traded my wife's cx5 in for one of these. completely agree with this review. feels like more of a cruiser than the cx5, not quite as nimble in the corner. oddly at full throttle it does feel slow, but at about half throttle just passing on the highway it feels extremely fast. and I still have no idea what the difference is in the two cruise control buttons
I almost purchased a cx5 years ago, but decided not to. The cx-50 is a better looking vehicle, proportions I think are better, but I hate the fake plastic vents in the back...kills the vehicle for me. Also at 40k with no upgraded true torque vectoring system, major disappointment by Mazda. I think Mazda in the past several years has done a decent job differentiating itself from other brands, but not so much with Mazda cx50. It's a wagon like cx5, with extra ground clearance, although I think Mazda needs to do more here. Not enough to compete against other brands. Not quite different or special enough to purchase.
@@glow4417 I understand your points. I also dislike the fake vents, just really wish they were functional. Torque vectoring wasn't important to me, I like the tech but also have the mindset of one less thing to go wrong. plus the brake systems seem to be getting better and better. I will say compared to the CX-5 the little extra space in the 50 was put in all the right places for us. I'm only 5'7 (legs and torso proportionate,lol) and the 5 always felt a bit cramped. The 50 kind of goldilocks it for us.
The volume button can work when changing the radio station, it works for my CX-50 but you have to hold rather than just pushing it once. Push left or right to change but hold the button at that angle and it should change.
I just bought this a few weeks go and I’m in love. I had a Honda SUV before so the jump in power with the turbo is great (I can merge!!) I also love the infotainment system. It seems counterintuitive but I hate touch screens and I always have. I much prefer the screen up higher where I can easily see it while driving. The click wheel works great even with CarPlay and it’s soooo easy to do without having to take my eyes off the road. I haven’t listened to the radio in 5+ years so tuning channels means nothing to me. Seats are super comfortable. Just thought I’d share my perspective 😊
Really appreciate your reviews! You cover all the bases: tech, speed, practicality, ride quality on road and on gravel, and evaluation of the AWD in case you need it in the wet/snow. No gimicks, just the facts! And the comps are great, too.
I rewarded myself with a CX-50 Turbo Premium in Zircon Sand/Terracotta. This Mazda checks all the right boxes if you need utility but are a driving enthusiast. Always look forward to my next drive.
Ryan, I very much enjoy your thorough reviews, touching on many significant points. My wife and I bought a CX-30 for her 13 months ago. She loves it. I find if quite nice, rather fun to drive. We stayed away from the turbo model because of MPG. She wouldn’t use the extra power anyway. Last winter (I live in New England) I fitted a set of Michelin X-Ice snow tires. I took it out to a recreation area that had a LOT of ice and hard packed snow. I took it diagonally up a slope where tire contact varied significantly. At one point the right front tire and left rear tire were completely of the ground. I stopped at that point and it pulled off with ease. Further up the slope the terrain (ice and hard packed snow) varied and the opposite pair of tires were off the ground. Again, I stopped and it pulled off without any drama. I swapped cars to my 2020 Acura RDX with SH-AWD and (4) General Arctic Alpine tires. It too pulled off without any drama whatsoever. I expected that with the SH-AWD system but was pleasantly surprised how well Mazda’s system performed. Bravo Mazda!
This man is confusing the public with his review of the infotainment system. He's a car reviewer, so he's got a one time use experience. Something that you aren't going to get when you own the damn car. Mazdas system is incredibly intuitive and you can do everything without taking your eyes off the road. It's incredibly smart, AND it's different. Putting so much scoring into the infotainment system just seems like a copout.
Yeah, felt oddly negative. But I think it’s just personal preference. I absolutely loathe touch screen systems. Completely disqualified Subaru for me. I was skeptical about the Mazda system and first tried it in a CX5 and immediately fell in love with it.
Hey Ryan! Love the honest review! ( Being transparent I am a Mazda Employee.) I wanted to let you know there's a couple another way to change the station in Sirius Radio. When you are in the "Entertainment Menu" hit "Tuner Controls" instead on "Channel List". Then you will get a arrow on the left side of the screen where you can move back or fourth one by one! Also, what I tell my customers is to save your Sirius stations as favorites then when you are on the main entertainment screen, rotate the command knob then all of your favorites to that corresponding station with pop up! Hope this helps! Keep doing what your doing!
so no way to go up or down by one station with physical controls? disappointing. why would you guys ever think the ff/rwd control be more important to use for restarting songs than to change the station? no one even thinks about restarting a song while listening to the radio. i just bought a cx30 and this bugs me too.
Ryan, I think your video series may actually be contributing to a positive trend amongst manufacturers to actually improve how these systems are implemented. As a whole (and as shown specifically here in the case of the CX-50), the smarts and performance of AWD systems seem to be getting noticeably better over the last few years. I don't think it's overstating it to say that your videos are a force for good in this area.
These are the best car reviews on UA-cam. I watch your channel even though I'm in New Zealand, and half the cars you review aren't available here. Great work, Ryan.
i drove one for a couple of days and really liked it. you could easily take this camping but it's a fast and sporty on the highway and eats potholes beautifully.
I love my CX-50! Jet Black/Terracotta Turbo Premium. This inside is super nice and comfortable. My only complaints being not enough lighting inside at night and I’d like more passenger storage. Otherwise has been a freeear vehicle. Has been everything I wanted in a small suv!
The same! Just got mine in January and i love almost everything about it, wished it was in jet black but they had one turbo premium plus with terracotta seats in pearl white. All the nicer colors were preferred plus or non turbo ones. I might end up plasti dip or wrap it, don't know how much it'll cost though, maybe 1.5k? Idk White looks fine but black looks just much better. I feel like this dude tried his best to make the cx50 look bad or something, personally i don't agree with a lot of stuff he mentioned here. And Subaru!? That's the grannies car to go to Walmart for shopping.
Thank You! I thought it was only me thinking the CX-5 is egg-shaped. I do not find it attractive . . . the CX-50, on the other hand, cleans nearly everything up that I don't find attractive in the CX-5.
Yeah, the design of the CX-5 just feels so cookie cutter and round. The CX-50 adds style and it sort of looks buff. Wish they weren't so lazy when they designed the cx-30
that lane keep assistance that youre speaking of.... "taking the mental load off" is something you cant explain until you use it once in a good system. Its amazing once utilize it the way its intended. it really does work for long drives, especially long mundane commutes.
Appreciated the comparison to the old CX-5 and the non-Mazda offerings in the Subaru and Lexus. Glad to hear differing opinions, including your take that the CX-50's handling on pavement.
