CX-50 Hybrid: Upcoming Mazda Compact Hybrid SUV
The upcoming CX-50 Hybrid is a highly anticipated model among compact SUV shoppers and Mazda fans, and for good reason. It represents the first Mazda-developed compact hybrid SUV in several markets, and follows the recent release of the larger three-row Mazda CX-90 mild hybrid and CX-90 PHEV models.
Mazda hinted at a CX-50 Hybrid release date sometime in the future when the gas-powered CX-50 debuted, so we shouldn’t have to wait long now that the standard model has been available for several years.
Here’s what we anticipate the upcoming arrival of the Mazda CX-50 Hybrid will bring, starting with its gas-electric powertrain:
Mazda CX-50 Hybrid Engine, Transmission, & Specs
The displacement of the new Mazda CX-50 Hybrid engine is expected to be 2.5 liters and sourced from Toyota. This Mazda hybrid SUV’s anticipated 2.5-liter gas-electric powertrain will reportedly now be borrowed from the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid and generate around 219 horsepower.
Previously, it was speculated that the CX-50 Hybrid would be powered by a Toyota 2.0-liter hybrid system based on the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid engine, as that model is built alongside the gas-powered CX-50 at the Mazda Toyota Manufacturing (MTM) plant in Huntsville, Alabama.
A Mazda CX-50 Hybrid has recently launched overseas in Asia and utilizes a Toyota-sourced 2.5-liter hybrid powertrain, instead of the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid’s 2.0-liter four-cylinder producing 196 horsepower.
The Toyota-sourced 2.5-liter hybrid in the overseas CX-50 Hybrid is paired with an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission, or eCVT. A simulated shift mode is available on the gearless transmission.
Mazda has famously and graciously avoided CVTs, instead developing its Skyactiv-Drive automatic transmissions engineered to blend the benefits of a dual-clutch transmission, CVT, and traditional automatic into a single gearbox.
With increased efficiency like a CVT, smoothness, and predictability like a traditional automatic, and direct feel and fast shifts like a DCT, a Skyactiv-Drive transmission would be a welcomed addition to the CX-50 Hybrid.
However, the American-built CX-50 Hybrid with the RAV4 Hybrid’s 2.5-liter hybrid system would likely be coupled with a Toyota-sourced eCVT that Mazda would then tune to its liking.
If that’s the case, expect the hybrid CX-50 to provide a more engaging drive and throttle response than a comparable Toyota hybrid SUV, but less direct and satisfying than the standard CX-50 or CX-50 Turbo trims.
The first-ever CX-50 Hybrid in North America could also benefit from Mazda engineering tech like Intelligent Drive Select (Mi-Drive) and G-Vectoring Control to deliver a more tailored and dynamic driving experience.
Many Mazda motorists were likely hoping the carmaker would develop its own gas-electric powertrain for the hybrid CX-50 model. Mazda currently produces an e-Skyactiv-G 2.0-liter M Hybrid powertrain in select markets that could be utilized in this application.
Still, the Mazda e-Skyactiv-G 2.0-liter is merely a mild hybrid and produces around 148 horsepower in its current state under the hood of other Mazda hybrid cars. So, it would produce far less power and return lower fuel economy ratings than the Toyota-sourced 2.5-liter hybrid.
If the rumors are true and there is a next-generation Mazda CX-5 in the works, the upcoming CX-50 Hybrid powertrain could be available under the hood of its compact crossover stablemate as well. Or, perhaps by the time of the next-gen CX-5 redesign, Mazda will have an internally sourced hybrid four-cylinder that’s on par with the one it’s expected to borrow from Toyota.
How About the CX-50 Hybrid MPG Rating?
Regarding the CX-50 Hybrid MPG rating, we can only speculate based on the projected powertrain propelling this new Mazda hybrid SUV. If the upcoming hybrid CX-50 arrives with a Toyota-sourced 2.5-liter gas-electric powertrain, expect a substantial boost in both city and highway MPG compared to the standard CX-50 model.
For comparison, the current Toyota RAV4 Hybrid with its 219-horsepower 2.5-liter hybrid engine returns up to an EPA-estimated 41 city and 38 highway MPG, which is significantly higher than the gas-powered Mazda CX-50.
We don’t expect the CX-50 Hybrid to match those numbers since the CX-50 SUV is already about the same weight as a RAV4 Hybrid before the Mazda SUV even adds the heavier hybrid system. The hybrid CX-50’s presumably sharper throttle response and sportier driving feel with also hold it back from matching the RAV4 Hybrid MPG figures.
