2025 Mazda CX-50 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus - Review by David Colman

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David Colman

Photos and Story by David Colman
Special Correspondent to THE AUTO CHANNEL

Sometimes it's instructive to compare press ratings of popular SUV offerings. Since Mazda has just recently entered the compact 2-row market with their all-new CX-50 line of SUVs, how does this product, now entering its second year of production, stack up against the category's many competitors?

For this exercise, we'll utilize two of the most widely accepted sources of impartial review - Car& Driver (C&D) and Consumer Reports (CR). C&D confers a very high rating on the CX-50, ranking it second overall in the "Best Compact SUV" field, trailing only Honda's CR-V, but ahead of VW's Tiguan, Mazda's outgoing CX-5, Ford's Bronco Sport and Hyundai's Tucson. The CX-50's lofty position should come as no surprise, since C&D puts a premium on handling and responsiveness, both longtime strong suits of Mazda.

CR, on the other hand, places the new CX-50 10th in category, with 77 points out of 100. That's 10 points behind Subaru's first-place Forester, and 8 points short of the second-placing Toyota RAV4 Prime. Note that CR typically gives less weight to handling and style than it does to more practical considerations like cost, fuel efficiency, and packaging.

Given those disparate review conclusions, I have to side with Car & Driver's higher evaluation of Mazda's new entry in this hotly contested class. For starters, the new CX-50 is the best looking compact SUV on the market, a timeless design that eschews filigree and flash in favor of a more cohesive visual architecture. Where competitors feel the need to tone down their overwrought designs with simplified "Nightshade" versions, Mazda goes the Nightshade route right from the drawing board to the production line. The CX-50 I drove for a week was stunningly attractive, especially when finished in a new shade of Ingot Blue Metallic paint. Fitted with machine-faced, 5-spoke alloy wheels that are standard on the top echelon Turbo Premium Plus model, this Mazda is definitely a looker. These wheels, shod with long life (TW 500) Goodyear Eagle Touring rubber (245/45R20) caught the rays of the setting sun like evanescent starbursts.

The CX-50 does Mazda proud by upholding the company's well documented dedication to steering precision. I can't think of another compact SUV that responds with the alacrity of this Mazda to even the most incremental adjustment to steering input. You can further refine the directional feedback by using the MI-DRIVE switch on the center console to dial up just the right level of steering and suspension compliance you desire. Options beyond Normal include Sport, Off-Road and Towing. Note that the Turbo Plus model's 256hp turbocharged 2.5-liter engine carries a hefty torque rating of 320lb.-ft at just 2500rpm. This rig is rated at 3,500 pounds tow capacity if you equip it with Mazda's optional $560 trailer hitch and 7-pin harness. A 4-pin harness is also available.

Perusing the multiplicity of outdoor adventure kit options made it clear that Mazda expects its customers to take their CX-50s off-road. For that purpose, it's well endowed, with full-time "I-Active" All-Wheel Drive, hill launch assist, and "G-Vectoring Control Plus" to keep you planted on the trail, rather than embedded in the scenery. And speaking of embedded, would you believe that Mazda offers a factory issue rubber coated, waterproof Roof Top Tent for $1,899. This bedroom sleeps 2, includes an aluminum ladder for access, plus "rain fly" zip doors, clear windows and even a skylight.

The amount of thought Mazda has invested in making the CX-50 a vacation investment is truly mind boggling. If rooftop camping's not your game, perhaps you'd like a Roof Top Bike Carrier ($310), a Roof Rack Cargo Box ($750), or a Kayak Carrier ($350), I quickly discovered that with the spacious second-row seats laid flat, my mountain bike slipped into the CX-50 without a hassle. If you plan on doing this regularly, you might want to buy the modestly priced Cargo Liner With Seatback Protection ($150) so you never have to worry about abrading the folded seatbacks when loading up the available 56 cubic feet of cargo space. If you need to tote two bikes simultaneously, Mazda's got you covered there as well, with a Trailer Hitch Mounted 2-Bike Carrier for $330.

So we've seen how C&D and CR rate this new Mazda. But neither publication confers the rating I would bestow on this scintillating new SUV: Best in Class.

2025 MAZDA CX-50 2.5 TURBO PREMIUM PLUS

• ENGINE: 2.5 liter inline-4, turbocharged and intercooled, DOHC 16-valve aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection
• HORSEPOWER: 256hp@5000rpm
• TORQUE: 320lb.-ft.@2500rpm
• FUEL CONSUMPTION: 23MPG City/29MPG Highway
• PRICE AS TESTED: $44,720

HYPES: Options Galore, Killer Ingot Blue Metallic paint

GRIPES: SiriusXM Not Hooked Up to 12 Speaker Bose Audio

STAR RATING: 10 Stars out of 10

©2024 David E Colman