Over the next few weeks, we'll be getting to know the 2025 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid. Here is the second chapter of our long-term test of the model.
As we continue to dissect the 2025 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid, we talk about the factory it shares with Toyota, its electrification it shares with the RAV4, and the rest that it jealously protects.
See also: 2025 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid, Long-Term Review, Part 1: Let’s Talk!
Under the hood of the non-hybrid CX-50 lies either a naturally aspirated 2.5L engine with 187 hp (like the CX-5) or a turbocharged version producing 227 to 256 hp depending on the type of gasoline used.
The Hybrid, for its part, delivers 219 hp, thanks to a 2.5L 4-cylinder gasoline engine, but one that runs on the Atkinson cycle (preferable when aiming for fuel economy), plus three electric motors — including one installed on the rear axle to provide all-wheel drive — an e-CVT transmission, and a nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) battery placed under the rear seat.
All these components form the parallel-series hybrid system of the... Toyota RAV4 Hybrid!
Yes, that's right! In a plant inaugurated in 2021 in Huntsville, Alabama, named Mazda Toyota Manufacturing because it is jointly operated by the two automakers, the CX-50s, both regular and hybrid, are assembled alongside the Toyota Corolla Cross, both regular and hybrid.
Wait, what? The Corolla Cross? But you just mentioned the RAV4! That’s right, and what’s more, while the hybrid versions of the Corolla, RAV4 and CX-50 use the same HSD (Hybrid Synergy Drive) system from Toyota, the Cross's 4-cylinder is a 2.0L, whereas the RAV4 and CX-50 have the same 2.5L displacement. Logically, shouldn't the CX-50 be built alongside the RAV4?
It's a question of timing. The RAV4 could already count on well-established plants, including two in Ontario (Woodstock and Cambridge), while the Corolla Cross, a new model planned for 2022, was looking for one. Since the CX-50 was also planned for 2022, the two manufacturers decided to assemble their respective models together in Alabama.
For a distinctive drive
The electronics and regeneration system of the CX-50 Hybrid are also from Toyota, by the way. However, the SUV uses a Mazda platform (derived from the Mazda3), whereas the RAV4 and Corolla Cross are built on Toyota's modular TNGA platform. Plus, Mazda's engineers have calibrated the suspension and steering to infuse the CX-50 with the dynamic qualities one expects to find behind the wheel of a Mazda product.
In other words, a CX-50 Hybrid does not provide the same sensations as a RAV4 Hybrid. To each manufacturer its own personality!
In any case, it's well known that Mazda always seeks to distinguish itself from the competition by offering a more engaging drive. In the case of the CX-50, the Mi-Drive system allows the driver to choose between four programs: Normal, Sport, Off-road (Trail), and EV.
This last mode is intended to be 100-percent electric, but it only engages at low speeds, over short distances and in warm weather. But hey, it's the thought that counts...
The Off-road mode modulates the grip of the 19-inch wheels (for the GT; 17-inch for GS-L and Kuro) when the road is slippery. I would also use it to optimize the maximum towing capacity, set at 1,500 lb (vs. 2,000 for a non-hybrid). Choose Sport mode if you're keen on setting the best 0-100 km/h time, which is a clocking of 8 seconds that fits between the times recorded for the naturally aspirated and turbo models.
I prioritized Normal mode to favour fuel economy. The dynamic potential of the CX-50 Hybrid doesn't suffer, except when you abruptly press the accelerator. The engine rouses with a loud growl, the vehicle takes a few moments to regain its sharp reflexes, the CVT languishes... but once it's fully awake, you find a machine that moves with ease thanks to precise steering and a muscular suspension. Some may even find it a bit too firm, but it truly suits the personality of the CX-50, especially in corners, which it negotiates with great confidence. The AWD system has something to do with it, but so does the chassis' rigidity.
Life on board
As for the interior, front clearance is adequate, but the base of the floor console encroaches on the right leg, so much so that I was eager to engage the smart cruise control on the highway to stretch it out.
That cruise control, by the way, induces semi-autonomous manoeuvres that are controlled and reassuring, but sometimes frustrating in curves where the radar, deciding that guardrails and overpasses are a threat, significantly reduces the programmed speed.
On the 60/40 rear bench, occupants have space, but not an abundance of it. Although the CX-50 Hybrid does without a driveshaft by virtue of the electric motors that power the axles, the feet of rear passengers still have to contend with the tunnel that is used for more traditional powertrains. That's the trade-off of a versatile platform. In the Hybrid, the tunnel is used to run electrical wiring and contributes to the vehicle's robustness.
Furthermore, the stylistic concern of Mazda's designers, who favour an energetic silhouette, translates into less cargo space than what the RAV4 and CR-V offer. Once the rear seats are folded down, the CX-50 Hybrid can swallow 1,560 litres of gear, compared to 1,595 for its non-hybrid version, 1,786 for the Toyota hybrid, and 2,030 for the Honda hybrid.
Fuel economy: Mission accomplished!
When you favour an electrified variant, it's first and foremost in the hope of lessening the vehicle's thirst for fuel.
For the non-hybrid CX-50s, fuel consumption is not a strong point. It fluctuates between 8.5L and 10.0L/100 km depending on the presence of the turbocharger and the chosen octane rating. In defense of those high scores, it should be noted that the vehicles are powerful and have all-wheel drive, which penalizes consumption.
The hybrid version of the CX-50 corrects this situation. Despite the combined 219 hp, the electric motors and the CVT, and despite the extra weight imposed by AWD, I achieved an average of 6.0L/100 km, while colleagues got as low as 5.2L/100 km.
A clear and impressive improvement!