Mazda

Mazda Has A Crossover Conundrum With The CX-5 And CX-50

Mazda, review

Offering a pair of small, affordable crossovers in the same segment on the same showroom floor at the same time isn’t a great idea. Particularly when one is newer, more attractive, and better sorted.

When I sync up with my local press fleet manager about every month or so, we go over a wave of cars we schedule at a time, and typically I have zero confusion about what’s selected and planned. Recently I had a real head scratcher on my hands when I saw my schedule included both the new Mazda CX-50 and the CX-5 I’m already familiar with. I knew Mazda had a new practical-sized crossover in the CX-50, but didn’t realize the CX-5 wasn’t send out to pasture upon its arrival.

Mazda’s CX-5 has been around for over a decade, and has had a couple updates, but it was due for a rebuild… or outright replacement. Competing with other crossovers including the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Nissan Rogue, and Hyundai Tucson, the CX-5 has a good option for plenty of families. What’s strange is that it is still on sale as a new car, when its spiritual successor has arrived in the form of the CX-50. Rather than my usual review of one car at a time, I decided to talk about both, and point out the reasons you’d want one of these Mazda crossovers over the other.

The Specs, Similar Yet Different

Both Mazda crossovers are powered by four-cylinder engines (turbocharged in these higher trim levels), with all-wheel-drive now standard across the model range. With a 2.5-liter turbo, Mazda gives both the CX-5 and CX-50 227 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque with regular unleaded, and bumps up to 256 horsepower and 320 lb-ft if you fill the tank with premium. These are great figures for a practical little crossover.

Where the CX-5 is 180 inches long, 72 wide, 66 tall, and sports 62-inch wide tracks and a 106-inch wheelbase, the CX-50 is 185 inches long, 75 wide, and 64 tall, with a 110-inch wheelbase (and no track listed). The CX-5 has a minimum ground clearance of 7.9 inches, and the CX-50 clears 8.6. Towing capacity for the CX-5 is 2,000 pounds, and the CX-50’s higher two trim levels bump that up to 3,500 pounds.

Base pricing for the entry-level trims of both the CX-5 and CX-50 begin at $27,000, and I tested the top-level Turbo Signature trim of the CX-5 and the Turbo Premium Plus CX-50, which add all the tech and comfort goodies you’d want. The CX-5 tested hit a total MSRP of $41,655, and the CX-50 is $43,170.

The Outgoing Sensible Daily Driver

Rather than a plain experience behind the wheel, the Mazda CX-5 is actually an enjoyable little crossover to drive. The 2.5-liter turbo makes it considerably quicker than other compact crossovers I’ve tested, making any errand run more fun. Shifts from the 6-speed automatic are reasonably seamless, with somewhat tight gear ratios to provide quick acceleration in any situation.

Steering feel is slightly heavy yet precise, although when parking at a grocery store or making a quick U-turn, there’s a considerable amount of driver input needed. Ride quality is definitely on the firm side, which isn’t a thing I’ve noticed in other Mazda models, and it was uncomfortable when driving in downtown Austin. It felt like Mazda used spring rates intended for a full-size pickup in the CX-5.

Mazda’s interior design is clean and modern, with comfortable and supportive seats for all five passengers (if you’re sticking kids in the back seat). The front two occupants are treated to heated and ventilated seats, which are nice for a practical crossover, and the outer two rear passengers get heated seats, but the control for those is made into the center armrest. The leather used in the CX-5 certainly feels more premium than you’d expect in an affordable crossover. Cargo space in the hatch is good for the weekend’s errand runs, but if you need to fold the back seat down flat you’ll either need to remove the headrests or move your front seats up a lot.

The CX-5’s switchgear setup is slightly dated, using bits that have been in the Mazda parts bin for a decade. At least there are buttons and switches rather than touchscreens for the systems. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are installed in Mazda’s infotainment system, but you still have to plug in your phone, so if you want to take advantage of the wireless mobile charging tray you won’t be doing so with CarPlay running.

