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The 2023 Mazda CX-50 Turbo is one of the most capable SUVs in its segment.
The Mazda CX-5 has always been considered one of the best mid-size SUVs in the segment, and the same is also reflected when it comes to the sales numbers. Being the most sold moniker from Mazda in 2021, Mazda has been eyeing opportunities to bring out an even more capable SUV to sell alongside the CX-5. This is where the all-new 2022 Mazda CX-50 enters the picture. Manufactured on the CX-30 platform, it carries forward all the qualities of the CX-5 while adding a tinge of ruggedness and off-road capability.
Coming at a base MSRP of $36,400, the CX-50 Turbo sports the same turbocharged inline-4 motor mated to the 6-speed automatic transmission. The full-time AWD drivetrain is standard on all three trims, and the SUV offers impressive driving dynamics and comfortable ride quality like most of the other Mazda models. It is spacious, comes packed with all the features, and offers a quality interior as well. Competing with the Subaru Forester, Honda CR-V, and Hyundai Tucson, here are 10 things you need to know before buying the CX-50 Turbo.
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The rugged exterior design and the styling cues from the Mazda CX-5 blend well together, and this makes the SUV look impressive from all angles. The typical blacked-out Mazda grille coupled with a silver skid plate, LED DRLs, and the automatic LED headlights add to the road presence of this compact SUV out on the open road. The muscular bumper with the air vents looks purposeful, too.
The car is wider and longer than the CX-5. The cladding that surrounds the car accentuates the tough look and a classy side profile with subtle character lines and squared-off wheel arches complete the off-road-ready design. There's also 20" wheels, LED taillights, and chrome dual exhaust tips.
Even though the lower trims come with the same 2.5-liter naturally aspirated inline-4 motor, the Turbo trims gets the punchier 2.5-liter twin-scroll turbocharged inline-4 motor mated to the 6-speed automatic transmission and full-time AWD drivetrain. It makes 256 hp and 320 lb-ft of torque, which translates into a 0-60 mph run of 6.9 seconds.
This motor has a maximum towing capacity of 3,500 lbs, which turned out to be better than many of the rivals. Like the CX-5, the all-new CX-50 Turbo is an all-rounder. The car has a peppy low end with very minimal turbo lag, the mid-range is where it shines due to the wide torque spread, but even the top-end performance isn't bad. The gearshifts are very smooth and adequately fast as well.
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The fuel efficiency also sees no changes from the CX-5. Coming with a turbocharged inline-4 mated to a well-tuned gearbox means that the car is not going to be a disappointment in terms of frugality. It could do 23 MPG in the city and 29 MPG on the highway, which equates to combined gas mileage of 25 MPG.
The fuel tank capacity of 15.8 gallons is adequate for the compact SUV segment, allowing it to do 363 miles in the city and 458 miles on the highway. However, if the Mazda had with more gears in its automatic transmission, similar to the Hyundai Tucson, it could have churned out even better MPG figures.
One of the major reasons to get the turbocharged motor-equipped trims is that it offers a superior towing and payload capacity. This motor also helps to make the driving experience more effortless, especially when equipped with the trailer.
The maximum towing capacity of the 2023 Mazda CX-50 Turbo is rated at 3,500 lbs, and this is much better than the paltry 2,000 lbs of the 2022 Hyundai Tucson, in fact, most of the rivals can't touch it. The gears are well spread out and hence it doesn't hunt through the gearbox like the rivals. The AWD drivetrain does a wonderful job at putting the power down as well.
Being a Mazda, the safety and driver-assistance section has seen no compromises. The standard driver-assistance tech includes lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, driver monitoring system, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, collision mitigation, and advanced smart brake support.
The regular safety features like ESP, traction control, ABS with EBD, multiple airbags, side-impact beams, reverse camera, and parking sensors are standard for all the trims too. While neither the NHTSA nor IIHS have crash-tested the CX-50 Turbo yet, we expect it to come out with the highest rating, like all the other models from the Mazda stable.
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The 2023 Mazda CX-50 Turbo has a 4-wheel disc brake setup with ventilated front rotors and all the other much-needed braking features, including ABS with EBD, automated emergency braking, brake assist, and hill hold control.
The pedal offered excellent feedback to the driver, and a slight dab on the brake pedal is all that is needed to stop the car at city speed. The brakes don't feel overly sensitive, and the braking progression as you press the pedal harder is magnificent. The 6-speed automatic also helps in reducing the speed by downshifting.
All the CX-50 Turbo trims come with the 10.25" Mazda Connect touchscreen infotainment system along with an 8-speaker audio system. The infotainment turned out to be very easy to use and Mazda has also included the touchscreen support for both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, which isn't available in many of the other models from Mazda.
However, you still have to rely on the rotary knob if you aren't using the connectivity software, which is a bummer. The infotainment is also a bit far away and the driver would have to reach for it. Hence, we would recommend you to use the rotary dial as it is very effective and fast. The audio experience is decent for the price, offering punchy bass and clear vocals.
Built on the Mazda CX-30 platform, the ride quality is not something the passengers would complain about. Mazda's have always been synonymous with a mature ride quality due to the suspension tuning to the slightly stiffer side, contributing to an almost flat ride quality on the open highways.
The bumps and potholes don't unsettle the SUV, and there is no major pitching and bobbing. The same is also the case with the body roll, which is well under control. Even while driving at slow speeds on the broken city streets, only the bigger potholes filter into the cabin.
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The independent strut front suspension and torsion beam rear setup make sure that the Mazda CX-50 Turbo feels planted on the road at all times. Even though it is not made for the racetracks, we found the driving experience put out by the little Mazda to be better than the rivals, such as the Hyundai Tucson and the Toyota RAV4.
The steering is well calibrated and offers an excellent feel and feedback to the driver. Unlike the rivals, it also weights up well while remaining reasonably light and direct at slow speeds. The comparatively stiff suspension and well-engineered chassis contribute to driving pleasure while talking corners. The AWD drivetrain and the 20" wheels wrapped in 245 section tires are other factors that help in providing fun to the driver.
The interior of the CX-50 Turbo looks completely different from the CX-5 and people are going to appreciate the classiness it brings forward. Step into the cabin, and you would be impressed with the Terracotta-colored leather upholstery and chunky leather-wrapped steering wheel. The door cards come with soft-touch plastic, aluminum-like trims, and leather inserts with contrastive stitching. The dashboard also looks upmarket with soft-touch material on most parts.
The cabin of the CX-50 Turbo is very spacious too. The front row seat has more than adequate headroom and legroom. The armrest is wide and there are many cubbyholes to store all the knick-knacks. The rear seat is similar to the front seat in terms of space, and even the taller folks wouldn't have anything to complain. The Nappa leather upholstery feels premium and all the seats offer great under-thigh and lower back support. The trunk has a square design and hence putting in and taking out luggage are easy.
Mohith is our in-house motorcycle mechanic and automotive geek. He loves riding and driving at the limits, and you would frequently notice him on racetracks at the weekends. Mohith is someone who would redline anything that comes with a motor - even our office lawnmower. He often does cross-country road trips in his trusted 300ZX and you could find him riding his CB750 quite often through the streets of Pasadena as well as on the Moore Motorsports racetrack.