Over the next few weeks, we'll be getting to know the 2025 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid. Here is the first chapter of our long-term test of the model.
On this very site, you may recall, we previously explored the merits and shortcomings of the new Mazda CX-50. Three years later, Mazda Canada suggested I get better acquainted with the hybrid version of the SUV. I didn't have to be asked twice.
The Mazda family
Go to the Mazda.ca website and you will see that the Japanese automaker’s portfolio is all about simplicity.
First, there are four cars, but really only two, since each model is split into a distinct variant. There’s the Mazda3 compact sedan and its hatchback version, the Mazda3 Sport; and there’s the delightful MX-5 two-seater soft-top convertible (formerly called Miata) and its counterpart with a retractable aluminum fastback roof, the MX-5 RF.
The other eight models are all all-wheel-drive SUVs.
There's the unkillable CX-5 (born in 2013), which will get a third generation in 2026 because even though it's the only single-digit CX survivor, it remains Mazda's best-selling model worldwide.
Then there are the double-digit CX models: a gasoline-powered CX-30, two CX-50s (gas and hybrid), two CX-70s (hybrid and plug-in hybrid), and two CX-90s (hybrid and plug-in hybrid).
Trims galore
For its part, the CX-50 offering consists of four gas-only versions, two of which are turbocharged (GS-L, GT, GT Turbo, and Meridian), while the hybrid variant comes in three trims: GS-L, Kuro and GT.
In 2023, among the non-electrified CX-50s, the GT version was by far the most popular, accounting for 78 percent of sales, followed by the GS-L (18 percent) and the Meridian edition (4 percent).
In 2024, this hierarchy saw only slight percentage variations: GT (77 percent), GS-L (15 percent), and Meridian (8 percent).
Since the 2025 model-year arrived in showrooms, consumer choices have been influenced by economic uncertainties. While the GT model remains the most in-demand with 64 percent of sales, the base GS-L has doubled its share to 31 percent, while the Meridian edition has dropped back to 5 percent.
And what about the hybrid variant in all this?
Here too, the GT leads the pack with nearly 60 percent of sales, while the Kuro trim, exclusive to the CX-50 Hybrid, accounts for 26 percent, compared to 16 percent for the GS-L.
An attractive silhouette
Stylistically, the CX-50 Hybrid barely differs from its non-hybrid little brother. There are special wheels and a slightly modified front bumper, but other than that, you'll have to rely on the Hybrid badges to know which model you're dealing with.
The silhouette is harmonious. Neither boring nor eccentric, just well-proportioned. The sparkle of the paint continues to caress the eye. I've written it before: Mazda pays special attention to the paint on its vehicles. They pour some magic dust into their recipe that gives the colours an incomparable luster. Test it yourself: the next time you notice a car with a gleaming coat, note the brand. There's a good chance it's a Mazda.
The dimensions of the CX-50 are close to those of the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4, two of its main rivals. Roughly speaking, it’s a bit longer and not as tall, while offering a generous wheelbase. Here are the specs (in millimeters):
CX-50 CR-V RAV4
Length: 4720 4695 4595
Width: 1920 1940 1855
Height: 1613 1690 1700
Wheelbase: 2815 2700 2690
A well-finished cabin
The 10.25-inch central screen is certainly not among the largest in the industry, and its recessed position at the top of the dashboard reinforces the impression of relative smallness. The digital gauges are traditional in design. Here’s what more standout about the CX-50's interior, as with all Mazda vehicles: the exemplary finish.
The shapes are enveloping, the plastics exude solidity, the leather quality. The hybrid model offers the exclusive option of a garnet red leather that enhances the feeling of luxury. The double contrast stitching, which adds an elegant decorative touch, is another signature feature of Mazda cabins.
And of course, there's the big dial lying on the centre console. If you’ve owned or driven a Mazda, you know what I’m talking about. And you probably wonder why that unpopular feature it still here. So do we. It is tedious to use. I pray every day that Mazda will finally get rid of it. Until then, the cumbersome wheel is an incentive to master using voice commands for the car's functions as quickly as possible.
Tech arsenal
The Mazda Connect system, which manages all the vehicle's connected services, doesn't require you to say "Hey, Mazda!" to activate it. Instead, you press the Talk button on the steering wheel and then give commands to navigate, listen to music or make phone calls.
You can also choose to interact with the Alexa assistant, thanks to a partnership with Amazon that’s expanding across the Mazda stable since its introduction in the CX-70. In addition to adjusting the temperature or heated seats, you can extend its reach to your home automation already subject to Alexa, such as lights, the thermostat and locking the front door.
The connectivity offered by the CX-50 also includes the MyMazda app. Once you've downloaded it to your smartphone, you can remotely start your vehicle, locate it, activate the hazard lights, check the fuel level or tire pressure and so on.
I'll let you in on a secret: all this is very nice. I am the first to want to be one with my car. I talk to it, it answers me. I ask it for something, it obeys. No buttons, no dials. Just my voice.
The automotive industry is making this dream a reality thanks to artificial intelligence. In the CX-50, you still have to speak clearly, like a news anchor, and avoid unnecessary words. With AI in more luxurious models, you can already have a much more natural conversation. The day is not far off when more mainstream vehicles like Mazda's will be able to discuss politics and philosophy with their drivers.
In the meantime, in the specific case of the CX-50 Hybrid, I had to try to juggle Mazda Connect, Alexa, wired or wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a Wi-Fi connection that gave me a failure message throughout my time with the car, MyMazda, free trials followed by subscriptions to manage and so on! In other words, I felt overwhelmed, out of my depth, besieged from all sides by technologies that, to work correctly, require much more from me than just pressing a button on a microwave.
That doesn't mean I'm throwing in the towel. I mean that if I were to buy a CX-50 Hybrid, I would spend a lot of time with my sales consultant to have them explain in great detail how all these connected services work. For now, in my eyes, they look like pieces of a complicated puzzle. I can glance at the online owner's manual, but an instruction like "Define the SSID name to connect the Wi-Fi device in the vehicle as in-vehicle Wi-Fi" terrifies me far more than it enlightens me.
I promise to be a diligent student. I will take notes because I want to benefit from progress. And I will always look forward to the blessed day when I only have to express my wish aloud for my beautiful car to grant it immediately.
Next week: We drive!