Fuel economy achieved during my test was 19 MPGs, which is less than the EPA estimated 22/27/24. Thank the tighter final drive ratio that kept RPMs up higher than expected from a small crossover during daily cruising, even while I behaved myself with the accelerator and didn’t make much use of the sport drive mode (which will quicken the CX-5’s throttle response and personality ever so slightly).

Mazda equips the CX-5 with loads of safety and driver assistance systems, but the adaptive cruise control system nor lane keeping assistance are really smooth, and could take a page from Honda’s book. Overall, the CX-5 is good, but it’s clear it has been on the road for a while in its current form, and was ready for upgrades.

The Successor Steps Up

The CX-50 certainly grew in size compared to the CX-5, but the big improvements come from the exterior design department. The CX-5 was a decent looking little crossover, in a world of cute utes that have all sorts of angles and fake vents for no good reason, but the CX-50 is downright attractive. Punchier fender flares, a more pronounced fascia, and more angular bumpers make the CX-50 way more appealing than most crossovers queueing to pick up the kids from school.

While the CX-50 carries over the more than competent powertrain from the CX-5, Mazda did some serious updates to the suspension, because despite the fact it ditched the independent multilink setup on the CX-5, the torsion bar rear suspension copes with corners and bumps impressively. Attribute some of the ride quality to the wheelbase that’s four inches longer than the CX-5. The slightly larger diameter steering wheel (and it’s nicer controls) that’s borrowed from Mazda’s big brother CX-9 helps make tighter turns easier too.

Seating surfaces are treated to even better leather than the CX-5, with the CX-50 I tested sporting nice contrasting stitching. Even the CX-50’s dash gets more leather and cool stitching, completing a much more upmarket cabin. The CX-50 offers better interior volume for both occupants and cargo than the CX-5. With the back seat up, there’s still more space than inside the CX-5, and I found that the rear seats went flat without the headrests hitting the front seats in our intended positions. If you need to tote more kids and gear than the CX-50 can handle, the CX-9 I tested–and it’s CX-90 upgrade–will get the job done.

While it gets a bigger infotainment screen than the CX-5, and just like the setup in the bigger CX-9 I evaluated, the CX-50 continues to utilize Mazda’s somewhat spartan and average software. Thankfully Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are installed, but I’d like to see Mazda incorporate USB-C ports in its models, so I don’t have to keep around outdated cables for my iPhone. Wireless charging pads and newer iPhones also don’t play along nicely, with the metallic back heating up quite a lot when on the wireless charger for more than a quick errand run.

The Mazda CX-50 gets my same complaint on the fuel economy front as the CX-5. During my week with the CX-50, I made a road trip to Houston for a weekend, and did considerably more highway miles. Because the final drive gear ratio is still tight in the CX-50 (4.41 in the CX-5 vs. 3.84 in the CX-50), I was hitting about 2,500 RPMs at highway speeds, and on the three-hour drives between Austin and Houston, the MPGs took a hit, yielding just 18 on average. Not great for a reasonable family crossover powered by a four-banger, but the CX-50 does get an extra half gallon of fuel capacity over the CX-50.

As an upgrade over the CX-5, Mazda added an off-road drive mode to the CX-50, which is a nice feature for families who go on adventures over less than smooth terrain. Although the Goodyear all-season rubber is okay, if you want to really tackle the trails, opt for the CX-50’s Meridian Edition. While it’s a slightly lower trim level than the Premium Plus I tested, it gets more rugged looks and gear, but also adds a set of all-terrain tires wrapped around more sensible 18-inch wheels. Honda’s Passport TrailSport I reviewed last year is another option for a slightly more rugged approach to a two-row crossover.

Mazda Cannibalized Its Own Car

Mazda claims the CX-50 isn’t a replacement for the CX-5, with them both being on sale at the same time, but let’s not kid ourselves. The CX-50 is the new middle child in the Mazda crossover lineup, and it’s a great one. Mazda did a similar thing when the CX-30 launched, keeping the CX-3 around for a little longer before giving it the axe, and that didn’t make sense either.

It’s as if Mazda had a pair of fraternal twins, but one got all the great genes, and the other got some good ones. Both were physically attractive, played sports in high school, and got good grades, but one made the varsity tennis team yet kicked ass at chess, and got a scholarship to Rice while the other played occasional intramural sports and had to do a couple years in community college before transferring to U of H. They’re both good kids, and live good lives, but we all know one is the parents’ favorite.

