The essence of luxury is scarcity. The rarer an item is, the more you have to pay for it. Sure, quality of materials, unusual engineering enters into it as well. But scarcity is a key component.
Now consider Mazda.
Last year, the eight models Mazda sells in the U.S. totaled 332,756 cars and crossover utility vehicles. In contrast, Toyota sold 407,739 RAV4s. This means if you drive a Mazda, you won’t see yourself coming and going on every corner like a RAV4, although odds are Mazda would prefer if its bestselling CUV, the CX-5, were seen on every corner.
But the Hiroshima, Japan-based automaker’s profile is about to get a major boost with the opening of Mazda Toyota Manufacturing U.S. Plant in Huntsville, Alabama. The $2.3 billion joint venture between Mazda and Toyota has a production capacity of 300,000 units annually, with half of the plant’s production, 150,000 units, going to Mazda. That will increase Mazda’s volume by 55% compared from 2021 and minimize profit-draining currency fluctuations and free trade agreements.
“Having an assembly plant in the U.S. was a long-term aspiration,” said Naoki Okano, Chief Engineer for the CX-50 at the model’s unveiling last week in Santa Barbara, California.
And the company is pinning its volume hopes on one new vehicle: the 2023 Mazda CX-50.
Dimensionally, the car is about the same size as a Porsche Macan and is basically a longer wider version of the CX-5 crossover. Given Mazda’s volume aspirations, designers chose to sheath the CX-50 with a traditional SUV silhouette, including plastic wheel arches to give it a tougher look.
Climb inside and you’ll be greeted by Mazda’s familiar premium ambience. Bling is kept to a minimum, with some chrome accents, lots of soft-touch points and stitching to lend the vehicle an upscale feel. But it’s let down by hard plastic on the side of the transmission tunnel, an oversight a true premium automaker wouldn't make.
The instrument panel’s simple, elegant appearance features a bi-level climate control design with commonly used buttons, such as fan speed and recirculation, on top and seat heat/cooling below it, with both rows nestled between knobs to control the temperature for each passenger. It’s a clever design used on other Mazdas and it works well.
The driver faces a reconfigurable instrument cluster, and a sanely sized touchscreen. Mazda’s infotainment display is short but wide, and controlled by a knob on the center console. Mazda chose this approach so that the driver concentrates on driving rather than looking at the screen. With familiarity, drivers learn how many clicks, twists and nudges it takes to activate something, usually while keeping their eyes on the road. However, the test model lacked wireless charging, unusual considering the test vehicle’s top trim level.
When it does come time to drive, buyers will have a choice of two “Skyactiv-G” 2.5-liter four-cylinder engines, either normally aspirated or turbocharged. The non-turbo engine generates 187 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque. The turbo powerplant produces far more: 256 horsepower and 320 pound-feet of torque using 93 octane fuel. That’s close to a base Macan in terms of power. But if you decide to use 87 octane, those numbers drop to 227 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. All-wheel drive is standard.
Look for a gas-electric hybrid model to appear sometime in the future, using a Toyota hybrid system.
Uniquely, all CX-50s come with a six-speed automatic transmission, not the more common eight-, nine- or 10-speed automatic. This is no accident, and it’s not a result of cost-cutting. Engineers have gone to great effort to endow the CX-50’s driveline with a smoothness uncommon to turbocharged drivelines. This is part of the reason that Mazda continues to use a six-speed automatic transmission rather than one with more gears. Engineers say it doesn’t make much of a difference in real world mileage.
The larger of the two engines provided plenty of power when needed. While not the fastest SUV in its segment, there’s more than enough ponies under the hood to prevent it from feeling underpowered. Shifting the drive mode from Normal to Sport does make the driveline response more aggressive, but not in an exaggerated manner. My test drive returned 20 mpg.
Steering is quick and accurate and the ride is firm. Yet there’s some body rebound to remind you of its off-road presence. That said, ride settles down at highway speed.
But the CX-50 differs from other Mazdas thanks to its Off-Road driving mode, which admirably prepares the car once the sidewalk ends. Mazda has done an admirable job of endowing the CX-50 with some off-road chops, although it’s meant more for light off-road duties, such as traversing a field or navigating an unpaved road. It's not meant for boulder bashing, as there are none of the driveline features you’d expect, such as lockable four-wheel drive low. But for the sort of off-road adventures most Americans will do, this vehicle will suffice. And its off-road athletics in no way compromise Mazda’s typical on-road agility.
Prices for the Mazda CX-50 start at $26,800 for the base engine, and $36,400 for the CX-Turbo. This makes for a very tempting proposition for those whose driving takes them off-road, as well as on.
And it makes for a rare Mazda, and a rare gem.
2023 Mazda CX-50
Base price: $26,800-$41,550
Engine: Turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder
Horsepower/Torque: 256/310 pound-feet
EPA fuel economy (city/highway): 23/29 mpg
Fuel required: 93 Octane
Length/Width/Height: 185.8/75.6/63.9 inches
Ground clearance: 8.6 inches
Payload: 1,038 pounds
Cargo capacity: 29.6 cubic feet
Towing capacity: 3,500 pounds
