I've been driving a Mazda CX-5 AWD Compact SUV for almost a decade now, and it's been a great experience. Highly reliable, nimble in poor driving conditions, and with almost no significant bills or repairs required. Starting out as a very modest Japanese vehicle manufacturer, Mazda had its first big hit with the little RX-7 sports car. Since then, the line keeps moving upscale, to the point where the latest generation can reasonably be characterized as "near" luxury cars (as Mazda likes to say). The CX-5 is also one of the most popular Compact SUV vehicles in the USA, with over a million units sold since it was first introduced in 2013.
In the last few years, Mazda has leveraged the success of its CX line to introduce the CX-50, CX-70, and CX-90, more targeted and upscale versions of the original CX line. As a more rugged descendant of the CX-5, I've been quite interested in the CX-50 as a possible replacement for my aging CX-5. The CX-50 is also quite popular, with sales figures in 2025 surprisingly close to the CX-5 (99K units through November, vs 124K CX-5 vehicles). The 2026 CX-5 represents a significant redesign with an all-new interior and driver experience, a change that has received mixed reactions by the Mazda loyalist community.
Mazda offered me a week with the 2026 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid Premium Plus with a Machine Gray Metallic exterior and a striking Red leather (premium) interior. I was delighted to have the chance to get behind the wheel...
There's a lot of CX-5 in the interior and exterior design of the CX-50, but with its hybrid drivetrain, it gets significantly better fuel efficiency. Though 2024 was the first year Mazda offered any sort of hybrid vehicle, it's based on decades of development and field experience: This particular model is in some ways a Mazda version of the tremendously popular Toyota Rav-4 Hybrid. Mazda licensed the Toyota 2.5L I4 hybrid powertrain and then tuned it for the Mazda drive experience, changing the following characteristics:
- Suspension and chassis - The CX-50 is stiffer than the Toyota vehicle.
- Steering feel - more resistance offers better road 'feel' for the driver.
- Drive modes - Mazda streamlined the options, removing Toyota's "Eco" mode, which gives the CX-50 a more peppy drive experience.
- Noise - the Mazda is a bit quieter on the road than the hybrid Rav-4.
- Interior - Premium trim materials, a more luxury-focused cabin design.
Together, they add up to a more fun and sporty drive experience and a more upscale interior appearance, at the cost of a slight hit in fuel economy due to the lack of an Eco drive mode.
Just as importantly, the design of the CX-50 is sleek and luxurious, as can be seen with the dash design:
As can just be seen on the edges, the red leather interior is a striking contrast to the black dashboard, with red accent stitching a nice touch across the dash. The instrument layout itself is quite reminiscent of my 2017 CX-5 and is part of the classic Mazda dashboard. Functional and still lots of buttons and controls. The 2026 CX-5 has a completely redesigned cockpit, by comparison, losing most of its buttons and controls in favor of a considerably larger touch screen. This change has ignited much debate in the Mazda afficionado community, but it's not an issue for the CX-50. Yet.
The center console is one of the gems of the modern Mazda interior design, with a simple in-line gearshift and its infotainment and system control console knob and buttons, known as the Commander Control. Not so obvious is that adjacent to the big Commander knob and hidden under the overhang of the center console armrest is a Qi wireless charging spot. This is a smart design choice because it means that the phone's convenient, but it isn't something that will distract while driving. Then again, that's the point of having wireless CarPlay and Android Auto.
The steering wheel has switched to having silver buttons, which actually makes them rather difficult to read (as you can see if you're trying to decipher them in the photo). It's also curious that there are two blank buttons on the right side: What do they control in other Mazda models?
The main gauge display is overkill, however, with most of this information more easily conveyed in a digital form or more tightly integrated with the main gauge. Instead of a tachometer, the left dial is known as the Power Meter and is unique to Mazda hybrid vehicles: The "Charge" zone indicates the vehicle is feeding energy back to the battery system (known as 'regenerative power'), while the "Power" zone indicates when the driver has increased demand on the system. For maximum fuel efficiency, aim to have it around "10 o'clock", approximately where the line is shown above.
Climate controls are straightforward, with steering wheel and seat heating and cooling buttons along the bottom, and the actual climate buttons flat, to make them more easily visible to the driver and passenger. This remains largely unchanged over the past decade, suggesting that the design is entirely functional.
Rear legroom was acceptable, but it's definitely not a spacious vehicle, living up to the moniker of compact SUV. This also showcases some of the lovely red leather seats, featuring sporty contrasting black stripes. Side and back panels are synthetic leather, according to the company, so it's an interesting mix. Synthetic materials are so good nowadays that it shouldn't be an issue for even the most discerning owner.
The 2026 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid Premium Plus really shines with its cargo area. This is a lot of space, 29.2 cubic feet with the second row up, 56.3 cf with the second row folded down. The back seat is a 60/40 bench with the wider portion behind the driver, as shown. The excellent cargo liner is part of the optional Weather Package.
One more thing while we're standing behind the vehicle: Mazda's done something really smart with the hatch controls, offering the usual "close" button, but also adding a "close and lock the car" button to make life a bit more convenient. I used this every time I went to close the back of the vehicle.
While it often just stays in the driver's pocket, I have to admit that I don't like the modern flat key fob with all the buttons jammed onto one edge. It's difficult to differentiate, and I found that every time I wanted to remote lock or unlock the vehicle, I had to study the buttons for a moment. This is relatively new for Mazda and I'm not a fan.
With just a few exceptions, I found the 2026 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid Premium Plus a splendid compact SUV with a lively drive experience, splendid fuel efficiency - I saw about 38.8 mpg with it rated 39/37 - and lots of comforts to ensure a pleasant drive. It's luxurious without being in the price range of true luxury SUVs, and is a solid move forward for Mazda. Indeed, I liked it so much that I am now considering trading in my 2017 CX-5 for one of these, a powerful endorsement!
2026 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid Premium Plus, powered by a 2.5L hybrid engine with 219 combined horsepower and a continuously variable transmission. BASE PRICE: $40,450. Options included: Premium paint, navigation system, cargo cover, premium plus package, weather package. AS DRIVEN: $43,665.00.
Disclaimer: Mazda loaned me the CX-50 for a week in return for this candid write-up. This article originally appeared on PlanetDave.com with the title 2026 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid Premium Plus Is a Sweet Compact SUV and is republished with permission of the author.
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