Not only is the Mazda CX-50 better looking inside and out, but it’s considerably more enjoyable to drive than the CX-5. The price point is similar too, which makes the CX-50 even easier to choose. Especially if you’re doing conventional financing. Sure, Mazda has some big lease incentives to move the CX-5, but that should give an even better indication that the CX-50 should be the crossover you take on all your family’s adventures and I think it’s the new class leader.

The 2022 Mazda CX-9 Doesn’t Quite Hit The Spot

Mazda, review

With three rows, four cylinders, and lots of tech, this SUV still raises plenty of questions.

Wander to any grocery store, mall, or soccer field, and you’ll come across plenty of three-row family SUVs that likely cover a dozen different manufacturers. This seven-seat SUV segment is flooded with so many options against the Mazda CX-9, including the Ford Explorer (which I recently reviewed), Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, and Hyundai Palisade. Back when Mazda introduced the CX-9 in 2006, it was based on the same platform as the Ford Edge, and shared the same V6.

While this big Mazda CX-9 offers the features parents look for, has decent looks, and focuses on reasonably enjoyable driving impressions, to sway buyers from other manufacturers, it has to assemble a package to make itself attractive, practical, affordable, and fun. There’s no shortage of crossovers in Mazda’s lineup, with a couple appealing introductions in the past year. With this second generation CX-9 still rolling around since its update in 2016, does it keep up with its rivals?

Some Useful Figures

Mazda powers the CX-9 with the same turbocharged 2.5-liter SKYACTIV-G engine that produces 227 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque when filling the tank with 87 octane regular unleaded fuel, and bumps up to 250 horsepower and 320 lb-ft of torque when opting for 93 octane. Paired with a 6-speed automatic and all-wheel-drive, Mazda also fits the CX-9 with its version of a torque vectoring system to give drivers more confident handling.

At a curb weight of 4,409 pounds, the Mazda CX-9 tips the scales at a similar figure to its rivals. The CX-9 has 3,500-pound towing capacity, which is a bit less than much of the competition. Despite having a turbocharged 4-cylinder under the hood, the 2022 Mazda CX-9 has EPA fuel economy estimates of 20/26/23 (city/highway/combined).

For 2022, Mazda made the starting price cheaper for customers while adding all-wheel-drive as standard equipment, now at a base of $35,280. In its most loaded Signature trim, this tester starts at $47,210, and after adding Machine Gray Metallic paint for $595, the total MSRP is $49,030 after destination.

Family Practicality Over Fun

The 2022 Mazda CX-9 has a reasonable footprint for a seven-seat family SUV, and doesn’t feel massive inside or out. When on the road, there’s a sensation that it weighs a bit more than it truly does, and I think much of that is because of how firmly sprung the CX-9 is, even though there’s a good bit of body roll in the corners. Given the same steering wheel as the Mazda 3 models that compete with cars like the Honda Civic, the CX-9 could use a larger diameter unit instead, to help with steering effort around the city. Slower 90º turns took more work to complete, with much more input required than I expected from a car in this class. The Bridgestone Ecopia all-season tires wrapped around 20-inch wheels aren’t sporty either, focused more on efficiency. There are drive modes, including a sport option, but there wasn’t much a difference in overall driving personality when toggling the sport setting.

Mazda defines its driving experience in the CX-9 as Jinba-ittai, a philosophy that lies at the heart of Mazda’s development, which describes the relationship between a horse and its rider. The challenge is that the 2022 CX-9 doesn’t truly feel as engaging as the “Zoom Zoom” sensations that used to get me excited about Mazda’s offerings. From the same company that provides a pure driving experience in the iconic MX-5, the CX-9 doesn’t make any drive more engaging. Equipped with the same engine as the Mazda 3, the CX-9 is downright underpowered as a three-row SUV. Having to spend more on premium fuel to get the most of its engine, the CX-9 is still woefully slow against a few of its competitors, facing a 30 or 40 horsepower disadvantage against several that don’t require premium unleaded to enjoy better power.

