Starts you off with plenty of features that include: Driving through a winding neighborhood shouldn't be work. The quick, responsive steering helps the buttoned-down feeling, though we found it requires a bit more muscle than we'd expect for comfortable low-speed maneuvering. You're not going to lose your lunch if your drive is particularly curvy. It's no sports car, but body roll is mild and kept in check better than on most other small crossovers. That's slower than a turbo CX-5 we tested but still decently quick for a small SUV. Zero-to-60 mph acceleration in our testing took 7.2 seconds. You're never short on power, and the transmission is good at finding the right gear at the right time. The upgraded turbocharged engine, which is what our test CX-50 had, is powerful and helps make the CX-50 one of the quickest vehicles in its class. Mazda's vehicles tend to be among the best-driving models in their classes, and the CX-50 is no different. How does the CX-50 drive? Mazda has made a concerted effort over the years to inject a bit of driving joy into all of its products, and for the most part it works. Check out our test team's Expert Rating below for a complete evaluation of the CX-50's performance, utility and more. Among these choices, the CX-50 is an excellent alternative for those seeking a fun and engaging drive. Key rivals to the CX-50, besides its CX-5 sibling, include the redesigned Honda CR-V, Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson, Subaru Forester and Toyota RAV4. But the CX-50 is rated to tow more - up to 3,500 pounds with the turbo engine, which is quite good for a small SUV and enough to easily pull a small trailer or boat. Yes, these are the same engines offered with the CX-5.

You can choose between the base 187-horsepower four-cylinder engine and the more muscular turbo version that cranks out a healthy 256 hp when using 93 octane gas. The 2023 CX-50 will be Mazda's first vehicle to come out of the new Huntsville, Alabama, plant that is a joint venture with Toyota. There's also the CX-50 Meridian Edition that adds all-terrain tires. Depending on the trim level, the CX-50 also has either 8.3 or 8.6 inches of ground clearance the latter figure is comparable to the outdoorsy Subaru Forester's (8.7 inches). Much of the CX-50's adventure abilities can be attributed to the off-road drive mode that cleverly combines the steering and traction control systems to keep the vehicle on its intended path with ease.

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