It does sound exactly like a Rav4 hybrid (coworker has one and I ride to lunch with him from time to time) which is weird. All Mazda's other than the latest large CX SUV's all have the same distinctive sound which is missing here. That said, if you aren't going to do your own hybrid powertrain, Toyota is the best company to borrow from.
Only 2:49 in, but a couple comments. First you mention the hybrid and how it’s not their first foray so you kind of allude to why the joint venture? Remember that Toyota is proven in that area and Mazda is a VERY small company when compared to Toyota and Honda so it only makes sense to do the joint venture when the all-new Mazda engines weren’t intended to fit in this vehicle. Second, with the CX-5, it’s still their best selling vehicle and while they do still produce it, this was intended to replace it. The CX-50 hasn’t had the reception they were hoping for and the CX-5 continues to sell. So why get rid of it? They’ll run the CX-5 longer due to this. It will still go away but I’m assuming they want people to switch to the CX-50 on their own or move up to a 70/90 vs forcing it by discontinuing the model. Logical decision to me. We have a 2016 CX-5 Touring FWD purchased in early 2016. It’s got over 225k miles on it. Over 200k of which we put on. It was a CPO and it’s been absolutely the best car either of us have ever owned. No point in getting rid of it since it’s so good. We need larger so I hope to move up to a 70/90 (whichever we can get cheaper on the used market in a few more years). I personally love the CX-50 look but I know it’s just not big enough for us. Back to the video. Looking forward to your review. Edited because I’m stupid. Allude not elude.
You’re absolutely right about the CX-50 originally being released as a potential replacement for the CX-5, but Mazda are no longer planning on discontinuing the CX-5. Mazda is actually planning to refresh and update the CX-5 in 2026. Rumor has it that they are developing their own hybrid and electric powertrains which will be introduced on the next gen CX-5. The CX-50 is still great for people that want a sportier light off-roader, but like you mentioned, people still love the CX-5, which will continue as their more luxurious crossover SUV. It’s not official, but if you look up images of the Mazda Arata concept, it gives people an idea of what the next gen CX-5 might look like.
Alright, now that I’ve watched the whole thing. I still think that based on the architecture of the CX-50 (FWD based), it didn’t make sense for them to spend money to R&D another hybrid system. Partnering with Toyota is a smart economic decision. I mean how long have the 2.5 and 2.5 turbo been around? They develop a powertrain and stick with it for as long as they can. That’s one of the reasons the new I6 turbo/hybrid took so long to develop. They wanted to make it right because it’s going to be here a while. Anyway, I mention in the first comment this is too small for us. We have a family of 4 with an almost 6 yo and a 16 almost 17 yo. We do a lot of closer to home road trips. With the four of us it’s hard in the CX-5 nowadays. And there are times when I might work but one or two others might hop in the car (MIL and/or BIL) to go on trips with the family. Larger is just needed since nobody else in the family has something larger (her mom has a Sentra and her brother has a CX-5 as well). Side note. Thanks for parking next to the Fusion. That’s what I’ve got. So good size comparison next to mine. I feel as though you and I have similar ideas on vehicles. You mention that you would rather have the turbo and I like power and speed so I’m sure I would too. However, if this were the vehicle we went with, I’d take the fuel economy because of the same price vehicle and as you said about 10 MPG better. The almost 8 second 0-60 is what I’m used to in my slow Fusion so it is what it is. Thank you for the review. Very nice to see. I don’t know why but those hybrid wheels look like Toyota to me too. I’d definitely move down to the cheapest trim that has heated seats and hybrid if buying this. So Premium if nothing lower offers the hybrid. But I’d also buy used to save a few bucks. Oh and that’s another reason I like watching your channel. Winter stuff. Being in MN it’s nice to see what people say about cold weather in vehicles.
Purchased my CX-50 PP one year ago based primarily on interior quality and exterior style. Mine is the NA 4 cyl and for my type of driving (mostly urban) I find I have more than ample power. No regrets. No hybrid batteries. No CVT. NO HYBRID DRONE! Your audio on acceleration really sounded bad. Overall, my driving dynamics are perfect. Bose audio is the best. Heated steering wheel should be made standard on this trim.
My only complaint is lack of 360 degree camera when the Turbo PP sister trim CX-50s have them. Absolutely essential if you are spending 40k+ these days.
