And you could consider the CX-50 a CX-5 specially tailored to North American SUV tastes. Some have speculated that the CX-50 will ultimately replace the CX-5 - as the excellent CX-30 did with the CX-3.

The CX-50 also offers an additional towing capacity of up to 3,500 pounds with a special Towing mode on the drive mode selector. And it gets a more aggressive look, with wide fender flares and chunky rectangular wheel cladding. The CX-50 offers up to 8.5 in of ground clearance, about an inch more than the CX-5. It's a little more than two inches shorter and half an inch wider. But there are some significant differences.ĭimensionally, the CX-50 is longer than the CX-5, with an additional 6.7 in of body length and 4.6 in of wheelbase. The two cars employ the same powertrains - naturally-aspirated and turbocharged versions of Mazda's 2.5-liter inline-four. The CX-50 is a formidable all-around package that should have many buyers rethinking that trip to the Subaru dealership.īoth the CX-5 and CX-50 are compact crossovers. It's robust enough to leave the pavement, and it does that while still embodying the qualities that make more road-going Mazda crossovers great, and not feeling stale or derivative. And on first impression, the CX-50 lived up to its handsome looks. Mazda had me out to Southern California to drive the CX-50 in its range of natural environments for the day. As I described it to friends and family, it's Mazda's take on the Subaru Outback. It's more muscular-looking and off-road-capable than your typical Mazda crossover. And that's where the all-new 2023 Mazda CX-50 compact crossover comes in. Off-road capable, active lifestyle vehicles are in right now, particularly with young buyers. What the Mazda lineup has been missing has been something more adventurous. One could argue Mazda builds the exact same car in different sizes. That formula is what many buyers want, and executing it well puts Mazda's offerings at or near the top recommendation in every segment.

Mazda has developed a simple formula for building standout cars: create vehicles that look sleek using the brand's KODO design language, offer interiors that feel fancy, make them fun to drive - and then make sure they're exceptionally safe.

Driving impression of subar outback