Another good review. I'll be very interested to see how the Meridian trim performs. For some silly reason I was intrigued by your problem of trying to quickly advance to the next radio station. It looks like *maybe* if you slide-and-hold-until-a-beep the small volume knob left or right, it might accomplish what you want. (Edit: I think the analogous steering wheel controls may work the same way.) I found the online manual for the CX-50's "Mazda Connect Owner's Manual" and here's what it says under "Commander Switch Operation": (FM/AM (Some Models) radio) Radio stations saved to your Favorites can be selected by sliding the volume knob left (SEEK DOWN)/right (SEEK UP) while listening to FM/AM (Some Models)/SiriusXM® (Some Models). The station will change each time you slide the volume knob. If you want to manually tune to the next available station before or after the currently selected station, slide and hold the volume knob left (SEEK DOWN) or right (SEEK UP) until you hear a beep and the tuner will select the next available station. (DAB radio) (Some Models) You can call up radio stations registered to your Favorites by sliding the volume knob left/right while listening to DAB radio. The radio stations change each time you slide the volume knob. In addition, the service switches to the next service when you continue sliding the knob to the right until you hear a beep, and it switches to the previous service when you continue sliding the knob to the left. If there is no next or previous service in the selected Ensemble, Ensemble switches.
Thanks Ryan and staff for the video, generally enjoy them. I was a little surprised he was so critical as most reviewers seem to be IN LOVE with the CX-50 and keeping pushing this "dialogue" that it is the CX-5's replacement, which obviously it is not, as Mazda is NOT stupid and CX-5 sales are HALF their North American sales. This is meant to poach Subaru sales for those who want "off-road lite" but also maybe feel Subaru is too "common." Personally, I bought a CX-5 in September and I love it, although just yesterday the transmission was being stubborn for the first time ever so hopefully that was just a fluke, as I bought it because Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V are too boring for me and I didn't want a Korean because we got burned with our used Hyundai Elantra. While the CX-50 is "intriguing" to me, it looks like a RAV4 mated with a CX-5 (no one talks about the shared Toyota plant and maybe that lead to design cues from Toyota) and no one talks about the CX-5 already having an "off-road mode" that I don't think is really that different from the 50's? Ryan or anyone with knowledge, are they actually different? Also didn't hear Ryan say that CX-50 is built with the CX-30 platform but elongated/widened. Also, reviewers love to dog the Mazda infotainment systems and I can tell you from experience that they ARE intuitive, it takes like 20ish minutes to get the hand of it, and I PREFER it to other makers touchscreen systems for several reasons: 1) safer (your eyes/hands barely have to move with their system), 2) speed (you CAN toggle quickly and easily) 3) well-organized Ryan the trick for stations is that you have to program everything as "Favorites" so if you actually toggle among XM stations, like you want to move from channel 2 to 3, then you program them as Favorites and you can change the order in which they appear. It IS advised to program when at a full stop / not driving, as it seems the system will just "grey out" the ability to move around Favorites order (likely in the name of Mazda safety). Then, if you want to flip between stations, you just rotate the wheel quickly and push it, you can keep it on the favorites page and very quickly switch between stations, faster than most other systems. The drawback is that you don't see the song name if you keep the screen on the Favorites but if you don't care and would rather just toggle quickly among stations, it works well. The only weird thing to me about their system is that it buries Safety settings in the infotainment, instead of having them accessed from the driver display. Also, the "cruise buttons" you are referring to are one to set the Radar cruise distance and the other for standard cruise functions Set/Resume/Accel. The lack of "lane tracing" does not bother me...I prefer not to let the machine do the driving. Mazda's lane departure warning beeps at you if it goes over the line and the Lane Keep Assist *sometimes* will bump you back to middle but mostly just gives you an audiovisual warning on the driver display telling you to essentially pay more attention! Mazda's ethos is "driving enjoyment" and the target audience (I would say) is likely men 30s-50s who want "luxury lite" without too much automation. Personally for me a HUGE selling point was the ability to control my own high beams, as I'm tired of automakers taking that away in most new cars these days!
For changing to the next available radio station, try holding the small volume knob to the left or to the right until a beep sounds (and/or the analogous buttons on the steering wheel). I don't own a Mazda currently but based on my reading of their online manual, that *might* change stations (in "some models," they say).
What car can’t you control your own high beams? In every car with high beam assist, you can just (and now this may be crazy) turn the feature off and control the high beams manually.
I have a 2016 car without lane assist. I like changing lanes on the highway very slow and smoothly. I wonder if the new cars with lane assist would drive me crazy sounding an alarm and jiggling my steering wheel.
I love what Mazda did here! I love everything about the CX50 although they should hurry up and show the meridian edition already. Also, I just attended the reveal of another off-roader that’s debuting in a few days. I can’t wait until you get that car in your hands and take it on your course. Signed an NDA so I can’t say but it’s big brother was just released a few months ago and it’s 😍
I've been waiting for your review! I know the dealers are very slowly getting new vehicles and treat every one like gold. I smiled when they had the "Influencer" event in Southern California and were only allowed to drive a specific dirt road course which was smooth. Might have taken a lot to allow you to give one of their 'Babies" one of your tougher tests.
This past weekend I went down a wrong road but no where to turn around I found my self in even a worse spot than your video Shit the CX-50 proved that yes what an amazing vehicle the CX is!!! What a scary ride but really love my CX I have the non turbo GT Soul Red 18000 km since February 2024 !! Zoom Zooom Zero complaints…. Zero problems…. Just Love everything about this CX
First person to say over 300ftlbs isn’t exciting in a small CUV. Actually like the sound, sounds smooth instead of buzzy. Also I heard no beeping to indicate you went out of the lane as all the previous Mazdas do. Make me wonder if it wasn’t working. But “not exciting, not great handling, not enough power”. I think you missed the mark or wanted it do amazing on the road and off road which is amazingly hard. But still enjoyed the video.
Did it have 87 or 93 in the tank and what was the altitude? ...are EVs going to skew the auto journalist world? Going back and forth from EV to ICE can distort perceptions (instant torque does wonders). I know Mazda's turbo offerings are bahn stormers but they are slow either. Mazda is going for just enough for the daily driver without being harsh.
@@drivingsports ur driving in wet pretty sure u can get low 6s with dry road Seems kinda stupid to say it is slower than other in its class when ur testing it in the rain
3:29 continuity issue as you "just" sat in the back seat ;) Glad this review came out. As an owner of a '21 Onyx Outback, I was playing with the idea of trading it in early for this. I think the Outback is still the winner.