In a vehicle like this, do you think you'd be able to fit a utility cart in there? basically twasit high'ish carts you see construction workers or mechanics use
To Answer the question of why the CX-5 and 50 co-exist, I believe the Alabama plant is limited to how many CX-50s can be produced in a year whereas the CX-5 is still made in Japan by Mazda. In order for Mazda USA to hit their annual sales targets they can't discontinue the CX-5 due to both production numbers and it being their current top seller basically
CX5 hybrid will be Mazda’s own powertrain according to the rumors. I have driven this car extensively…it’s quite boring. I would wait for the CX5 hybrid
if you don't drive like an ass you barely hear it. there's some drone under hard acceleration but most of the time when you're just wafting about at 45-50 mph you don't hear it at all pmuch
@@jacobt1027 WTF does it mean drive like an ass ? Didnt you see what noise it made when you accelerated up to highway speed ? I would rather buy a 3 cylinder ecoboost then hear that crap all day
@@Chris-hw4mqI meant if you don't gun it all the time it's perfectly tolerable. most of your drive where you're just maintaining your speed you pretty much don't hear the engine at all. yes it's a little groany when you get on it to merge but so are most 4cly cars. my rav4 and basically every other 4cly commuter car I've ever driven does that lol
For a vehicle that’s considered a light off-roader and if people are actually considering using this vehicle for what it’s advertised, it makes sense to have that cladding. It definitely doesn’t look great, but I don’t blame Mazda for trying to balance their usual premium sportiness, along with practicality, especially for a vehicle that’s meant to be more adventurous. Plastic cladding is just one of those things that definitely focuses more on utility over aesthetics. So, even if most people aren’t planning on taking the CX-50 off-road, scratching the cladding is one less thing to worry about. The vehicle where the cladding doesn’t make sense and looks even worse, is on the CX-30. Thankfully the CX-5 and all their other models offer color-matched cladding.
He said 219hp. He also said 163 lb-ft of torque but that’s wrong, the ENGINE makes 163 lb-ft, combined with the hybrid system its well over 200 lb-ft, toyota is always crap about publishing total hp and torque numbers.
May be a wise thing for Mazda to embrace Toyota's hybrid system. A 25% tariff is looming on the horizon for Canadian built cars and trucks including the RAV-4 hybrid, so Mazda might be in an advantageous position, even compared to its larger sister company. Noise, vibration and harshness might also be better with the Mazda version as Toyota tends to emphasize economy over quiet and comfort. Tires are better quality. Interior looks better quality too. The chief drawback for me is an hour and a half drive to the nearest Mazda dealer as Mazda dealerships are much rarer than Toyota.
You must really live in the boonies. lol. I live in a small rural farm town in SE MN of 600 people. But when you get to Rochester about 30 minutes away, there’s a Mazda dealer. I know what you mean though. They aren’t everywhere. Then again, the local company that owns the Mazda dealership also owns Chevy, Ford, Toyota, and one or two others here.
It's a little disappointing that even once the engine is warmed up it's still so quickly to drop out of EV mode. My Ioniq Hybrid stays in EV mode at virtually any speed as long as the engine is warm enough to warm up the cabin to whatever I have it set to. Heck on the interstate it regularly switches to EV mode even if I'm going 80.
That's not necessarily a bad thing, it's actually one of the strengths of Toyota's hybrid system. Their planetary power split system prioritizes drivetrain reliability and fuel economy over engine noise and smoothness. They do this by only using the full EV mode at low speed and low throttle settings where it's most efficient to use the battery/motor. At constant speeds (highway), the hybrid system is actually able to use an infinitely custom gear ratio to achieve the optimum engine load/RPM for the given speed. This ends up being more fuel efficient than Honda/Hyundai's system which cycles between EV mode (infinite mpg) and a suboptimal RPM/load range (low MPG), plus it puts less cycles on the hybrid battery. Weber Automotive has a great video explaining why/how it does this if you're willing to watch an hour long video ha.
@@fhornkidI will take smooth and quiet over a few MPG every day of the week. I traded in a noisy AF Toyota Highlander for a new Tucson Hybrid and so far I couldn’t be happier. I also had a 2018 CX-5 before that and that Mazda was so much quieter than this current hybrid. Ick.
