60 times in the hybrid will run in the mid-7 second range, not blindingly fast but still responsive.

In terms of overall driving experience, you’ll get just as enjoyable a ride out of the hybrid CX-50 as you would out of the base engine on the non-hybrid, but of course it’s not as sporty and fun as the turbo non-hybrid offering. Call it a happy medium, and with Mazda being focused on solid drive quality on all its models, most people will be very happy with the overall performance of the CX-50 hybrid — which is smooth and responsive to driver input on both city streets and curvy roads.

You’re adding fuel efficiency, while losing a bit of sportiness and pep, but many buyers will take that tradeoff depending on their priorities. The engine can be a bit whiny at times, but it’s nothing too extreme.

In the overall hybrid SUV category, the CX-50 hybrid is easily one of the top choices, proving you can still get a solid ride quality while embracing fuel economy.

TECHNOLOGY, SAFETY

The tech in the 2025 Mazda CX-50 is controlled through a center dial, not by touchscreen. It’s not my favorite setup, but I got used to the controls and menus quickly. And voice commands were very effective as an alternate way to control things.

The only way to use touchscreen controls in the CX-50 hybrid is when you wirelessly connect your phone to the vehicle through Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

Bluetooth connectivity lets you stream music and calls through the vehicle, and the center screen measures up at 10.25 inches. 

A three-month trial of satellite radio is included, and you get four USB-C inputs, plus an optional 12-speaker Bose audio system — which features crisp and clear sound even when cranked up high. A wireless phone charger is included in a nice, hidden location.

The CX-50 rates a perfect 5 out of 5 stars on government safety tests, for good reason. It is loaded with helpful safety features, such as Dynamic Stability Control, Traction Control System, airbags throughout the vehicle, rearview camera, Tire Pressure Monitoring System, Lane Departure Warning System, Lane Keep Assist, Emergency Lane Keeping, Blind Spot Monitoring, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Driver Attention Alert and more.

Its Smart Brake Support with Head-on Collision Mitigation will help prevent accidents, and advanced features include Mazda Radar Cruise Control with Stop & Go, Traffic Sign Recognition, Vehicle Exit Warning and Rear Seat Alert. You can also opt for a 360-degree exterior camera system,

MPG

Now we get to the point of why a hybrid is chosen most of the time. The official fuel economy numbers on the hybrid are 39 city/37 highway/38 combined.

These numbers are competitive with key rivals like the Toyota RAV4 hybrid and the Honda CR-V hybrid, especially on highway mileage.

And within the Mazda CX-50 family, the hybrid is a huge improvement over the non-hybrid CX-50, improving by at least 10 miles per gallon. I averaged closer to 35 mpg in the CX-50 hybrid, but I was not driving it with the goal of maximum fuel economy, and could have improved that number based on driving style.

If you like the driving experience of the CX-50 but want better fuel mileage, this is the best option for you. It costs a little more than the nonhybrid, but you’ll get that back soon at the gas pump.

PRICE

The CX-50 hybrid I tested was priced just over $42,000; and its base price starts about $34K. Trim levels for the hybrid are Preferred, Premium and Premium Plus.

All three are well-equipped in terms of standard features and technology, but moving up to Premium and Premium Plus will get you a more upscale interior and a sharper exterior design.

Pricing is competitive when compared to hybrid offerings from rivals such as Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Subaru and Toyota — perhaps a bit more expensive than some rivals, but not significantly enough to exclude it from most budgets, especially when you consider its high-end nature.

And the warranty is about average for the segment, including a three-year/36,000-mile overall warranty, five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warrant, and three years of roadside assistance. You also get a 96-month/100,000-mile high voltage battery limited warranty.


BOTTOM LINE

The new hybrid offering is a solid addition to the CX-50 lineup for 2025, as it sacrifices little in terms of driving experience, while gaining a significant fuel mileage boost.

Those considering the CX-50 should take the hybrid and the standard version out for a test, and see which one best fits their lifestyle and budget.

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