@@Jose_hernandez970 Hahaha. Everyone I know has exceptional trouble free miles with their Subie’s. We’re clocking in at 300K miles on our 2nd one, almost 400K from our first one and our new one has only 12K
@@Doc1855 sounds like someone put a Subaru badge on your Toyota. I own my import shop service mainly Subaru’s due to being located across from the Subaru dealer. I’ve never seen a Subaru reach 300k miles without a complete overhaul. I’m calling bullshit. I have a customer with a Tribeca and the EZ36 engine reach 280k before it died. That was the highest stock mileage I’ve ever seen in 20 years without needing a new engine. Subaru does not build them to last.
@@Jose_hernandez970 My niece hit 300K on her Outback too. My whole family uses Mobile 1 full synthetic oil and changes the oil every 3-4K miles. So call bullshit if you want. I really don’t care. The most miles I’ve ever put on a car was a ‘78 Corolla. It finally died at 488K miles. But back then I was using conventional oil and changing it every 2-2,500K miles and every 30K miles I had the transmission and rear end grease changed. And yes at 488K miles it was using 2 quarts between changes
I have a current gen Mazda, for the Sirius radio you have to highlight then press in the big center button and hold for a couple seconds to "add the channel to Favorites" then once all channels are added, you can then click on the star looking button on the center console and will bring up a list of your programmed favorites. And yes, you still have to click the star button to change Sirius channels, but it's still easier than the other extra clicks and starting from 000 scroll. - Cheers!
We bought our son a new CX-5 as a college graduation present and liked it so much that when my wife needed a new car we went back to Mazda. We test drove this new CX-50 and did not like it as well as the CX-5.
I have a cx50.. if you fully press the brakes, the Hill assist activates. I’ve tested it and it works great. Oh and lane assistance also works fine. It just doesn’t work in heavy rain like in the video.
Just picked up the 2024 CX-50 Premium. Very Pleased. It is solid and prefer the lower ride feeling. It has upgraded shocks and lighter steering compared to the 23' Model. Within 2 days, I found a coding bug. You can use the favorite button to add a radio station to favorites. Discovered you can add the same station multiple times. Ideally, should be limited to once. Also, instead of a delete a favorite screen action, it would be easier to hold down the favorite button to unfavorite a station, essentially a double click.
7 seconds IN THE WET is excellent, you do know that water on road drags speed/time down. How about 0-60 in the dry. The not yet released CX-70 PHEV uses all new 8 speed auto trans made by Mazda. CX-70 and CX-90 will have all new inline 6 cylinder engines.
I have zero desire for my car to keep me centered in my lane, or auto-pilot, or even yell at me for going over the line. I want a drivers car, not a self-driving car. So I'm happy when Mazda says their cruise control doesn't steer for you. What has the world come to when we all want self-driving cars???
@@Neberheim I’ve driven across Nebraska, Iowa, Colorado, Wyoming, and many other Midwest states and Southeast states. I’ve driven from Indiana to Wyoming. I’ve driven from Illinois to Florida. I still have no desire for a self-driving or near self-driving vehicle. I drive for a reason. If I don’t want to drive, then I fly.
My Mazda 3 has a physical button to turn all the lane assist features off next to the traction control. Really convenient in snow or something when you’re kinda forced to drive on one line and it’s freaking out that you’re not in the designated lane
I had sunscreen get into my eyes and had trouble seeing side to side with my left eye (my right eye was completely irritated). Lane centering assist kept me centered till I got home.
Really informative review. I would be very curious in a Forester Wilderness comparison to the Meridian when it comes out, especially if it can come with the NA engine for more apples to apples. Around here, dealers have the Wilderness Forester only with navigation and convenience packages for $39K, not far off this fully loaded CX-50
Moving to Indiana and I am terrified of driving in snow, might get a Mazda. Seems like a very good deal, luxury with decent pricing and a good engine along with it.
Ryan, You really hit the nail on the head around 16:00 when discussing the inexplicably downgraded rear suspension. There is nothing 'premium' about Mazda's cost cutting in this crucial area.
Inexplicably!? It's to increase profit margins. That's all this vehicle is. Cost cutting in multiple areas compared to the CX-5 to try and suck more money from consumers while providing less.
Rear suspension is fine if it does what it needs to do off-road. The only cost cutting I’m seeing is the lack of skid plates, but the anti torsion beam talk really doesn’t matter if it’s comfortable and it is capable. (And capability is mainly dependent on ground clearance and tires/wheels in this class of vehicle)
I don’t understand car reviewer’s constant shun for Mazda’s infotainment system. I’ve always found it very intuitive and prefer it over a touch screen. Once you understand it, you don’t even have to look at the screen to do certain actions and my screen is always fingerprint-free which keeps my OCD in check. Am I the only one?
I have a 2021 CX-30 and the radio thing is definitely an unnecessary and extra step. But if you go to tuner controls there should be a menu to do manual tuning which gives you a left and right arrow to choose the station over. Have to manually select the left or right using the big knob. Honestly it’s part of my start up routine so it’s no longer that annoying but the fact that it takes extra step is unnecessary.
I got curious about this and found the online "Mazda Connect Owner's Manual" for the 2022 CX-30. Try holding the smaller volume knob left or right until it beeps. Here's what it says: (FM/AM (Some Models) radio) Radio stations saved to your Favorites can be selected by sliding the volume knob left (SEEK DOWN)/right (SEEK UP) while listening to FM/AM (Some Models)/SiriusXM® (Some Models). The station will change each time you slide the volume knob. If you want to manually tune to the next available station before or after the currently selected station, slide and hold the volume knob left (SEEK DOWN) or right (SEEK UP) until you hear a beep and the tuner will select the next available station. (DAB radio) (Some Models) You can call up radio stations registered to your Favorites by sliding the volume knob left/right while listening to DAB radio. The radio stations change each time you slide the volume knob. In addition, the service switches to the next service when you continue sliding the knob to the right until you hear a beep, and it switches to the previous service when you continue sliding the knob to the left. If there is no next or previous service in the selected Ensemble, Ensemble switches.
For switching between the stations it’s not a multi step it’s a quick click of the seek arrows on the left hand side of the steering wheel. Also if u are to favourite your favourite radio stations using the little star those seek arrows will toggle through all ur favourites well on the road
That’s for radio stations if u are on Sirius it does the rewind but you are also able to use the voice command system on the steering wheel to switch between the Sirius channels I believe
Exactly the 3 cars I'm looking at; NX 350, Subaru Limited XT, and the Mazda turbo premium plus. Hard comparison; the value purchase is the Subaru (but has a CVT). I don't like run flats (NX). And the Mazda is thirsty.
