The CX-50 Hybrid is a vehicle I recommended buying before I had even driven it. And the irony is that it exists due to Mazda’s inability to develop its own cost-efficient hybrid and EV powertrains. At least, for now. Little Mazda recently made a bold statement about the future of hybrids within its lineup. The Hiroshima-based carmaker is apparently developing its own next-generation hybrid technology, and it currently uses in-house tech in the CX-70 and CX-90. But until it manages to drive production costs down in the hybrid space, it’ll need a bit of help from parent company Toyota.

In comes the CX-50 Hybrid. It’s the first ever use of a hybrid engine for one of Mazda’s compact crossovers. And underneath the CX-50’s hood lies essentially the same engine, electric motors, battery and transmission as a RAV4 Hybrid, creating what is arguably the recipe for the best possible mainstream crossover money can buy.

Mazda Canada invited me for brunch and dinner in old Montreal and loaned me a CX-50 Hybrid press unit for a day to review. I did not live with the vehicle for an entire week like I usually do for these reviews. For detailed insight into testing procedures and data collection, please review our methodology policy.

2025 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid First Impressions

At this point, the Mazda CX-50 is familiar stuff. Mazda launched this thing in 2023 as a way to offer something a tad larger and more adventure-ready than the aging CX-5. For the Hybrid, not much changes in the design department aside from a new set of wheels, new color options and a HYBRID logo on its front fenders.

Mazda typically designs nice cars, and the CX-50 is no exception. While I personally prefer the cleaner, more sophisticated look of the CX-5, the CX-50 does a better job than the Subaru Outback (its main rival) in continuing to look good while also coming off as a more rugged alternative. The plastic cladding isn’t overdone, and the illusion of a wide-body effect through more prominent front and rear bumpers and flared wheel arches really gives this crossover presence.

From a dimensional standpoint, the CX-50 is 1.4 inches lower than a CX-5, three inches wider overall and 5.7 inches longer. Its wheelbase was also stretched by 4.6 inches, while the ride height was lifted 1.4 inches. But the CX-50 still rides on the CX-5’s platform, and most of its suspension components and brakes are the same.

Exterior Dimensions

Length

185.8 in

Width (Without Mirrors)

75.6 in

Height

63.5 in

Wheelbase

110.8 in

Front Track

NA

Rear Track

NA

Curb Weight

3,741 lb

2025 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid: Differences Between The U.S. And Canadian Market

On each side of the border, the CX-50 Hybrid is essentially identical except for minor variations in standard equipment and available options and packages. Both markets offer the same choice of six paint colors and two wheel options (trim-dependent). They’re also both sold in three different trim levels. The only distinction is how Mazda has named these trims in each respective market.

U.S. Versus Canada Lineup Breakdown (model tested in bold)

U.S. Market

Canadian Market

Hybrid Preferred ($33,970 USD)

GS-L ($42,950 CAD)

Hybrid Premium ($37,400 USD)

Kuro ($44,850 CAD)

Hybrid Premium Plus ($40,050 USD)

GT ($48,350 CAD)

Driving Impressions And Performance

Underneath the CX-50 hybrid’s hood is a familiar Toyota hybrid powerplant. Mazda doesn’t even hide the fact that this is a carryover engine from its Japanese cousin. Although, upon inspection, I only spotted one Toyota logo in the engine bay. Everything else is branded Mazda.

At the core of this powerplant is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder. It’s mated to a 1.59-kWh Ni-MH (Nickel-Metal Hydride) battery which powers no less than three electric motors. One acts as a generator to power the car’s accessories, while another was integrated inside the continuously variable transmission (CVT). The third electric motor is installed on the rear axle, granting the CX-50 all-wheel drive. The total combined output is identical to the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid’s: 219 horsepower and 163-lb-ft of torque.

I drove the CX-50 Hybrid in my home province of Quebec, in Canada. I took it out of the city and through the Montérégie region, which is mostly composed of farmland and rivers. Even in hybrid form, the CX-50 preserves the expected Mazda handling and road composure. This thing remains fun to toss around hard in the corners.

But the hybrid engine definitely doesn’t come with the same sort of urgency or cohesiveness as the turbocharged unit that powers its sibling. Punching the accelerator pedal in the Hybrid instantly revealed a droning four-cylinder sound due to the CVT swinging the engine up high in the rev range. The Hybrid isn’t slow per se, it actually picks itself up rather well. But there’s always that annoying feeling that a lot is going on underneath your foot.

