Although it wears a Mazda badge, the CX-50 Hybrid has the heart of a Toyota. The exterior styling, nicely trimmed cabin, and fine handling are all Mazda, but the hybrid powertrain is essentially the same gas engine and electric drive combination you’ll find in a Toyota RAV4 Hybrid.
The result is a small SUV that has sharper handling and a much more upscale interior than the RAV4 Hybrid, yet a more comfortable ride and much better fuel economy than the regular CX-50. It’s a really nice vehicle overall, aside from its loud four-cylinder gas engine and Mazda’s clunky and frustrating infotainment system. But the positives far outweigh its minor deficiencies, proven by the CX-50’s significantly higher road-test score vs. the conventional model.
“This is basically a factory engine swap,” said one of our testers. “It has Mazda driving dynamics and styling with improved mpg. The hybrid system functions nearly identically to Toyota’s hybrids, down to the excessive engine noise and the slight bump you feel when it transitions from electric power to hybrid. In my opinion, the hybrid should be the CX-50’s default powertrain.”
“If you like the way Mazdas handle and how Toyota’s hybrid system operates, then this is the best of both worlds. I couldn’t get over the uncomfortable front seats, though,” said another tester.
We bought a 2025 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid Premium for $40,100—anonymously from an area dealer, as we do with every vehicle we test—for the purpose of this road test review. The CX-50 Hybrid is assembled in Madison, Alabama.
Driving experience
The CX-50 Hybrid’s powertrain combines a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with electric drive for a total system output of 219 horsepower. The extra oomph over the regular CX-50 results in a more than 1-second improvement from 0 to 60 mph. And you feel that out on the road, too; while the regular CX-50 we previously tested felt underpowered, the hybrid version has a bit more power to work with. But the most impressive aspect is fuel economy. It rises from 24 mpg overall for the regular model to 37 mpg overall in our testing.
While it’s efficient, the powertrain isn’t always pleasant to use. Yes, it’s possible to propel the CX-50 Hybrid with only electric power at low speeds if you keep a light throttle foot. But once the gas engine turns on, even moderate levels of acceleration bring considerable racket, made more pronounced by the way the electronic continuously variable transmission (eCVT) allows the revs to rise sky-high, particularly on long uphills.
Like the regular CX-50, the hybrid is taut and sporty through corners. The steering has a natural heft and provides good feedback to the driver. It also performed well during our avoidance-maneuver testing, thanks to its balanced chassis and strong cornering grip. The ride is firm yet absorbent, but we found it significantly improved over the original CX-50 we tested, which had larger wheels and tires.
In our testing, we’ve found that some hybrids exhibit significantly longer stopping distances than their conventional counterparts. But that’s not the case with the CX-50. The hybrid version’s panic-brake distances are nearly identical to the regular model. Brake feel is decent, too, although there’s a touch of nonlinearity related to the regenerative braking system at low speeds. The regen tends to come on with a dash of extra force as you get close to your stopping point, forcing the driver to modulate their pressure on the brake pedal slightly.
Cabin comfort
The CX-50’s cabin has a nicer ambience than most vehicles in its class. It’s outfitted with lots of padded areas, thick stitching, and high-quality physical controls, and none of that changes with the hybrid.
The driving position is mostly roomy, except for the plastic center console, which hems in right-knee space. Our staffers had mixed feelings about the front seats. We thought the side bolsters were ample and did a great job holding the driver and front passenger in place through turns, but some people found the padding uncomfortably firm.
The rear seat is tighter on headroom and foot space than some rivals. But the seat itself is pretty comfortable, with reasonably plush padding. Cargo capacity is generous for the compact SUV class, and the hybrid doesn’t lose any precious volume compared with the regular CX-50.
Controls and usability
Controls are almost identical to the regular CX-50. There’s a conventional “PRND” gear selector, along with plenty of physical buttons and knobs. But the CX-50’s infotainment system is frustrating and distracting to use while driving. When the car is in motion, the display can only be operated as a touchscreen if the driver is using Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. To use Mazda’s built-in infotainment system, the driver has to make do with a rotary knob on the center console. Plus, the text- and list-based menu structure forces drivers to glance away from the road for too long. Even simple radio tasks require multiple taps and twists of the rotary controller knob.
Active safety and driver assistance
All CX-50 Hybrids come standard with automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, automatic emergency braking that operates at highway speeds, blind spot warning, rear cross traffic warning, lane departure warning, lane keeping assistance, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams.
A rear occupant alert system also comes standard. It’s designed to remind the driver—based on rear-door logic—to check the rear seat when the CX-50 is turned off to help prevent children and pets from suffering heatstroke or hypothermia if unintentionally left behind in the vehicle. There’s also a rear belt minder, which alerts the driver if a rear passenger unbuckles their seat belt during the trip.