As a mazda 3 2021 owner my self, I cannot understand how mazda, while having the engine size and the horses, are so slow. I test drove the same car as in the video, feels exactly as the Mazda 3. You have this feeling of power but you cannot put it down. However they are really really smooth cars. Recently crossed from Denmark all the way to Greece and back and the ride was very comfort.
I mainly use my infotainment Center to listen to my own music collection on a thumb drive that's plugged into a USB port. And after 2 years, the so-called piano material around the stick shift still looks new in my 2021 CX-5 because I don't actually play piano on it.
One thing i really disagree with and not just your review, is people saying the infotainment is an issue. When, in real world use, would you not be using Android auto or car play? Both systems are better than any in car system on the planet. In car systems are just for vehicle settings and you only need to do that setup once. And trying to do an internet search on a non connected device was like watching my mother try and use "the google" by typing questions into a word doc. Also of note, almost every reviewer hasn't bothered to actually look into how the rear suspension works. It's not a torsion beam in the sense you all claim, Mazda just really dropped the ball on marketing it. It's a blend of a muktilink and a torsion beam system, so you get the control of muktilink with the lesser nvh of a torsion beam. It's a pretty interesting setup, you should read more about it. And in my 3 it feels noticeable better in every scenario than my older 3rd gen 3 that had muktilink.
I should have included it in the review, but as a CarPlay or Android system it’s not good because the screen is too far to conveniently use with touch and the scrolling knob is sub-optimal. We did drive the CX-5 a well before the CX-50 and the rear setup on the 50 just doesn’t feel as good on twisty roads.
@@drivingsports thanks for the reply, but personally I disagree about the infotainment. I find the wheel far better than a touch screen. I can switch apps, make selections etc without ever looking at the screen or taking my eyes off the road. But my experience isn't the only right way to use a system of course.
My CX3 awd sport is a snow machine, I also transport rentals to DIA and the 9, 30 and 50 are totally amazing, I can appreciate the honest review but it is a bit snobbish, might want to try again.
I just have to share this story. My wife and I were at a game reserve where it poured with rain and full of mud and ruts. My Subaru does have at5s on it so a decent all terrain tyre. I was blown away how easy it made it up and down all the muddy roads. We towed 3 people out albeit only one of them had 4wd (it was a Toyota hilux) who had some driver error and managed to literally bury himself with no recovery gear. Anyway great fun and can seriously recommend subaru to anyone who wants a vehicle that is good at just about everything. Not the best but you'll never be left wanting.
I don’t know about Sirius radio as I don’t listen to satellite radio because it sounds siriusly shitty. But your statement is wrong if you’re referring to changing FM channels. For those you absolutely just need to push (not turn) the volume knob right or left. That changes the preset stations up or down. Also on the steering wheel, the track up and down does the same thing. Also you can set both FM and Satellite stations as favorites and just press the ⭐️ (favorites) button next to the knob. That takes you right to all your favorites so you can quickly pull them up.
"It just doesn't feel fast". There are so many reviews of these Mazda turbo vehicles that vary in driver impressions of power and speed. Mazda is the only company that I am aware of that dialed in extra horse power and torque by using premium fuel, and I know from driving my wife's CX-5 Turbo that premium fuel makes a huge difference. However you need to burn a half tank or more to have the ECU read the increase in octane to reap the benefits. How many times do press fleet cars get fueled by the press drivers? And how often is it possible that the driver refuels with 87 or 89 octane vs 91 or 93? Years back my family visited relatives in Colorado, and we rented a Mazda CX-9 (V6) to get around in. I remember being completely underwhelmed by the big Ford 3.5 V6's power, especially on all those mountainous passes we explored. It was on the day we returned the car to the airport rental lot that I realized what might have been the reason for this, other than high-elevation drop in horsepower because of the thinner air. I refueled the CX-9 at a nearby gas station, and discovered that 85 octane fuel is sold in Colorado. Our home state of Massachusetts offers 87 minimum, 93 maximum. It was clear to me that most drivers, given the choice, would spring for the cheap gas for the NEXT sucker to rent that car. 😜 I just said a lot, but I guess I'm suggesting that this CX-50 might have the wrong fuel in it. 🤷♂
I work at a Chevy dealer, and a guy from Mazda had one these at our car wash and got out of it while it was in reverse. It pretty much destroyed the driver’s door, and damaged the fender. That specific one was $39,000😬
System clearly works great .... The car enemy is obviusly it´s tires and rims .... Better all terrain tires for sure makes a big difference ! Great video
@DrivingSportsTV I have figured out how to change radio stations!!! As per the manual, slide and hold the volume knob until an audible sound(beep) than station changes. If you just press it, as you discovered it only moves to the next favourited song.
@Ryan, Driving Sports TV, if you were camping two hours into the backcountry on forest/logging/mountain roads, would you rather take the CX50 or Forester (same trim, Meridian or Wilderness)? Thank you
I am surprised that Mazda abandoned the mid size pick up truck market. All that Mazda offers is smaller SUVs and CUVs. Mazda pickups were pretty good little trucks. This CX 50 is the closest thing they offer to a small pick up.
If you save your favorite radio stations in your favorites you can click left or right arrows on the steering wheel to scroll through them. I guess that kinda helps?
Wilderness is a disgusting-looking vehicle. Have fun not being able to adjust your climate controls when the center screen freezes and making fake engine noises when you drive over a speed bump in a parking lot, pretending you are offroading.
can you explain why you feel the Lexus NX350 is light years ahead...making comments like that should be explained with a few examples. you could say the suspension but does the Lexus really ride that much better?
traded my wife's cx5 in for one of these. completely agree with this review. feels like more of a cruiser than the cx5, not quite as nimble in the corner. oddly at full throttle it does feel slow, but at about half throttle just passing on the highway it feels extremely fast. and I still have no idea what the difference is in the two cruise control buttons
Agree about freeway passing. That’s the sweet spot.
@@layne4376 everything up in the air due to production delays.
I almost purchased a cx5 years ago, but decided not to. The cx-50 is a better looking vehicle, proportions I think are better, but I hate the fake plastic vents in the back...kills the vehicle for me. Also at 40k with no upgraded true torque vectoring system, major disappointment by Mazda. I think Mazda in the past several years has done a decent job differentiating itself from other brands, but not so much with Mazda cx50. It's a wagon like cx5, with extra ground clearance, although I think Mazda needs to do more here. Not enough to compete against other brands.
Not quite different or special enough to purchase.
@@glow4417 I understand your points. I also dislike the fake vents, just really wish they were functional. Torque vectoring wasn't important to me, I like the tech but also have the mindset of one less thing to go wrong. plus the brake systems seem to be getting better and better. I will say compared to the CX-5 the little extra space in the 50 was put in all the right places for us. I'm only 5'7 (legs and torso proportionate,lol) and the 5 always felt a bit cramped. The 50 kind of goldilocks it for us.
