The cargo floor is 0.7 inch lower than the CX-5's, and there's a bit more luggage space behind the rear seats, but we couldn't fit more than nine carry-on suitcases, same as the CX-5. Even though it offers slightly less headroom compared with the CX-5, the CX-50 is plenty spacious for four adults, if not quite as cavernous as the Honda CR-V. You sit low in the CX-50's driver's seat and experience a carlike view over the long hood. VERDICT: Mazda now builds not one but two of the best compact SUVs you can buy. But the wider track and lower seating position help off-set the additional side-to-side movement, and the ride-quality benefit is noticeable. The CX-50's suspension tune feels a bit softer than the CX-5's, resulting in more body roll. It delivered an impressive 0.87 g on the skidpad and stopped from 70 mph in a good-for-the-segment 161 feet, both improvements over previous CX-5 results. With predictable handling and sports-car-accurate steering, the CX-50 is a pleasure to hustle through corners. Most SUVs in this class don't offer upgrade engines at all-only the Bronco Sport and Escape with their optional turbo 2.0-liter four deliver similar acceleration. Those numbers are a few ticks behind the CX-5's but are still strong for the segment. Saddled with an extra 57 pounds compared with the last CX-5 Signature we tested, our all-wheel-drive CX-50 2.5 Turbo test car got to 60 mph in 6.6 seconds and through the quarter-mile in 15.1 seconds at 91 mph. Unlike with most mainstream vehicles, engaging the CX-50's Sport mode actually does something: The steering firms up and the throttle mapping is noticeably snappier, so much so that it improves the CX-50's acceleration by a few tenths. LOWS: Infotainment quirks, costlier than a CX-5, trying too hard for a rugged image. (We assume the same will apply to the CX-50's base powertrain, a 187-hp naturally aspirated 2.5-liter inline-four.) The turbo engine provides a strong swell of low-end torque, and the transmission shifts crisply and does a great job of predicting what gear you want. Given that its turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-four-which makes 256 horsepower on 93-octane fuel and 227 horsepower on 87-octane-and six-speed automatic transmission are shared with upper trims of the CX-5, much of the driving experience is familiar. An upcoming off-road-themed CX-50 Meridian Edition will offer all-terrain tires, along with a hood graphic, a basket rack, and a few other accessories. Towing and Off-Road drive modes join the Normal and Sport selections and bring different calibrations for the steering, transmission, all-wheel-drive system, and throttle response. And Mazda says it beefed up the CX-50's engine cooling to increase towing capacity: Equipped with the optional turbo engine, the CX-50 can tow up to 3500 pounds, while the CX-5 Turbo maxes out at 2000. For one, it has slightly more ground clearance than the CX-5. 2023 Mazda CX-50 Is More Expensive Than the CX-5Ĭompared with its stablemate, the CX-50 does offer a bit of real capability to go with the imagined variety.Tested: 2022 Mazda CX-5 Stays the Course.It all comes together in a design that's far more modern than that of the current CX-5, which got a facelift for 2022 but still doesn't look all that different than it did in 2017. Although the CX-50's black plastic cladding and faux vents are a bit overdone, we like its more athletic stance and wide haunches. The CX-50's body is 1.4 inches lower, 3.0 inches wider, and 5.7 inches longer (most of that length is from a 4.6-inch wheelbase stretch), giving it station-wagon-esque proportions that are more Subaru Outback than Forester. The CX-50 and CX-5 share powertrains, but there are notable differences in the packaging. If that sounds like a familiar refrain, it's because we've heaped similar praise upon the CX-5, which has won multiple 10Best awards and is Mazda's bestseller by far. We decided to ignore the outdoorsy shtick and instead found the CX-50 to have a pleasant on-road driving demeanor, an appealing design, and class-above refinement-all for about the same price as its mainstream competitors. HIGHS: Refined powertrain, good ride and handling balance, premium looks.
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