2023 Mazda CX-50
Price Range: $20,750 - $30,590
Mazda CX-50 Reviews
Owner Reviews
5(48%)
4(18%)
3(22%)
2(5%)
1(7%)
Most Helpful Owner Reviews
Nice, but with a few caveats
ScottyD, 08/10/2022
2023 Mazda CX-50 2.5 S Preferred Plus 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
I’ve had my 2023 CX-50 preferred plus in polymetal gray for about 3 weeks now, and have about 1k miles on it. Here are my thoughts.
The good:
- Comfortable, even on long drives.
- Excellent handling. Classic Mazda.
- Build quality is solid. Much nicer than the alternatives at this price point.
- Very surefooted. Haven’t done any significant off-roading yet, but zero problems so far … on dirt roads and grass parking lots.
- The dial controlled infotainment system has grown on me. Seemed weird at first, but it really is less distracting than the finicky touchscreen on my last car.
- Plenty of room for four people, with a decent amount of trunk space.
- The panoramic sunroof is a nice touch. Will get lots of use out of it once the weather cools off some.
- Power with the base engine is perfectly adequate. The turbo would have been fun, but it’s certainly not a must-have for day to day use.
The bad:
- Fuel mileage has been kind of disappointing. Combined average (for me, about 2/3 city and 1/3 highway) struggles to break 24 mpg. Not catastrophic, but definitely under the EPA estimate. May try to feed it premium gas next tank to see if that makes a difference.
- The Mazda Connect app is kind of awful. In theory, it should be helpful…but it doesn’t work consistently, and is slow as molasses even when it does work. If it were just telematics and marketing stuff, I wouldn’t care. But it’s the only way to use the remote start. Why couldn’t they have just put that function on the key fob??
- The road noise at highway speeds on some surfaces can get a little annoying. It’s not constant, so it might just be the OEM tires on rougher surfaces. But definitely take it up to highway speeds on your test drive to make sure it’s something you can live with.
2 weeks in
Eric , 04/29/2023
2023 Mazda CX-50 2.5 S Preferred Plus 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
Recently purchased the CX50 PFP non-turbo. Great value for the money. My 2nd Mazda, I had a CX5 a few years ago and mistakenly sold it. The CX50 to me looks better, rides as nice, good handling and adequate power and is returning 26.5 mpg combined. My two requirements were to reduce fuel costs and overall vehicle ownership cost. No issues at this point, although it’s only been 2 weeks. … The infotainment took a few days to master and I do like the screen placement as I can see it without taking my eyes off the road. The center console controls fall right at hand and with practice become second nature. It’s not an off-roader but it can travel on gravel or unimproved roads with out issue. If you want a jeep, get a jeep. This is a great package add a cargo rack and take your bikes, kayak or paddle board on your next adventure. It’s 4 passenger, not 5, plenty of cargo room comfortable ride. Great looks inside and out. And great value with the Preferred Plus package.
Love the look but not the glitches!
ldh, 01/29/2024
2023 Mazda CX-50 2.5 S Premium Plus 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
I owned a 2023 CX-50 for 10 months. Premium plus model. Loved the way it looked....a real head turner! But I traded it in after 10 months due to all the issues. It had a sensor issue....I would get the engine malfunction message every few weeks. It would generally go off the next day, but it was annoying. Also, the sunroof and sunshade would not open or close. Lastly, about a … third of the time I would try to open the back hatch, it wouldn't work....it would give a few quick beeps and not open. And yes, I know the vehicle must be unlocked for it to open. I finally gave up and traded it in on a 2024 CX-90. Fingers crossed I have better luck!
Fast and Sporty
JohnL, 04/12/2023
2023 Mazda CX-50 2.5 Turbo Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
My wife bought a 2023 Mazda CX50 Turbo Premium. We have had it for 9 months. We live in a major city and it does mostly city driving. We do not drive off the pavement, but we wanted some ground clearance, because some streets flood here. My wife likes cars that have good acceleration and the CX50 Turbo is probably one of the fastest in this class. With the Turbo engine it does become … more expensive than it's competition which are: Toyota RAV4, Honda CRV, Subaru Forrester and the Ford Bronco Sport.The Bronco Sport was the only other choice that had similar HP as the CX50, but the Ford is more utalitarian and off road while the Mazda feels more luxurious and performance oriented. Here are my likes and dislikes.
Likes...
1. We love how it looks from the outside
2. We love the interior design
3. Interior materials like Nappa leather while having cooled and heated seats
4. Acceleration and handling(very torquee engine)
5. My wife likes the wireless android auto
6. Panoramic Sunroof
Dislikes...
1. Steering too heavy and I have owned sports cars
2. Lack of cubbies and smaller cargo than the competition
3. Glovebox not useful as it is a slot style so when you open it the things just fall out
4. The ride is on the harder side, but it absorbs impacts much better than other cars
5. My car came with an annoying rattle while new from the passenger seatbelt pillar that the dealer has no idea how to get rid off. (This is just specific to my car)
6. The most annoying to me is that the seats bottom lack cushioning. After driving for an hour, my bottom will feel discomfort, so we will never take this car for long trips. Keep in mind that your experience might differ on this.