For parents who aren’t concerned about having a lot of fun on errand runs or trips to drop the kids off at school, the Mazda CX-9 provides a reasonably comfortable cabin, with decent space for stuffing kids in the rear two rows. Mazda is smart to make the second row seats adjustable on a slider, in case slightly taller passengers hop in the back, and even in that forward position, adults won’t feel too cramped. The CX-9’s cargo space is good too, with 14.4 cubic feet of space with all the seats up, 38.2 cubic feet with the third row down, and a whopping 71.2 cubic feet of storage volume with the second row folded flat too.

Mazda provides a 10.25-inch infotainment screen that has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto installed, but uses a knob and buttons below the shifter to adjust settings and controls, rather than being a touchscreen. There’s wireless charging in a compartment ahead of the gearshift, but if you want to make use of it you’re losing CarPlay functions as wireless CarPlay isn’t available in the CX-9.

Good Details And Trim On A Reasonable Budget

In this Signature trim, Mazda gives the first- and second-row seats Nappa leather treatments, with nice stitching patterns and good lateral support. I like the patterns of the contours too, finished with white piping along the bolster edges. Touches of wood accompany nice polished metallic trim along the CX-9’s interior, giving it a hint more class than its competition.

I appreciate the three-zone climate control system working quickly and effectively, in addition to the heated and ventilated front seats met with heating functions in the middle row. The 12-speaker Bose audio system incorporates active noise cancellation, which was great for quieting outside disturbances along busy downtown streets.

The Highs and Lows

To provide the second- and third-row passengers more space, Mazda seemed to compromise cabin volume for the front two seats. A look at the CX-9’s profile will show how short the front doors are versus the rear, making it easier for the rear passengers to get in and out, but I felt cramped in the driver’s seat. At 5’11”, the front seat was far too high off the floor, making my head feel too close to the roof while being far above the dash. The side view mirrors are also too far back, making me have to look all the way to my side to check my blind spot. Mazda should have mounted them a good ten inches further ahead, to provide more natural visibility.

Mazda describes its interior design as the result of studies on how humans move, attempting to engineer its cars to feel like a natural extension of the driver’s body, which is clear when using any of the CX-9’s controls. While I appreciate this focus, I don’t love that the pieces in the top-end CX-9 are the same stuff used in the Mazda 3 that competes with a more basic Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla. At nearly $50,000, the CX-9 needs to feel like a premium model. As several manufacturers have switched to capacitive touch components, Mazda is sticking with more functional switchgear. The digital instrument cluster uses the same white color for the rings, numbers, and increments, so it all blends together. Having some contrasting color or larger speed indication would help a lot.

Getting a stack of safety systems is pretty common in family SUVs, and Mazda makes sure the CX-9 gets adaptive cruise control, pedestrian detection, and collision mitigation features to keep you moving smoothly with less chance of incident. Having tested a few of the Mazda’s competitors over the past year, the lane keeping and adaptive cruise features weren’t great when tested on the freeway. The lane keeping aid didn’t seem to function most of the time I tried it along a well-defined stretch of expressway, even in a toll lane with dividing posts.

This Family SUV Just Isn’t Good Enough

In its base trim, the Mazda CX-9 is a more attractive buy for the family on a budget, but as the trim levels and price go up, the value proposition of this three-row SUV goes down. At just shy of $50,000, the CX-9’s price is on-par with its rivals’ best offerings, but that’s inching toward a higher segment of car. For nearly the same money, one could get a 2022 Acura MDX in its lowest–yet still impressively equipped–trim. The only sacrifice would be ventilated seats. I’d go that route instead, or at least consider a loaded Honda Pilot.

Mazda provides a good looking, nicely equipped, and safe family SUV with the CX-9, but it’s lagging behind its competition. The driving impressions don’t capture any of the “Zoom Zoom” sensations of Mazda’s past, and the interior switchgear isn’t as nice as it should be. Riding on a reputation of quality cars a family can afford while being fun, the 2022 CX-9 doesn’t get the job done. Mazda needs to give its top model a heavy update that includes significantly more power and a nicer cabin, and if it did that, it would be a contender again.