The 2023 Mazda CX-5 compact crossover earns its place in the Mazda lineup despite the launch this year of the fresher Mazda CX-50. Mazda's bestseller experiences only a modest price increase, averaging about $500 across its robust eight trim levels, Mazda announced Monday.
Mazda does not seem ready yet to have the edgier and slightly larger CX-50 replace the CX-5, unlike how the brand rolled out the CX-30 in 2020 as it faded production and trim offerings on the CX-3, which was discontinued for 2022. Offered in S, Select, Preferred, Carbon Edition, Premium, Premium Plus, Turbo, and top Turbo Signature trims, the popular CX-5 still casts a wide net.
The only new content for 2023, however, is a Rhodium White paint color that Mazda describes as pure white.
Powered by a 187-hp 2.5-liter inline-4 except for the Turbo models, the 2023 Mazda CX-5 comes standard with all-wheel drive and a 6-speed automatic transmission. Standard driver-assist technology on every Mazda CX-5 includes automatic emergency braking, active lane control, adaptive cruise control, and blind-spot monitors. Standard convenience features include a power driver seat, and a 10.3-inch screen with baked-in Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. The screen lacks touch functionality, instead relying on a dial in the console that makes it cumbersome to use, except to zoom in or out on the map. The base S costs $27,975, including a $1,275 destination fee. That's $450 more than last year.
The $29,795 S Select is only $250 more than last year and adds synthetic leather upholstery over cloth on the base S, as well as heated front seats. We'd steer shoppers to the $30,865 S Preferred for its leather upholstery, power front seats, power liftgate, and sunroof.
The $36,775 Premium Plus tops the base engine's range, and also takes the biggest pricing step over last year, at $1,200 more. It has navigation, cooled front seats, a heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, and a 10-speaker Bose upgrade.
At that point, and for only $1,350 more, we'd be tempted by the 2023 CX-5 Turbo and its 2.5-liter turbo-4 that makes 256 hp and 320 lb-ft with 93 octane gas. It sports 19-inch aluminum alloy wheels, leather seats with red accents, and a wireless smartphone charger.
The Turbo Signature tops the CX-5 range, and adds every fancy finish from the Premium Plus along with the turbo-4, and throws on a surround-view camera system. It costs $40,925.
The 2023 CX-50 spans from about $28,000 to $42,775.
- The 2023 Mazda CX-50 is a new crossover model that joins the lineup and looks to be similar in size to the CX-5.
- It will offer the same 2.5-liter and turbo 2.5-liter inline-four engine options as most other Mazda models, with a hybrid coming later.
- The CX-50 will be built in the U.S. and is set to go on sale in the spring of 2022.
Mazda's newest crossover, the 2023 CX-50, looks to capture the same successful formula as its existing SUVs: attractive looks, a luxurious interior, and—we hope—an engaging driving experience. While Mazda isn't providing dimensions, it appears to be similar in size to the CX-5, giving Mazda yet another entrant in the popular compact-crossover segment. Although the two models will be sold alongside each other for the time being, we expect the CX-50 to eventually replace the CX-5, much like what happened with the smaller CX-30 and the CX-3.
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.
The CX-50's styling plays up this rugged angle with lots of black plastic cladding around the wheel wells, front and rear bumper trim meant to look like skid plates, and black and silver wheels. It's also available in a trendy tan exterior color called Zircon Sand, and the models pictured here feature accessories including a roof rack, hood graphics, and optional all-terrain tires. Apart from these add-ons, we like the handsome, squared-off shape and the modern-looking headlights and taillights and think the CX-50 looks even better than the already stylish CX-5.
The familiar 2.5-liter inline-four will be under the hood, both in naturally aspirated and turbocharged forms that will likely produce around the same 187 hp and 250 hp as they do in the CX-5. All-wheel drive will be standard equipment, and a six-speed automatic transmission pairs with both engines. A hybrid model will join the lineup later, but Mazda isn't yet sharing details on that powertrain other than saying it will feature a Toyota hybrid setup. Otherwise, Mazda claims that there are no parts shared between the CX-50 and the smaller Toyota Corolla Cross that's built in the same factory.
The CX-50 is a five-seater, and from what we can see of the interior it looks to feature a similar dashboard design as other Mazda models. A touchscreen mounted on the upper part of the dash is controlled by a knob on the center console. The more expensive trim levels feature plush materials such as leather upholstery, available in a nice shade of brown, and a panoramic sunroof will be optional. Like other Mazdas, we expect the CX-50's cabin to trend closer to the luxury end of the spectrum than many of its mainstream competitors, including the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4.
The CX-50 will offer a new drive-mode selector that includes off-road and towing modes in addition to the Sport mode that is offered on most current Mazdas. These settings adjust features such as throttle response, steering feedback, and the tuning of Mazda's G-vectoring control system.
Mazda hasn't yet released pricing for the CX-50, but we expect it to cost a bit more than the CX-5, which starts at $27,945 with all-wheel drive. It will be built at Mazda's new factory in Alabama that is shared with Toyota and will start production in 2022, going on sale in the spring.
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