Top to bottom, Mazda's CX-50 is a more upscale vehicle

Top to bottom, Mazda’s CX-50 is a more upscale vehicle

It’s hard not to like Mazda.

The company’s vehicles are not perfect, but they get way more right than wrong. It also helps that everything Mazda makes is fun to drive. You can’t say that about every car company.

Even the CX-50 is fun to drive. Introduced in 2023 as a replacement for the CX-5, the car is a bit more robust in the outback and has an updated interior that mimics some luxury brands. I must note the CX-5 is still Mazda’s best-selling vehicle, hence why it hasn’t been replaced.

The CX-50 has a lot going to eventually become Mazda’s best seller. Its exterior certainly promotes Mazda’s current design language. The prominent grille isn’t as pronounced on the CX-50, which actually gives it a brawnier look.

The interior goes in the opposite direction. The materials feel more upscale and operate as if they were taken from a luxury SUV. There are other small Utes with nice interiors, but few come close to this. Sure, you find plastics, but the surfaces these plastics makeup feel and look great. The seats are covered in leather and are very comfortable, at least in the front. The rear seats are OK but could use a bit more padding. In my test car the rear seats are heated. The front seats are as well and are also cooled.

There is enough room for every passenger. There is no shortage of head, hip or leg room.

My only complaint about the interior is the infotainment screen. If you use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto it’s a fully functioning touch screen, but only if you use those apps. Using the rotary knob is fine but I don’t understand why there is an either-or thing going on.

The Mazda CX-50 has two engine choices, but my test car came with the turbo. The 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine makes 227 horsepower with 310 pounds-feet of torque. Spend a few cents more or 93 octane gasoline and horsepower increases to 256 and torque to 320 pounds-feet. Either engine is mated to a six-speed transmission that feeds power to all four wheels. Mazda uses this setup on the smaller CX-30 as well which is one of the best handling SUVs on the market.

The CX-50 is larger and heavier, so it’s not as spirited as the CX-30 but it’s still sporty. You can find sharp curves and take them aggressively and the CX-50 leans a bit but stays flatter in the curve than it should. Look for some straight roads that melt into a few twists and you see just how well the suspension has been sorted. This suspension delivers a firm but smooth ride that I call comfortable. Bumps can be felt but not so much as to make the ride uncomfortable. There is a little wind and engine noise under hard acceleration but once you get to causing speed noise levels drop dramatically.

My test car was the CX-50 Turbo with the Premium Plus package. A lot of driver-assist systems are standard including blind-spot warning, forward collision warning, lane departure mitigation and adaptive cruise control. Other standard equipment includes Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, dual climate control, 10.25-inch infotainment display, remote entry and keyless start.

The Premium Plus Package is top dog and has everything all packages have (which includes heated steering wheel, 12-speaker Bose system, power folding mirrors and ventilated front seats) but adds heated rear seats, Navigation system, surround-view camera, reverse auto braking, Blind-spot intervention and front and rear parking sensors.

The CV-50 is another example of how well Mazda has improved over the years. The company is off the struggle bus and now a thriving car company that knows it’s buyers. The CX-50 may be the sweet-spot in the company’s lineup.

Pros:

• Handsome exterior

• Modern, near-luxury interior

• Great ergonomics

• Lots of tech

• Comfortable interior

• Excellent engine/transmission combo

• Abundant power

• Firm but comfortable ride

• Excellent handling

Cons:

• Infotainment touch screen only with certain apps

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