Gonna have to save this one for later. The head unit of my brand new Toyota CHR completely died after doing a map update and it's gonna take a while to fix (it needs a whole new system). Since then, it's too painful to watch videos of working head units 🤣
mazda luxury? i mean it's a nice enough car but luxury? Crown Signia or a Highlander Platinum are definitely nicer than this i think but ofc those cost a good chunk more than this
@@leedaomillzDepends on the model really. Nicer than a base model highlander n such for sure. but the Platinum Highlander is definitely nicer than this. So is the crown singina SUV Wagon thingy. Those are more expensive cars ofc so that's sorta what you expect
It does sound exactly like a Rav4 hybrid (coworker has one and I ride to lunch with him from time to time) which is weird. All Mazda's other than the latest large CX SUV's all have the same distinctive sound which is missing here. That said, if you aren't going to do your own hybrid powertrain, Toyota is the best company to borrow from.
i’m seriously considering one of these!! idk which powertrain tho. regardless, mazda + topherdrives is a win in my book!!
missed more of the relatable cars like these on the channel
I wish they would do 40/60 split seats instead of 60/40. That would make it more practical if you need to pick up long objects.
Only 2:49 in, but a couple comments. First you mention the hybrid and how it’s not their first foray so you kind of allude to why the joint venture? Remember that Toyota is proven in that area and Mazda is a VERY small company when compared to Toyota and Honda so it only makes sense to do the joint venture when the all-new Mazda engines weren’t intended to fit in this vehicle.
Second, with the CX-5, it’s still their best selling vehicle and while they do still produce it, this was intended to replace it. The CX-50 hasn’t had the reception they were hoping for and the CX-5 continues to sell. So why get rid of it? They’ll run the CX-5 longer due to this. It will still go away but I’m assuming they want people to switch to the CX-50 on their own or move up to a 70/90 vs forcing it by discontinuing the model. Logical decision to me.
We have a 2016 CX-5 Touring FWD purchased in early 2016. It’s got over 225k miles on it. Over 200k of which we put on. It was a CPO and it’s been absolutely the best car either of us have ever owned. No point in getting rid of it since it’s so good. We need larger so I hope to move up to a 70/90 (whichever we can get cheaper on the used market in a few more years). I personally love the CX-50 look but I know it’s just not big enough for us.
Back to the video. Looking forward to your review.
Edited because I’m stupid. Allude not elude.
You’re absolutely right about the CX-50 originally being released as a potential replacement for the CX-5, but Mazda are no longer planning on discontinuing the CX-5.
Mazda is actually planning to refresh and update the CX-5 in 2026. Rumor has it that they are developing their own hybrid and electric powertrains which will be introduced on the next gen CX-5. The CX-50 is still great for people that want a sportier light off-roader, but like you mentioned, people still love the CX-5, which will continue as their more luxurious crossover SUV. It’s not official, but if you look up images of the Mazda Arata concept, it gives people an idea of what the next gen CX-5 might look like.
It’s cool to hear you’re hometown is where they make this car!
Like the hybrid model and review, but still prefer the CX-5 overall. Looking forward to seeing the next generation CX-5 Hybrid.
I know MANY people hate the CVT drone sound when accelerating but god I love it so much. It’s really cool to me and I like it a lot.
Alright, now that I’ve watched the whole thing. I still think that based on the architecture of the CX-50 (FWD based), it didn’t make sense for them to spend money to R&D another hybrid system. Partnering with Toyota is a smart economic decision. I mean how long have the 2.5 and 2.5 turbo been around? They develop a powertrain and stick with it for as long as they can. That’s one of the reasons the new I6 turbo/hybrid took so long to develop. They wanted to make it right because it’s going to be here a while.
Anyway, I mention in the first comment this is too small for us. We have a family of 4 with an almost 6 yo and a 16 almost 17 yo. We do a lot of closer to home road trips. With the four of us it’s hard in the CX-5 nowadays. And there are times when I might work but one or two others might hop in the car (MIL and/or BIL) to go on trips with the family. Larger is just needed since nobody else in the family has something larger (her mom has a Sentra and her brother has a CX-5 as well). Side note. Thanks for parking next to the Fusion. That’s what I’ve got. So good size comparison next to mine.
I feel as though you and I have similar ideas on vehicles. You mention that you would rather have the turbo and I like power and speed so I’m sure I would too. However, if this were the vehicle we went with, I’d take the fuel economy because of the same price vehicle and as you said about 10 MPG better. The almost 8 second 0-60 is what I’m used to in my slow Fusion so it is what it is.
Thank you for the review. Very nice to see.