Summary...
We really like how this car drives, acceleration, handling and we can live with a stiffer ride. We love how it looks inside out too. I can accept that it is not as roomy as other cars too. But the seat bottom being too hard and that annoying rattle is not good for me. My wife drives this car and she notices the seat being hard but it is more acceptable for her. She would not have any problems buying another Mazda in the future, but their seats are not for me. I think Mazda are a little niche, so make sure that they are suitable for what you want as there are compromises to be made for the extra performance that they offer.
Update: It has 22 months and everything holds still holds true. We finally were able to fix that rattle after multiple trips to the dealer and switching dealers. The dealer near me tried to fix it and after 3 tries they said that it is "COMMON OCURRANCE" for that car so they said they were NOT going to do anything about it. They said that it is not a Manufacturer's defect, but it happens a lot on that car. So I called MAZDA and they said that it should NOT rattle and then I called a different dealer 50 miles away and spoke to their Service Manager. Took it there and they FIXED it after 1 day. Excellent Service from them! Except that everything still holds true about the car. It's still an awesome car to drive, but not for long distance due to the harder seats.
2023 Mazda CX-50 videos
2023 Honda CR-V vs. 2023 Kia Sportage Hybrid vs. 2023 Mazda CX-50 | Compact SUV Comparison Test
The Honda CR-V is all-new for 2023, and while it’s always been a solid contender in the compact SUV segment, the competition is tougher than ever. So we decided to put it up against two of our favorites in this class: the 2023 Kia Sportage Hybrid and the 2023 Mazda CX-50. Each of these SUVs offers a different take on what makes a small SUV great, but only one can be the… best. So, who’s it gonna be? Head to the video above and join Edmunds’ Ryan ZumMallen to find out!
Safety
Our experts like the CX-50 models:
- Lane Keep Assist
- Makes minor steering corrections to help keep the vehicle centered in its lane.
- Rear Smart Brake Support
- Applies the brakes automatically to avoid an imminent collision with an object behind the vehicle.
- Blind Spot Prevention
- Steers the car back into its lane if you try to change lanes while a car is in the vehicle's blind spot.
FAQ
Is the Mazda CX-50 a good car?
The Edmunds experts tested the 2023 CX-50 both on the road and at the track, giving it a 8.1 out of 10. Edmunds’ consumer reviews show that the 2023 CX-50 gets an average rating of 4 stars out of 5 (based on 54 reviews) What about cargo capacity? When you're thinking about carrying stuff in your new car, keep in mind that the CX-50 has 31.4 cubic feet of trunk space. And then there's safety and reliability. Edmunds has all the latest NHTSA and IIHS crash-test scores, plus industry-leading expert and consumer reviews to help you understand what it's like to own and maintain a Mazda CX-50. Learn more
What's new in the 2023 Mazda CX-50?
According to Edmunds’ car experts, here’s what’s new for the 2023 Mazda CX-50:
- Kicks off the first CX-50 generation
Is the Mazda CX-50 reliable?
To determine whether the Mazda CX-50 is reliable, read Edmunds' authentic consumer reviews, which come from real owners and reveal what it's like to live with the CX-50. Look for specific complaints that keep popping up in the reviews, and be sure to compare the CX-50's 4-star average consumer rating to that of competing vehicles. Learn more
Is the 2023 Mazda CX-50 a good car?
There's a lot to consider if you're wondering whether the 2023 Mazda CX-50 is a good car. Edmunds' expert testing team reviewed the 2023 CX-50 and gave it a 8.1 out of 10. Our consumer reviews show that the 2023 CX-50 gets an average rating of 4 stars out of 5 (based on 54 reviews). Safety scores, fuel economy, cargo capacity and feature availability should all be factors in determining whether the 2023 CX-50 is a good car for you. Learn more
How much should I pay for a 2023 Mazda CX-50?
The least-expensive 2023 Mazda CX-50 is the 2023 Mazda CX-50 2.5 S 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6A). Including destination charge, it arrives with a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of about $27,550.
Other versions include:
- 2.5 S 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6A) which starts at $27,550
- 2.5 S Select 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6A) which starts at $28,950
- 2.5 S Preferred 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6A) which starts at $30,250
- 2.5 S Preferred Plus 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6A) which starts at $32,690
- 2.5 S Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6A) which starts at $35,150
- 2.5 Turbo 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 6A) which starts at $37,150
- 2.5 S Premium Plus 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6A) which starts at $37,150
- 2.5 Turbo Meridian Edition 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 6A) which starts at $39,950
- 2.5 Turbo Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 6A) which starts at $40,300
- 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 6A) which starts at $42,300
What are the different models of Mazda CX-50?
If you're interested in the Mazda CX-50, the next question is, which CX-50 model is right for you? CX-50 variants include 2.5 S 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6A), 2.5 S Select 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6A), 2.5 S Preferred 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6A), and 2.5 S Preferred Plus 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6A). For a full list of CX-50 models, check out Edmunds’ Features & Specs page. Learn more
Cost to Drive
Monthly estimates based on costs in New York
$199/mo for CX-50 2.5 S
vs
$259/mo
Avg. Midsize SUV











