Mazda’s newest crossover, the 2023 CX-50 has been announced and the Internet is abuzz with information and opinion. We’ve put it all together for you in one place. Enjoy!
- Car and Driver – 2023 Mazda CX-50 Joins the CX-5 as Another Stylish SUV
Mazda is pitching the CX-50 as more of an off-road-oriented SUV with higher ground clearance than the CX-5 and available rugged-style accessories, but it is still a unibody crossover and based on the same transverse architecture as the Mazda 3 and CX-30. Mazda says it’s slightly longer than the CX-5 and claims that it has more room for rear-seat passengers. Mazda’s upcoming longitudinal architecture and inline-six engine won’t arrive until the larger CX-70 and CX-90 crossovers make their debut.
Mazda takes aim at Subaru with the ruggedly styled 2023 Mazda CX-50. The CX-50 serves not only as a replacement for the CX-5 but also a luxury-tinged competitor to the Subaru Forester.
“The CX-50 has been developed for North America, particularly to support the active and outdoor lifestyles of customers in this region,” said chief exec Jeff Guyton. “The CX-50 encourages people to immerse themselves in nature without compromising on the premium design and outstanding on-road performance Mazda is known for.” I would be ashamed to speak about on-road performance after Mazda switched to a torsion-beam rear suspension for the fourth-gen Mazda3, but then again, marketing is marketing.
The design looks like a more rugged and butch version of the CX-5. It has broader fenders with more detailed plastic flares. The grille has a bolder bezel and can be had in gloss black. There are even sporty matte black decals available for the hood. Mazda also noted that the rear doors were given particularly wide openings to make it easier to step on the sills for access to the roof rack. The interior is reminiscent of other Mazdas, with its minimal dash, large hidden air vents and emphasis on the instrument panel. But it gets touches such as the vertical air vents around the instruments that make it unique and a bit more squared-off in shape. It also features a new interior color called Terracotta.