I don’t know why but those hybrid wheels look like Toyota to me too. I’d definitely move down to the cheapest trim that has heated seats and hybrid if buying this. So Premium if nothing lower offers the hybrid. But I’d also buy used to save a few bucks.
Oh and that’s another reason I like watching your channel. Winter stuff. Being in MN it’s nice to see what people say about cold weather in vehicles.
Purchased my CX-50 PP one year ago based primarily on interior quality and exterior style. Mine is the NA 4 cyl and for my type of driving (mostly urban) I find I have more than ample power. No regrets. No hybrid batteries. No CVT. NO HYBRID DRONE! Your audio on acceleration really sounded bad. Overall, my driving dynamics are perfect. Bose audio is the best. Heated steering wheel should be made standard on this trim.
You had to purchase a PP made by Mazda? I'm sorry you lost your natural one 😢
Mpgs?
The MPG for city driving is pretty bad even with the FWD NA. I'd much rather have a hybrid especially a Toyota powertrain
They should’ve used the traditional auto instead of Toyota’s eCVT even tho it’s reliable
@@zero2sixty244 No, they shouldn't have. eCVTs aren't the same as traditional CVTs.
My only complaint is lack of 360 degree camera when the Turbo PP sister trim CX-50s have them. Absolutely essential if you are spending 40k+ these days.
The Canadian version comes with a 360 degree camera but not available in the U.S. :(
Damn, so close. Can you do a video on the 25 mazda hatchback turbo premium plus???
In a vehicle like this, do you think you'd be able to fit a utility cart in there? basically twasit high'ish carts you see construction workers or mechanics use
This car is faster than the NA 2.5 CX-50, but slower than the turbo. A little research goes a long way!
To Answer the question of why the CX-5 and 50 co-exist, I believe the Alabama plant is limited to how many CX-50s can be produced in a year whereas the CX-5 is still made in Japan by Mazda. In order for Mazda USA to hit their annual sales targets they can't discontinue the CX-5 due to both production numbers and it being their current top seller basically
Makes sense!
Since they're already on a Toyota roll, next logical move is to put 2UR-GSE into this and name it CX-500. 😂
no heated steering wheel LOL classic mazda
So a Toyota RAV4 hybrid without the dreadfully cheap interior, nice!
Pretty much every Mazda now has the touchscreen while using phone projection. It’s not exclusive to the 50.
good to know! The manual Mazda3 Premium I had a few weeks ago didn't have it.
Why mazdas steering wheel is soo big?
It is not tthat big, it looks big in videos, but from a ex CX30 owner I can tell you it's an average size steering wheel
ventilated seats bruh for southern summers
On my short list when my car eventually dies. Great and proven powertrain and a great looking car.
CX5 hybrid will be Mazda’s own powertrain according to the rumors. I have driven this car extensively…it’s quite boring. I would wait for the CX5 hybrid
650 hybrid
I long for the day where car reviewers put their freaking seatbelts on before turning on Mazdas.
😂
OMG that CVT sounds horrible
to be fair almost all of the Toyota cvts sound bad. i drove a rental Sienna from Ottawa to Toronto and shit was screaming the entire 5 hour drive
if you don't drive like an ass you barely hear it. there's some drone under hard acceleration but most of the time when you're just wafting about at 45-50 mph you don't hear it at all pmuch
But the Bose sounds oh so sweet
@@jacobt1027 WTF does it mean drive like an ass ? Didnt you see what noise it made when you accelerated up to highway speed ? I would rather buy a 3 cylinder ecoboost then hear that crap all day
@@Chris-hw4mqI meant if you don't gun it all the time it's perfectly tolerable. most of your drive where you're just maintaining your speed you pretty much don't hear the engine at all. yes it's a little groany when you get on it to merge but so are most 4cly cars. my rav4 and basically every other 4cly commuter car I've ever driven does that lol
I really like this vehicle, but I hate the enormous side cladding. It's a deal breaker for me.
The widened it to cover the battery difference, and it was already very wide.
yeah it looks almost as bad as a subaru
For a vehicle that’s considered a light off-roader and if people are actually considering using this vehicle for what it’s advertised, it makes sense to have that cladding. It definitely doesn’t look great, but I don’t blame Mazda for trying to balance their usual premium sportiness, along with practicality, especially for a vehicle that’s meant to be more adventurous.