Did you say at the opening of the video 2 Liter? Or is it 2.5 Liter ?
The volume button can work when changing the radio station, it works for my CX-50 but you have to hold rather than just pushing it once. Push left or right to change but hold the button at that angle and it should change.
As an Outback owner, I’m impressed how well Mazda’s AWD system works for this, non-off-road model. The Meridian version vs the Wilderness shootout!
The Outback wilderness embarrasses the Meridian off road and on.
@@jamesbispo391you're funny
@@jamesbispo391 Bahahahaha
I just bought this a few weeks go and I’m in love. I had a Honda SUV before so the jump in power with the turbo is great (I can merge!!) I also love the infotainment system. It seems counterintuitive but I hate touch screens and I always have. I much prefer the screen up higher where I can easily see it while driving. The click wheel works great even with CarPlay and it’s soooo easy to do without having to take my eyes off the road. I haven’t listened to the radio in 5+ years so tuning channels means nothing to me. Seats are super comfortable. Just thought I’d share my perspective 😊
Really appreciate your reviews! You cover all the bases: tech, speed, practicality, ride quality on road and on gravel, and evaluation of the AWD in case you need it in the wet/snow. No gimicks, just the facts! And the comps are great, too.
Thank you Ryan for being an exceptionally honest reviewer while the rest of wellknown youtube reviewers are paid advertisers these days.
I rewarded myself with a CX-50 Turbo Premium in Zircon Sand/Terracotta.
This Mazda checks all the right boxes if you need utility but are a driving enthusiast.
Always look forward to my next drive.
You are very thorough. I've watched several videos on this vehicle but you've covered things none of the others addressed. I appreciate that.
Ryan, I very much enjoy your thorough reviews, touching on many significant points. My wife and I bought a CX-30 for her 13 months ago. She loves it. I find if quite nice, rather fun to drive. We stayed away from the turbo model because of MPG. She wouldn’t use the extra power anyway.
Last winter (I live in New England) I fitted a set of Michelin X-Ice snow tires. I took it out to a recreation area that had a LOT of ice and hard packed snow. I took it diagonally up a slope where tire contact varied significantly. At one point the right front tire and left rear tire were completely of the ground. I stopped at that point and it pulled off with ease. Further up the slope the terrain (ice and hard packed snow) varied and the opposite pair of tires were off the ground. Again, I stopped and it pulled off without any drama. I swapped cars to my 2020 Acura RDX with SH-AWD and (4) General Arctic Alpine tires. It too pulled off without any drama whatsoever. I expected that with the SH-AWD system but was pleasantly surprised how well Mazda’s system performed. Bravo Mazda!
Would have done even better with Blizzaks...........Not have had good luck with Michelins.............Paul
This man is confusing the public with his review of the infotainment system. He's a car reviewer, so he's got a one time use experience. Something that you aren't going to get when you own the damn car. Mazdas system is incredibly intuitive and you can do everything without taking your eyes off the road. It's incredibly smart, AND it's different. Putting so much scoring into the infotainment system just seems like a copout.
Yeah, felt oddly negative. But I think it’s just personal preference. I absolutely loathe touch screen systems. Completely disqualified Subaru for me. I was skeptical about the Mazda system and first tried it in a CX5 and immediately fell in love with it.
Hey Ryan! Love the honest review! ( Being transparent I am a Mazda Employee.) I wanted to let you know there's a couple another way to change the station in Sirius Radio. When you are in the "Entertainment Menu" hit "Tuner Controls" instead on "Channel List". Then you will get a arrow on the left side of the screen where you can move back or fourth one by one! Also, what I tell my customers is to save your Sirius stations as favorites then when you are on the main entertainment screen, rotate the command knob then all of your favorites to that corresponding station with pop up! Hope this helps! Keep doing what your doing!
so no way to go up or down by one station with physical controls? disappointing. why would you guys ever think the ff/rwd control be more important to use for restarting songs than to change the station? no one even thinks about restarting a song while listening to the radio. i just bought a cx30 and this bugs me too.
Ryan, I think your video series may actually be contributing to a positive trend amongst manufacturers to actually improve how these systems are implemented. As a whole (and as shown specifically here in the case of the CX-50), the smarts and performance of AWD systems seem to be getting noticeably better over the last few years. I don't think it's overstating it to say that your videos are a force for good in this area.
Haha they have no idea who he is and neither do I. Just another guy with a camera and computer
These are the best car reviews on UA-cam. I watch your channel even though I'm in New Zealand, and half the cars you review aren't available here. Great work, Ryan.
These are the best car reviews on UA-cam.
i drove one for a couple of days and really liked it. you could easily take this camping but it's a fast and sporty on the highway and eats potholes beautifully.
I love my CX-50! Jet Black/Terracotta Turbo Premium. This inside is super nice and comfortable. My only complaints being not enough lighting inside at night and I’d like more passenger storage. Otherwise has been a freeear vehicle. Has been everything I wanted in a small suv!
The same! Just got mine in January and i love almost everything about it, wished it was in jet black but they had one turbo premium plus with terracotta seats in pearl white. All the nicer colors were preferred plus or non turbo ones. I might end up plasti dip or wrap it, don't know how much it'll cost though, maybe 1.5k? Idk White looks fine but black looks just much better. I feel like this dude tried his best to make the cx50 look bad or something, personally i don't agree with a lot of stuff he mentioned here. And Subaru!? That's the grannies car to go to Walmart for shopping.
@@Vinito I'm sort of looking at it. Really wish the Zircon Sand color wasn't just for the turbo. The terracotta looks so nice though
I've got the same exact car. I love it as well.
Thank You! I thought it was only me thinking the CX-5 is egg-shaped. I do not find it attractive . . . the CX-50, on the other hand, cleans nearly everything up that I don't find attractive in the CX-5.
Grand Cherokee is FCA junk.
I agree!!!
I hope the new cx-70 looks like cx-50 more than current cx-60.
You are right the cx5 never appealed to me because of the egg shaped
Yeah, the design of the CX-5 just feels so cookie cutter and round. The CX-50 adds style and it sort of looks buff. Wish they weren't so lazy when they designed the cx-30
that lane keep assistance that youre speaking of.... "taking the mental load off" is something you cant explain until you use it once in a good system. Its amazing once utilize it the way its intended. it really does work for long drives, especially long mundane commutes.
Appreciated the comparison to the old CX-5 and the non-Mazda offerings in the Subaru and Lexus. Glad to hear differing opinions, including your take that the CX-50's handling on pavement.
