Mazda CX-50 (2025) Review

Mazda's whole proposition is that a mainstream crossover can feel like it was engineered by people who enjoy driving, and the CX-50 is the clearest statement of it. The steering has actual weight and accuracy, the body control is tight without the ride turning brittle, and the interior is finished to a standard that makes a similarly priced Toyota look rented. It looks better than its rivals too, low and wide where they are tall and upright.

The compromises are the usual Mazda ones. The rear seat and cargo area are smaller than the class average because the styling took the space, the base naturally aspirated engine is adequate rather than quick and the turbo demands premium fuel to make its quoted numbers, and the infotainment is controlled by a rotary dial that is genuinely worse than a touchscreen when you are parked. It is the enthusiast's choice in a segment that rarely offers one.