About that. You can technically drive the CX-50 Hybrid in fully electric mode, but only at very low speeds and for a very short period of time. The hybrid system mostly assists the gasoline engine during the times it consumes the most energy. So you can’t plug it. The CX-50 recharges its battery while driving.

I must say, the transition between gasoline and electric propulsion remains seamless. It was also amusing to operate a gear lever normally associated with a six-speed automatic transmission (in the normal CX-50) with Sport mode and +/- selectors for a CVT. Manually downshifting the CX-50 Hybrid (through simulated gears) only leads to more droning and not much in terms of performance.

Performance Specifications

Engine

2.5L Four-Cylinder Hybrid With Three Electric Motors

Battery Type

Ni-MH (Nickel-Metal Hydride)

Battery Capacity

1.59 KWH

Transmission

e-CVT

Driveline

AWD

Horsepower

219 HP @ NA

Torque

163 LB-FT @ 3,600 RPM

Towing Capacity

1,500 LB

2025 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid Fuel Consumption

While the EPA still hasn’t published official fuel economy numbers for the CX-50 Hybrid (at the time of writing this article), Mazda claims 38 MPG combined. During my short time with the vehicle, I pulled a more than decent 6.4 liters per 100 km, or the equivalent of 37 MPG. That’s impressive, especially considering this vehicle’s size and weight.

Mazda And As Tested Fuel Consumption

City

Highway

Combined

Mazda Fuel Consumption

39 MPG

37 MPG

38 MPG

Fuel Consumption As Tested

NA

NA

37 MPG

Interior Design And Comfort

The Mazda CX-50 is already a well put-together, comfortable and spacious crossover, and none of that is lost with the Hybrid. Mazda is a carmaker that does a very good job at making you believe you’re buying a premium vehicle at a non-premium price, and the CX-50 Hybrid stays true to that promise.

Everything looks and feels of good quality, and as if it was put together to last forever. The dashboard has a clean, minimalist design. The seats are comfortable and supportive, and the center console storage compartment is large enough to toss a water bottle, a pair of sunglasses, or anything in between.

But it’s the simplicity of its controls that really helps the CX-50 stand out from its more complicated rivals. Physical buttons for climate control settings and audio volume remain a tried and tested formula that always works. Gauges look great, while only displaying the information you truly need. The steering-mounted controls are straight forward and never a pain to operate.

Thanks to its longer wheelbase, the CX-50 fixes most of the CX-5’s legroom issues. I experienced no problems squeezing behind myself in this crossover. Headroom is also more than ample thanks to a high roofline. A large panoramic roof leads to an airy, well-lit passenger experience.

Interior Dimensions

Front

Rear

Headroom

39.1 in

38.6 in

Shoulder Room

55.9 in.

53.6 in.

Hip Room

53.6 in.

52.1 in.

Legroom

41.7 in

39.8 in

Technology And Ease Of Use

Again, this is all familiar stuff, for better or for worse. The CX-50 Hybrid carries over Mazda’s ubiquitous infotainment interface that you operate via a rotary knob dial, similar to BMW’s iDrive system. Most of the time, this system is easy to grasp, good-looking and quick to react. But some simple tasks, like removing lane keep assist or radar cruise control require digging into complicated menus.

In my case, wireless Android Auto connected rapidly. It also takes up the entire screen’s real estate, which is great. I like how Mazda allows you to quickly toggle in or out of Android Auto using that rotary knob dial. But I still can’t get my head around the fact that the screen will only allow you to use touch controls when using Android Auto, forcing you to use the knob dial when defaulting back to Mazda’s system. Why?

Cargo And Storage Space

Mazda always lags behind its rivals in terms of cargo space, and in that regard, a normal CX-50 can’t match a Subaru Outback (32.6 cu-ft/75.6 cu-ft). Sadly, the hybrid system compromises even more cargo space, removing 2.2 cu-ft in the trunk. The Hybrid’s total cargo space (with all seats lowered flat), however, remains identical.

Minimum cargo capacity (with all seats in place)

29.2 cu-ft

Total cargo capacity (with all seats lowered flat)

56.3 cu-ft

No-Brainer

I realize that the expression “no-brainer” is cliché in this business. But the 2025 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid is a very hard vehicle to fault. The regular CX-50 is already a fine little crossover. It’s well put together, spacious, good-looking, well appointed and fun to drive.

Adding frugal and reliable Toyota hybrid power only adds to this already delicious recipe. This is a match made in heaven. If you’re looking for a Toyota RAV4 Hybrid that arguably looks better and puts more emphasis on driver involvement, then Mazda has you covered.

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