This car is better looking than alternatives that are twice the price. Truly beautiful, which is odd, for a crossover suv.
Another good review. I'll be very interested to see how the Meridian trim performs. For some silly reason I was intrigued by your problem of trying to quickly advance to the next radio station. It looks like *maybe* if you slide-and-hold-until-a-beep the small volume knob left or right, it might accomplish what you want. (Edit: I think the analogous steering wheel controls may work the same way.) I found the online manual for the CX-50's "Mazda Connect Owner's Manual" and here's what it says under "Commander Switch Operation":
(FM/AM (Some Models) radio)
Radio stations saved to your Favorites can be selected by sliding the volume knob left (SEEK DOWN)/right (SEEK UP) while listening to FM/AM (Some Models)/SiriusXM® (Some Models). The station will change each time you slide the volume knob.
If you want to manually tune to the next available station before or after the currently selected station, slide and hold the volume knob left (SEEK DOWN) or right (SEEK UP) until you hear a beep and the tuner will select the next available station.
(DAB radio) (Some Models)
You can call up radio stations registered to your Favorites by sliding the volume knob left/right while listening to DAB radio. The radio stations change each time you slide the volume knob.
In addition, the service switches to the next service when you continue sliding the knob to the right until you hear a beep, and it switches to the previous service when you continue sliding the knob to the left. If there is no next or previous service in the selected Ensemble, Ensemble switches.
Great review! Thank you for actually showing the cars systems being tested!
Thanks Ryan and staff for the video, generally enjoy them.
I was a little surprised he was so critical as most reviewers seem to be IN LOVE with the CX-50 and keeping pushing this "dialogue" that it is the CX-5's replacement, which obviously it is not, as Mazda is NOT stupid and CX-5 sales are HALF their North American sales. This is meant to poach Subaru sales for those who want "off-road lite" but also maybe feel Subaru is too "common."
Personally, I bought a CX-5 in September and I love it, although just yesterday the transmission was being stubborn for the first time ever so hopefully that was just a fluke, as I bought it because Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V are too boring for me and I didn't want a Korean because we got burned with our used Hyundai Elantra.
While the CX-50 is "intriguing" to me, it looks like a RAV4 mated with a CX-5 (no one talks about the shared Toyota plant and maybe that lead to design cues from Toyota) and no one talks about the CX-5 already having an "off-road mode" that I don't think is really that different from the 50's? Ryan or anyone with knowledge, are they actually different? Also didn't hear Ryan say that CX-50 is built with the CX-30 platform but elongated/widened.
Also, reviewers love to dog the Mazda infotainment systems and I can tell you from experience that they ARE intuitive, it takes like 20ish minutes to get the hand of it, and I PREFER it to other makers touchscreen systems for several reasons: 1) safer (your eyes/hands barely have to move with their system), 2) speed (you CAN toggle quickly and easily) 3) well-organized
Ryan the trick for stations is that you have to program everything as "Favorites" so if you actually toggle among XM stations, like you want to move from channel 2 to 3, then you program them as Favorites and you can change the order in which they appear. It IS advised to program when at a full stop / not driving, as it seems the system will just "grey out" the ability to move around Favorites order (likely in the name of Mazda safety). Then, if you want to flip between stations, you just rotate the wheel quickly and push it, you can keep it on the favorites page and very quickly switch between stations, faster than most other systems. The drawback is that you don't see the song name if you keep the screen on the Favorites but if you don't care and would rather just toggle quickly among stations, it works well. The only weird thing to me about their system is that it buries Safety settings in the infotainment, instead of having them accessed from the driver display. Also, the "cruise buttons" you are referring to are one to set the Radar cruise distance and the other for standard cruise functions Set/Resume/Accel. The lack of "lane tracing" does not bother me...I prefer not to let the machine do the driving. Mazda's lane departure warning beeps at you if it goes over the line and the Lane Keep Assist *sometimes* will bump you back to middle but mostly just gives you an audiovisual warning on the driver display telling you to essentially pay more attention! Mazda's ethos is "driving enjoyment" and the target audience (I would say) is likely men 30s-50s who want "luxury lite" without too much automation. Personally for me a HUGE selling point was the ability to control my own high beams, as I'm tired of automakers taking that away in most new cars these days!
You just proved how difficult it is to do a simple task.
For changing to the next available radio station, try holding the small volume knob to the left or to the right until a beep sounds (and/or the analogous buttons on the steering wheel). I don't own a Mazda currently but based on my reading of their online manual, that *might* change stations (in "some models," they say).
What car can’t you control your own high beams? In every car with high beam assist, you can just (and now this may be crazy) turn the feature off and control the high beams manually.
I have a 2016 car without lane assist. I like changing lanes on the highway very slow and smoothly. I wonder if the new cars with lane assist would drive me crazy sounding an alarm and jiggling my steering wheel.
the CX-5 AWD is a joke mate. The internet is full of fails. :)
I love what Mazda did here! I love everything about the CX50 although they should hurry up and show the meridian edition already. Also, I just attended the reveal of another off-roader that’s debuting in a few days. I can’t wait until you get that car in your hands and take it on your course. Signed an NDA so I can’t say but it’s big brother was just released a few months ago and it’s 😍
Please tell me it was the 4Runner! 😨😨😨
I've been waiting for your review! I know the dealers are very slowly getting new vehicles and treat every one like gold. I smiled when they had the "Influencer" event in Southern California and were only allowed to drive a specific dirt road course which was smooth.
Might have taken a lot to allow you to give one of their 'Babies" one of your tougher tests.
What a great video, you are on a league of your own with these editing and reviews.
This past weekend I went down a wrong road but no where to turn around
I found my self in even a worse spot than your video
Shit the CX-50 proved that yes what an amazing vehicle the CX is!!!
What a scary ride but really love my CX
I have the non turbo GT Soul Red
18000 km since February 2024 !!
Zoom Zooom
Zero complaints….
Zero problems….
Just Love everything about this CX
Love your reviews, but love to see this in the snow.
Greetings from Canada 🇨🇦
you have no idea how long i've been waiting for this video. I guess you do but i digress.
To change the radio station, Just set them as favorites and you'll be able to scroll right to them at all times.
Bought one last night, great review!
“Can you sleep in this”
Yes Ryan, that’s exactly what I was asking. The only reason why I clicked on this video actually 😂😂😛
First person to say over 300ftlbs isn’t exciting in a small CUV. Actually like the sound, sounds smooth instead of buzzy. Also I heard no beeping to indicate you went out of the lane as all the previous Mazdas do. Make me wonder if it wasn’t working. But “not exciting, not great handling, not enough power”. I think you missed the mark or wanted it do amazing on the road and off road which is amazingly hard. But still enjoyed the video.
