Rather than doing an on-location first-drive event, Mazda brought its new CX-50 Hybrid to us so we could get a better sense of how it fits in our daily lives. In my book, I found this to be an intriguing vehicle, which includes a bulletproof powertrain and Mazda’s good looks. Though I only spent a couple days with the 2025 Mazda CX-50, my initial impression is favorable.
Wait? A Toyota powertrain?
Mazda has had a bit of a rough start with its electrification plans (see Mazda MX-30). And while it introduced the auto stop/start engine in some of its vehicles, it had yet to dip its toe into full hybrid powertrains. Cue its partnership with Toyota. The CX-50 and its hybrid variant are built at the Mazda Toyota Manufacturing (MTM) plant in Huntsville, Alabama. This is the same plant that builds the Toyota Corolla Cross.
Curiously, however, the 2025 Mazda CX-50 doesn’t get the Corolla Cross Hybrid powertrain. Nope, it gets the RAV4 Hybrid powertrain. That means it has a 2.5-liter, 4-cylinder engine paired with three electric motors for a combined 219 system horsepower output. It has standard e-AWD and a standard e-CVT (continuously variable transmission).
Is there a 2025 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid price advantage?
If you compare the 2025 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid and the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, base to base, the Mazda does cost about $2k more. But on the top trim, you only have a $20 price difference. The Mazda CX-50 Hybrid pricing, without destination, is as follows:
Preferred ($33,970): Includes 17-inch hybrid wheels, a 10.25-inch infotainment screen with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, four USB-C ports, wireless phone charging, Alexa built-in integration, heated front seats and a power liftgate.
Premium ($37,400): Adds leather seats in black and red, panoramic moonroof, 12-speaker Bose audio system and adaptive cruise control.
Premium Plus ($40,050): Adds 19-inch hybrid “aero” wheels, premium interior touches with black metal trim and camel stitching, ventilated front seats, full color active driving display and blind-spot monitoring.
At the end of the day, I would say there is a price advantage to the Mazda over the Toyota, and that’s simply because of the materials and fit and finish. Opt for the top trim, and you’ll just get a better product.
It’s also worth noting that the Hybrid model is nestled between the 2.5 S and 2.5 Turbo. So, in terms of pricing it hits that just-right space in the middle of the lineup.
The good stuff
The 2025 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid is packed with high-quality materials and superior fit and finish. I’ve long been a huge fan of Mazda interiors, and they get better with each model and year that passes. I liked the leather-and-stitching combo on the dash of the test vehicle as well as the solid metallic finish surrounding the air vents and dials.
Because I was driving the top-tier trim, the test vehicle also had what I like to call “marriage saving features,” which include dual automatic climate control, heated-and-ventilated seats and memory driver’s seat. These features allow me and my husband to coexist on a road trip without killing each other with our own temperature preferences.
While some people will ding the infotainment system on Mazda vehicles, I’m not that person. I’m finally getting used to the rotary dial and feature menu setup, and I appreciate that I don’t have to stretch to reach the screen to make changes. However, I do like the fact that Mazda has made the screen touchable when you are using the wireless Apple CarPlay. There are some features in that system that are easier to deal with by touch than by dial. But, if you disagree, you can still use the dial.
Finally, I think Mazda did a great job of implementing the Toyota hybrid powertrain into the CX-50. The switch between electric and hybrid modes is very smooth and quiet. Plus it’s peppy when you need those quick accelerations for city stop-starts and highway merges.
The bad stuff
Even though I didn’t take a road trip in the 2025 Mazda CX-50, I had enough time in the driver’s seat to know it was not comfortable. It was too firm and had bumps in all the wrong places. My husband was optimistic, however, and thinks it would “smooth out” over time.
I’m also not a fan of the infotainment screen location – and it’s not because it’s perched on top of the dash. It’s because it’s too far away to reach easily it when it’s in touch screen mode for Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.
I was also very disappointed in the back-up camera. I feel like Mazda cheaped out here. It was a fuzzy rear-view only camera. The definition was bad, and there are no dynamic guide lines showing the trajectory of the vehicle while reversing. I would have liked a higher-def resolution on the camera view, and I’m surprised the top trim didn’t have an around view monitor. The Turbo model does.
Finally, let’s talk about fuel economy. At best, I was averaging 27 MPG in combined driving, and the EPA estimates that you should get around 38 MPG (which is less than the RAV4 Hybrid’s 40 MPG number). I was trying not to drive like a jerk, but I live in a city and did have some highway driving mixed in. So, I would have expected significantly higher fuel economy. Perhaps, because I was one of the first people driving the test vehicle, it hadn’t been properly broken in yet. But still.
The bottom line
I really liked my first look at the 2025 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid. It has a solid powertrain, and the design (IMHO) is exquisite. While there are a few niggling things I didn’t like, I would take a CX-50 Hybrid over a RAV4 Hybrid every day of the week.
2025 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid photo gallery
