Mazda CX-50 Hybrid First Drive: Power Couple or Odd Couple?

It’s a classic case of opposites attract: Mazda is the dreamer, known for building unique, fun-to-drive vehicles. Toyota is the sensible one, focused on reliability and mass appeal. Mazda takes flights of engineering fancy. Toyota won’t build a car unless it’s guaranteed to make money. Mazda is for enthusiasts, Toyota is for commuters. Mazda likes the movies, Toyota likes TV.

And just like the time Paula Abdul met MC Skat Kat, when the two automakers got together to build the CX-50 Hybrid at a shared Mazda/Toyota factory in Huntsville, Ala., it just all worked out. We spent a few weeks driving a CX-50 Hybrid Premium Plus that we rented from Mazda and are in the process of purchasing one for our test program in the next few weeks. Unlike this Premium Plus, however, we plan to buy the less-luxurious but more popular Premium trim. We’ll drive our new test car for 2,000 miles to make sure everything works properly, and then put it through more than 50 tests at the CR Auto Test Center. CR members will have access to the full road-test results as soon as they’re available.

In the meantime, you can read our initial thoughts and musings about this unusual SUV—a hybrid in more ways than one.

What we rented: 2025 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid Premium Plus
Powertrain: 219-hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid engine; electronic continuously variable transmission (e-CVT); all-wheel drive
MSRP: $40,800
Destination fee: $1,420
Total cost: $42,220