Earlier this year, I compared the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 together, as the two best sellers in this best selling segment of vehicles. I concluded the comparo by saying “there isn’t really a wrong answer here” because they’re both very good vehicles that do a lot of things well for a lot of people, hence why they’re the best sellers. However, if it were my money at play for a compact crossover, I wouldn’t even have to think about it (save maybe for the Tiguan Turbo); I’d rather have this 2025 Mazda CX-50 GT Turbo instead.
Exterior design
The CX-50 has been the most handsome kid in the class since it arrived on the scene a few years ago. The long hood, wide stance, and relatively low-ish roofline give it proportions that come off as slightly more wagon than SUV, and the result is a practical vehicle that doesn’t look like it’s just another transportation appliance; much like the new Volkswagen Tiguan.
On this GT-trim tester, the CX-50 wears 20-inch wheels, with a subtle blend of brightwork and black accents that complement its confident shape without devolving into bling. It’s a design that looks expensive; more so, than some luxury-branded rivals.
Interior appointments
Things are no different inside the CX-50. The cabin feels properly upscale, with an emphasis on quality materials and thoughtful, simple design; it’s almost as if it’s a distinctly Japanese take on Volvo’s pathologically uncluttered school of thought. The dashboard design is clean and purposeful, and the fit and finish of the whole cabin, from its soft leathers, metallic accents, and contrasting cross stitching to tie it all together, rival the best in the business.
Some people loathe Mazda’s Human-Machine-Interface, which is designed to rely on a rotary knob, a small volume knob, and a few key shortcut buttons to do most of the infotainment control. These people are incorrect. While I do appreciate that Mazda has enabled touch support on the CX-50’s screen if you want to use it, I much more greatly appreciate that the screen is not supposed to be the star of the show, and that the physical controls on the centre console can be operated blindly.
Fidgeting with plastic screen is not better than intuitive tactile design, full stop. Most people will say they agree with me, but also depend on (now wireless) Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which are definitely a lot better to use with a touch screen, but this touch screen is positioned such that it isn’t really designed to be touched. If you fall into the niche like mine where you don’t care much for touchscreens and don’t need to be bolted to your phone at all times either, you’ll appreciate that no other infotainment on the market, short of BMW’s iDrive, is as pleasant to live with.
The same-ish praise goes to Mazda’s gauge cluster, which is a mix of physical gauges (for which there remains no substitute) and a cleverly integrated digital display that can mimic a traditional speedometer or do something else entirely, if desired. It’s a model of legibility, and easily tailored to suit your needs.
Otherwise the cabin is similarly lovely. The seats are fantastic, with adjustable lumbar support, heating, and ventilation, and the driving position is terrific. The rear seats have a healthy amount of legroom, and there’s a decent amount of interior storage space for knick-knacks, plus plenty of space behind the rear seats for bigger stuff. The CR-V may edge it out for most effective use of space, but this CX-50 gets really close to Honda’s space saving witchcraft – mostly by virtue of straight up being larger, but the end result is the same for you.
Engine and Performance
The CX-50 is powered by a well-proven sweetheart of an engine, the SkyActiv-G 2.5-Litre inline-four, fed by a twin-scroll turbocharger in this application. Mazda is careful/proud to specify that it can live on a diet of regular, low-octane fuel at a slightly reduced power output of 227 horsepower and 310 foot-pounds of torque, but I feel they’re doing themselves a disservice with that. On a diet of 93 octane champagne, it makes 256 horsepower and 320 foot-pounds, which are not insignificant gains, but what those numbers don’t convey is that the engine is able to operate significantly more smoothly, with a much broader torque spread on the fancy feast. Without it, it’s somewhat reduced to a big mid-range shove, without much bottom end, and it falls on its face at higher rpms; similar to other loathsome compliance motors.
If you’re gonna spend the $2,500 to bolt a twin-scroll turbo to this engine, you should do yourself a favour and be prepared to feed it properly, for your own sake, to make the most of it. If not, no worries – the turbo-less version of the same engine is a lovely, efficient, smooth operator, just one with a little less alacrity. We observed 10.3L/100km in our tester on an upscale diet, which yes, is far from the best in class, but it’s also the most powerful and most refined by a distant margin; and it won’t exactly break the bank at that rate.
Power is routed to the ground via a standard on-demand all-wheel-drive system and a 6-speed automatic transmission that might sound antiquated amongst of a field of 8, 9, 10, and infinite speeds, but it’s calibrated such that it works and responds well, and feels well suited to make the most of this turbocharged powerband. It’s smooth when you want it to be, and responsive when you need it to be.
Ride and Handling
The same applies to the CX-50’s chassis, which is something of a masterstroke of mundane design; how they’ve managed to make a very vanilla transportation product drive so well is a testament to their engineering prowess. The steering is precise and naturally weighted, with a consistent on-centre feel and satisfying ramp-up in corners that never gets old. Not that most compact crossover shoppers will care, but the chassis is set up to be fairly neutral, with only a very slight inclination towards understeer – there are vehicles twice the price of this that can’t hold a candle to it. If you actually care about driving dynamics, and you’re perhaps coming from something with real chassis chops, the CX-50 won’t disappoint.
If you don’t feel like playing, the suspension tuning leans toward the firm side, particularly on the 20-inch wheels that come standard on the GT. Despite this, it avoids ugly crashing and unpleasant secondary vibrations and is generally quite comfortable. The chassis feels composed and well-damped, soaking up bumps without losing its sense of control. It’s a carefully chosen compromise of control and comfort that works beautifully, if erring on the sharp side of the equation.
On top of all of this, the cabin is exceptionally well insulated and well-removed from road, wind, and engine noise. And if you can’t muster the will to drive, the adaptive cruise control, lane keeping, and collision avoidance will do most of the “heavy lifting” for you – as if anything about piloting a modern Mazda is an arduous task. But even still, it’ll take care of you; it’s a nice place to be.
Wrap it up
The 2025 Mazda CX-50 GT Turbo stands out not because it does anything all that differently, but because it does the fundamentals so well. It’s beautifully designed, meticulously built, and genuinely enjoyable to drive. It brings a sense of sophistication that’s rare in the compact SUV segment, and it does so without crossing into sophisticated pricing.
Stacked against its rivals, the CX-50 makes a compelling case. It’s about as practical, perhaps less efficient in exchange for being significantly more powerful, and considerably more rewarding behind the wheel. For drivers who need something “normal” that still feels special, the CX-50 GT Turbo is a standout, and arguably one of the best crossovers you can buy today.