It’s not the number, it’s how it drives. That said, the 0-60 performance was slightly slower than average for the class.
Did it have 87 or 93 in the tank and what was the altitude? ...are EVs going to skew the auto journalist world? Going back and forth from EV to ICE can distort perceptions (instant torque does wonders). I know Mazda's turbo offerings are bahn stormers but they are slow either. Mazda is going for just enough for the daily driver without being harsh.
@@drivingsports ur driving in wet pretty sure u can get low 6s with dry road
Seems kinda stupid to say it is slower than other in its class when ur testing it in the rain
@@MonicaHolly143 This. Also didn’t test it with premium fuel.
Was waiting for this! Also, liking the video before watching it as I know it will be kick-ass!
I love your reviews because you always review on a weathered day thanks Ryan!
Sweet! The one review I've been waiting for
3:29 continuity issue as you "just" sat in the back seat ;)
Glad this review came out. As an owner of a '21 Onyx Outback, I was playing with the idea of trading it in early for this. I think the Outback is still the winner.
As a mechanic. I encourage you to keep your Outback. Subarus make me tons of money.
id get the mazda based on one category alone: transmission.
What a nice review! A lot of great effort in putting together his videos!
Excellent reviews and I love that you are local! Pretty stoked to see the Meridian review!
On the steering wheel your left thumb seek forward or back to change radio station or * to select favorite station
Another great video Ryan. But at the end of the day, we love our Subie’s.
Have a great weekend!
Doc
Me too. I’m a mechanic and subies make me tons of money.
@@Jose_hernandez970 Hahaha. Everyone I know has exceptional trouble free miles with their Subie’s.
We’re clocking in at 300K miles on our 2nd one, almost 400K from our first one and our new one has only 12K
@@Jose_hernandez970 ej25s don't count
@@Doc1855 sounds like someone put a Subaru badge on your Toyota. I own my import shop service mainly Subaru’s due to being located across from the Subaru dealer. I’ve never seen a Subaru reach 300k miles without a complete overhaul. I’m calling bullshit. I have a customer with a Tribeca and the EZ36 engine reach 280k before it died. That was the highest stock mileage I’ve ever seen in 20 years without needing a new engine. Subaru does not build them to last.
@@Jose_hernandez970 My niece hit 300K on her Outback too.
My whole family uses Mobile 1 full synthetic oil and changes the oil every 3-4K miles.
So call bullshit if you want. I really don’t care.
The most miles I’ve ever put on a car was a ‘78 Corolla. It finally died at 488K miles. But back then I was using conventional oil and changing it every 2-2,500K miles and every 30K miles I had the transmission and rear end grease changed. And yes at 488K miles it was using 2 quarts between changes
I am looking forward to watching your next video about the camparison between CX 50 and outback wilderness.
I have a current gen Mazda, for the Sirius radio you have to highlight then press in the big center button and hold for a couple seconds to "add the channel to Favorites" then once all channels are added, you can then click on the star looking button on the center console and will bring up a list of your programmed favorites. And yes, you still have to click the star button to change Sirius channels, but it's still easier than the other extra clicks and starting from 000 scroll. - Cheers!
It’s a damn good looking vehicle
I love it.
"I know what your thinking, can I sleep in the back?"
Yes. That was exactly what I was thinking. Thank you! 😆
We bought our son a new CX-5 as a college graduation present and liked it so much that when my wife needed a new car we went back to Mazda. We test drove this new CX-50 and did not like it as well as the CX-5.
I have a cx50.. if you fully press the brakes, the Hill assist activates. I’ve tested it and it works great. Oh and lane assistance also works fine. It just doesn’t work in heavy rain like in the video.
I just purchased this vehicle because it handled better than my 13 BMW 335i xdrive. Now I can't believe much of what he says.
Great and fantastic video and text drive…. Thanks you …. Great CX50 turbo Mazda…
Hi mate, I’m from Australia 🇦🇺 and we don’t get this model from Mazda down here, so thanks for a great review 👏🏻👏🏻🍻 like your channel 👍 cheers Marty
Thanks! I got to drive a 50 a few months ago and really liked it. But, I want to see the CX-90 hybrid as that might be my next vehicle.
Just picked up the 2024 CX-50 Premium. Very Pleased. It is solid and prefer the lower ride feeling. It has upgraded shocks and lighter steering compared to the 23' Model. Within 2 days, I found a coding bug. You can use the favorite button to add a radio station to favorites. Discovered you can add the same station multiple times. Ideally, should be limited to once. Also, instead of a delete a favorite screen action, it would be easier to hold down the favorite button to unfavorite a station, essentially a double click.
I wait for “legs, torso proportionate” in EVERY video 👍😉😁
7 seconds IN THE WET is excellent, you do know that water on road drags speed/time down. How about 0-60 in the dry.
The not yet released CX-70 PHEV uses all new 8 speed auto trans made by Mazda.
CX-70 and CX-90 will have all new inline 6 cylinder engines.
It has made through the terrain in rainy condition plus with those 20 inch wheels is just amazing to say the least.
Cx50 is far better looking than the subaru and lexus comparing alternatives, it's beautifully styled.
I have zero desire for my car to keep me centered in my lane, or auto-pilot, or even yell at me for going over the line. I want a drivers car, not a self-driving car. So I'm happy when Mazda says their cruise control doesn't steer for you. What has the world come to when we all want self-driving cars???
Absolutely agree
If you regularly drove across Nebraska and Iowa, you would get it.
@@Neberheim I’ve driven across Nebraska, Iowa, Colorado, Wyoming, and many other Midwest states and Southeast states. I’ve driven from Indiana to Wyoming. I’ve driven from Illinois to Florida. I still have no desire for a self-driving or near self-driving vehicle. I drive for a reason. If I don’t want to drive, then I fly.
My Mazda 3 has a physical button to turn all the lane assist features off next to the traction control. Really convenient in snow or something when you’re kinda forced to drive on one line and it’s freaking out that you’re not in the designated lane
I had sunscreen get into my eyes and had trouble seeing side to side with my left eye (my right eye was completely irritated). Lane centering assist kept me centered till I got home.
Considering these are passing all these tests on all season tires........it is a phenomenal awd system.
Really informative review. I would be very curious in a Forester Wilderness comparison to the Meridian when it comes out, especially if it can come with the NA engine for more apples to apples. Around here, dealers have the Wilderness Forester only with navigation and convenience packages for $39K, not far off this fully loaded CX-50
Moving to Indiana and I am terrified of driving in snow, might get a Mazda. Seems like a very good deal, luxury with decent pricing and a good engine along with it.
