The 2025 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid Borrowed The Toyota RAV4s’ Heart To Get 38 MPG, But That Brought Big Compromises

As I watched my 2025 Mazda CX-50 press loaner pull up to the curbside outside my house, I couldn’t help but think: “Damn, that’s one fine looking crossover.” Then I opened the door and peered inside — again, I couldn’t help but think of how nice Mazdas have become in the last ten years or so. And, over the next few days of driving, for the most part I found that the car lived up this newfound high status, except when I hit the gas pedal. Here, I’ll explain what I mean.

The Mazda CX-50 debuted for the the 2023 model-year as a tougher-looking CX-5 meant to emphasize a more outdoorsy vibe. It gave up a bit of fuel economy compared to its stablemate, but it gained lots of style, and by and large, people dug it. For 2025, that fuel economy sacrifice is no more, because there’s a new 38 MPG (combined) Mazda CX-50 Hybrid, and it’s got the heart of a Toyota.

Yes, that’s right: You get the styling of a Mazda but the powertrain engineering of a Toyota. Sounds like the best of all worlds, right? Yes and no.

Let’s Look At The Specs

For specs, I’ll quote the inimitable Thomas Hundal, because the enthusiasm with which he writes about ordinary, everyday cars never ceases to amaze me. From his piece on the hybrid version of one of his “favorite compact crossovers”:

Combustion power comes from a Toyota-sourced 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, likely the exact same one as in a RAV4 Hybrid, seeing as the two share a bore, stroke, output, and compression ratio. Electrification comes from a two-motor eCVT on the front axle and an electric motor out back, fed by a 1.591 kWh nickel-metal hydride battery pack. Combined output? Identical to a RAV4 Hybrid at 219 horsepower.

Given how hot of an item the Toyota RAV4 (which, by the way, uses a lithium-ion battery instead fo a nickel-metal hydride one here in this Mazda) has been over the past few years, this sounds like a great recipe, though it comes with drawbacks, as Thomas noted:

Fuel economy is rated at 38 mpg combined, one less than an all-wheel-drive RAV4 Hybrid and one more than an all-wheel-drive Honda CR-V Hybrid and a Hyundai Tucson Hybrid. That puts the electrified CX-50 in good company, right in the mix of the competition on fuel economy, all while offering convincing premium style. Mind you, there is a tradeoff for electrification — two inches of rear legroom simply evaporates along with nearly an inch of rear headroom, the rear seat squab sits 1.2 inches closer to a raised floor, and towing capacity drops to 1,500 pounds. On the plus side, cargo area length with the rear seats up grows by an inch, but it seems that hybridizing the CX-50 required some serious surgery. The whole vehicle itself sits between 1.4 and 2.3 inches taller than a base, combustion-only CX-50, which would explain the hybrid-specific cladding.

Thomas mentioned that the CX-50 hybrid starts at $35,390 for the “Preferred” trim, while the “Premium Plus” trim costs $41,470. That’s a couple grand cheaper than the all-wheel drive Honda CR-V Hybrid and a couple grand pricier than an all-wheel drive RAV4 Hybrid. Not bad.

A Quick Look Around

Check out how sharp the Mazda CX-50 looks. The gorgeous headlights; the big, classy grille; the wide stance; the fender flares; the big outboard air inlets — the vehicle looks both aggressive and luxurious at the same time. It’s beautifully done.

The side profile is upright and aggressive, with a big piece of cladding along the rocker panels, meeting the black fender flares at either end. And the rear looks good, too:

The Mazda CX-50 is a sharp car from every angle, especially inside:

In fact, let’s start the drive impressions with the interior, because it’s solid.

The Good Things

My photos are not going to do this vehicle justice, but the cabin is a wonderful place to spend time. The seats are elegant and comfortable, all the interior plastics are soft and relatively high-quality, the layout of the gauge cluster and infotainment screen works great, and the dashboard is understated and functional. I love the steering wheel; it’s not only handsome, but it feels large, and that, combined with its thin-ish rim gives it a bit of an old-school vibe, which I dig.

I won’t spend too much time talking about things that haven’t changed over the standard CX-50, like the infotainment system, but I like it. There’s no touchscreen, but the dial just behind the shifter works great, and though the screen isn’t huge, it’s enough, and it’s situated high so it minimizes how much I had to look away from the road while driving.

The whole interior user interface is simple, there are enough actual, physical buttons to handle things like HVAC and radio control, and combined with the high(ish)-quality materials, it just works. Maybe it’s not the most modern setup — and I’d rather have a column shifter — but I’m happy with the CX-50 Hybrid’s overall UI.

I’m also happy with the cargo space. I used the CX-50 Hybrid for a week of commuting to and from work and handling errands. I’m currently in the process of fixing up a Jeep for my wedding, and building a home gym, so here you can see the Mazda with two giant dumbells and my bag of tools — I didn’t even have to fold the second row:

Overall visibility is fine; seeing over the hood is easy, though in the back, the D-pillars are a bit thick, and the center headrest does detract a bit from the view, though that’s become pretty normal for a modern car:

I’m also content with the CX-50’s ride quality. It does roll a bit in turns, but the ride offers a good balance of handling and comfort, making the CX-50 Hybrid a good candidate for a daily driver. Acceleration, too, is reasonably quick off the line, though hammering the throttle while on the highway is…only just fine. Actually, let’s get into that.

The Compromises

At just over two tons, the CX-50 Hybrid is actually lighter than you’d think given that it’s all-wheel drive, and given how big the vehicle is. I think 220 Horsepower is plenty, though the CX-50’s issue isn’t with outright quickness, it’s with refinement.

The CX-50’s 2.5-liter four-cylinder — connected to an eCVT — is just downright loud under acceleration. Even moderate throttle applications onto an onramp awakens the noise-machine underhood, and while that’s probably not a huge issue given that RAV4 owners seem to like their vehicle (and given that one will put up with a lot for 38 MPG), the fact is that this doesn’t match the rest of the Mazda’s character.

It looks like a refined car inside and out, but pressing the accelerator pedal yields a sound that is anything but.

Then there’s the rear seat. Like Thomas mentioned, “two inches of rear legroom simply evaporates along with nearly an inch of rear headroom,” and this is due to packaging space taken up by the hybrid system. How big of a problem is this?

Well…

I’m five-foot seven, maybe five-foot eight, and I simply cannot fit in the CX-50 hybrid’s middle rear seat. My head hits the roof, and it’s not even close. Scooting my legs forward so I can lean back a bit more to lower my head yields a legroom issue:

The outboard seats “dip” a little, so headroom is better, but there’s really only an inch, maybe two between my head and the roof. If you’re over five-foot-ten, the back row will be a problem:

If the second row is for short journeys or for children, then it’s fine. Otherwise, it’s just not.

Other than the unrefined engine and lack of rear headroom, there was also a rather loud and not particularly pleasant low-speed pedestrian warning noise. It’s a combination of a beeping and an almost Darth Vader-ish gray noise. I’m glad it’s there, and it’ll certainly be effective, but again, its lack of refinement doesn’t quite match the car’s character.

Is The Mazda CX-50 Hybrid Worth It?

 

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The rear headroom and the refinement issue notwithstanding, the CX-50 could still make for a great daily driver if you’re not hauling tall people around, and if you value fuel economy above engine refinement and performance. Again, the car isn’t slow, it’s just a bit dull and loud when you apply the throttle.

But 38 MPG is nothing to downplay; that’s great, and to be able to get that kind of fuel economy in a car that looks this good, and that has this much space (aside from in the second row) — it’s not a bad option for single folks or those with small children.