However, we anticipate Mazda to target around a 35 combined city/highway MPG rating for the CX-50 Hybrid.
Those projected Mazda CX-50 Hybrid MPG figures also wouldn’t match the fuel economy of the smaller Toyota SUV it shares the Mazda Toyota Manufacturing assembly line with: the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid.
While the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid is likely more fuel-efficient than the new CX-50 Hybrid, it’s not as powerful, with just 196 horsepower from its 2.0-liter hybrid system compared to a CX-50 with the 2.5-liter Toyota hybrid system, rated around 219 horsepower.
Still, whatever the EPA-estimated CX-50 Hybrid MPG ratings will be, it should represent a large leap in efficiency compared to the CX-50 and CX-50 Turbo models.
Upcoming Mazda CX-50 Hybrid Price & Trims
Expect the first-ever Mazda CX-50 Hybrid price to start at several thousand dollars above the standard CX-50 SUV’s starting MSRP. The CX-50 Hybrid pricing structure could be similar to that of the CX-50 Turbo models, but instead of gaining significantly more power output, drivers will enjoy substantially better MPG.
As with any hybrid-versus-gas model, the pricing premium for the hybrid CX-50 can’t be so great that it vastly outweighs the perceived benefits to buyers or the lifetime cost savings at the gas pump.
Don’t expect as many CX-50 Hybrid trims as there are editions of the standard, naturally aspirated CX-50 model.
With six non-turbo CX-50 trims and four CX-50 Turbo trims available already, we suspect the CX-50 Hybrid will add another three to four trim levels to the lineup. That would be on par with the recent rollout of trims for the Mazda CX-90, with the CX-90 PHEV model offering far fewer trims (three) than the higher volume and lower priced CX-90, boasting eight editions.
We expect all CX-50 Hybrid trims to come standard with AWD, just like every other Mazda crossover SUV in the last several years.
Anticipated Mazda CX-50 Hybrid Release Date
There has been no shortage of CX-50 Hybrid rumors on Reddit and beyond. Still, we don’t know for sure when the hybrid Mazda CX-50 model will arrive. But based on prior reporting and shared plans from Mazda itself, it seems likely the CX-50 Hybrid will arrive in 2024 as a 2025 model.
When the CX-50 debuted in 2022, Mazda noted that a CX-50 Hybrid model would debut in the coming years. Two to three model years later seems like a good time to introduce the new Mazda CX-50 Hybrid that many motorists have been waiting for ever since this rugged compact crossover SUV’s debut.
Will there be a Mazda CX-50 Hybrid 2024 model? Or will this gas-electric SUV debut in 2024 as the 2025 CX-50 Hybrid? Only time will tell, but we suspect there could be more news on the new hybrid CX-50 by early 2024, after the midsize CX-70 release date.
Stay tuned for updates on the upcoming and highly anticipated CX-50 Hybrid, including news on its release date, engine specs, MPG, trims, and pricing.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What engine will the Mazda CX-50 Hybrid have?
The Mazda CX-50 Hybrid is expected to come equipped with a Toyota-sourced 2.5-liter hybrid powertrain, similar to what powers the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. Previously, it was speculated that the hybrid CX-50 would feature a smaller 2.0-liter unit borrowed from the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid, since the Mazda CX-50 is built alongside it at the automakers’ joint MTM facility.
What is the estimated Mazda CX-50 Hybrid MPG rating?
We estimate the upcoming Mazda CX-50 Hybrid will achieve up to a 35 combined city/highway MPG rating. We won’t know for sure until the CX-50 Hybrid release date when specs are unveiled, but a mid-30s MPG rating would put the CX-50 Hybrid in close competition with popular Toyota hybrids like the RAV4 Hybrid and the new Corolla Cross Hybrid.
Where will the CX-50 Hybrid be built?
The CX-50 Hybrid will be built alongside the standard, gas-powered Mazda CX-50 at the joint Mazda-Toyota plant in Huntsville, Alabama. The Mazda Toyota Manufacturing site also builds the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid, which is why the CX-50 Hybrid was initially expected to share its engine: a 2.0-liter hybrid powertrain.
Will the CX-50 Hybrid be AWD?
We anticipate the first-ever Mazda CX-50 Hybrid available in the U.S., Canada, and other select markets will feature standard all-wheel drive, just like every other Mazda crossover SUV over the last several model years. Standard AWD would help make the CX-50 Hybrid an attractive alternative to the gas-powered CX-50, as well as compact hybrid crossover SUVs from other automakers.