Within the automotive enterprise, it pays to have pals. Mazda, for instance, is sweet pals with Toyota, and that relationship is paying off in spades. Seems, Toyota is pals with loads of automotive corporations. Japan’s largest carmaker owns mini-car maker Daihatsu outright, has a 20-percent stake in Subaru, and holds 5 p.c of Mazda. And when you might not hear an excessive amount of about all of the handshakes, there’s really so much happening there.
2025 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid Premium Plus
background
For instance: Accomplished in 2021, Mazda Toyota Manufacturing in Huntsville, Alabama, produces automobiles for—predictably—Mazda and Toyota. And whereas Toyota has quite a lot of different North American meeting services, that is Mazda’s solely manufacturing facility within the Americas.
The power churns out the well-reviewed Mazda CX-50 small crossover, and the Toyota Corolla Cross, additionally a small crossover. As a result of Mazda shouldn’t be a big firm by absolute automotive requirements, sharing a manufacturing facility with buddy Toyota allowed the carmaker to attain the size essential to function a viable abroad automotive manufacturing facility. It pays to have pals.
However the Mazda/Toyota relationship goes deeper. Like quite a lot of different carmakers, Mazda lately realized that the highway to full electrification isn’t as clean as initially thought. Many U.S.-market automotive manufacturers had deliberate to easily change to producing electrical automobiles sooner or later within the subsequent 5 to 10 years. The issue is, shoppers aren’t embracing EVs on the hoped-for price, however do appear to wish to spend much less on gasoline.
Hybrids
Now, that is nice information for Toyota, the globe’s most prolific and proficient hybrid maker, however fairly dangerous information for many different carbuilders. Basic Motors, for instance, has no hybrid fashions obtainable on the market within the U.S. Likewise, Nissan’s in style Rogue compact crossover has seen a major gross sales decline of late, a lot of which has been attributed to the lineup’s lack of a hybrid mannequin.
Mazda, too, has been working with no hybrid mannequin, till moderately lately. Plug-in-hybrid variants of the maker’s in style CX-70 and CX-90 are simply now coming on-line. However, maybe extra importantly, because of Toyota—once more, it pays to have pals—the model’s CX-50 is now provided with a hybrid drivetrain.
Engines
Right here’s the factor, Toyota already builds a hybrid model of the Corolla Cross proper alongside the CX-50 meeting line, so…a deal was struck to provide Mazda with an engine much like the one Toyota was already putting in within the Corolla Cross. Enter the CX-50 Hybrid.
New for 2025, the CX-50 Hybrid incorporates a 2.5-liter engine and three electrical motors good for a mixed 219 horsepower. The CX-50 Hybrid comes solely with a CVT automated transmission and AWD. The hybrid Mazda is EPA rated at a mixed 37 mpg, effectively above the usual CX-50’s 28 mpg ranking, and the turbo’s 25.
Costs and Trim Ranges
The CX-50 Hybrid slots in worth between the usual CX-50s (beginning at $31,720), and the turbocharged fashions, which cap out at $44,720.
For 2025, the CX-50 Hybrid is obtainable in Most popular ($35,390), Premium ($38,820), and Premium Plus ($41,470) trim ranges.
Shopper Information lately spent per week behind the wheel of a Mazda CX-50 Hybrid Premium Plus in Machine Grey Metallic. Our early-production mannequin didn’t include a Monroney label; nonetheless, we estimate that our take a look at car got here in near the $41,470 base worth.
Aside from the drivetrain, the CX-50 Hybrid seems and feels very very like another CX-50, and that’s factor. The cabin is stylish and effectively screwed collectively, and exudes a typically upscale vibe. The infotainment display screen is mounted dashtop, pill model. The display screen shouldn’t be big, however is evident and simple to learn. The CX-50, like most Mazda’s makes use of the model’s rotary-knob-style controller, which is a love-it or hate-it proposition for the Shopper Information employees. This editor is a fan, as, as soon as acclimated, a person can execute most straightforward duties with out trying down. The system is definitely fairly easy to make use of as soon as the driving force is accustomed to it.
There’s loads of room up entrance, even for big people, and the rear seat is sort of as accommodating. Getting into and exiting the ’50 is simple sufficient, thanks for a low step-in top and huge door openings.
On the highway, Mazda turbo followers are more likely to be a bit disillusioned. The hybrid drivetrain doesn’t supply the top-end merging and passing energy that the CX-50 Turbo does, nonetheless, the hybrid powertrain does produce a helpful quantity of low-end torque, which serves effectively in stop-and-go driving. Total, the hybrid drivetrain snug out performs base CX-50 fashions, however doesn’t match turbocharged variations in general efficiency.
All that mentioned, the Toyota-supplied hybrid drivetrain is as clean and quiet as any Mazda setup. We particularly admire the slick engine cease/begin system, powertrain quietness, and clean energy supply. If Mazda was going to borrow a drivetrain from one other carmaker, this was one to choose.
The Mazda does, nonetheless, share the model’s typically sporty dealing with traits, and is enjoyable to hustle round corners or round freeway onramps. For no matter motive, the CX-50 Hybrid did appear to experience extra firmly than different CX-50 fashions we’ve pushed. We discovered general experience high quality to be superb, however would-be patrons are cautioned to be aware of the experience throughout a take a look at drive. We like issues a bit on the sporty facet, you could not. For what it’s price, cabin quietness is sweet for the category, and the Premium Plus’s commonplace audio system is excellent.
In Shopper Information testing, our take a look at CX-50 returned a formidable 39 mpg, bettering the EPA estimate in comparatively routine suburban driving.
For those who wanted to pair one maker’s automotive with one other’s drivetrain, the CX-50 packed stuffed with Toyota hybrid goodness is a reasonably good technique to go. We’re glad to see considered one of Mazda’s finest crossovers benefit from the effectivity advantages of a confirmed hybrid system, whereas remaining the stylish and sharp-handling crossover we admire a lot. And none of this could have occurred if Mazda and Toyota weren’t so tight. It’s good to have pals.
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2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX-Status Photos
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