Mazda CX-50

There is no European version to compare it against. The CX-50 arrived in 2022, is built in Alabama in a plant shared with Toyota, and was designed for the North American market. Europe gets the CX-60 in its place, and the CX-60 is not sold in America. The two models never meet.

The drivetrain is not a variable. Every CX-50 has i-Activ all-wheel drive; a front-drive version is not built. Our own stock confirms it without a single exception. On a CX-5 the drivetrain is a question; here it is not.

There are two engines and both are American in character. The 2.5 SkyActiv-G with 187 hp is the base, on a conventional six-speed automatic — simple and durable. The 2.5 SkyActiv-G Turbo with 256 hp and 434 Nm is the top engine and makes the car genuinely quick. There is no diesel and none of the small European engines.

From 2025 there is a hybrid, and it is different machinery. It uses Toyota's hybrid system from the RAV4 — a naturally aspirated 2.5 with an e-CVT — rather than Mazda's own. Very economical, and a different car to maintain from the petrol versions.

The Meridian Edition is the trim most often sought for import: an off-road pack with 18-inch wheels on all-terrain tyres, body graphics and extra accessories. From Premium upwards the standard kit includes a panoramic roof, ventilated seats, Bose audio and a digital instrument cluster — equipment the traditional Japanese-built CX-5 never carried.