Experienced by Adrian McQueen
Photography by Adrenaline Lifestyles
The 2023 Mazda CX-50 2.5 Turbo Signature edition set the tone as being the stylish vehicle to tote the family around as well as being a great daily driver. The Mazda CX-50 is a compact-size crossover SUV manufactured since 2022. This two-row crossover is a commuter’s dream. It is great for a week of shopping, darting around the town and hauling family around.
The CX-50 was officially revealed on November 15, 2021. The CX-50 is assembled at Mazda Toyota Manufacturing (MTM) in Huntsville, AL. Mazda and Toyota invested $2.3 billion for the joint venture plant, which will have the capacity to assemble up to 300,000 vehicles and employ up to 4,000 team members
Compared to the smaller CX-5, the vehicle is designed with emphasize in “active and outdoor lifestyles”. Mazda designed a lower roof for the CX-50 to grant easier access to the roof racks. The Mazda CX-50 is the first ever from the brand to feature a panoramic sunroof as an option. Mazda provided us with a Zircon Sand Metallic hue 2023 CX-50 Signature AWD edition that shined so bright when the sun hit it.
The CX-50 is eye-catching as soon as you see the long sloping hood that leads to the large Mazda symbol which is prominently placed on the sharply angled front grille. Mazda has beautifully designed the exterior with its’ steeply raked windshield and sweeping rear end. This two-row, 5 passenger SUV, sits on black 20-inch alloy wheels. The exterior side-view mirrors fold in automatically when the doors are locked. The rear roof spoiler, roof mounted shark fin antenna and bright finish exhaust outlets added to sporty look to this compact-size crossover SUV. There are also LED Headlights, LED Daytime Running lights and LED Combination taillights.
Inside is an equally lovely cabin, dressed in terracotta and high-tech features like a 360-degree-view exterior camera system, SiriusXM Travel Link, a digital gauge display. The luxurious Signature trim comes with a new wood trim inside and exclusive exterior badging. The CX-50 Signature also has NAPPA leather surfaces, leather-stitched leather wrapping for the steering wheel and LED accents in the area around the gear shifter. The CX-50’s rear row does a 40/20/40 split-folding bench seat to create a larger cargo area when needed.
Technology is not lost in the CX-50. The dashboard features a 10.25-inch color display touchscreen. The system can be controlled via the touchscreen, a rotary knob, buttons on the center console near the shifter and voice commands. The CX-50 comes equipped with Bluetooth, usb ports and a wireless phone charger. The tunes were blaring from the twelve speaker BOSE system as we grooved throughout the city. It was a pleasure to be able to choose from Sirius XM, Pandora, Stitcher, Aha, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto bring a whole new bounty of possibilities to the Mazda experience. Both allow drivers to connect their compatible smartphones to the MAZDA CONNECT infotainment system and access all the features on their phone right there on the touchscreen. You can make calls, send messages, set up navigation routes, browse music playlists and more all without having to touch your phone.
The throttle response was quick and boost from the turbo is instantaneous. Sport mode in the six-speed automatic transmission definitely adds some pep in your step while the normal mode set us up for a more relaxed commute. The G-Vectoring Control system reduces engine torque to help settle the front end so the SUV would take the turns smoothly. The suspension setup has been refined to offer a smoother and quieter ride. The 227 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque, SKYACTIV-G 2.5T turbocharged four-cylinder engine was surprisingly very good on gas averaging 23 mpg in the city, 29 mpg on the highway and 25 mpg combined.
The 2023 CX-50 was awarded the “Top Safety Pick +” by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It received overall Good and Superior ratings on all categories except the non-turbo models, which received an Acceptable rating on headlights, as only the turbo models are offered with adaptive headlights. Key safety features in i-ACTIVESENSE package in the CX-50 include dual front air bags, front side-impact air bags, rear cross traffic alert, traffic sign recognition, advanced smart city brake support, front and rear parking sensor, 360 view monitor, Mazda radar cruise control, automated emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane keep assist, adaptive front headlights, lane departure warning, front obstacle warning, distance evaluation, braking assist and pedestrian detection.
As a parent of two little children, installing car seats is important to me. There are two complete sets of LATCH connections on the rear outboard seats, as well as a third tether anchor for the rear middle seat. The two sets of anchors sit in the bottom of the seats and the three top tether anchors sit on the seatbacks. When using a Forward-facing convertible, the convertible fit well after removing the head restraints.
The Mazda CX-50 in the United States is available in Base, Select, Preferred, Preferred Plus, Premium, and Premium Plus trims. The turbocharged engine option is reserved for Base (Turbo), Premium, and Premium Plus trims. In addition, Mazda also offers a more rugged “Meridian Edition” trim for the turbocharged model, which adds 18-inch wheels with all-terrain tires, side rocker garnish, model-specific front hood graphics, and other outdoor-oriented accessories.
Mazda has a limited warranty covers 3 years or 36,000 miles, Powertrain warranty covers 5 years or 60,000 miles but no complimentary scheduled maintenance. Key competitors to the Mazda CX-50 are the Honda CR-V, Kia Sportage and the Volkswagen Tiguan.
The 2023 Mazda CX-50 Signature AWD is a great find, considering the size, safety and comfort of the vehicle. The model that we tested came in at $43,170.00. I had a great time riding around town in the 2023 Mazda CX-50. The CX-50 is spacious, stylish, comfortable and definitely a fun vehicle in my book. Enjoy the photo gallery.