Plastic cladding is just one of those things that definitely focuses more on utility over aesthetics. So, even if most people aren’t planning on taking the CX-50 off-road, scratching the cladding is one less thing to worry about.
The vehicle where the cladding doesn’t make sense and looks even worse, is on the CX-30. Thankfully the CX-5 and all their other models offer color-matched cladding.
hmmm...with Honda and Nissan merging...Will Toyota and Mazda merge? xD
290 hp.. u sure about that?!
He said 219hp. He also said 163 lb-ft of torque but that’s wrong, the ENGINE makes 163 lb-ft, combined with the hybrid system its well over 200 lb-ft, toyota is always crap about publishing total hp and torque numbers.
Too much cladding
Heated and ventilated seats but no heating steering wheel 👎🏾👎🏾👎🏾👎🏾👎🏾👎🏾👎🏾👎🏾
May be a wise thing for Mazda to embrace Toyota's hybrid system. A 25% tariff is looming on the horizon for Canadian built cars and trucks including the RAV-4 hybrid, so Mazda might be in an advantageous position, even compared to its larger sister company.
Noise, vibration and harshness might also be better with the Mazda version as Toyota tends to emphasize economy over quiet and comfort. Tires are better quality. Interior looks better quality too. The chief drawback for me is an hour and a half drive to the nearest Mazda dealer as Mazda dealerships are much rarer than Toyota.
You must really live in the boonies. lol. I live in a small rural farm town in SE MN of 600 people. But when you get to Rochester about 30 minutes away, there’s a Mazda dealer. I know what you mean though. They aren’t everywhere. Then again, the local company that owns the Mazda dealership also owns Chevy, Ford, Toyota, and one or two others here.
My Rav4 hybrid was built in the US…
I have an idea LETS LEAVE
It's a little disappointing that even once the engine is warmed up it's still so quickly to drop out of EV mode. My Ioniq Hybrid stays in EV mode at virtually any speed as long as the engine is warm enough to warm up the cabin to whatever I have it set to. Heck on the interstate it regularly switches to EV mode even if I'm going 80.
That's not necessarily a bad thing, it's actually one of the strengths of Toyota's hybrid system. Their planetary power split system prioritizes drivetrain reliability and fuel economy over engine noise and smoothness. They do this by only using the full EV mode at low speed and low throttle settings where it's most efficient to use the battery/motor. At constant speeds (highway), the hybrid system is actually able to use an infinitely custom gear ratio to achieve the optimum engine load/RPM for the given speed. This ends up being more fuel efficient than Honda/Hyundai's system which cycles between EV mode (infinite mpg) and a suboptimal RPM/load range (low MPG), plus it puts less cycles on the hybrid battery.
Weber Automotive has a great video explaining why/how it does this if you're willing to watch an hour long video ha.
@@fhornkidI will take smooth and quiet over a few MPG every day of the week. I traded in a noisy AF Toyota Highlander for a new Tucson Hybrid and so far I couldn’t be happier. I also had a 2018 CX-5 before that and that Mazda was so much quieter than this current hybrid. Ick.
Gonna have to save this one for later. The head unit of my brand new Toyota CHR completely died after doing a map update and it's gonna take a while to fix (it needs a whole new system). Since then, it's too painful to watch videos of working head units 🤣
Great car and review, but the sound is awful
Mazda luxury, Toyota reliability?
mazda luxury? i mean it's a nice enough car but luxury?
Crown Signia or a Highlander Platinum are definitely nicer than this i think but ofc those cost a good chunk more than this
@@jacobt1027 It's more luxurious than honda or toyota, but a similar price. I think that's what he means.
@@leedaomillzDepends on the model really. Nicer than a base model highlander n such for sure. but the Platinum Highlander is definitely nicer than this. So is the crown singina SUV Wagon thingy. Those are more expensive cars ofc so that's sorta what you expect
@@jacobt1027 Yeah the cx-90 is more comparable to the highlander than this. The cx-50 is in the rav4 category.
Yea and Mazdas limited dealer network and poor resale value too
All that plastic trim all around looks really bad and cheap!
that HYBRID logo is very ugly and distasteful
topher,
*attempts to stay calm*
ITS SNOWING IN TEXAS HELP US 😭😭😭
Nah we ballin trust. 😎
I’ve never understood the Mazda glaze…
This car has so many issues and problems in Europe...
It’s not sold in Europe…
If its hybrid why the engine was so loud? Thats craze.