Within the automotive enterprise, it pays to have mates. Mazda, for instance, is sweet mates with Toyota, and that relationship is paying off in spades. Seems, Toyota is mates with numerous automotive firms. Japan’s greatest carmaker owns mini-car maker Daihatsu outright, has a 20-percent stake in Subaru, and holds 5 p.c of Mazda. And when you could not hear an excessive amount of about all of the handshakes, there’s truly quite a bit occurring 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 various different North American meeting services, that is Mazda’s solely manufacturing facility within the Americas.
The ability churns out the well-reviewed Mazda CX-50 small crossover, and the Toyota Corolla Cross, additionally a small crossover. As a result of Mazda is just not a big firm by absolute automotive requirements, sharing a manufacturing facility with pal Toyota allowed the carmaker to realize the size essential to function a viable abroad automotive manufacturing facility. It pays to have mates.
However the Mazda/Toyota relationship goes deeper. Like various different carmakers, Mazda lately realized that the highway to full electrification isn’t as easy 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, customers 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 unhealthy 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 and not using a 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, due to Toyota—once more, it pays to have mates—the model’s CX-50 is now supplied 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 produce Mazda with an engine just like the one Toyota was already putting in within the Corolla Cross. Enter the CX-50 Hybrid.
New for 2025, the CX-50 Hybrid encompasses 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, properly above the usual CX-50’s 28 mpg score, 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 every 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 check automobile got here in near the $41,470 base worth.
Except for the drivetrain, the CX-50 Hybrid appears to be like and feels very very like every other CX-50, and that’s a great factor. The cabin is elegant and properly screwed collectively, and exudes a usually upscale vibe. The infotainment display is mounted dashtop, pill model. The display is just not enormous, 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 workers. This editor is a fan, as, as soon as acclimated, a person can execute most straightforward duties with out wanting down. The system is definitely fairly easy to make use of as soon as the motive force is accustomed to it.
There’s loads of room up entrance, even for big folks, and the rear seat is sort of as accommodating. Getting into and exiting the ’50 is simple sufficient, thanks for a low step-in peak and huge door openings.
On the highway, Mazda turbo followers are prone to be just a little disenchanted. 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 properly in stop-and-go driving. General, the hybrid drivetrain comfy out performs base CX-50 fashions, however doesn’t match turbocharged variations in total efficiency.
All that stated, the Toyota-supplied hybrid drivetrain is as easy and quiet as any Mazda setup. We particularly respect the slick engine cease/begin system, powertrain quietness, and easy energy supply. If Mazda was going to borrow a drivetrain from one other carmaker, this was a great one to choose.
The Mazda does, nonetheless, share the model’s usually sporty dealing with traits, and is enjoyable to hustle round corners or round freeway onramps. For no matter purpose, the CX-50 Hybrid did appear to journey extra firmly than different CX-50 fashions we’ve pushed. We discovered total journey high quality to be excellent, however would-be patrons are cautioned to be aware of the journey throughout a check drive. We like issues just a little on the sporty aspect, you could not. For what it’s value, cabin quietness is sweet for the category, and the Premium Plus’s commonplace audio system is superb.
In Shopper Information testing, our check CX-50 returned a powerful 39 mpg, bettering the EPA estimate in comparatively routine suburban driving.
Worth
In case you wanted to pair one maker’s automotive with one other’s drivetrain, the CX-50 packed stuffed with Toyota hybrid goodness is a fairly good option to go. We’re glad to see one in every of Mazda’s greatest crossovers benefit from the effectivity advantages of a confirmed hybrid system, whereas remaining the stylish and sharp-handling crossover we respect a lot. And none of this is able to have occurred if Mazda and Toyota weren’t so tight. It’s good to have mates.
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2025 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid Premium Plus Photos
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