Get a subaru outback xt or touring xt or kimited xt with turbo. Much better than the cx 50 awd turbo
Ryan, You really hit the nail on the head around 16:00 when discussing the inexplicably downgraded rear suspension. There is nothing 'premium' about Mazda's cost cutting in this crucial area.
absolutely agree, and given the cost of this thing.... I'm disappointed
Inexplicably!? It's to increase profit margins. That's all this vehicle is. Cost cutting in multiple areas compared to the CX-5 to try and suck more money from consumers while providing less.
Rear suspension is fine if it does what it needs to do off-road. The only cost cutting I’m seeing is the lack of skid plates, but the anti torsion beam talk really doesn’t matter if it’s comfortable and it is capable. (And capability is mainly dependent on ground clearance and tires/wheels in this class of vehicle)
The icon on the steering wheel with the car and the steering wheel is for traffic jam assist. It will steer for you, but only up to 40 mph.
I don’t understand car reviewer’s constant shun for Mazda’s infotainment system. I’ve always found it very intuitive and prefer it over a touch screen. Once you understand it, you don’t even have to look at the screen to do certain actions and my screen is always fingerprint-free which keeps my OCD in check. Am I the only one?
I can't get over this price. Absolute craziness. Also, appreciate your honesty when reviewing.
...you should see what a 3-cylinder turbo Toyota Corolla (hatch) is going to cost. My dealer has a '22 WRX premium for $35k....
Welcome to the new world everything is expensive
Remember, this is the top-of-the-line package though
The CX-50 looks fine in my opinion
I have a 2021 CX-30 and the radio thing is definitely an unnecessary and extra step. But if you go to tuner controls there should be a menu to do manual tuning which gives you a left and right arrow to choose the station over. Have to manually select the left or right using the big knob.
Honestly it’s part of my start up routine so it’s no longer that annoying but the fact that it takes extra step is unnecessary.
I got curious about this and found the online "Mazda Connect Owner's Manual" for the 2022 CX-30. Try holding the smaller volume knob left or right until it beeps. Here's what it says:
(FM/AM (Some Models) radio)
Radio stations saved to your Favorites can be selected by sliding the volume knob left (SEEK DOWN)/right (SEEK UP) while listening to FM/AM (Some Models)/SiriusXM® (Some Models). The station will change each time you slide the volume knob.
If you want to manually tune to the next available station before or after the currently selected station, slide and hold the volume knob left (SEEK DOWN) or right (SEEK UP) until you hear a beep and the tuner will select the next available station.
(DAB radio) (Some Models)
You can call up radio stations registered to your Favorites by sliding the volume knob left/right while listening to DAB radio. The radio stations change each time you slide the volume knob.
In addition, the service switches to the next service when you continue sliding the knob to the right until you hear a beep, and it switches to the previous service when you continue sliding the knob to the left. If there is no next or previous service in the selected Ensemble, Ensemble switches.
Finally a vehicle that I have click with, not flashy not big but practical
For switching between the stations it’s not a multi step it’s a quick click of the seek arrows on the left hand side of the steering wheel. Also if u are to favourite your favourite radio stations using the little star those seek arrows will toggle through all ur favourites well on the road
That’s for radio stations if u are on Sirius it does the rewind but you are also able to use the voice command system on the steering wheel to switch between the Sirius channels I believe
Great review, and I like the comparison with other vehicles at the end.
Compared to the Onyx Turbo, which one drives better?
I love your unique style/test program. Btw I would have never figured out the over engineered EQS rear cup holders. 🍻
Exactly the 3 cars I'm looking at; NX 350, Subaru Limited XT, and the Mazda turbo premium plus. Hard comparison; the value purchase is the Subaru (but has a CVT). I don't like run flats (NX). And the Mazda is thirsty.
As a mazda 3 2021 owner my self, I cannot understand how mazda, while having the engine size and the horses, are so slow. I test drove the same car as in the video, feels exactly as the Mazda 3. You have this feeling of power but you cannot put it down. However they are really really smooth cars. Recently crossed from Denmark all the way to Greece and back and the ride was very comfort.
i don't understand this griping about the speed. i have a cx30 turbo and it kicks like a mule. it has the same engine as the 3.
I mainly use my infotainment Center to listen to my own music collection on a thumb drive that's plugged into a USB port. And after 2 years, the so-called piano material around the stick shift still looks new in my 2021 CX-5 because I don't actually play piano on it.
Great work Ryan, when will you be doing the Audi A3 Sedan?
One thing i really disagree with and not just your review, is people saying the infotainment is an issue. When, in real world use, would you not be using Android auto or car play? Both systems are better than any in car system on the planet. In car systems are just for vehicle settings and you only need to do that setup once. And trying to do an internet search on a non connected device was like watching my mother try and use "the google" by typing questions into a word doc.
Also of note, almost every reviewer hasn't bothered to actually look into how the rear suspension works. It's not a torsion beam in the sense you all claim, Mazda just really dropped the ball on marketing it. It's a blend of a muktilink and a torsion beam system, so you get the control of muktilink with the lesser nvh of a torsion beam. It's a pretty interesting setup, you should read more about it. And in my 3 it feels noticeable better in every scenario than my older 3rd gen 3 that had muktilink.
I should have included it in the review, but as a CarPlay or Android system it’s not good because the screen is too far to conveniently use with touch and the scrolling knob is sub-optimal. We did drive the CX-5 a well before the CX-50 and the rear setup on the 50 just doesn’t feel as good on twisty roads.
@@drivingsports thanks for the reply, but personally I disagree about the infotainment. I find the wheel far better than a touch screen. I can switch apps, make selections etc without ever looking at the screen or taking my eyes off the road. But my experience isn't the only right way to use a system of course.
I own a Gen 2 CX-5, and the lane keep assist is the softest in Mazdas compared to other rentals I've driven.
My CX3 awd sport is a snow machine, I also transport rentals to DIA and the 9, 30 and 50 are totally amazing, I can appreciate the honest review but it is a bit snobbish, might want to try again.
I just have to share this story. My wife and I were at a game reserve where it poured with rain and full of mud and ruts. My Subaru does have at5s on it so a decent all terrain tyre. I was blown away how easy it made it up and down all the muddy roads. We towed 3 people out albeit only one of them had 4wd (it was a Toyota hilux) who had some driver error and managed to literally bury himself with no recovery gear. Anyway great fun and can seriously recommend subaru to anyone who wants a vehicle that is good at just about everything. Not the best but you'll never be left wanting.
I don’t know about Sirius radio as I don’t listen to satellite radio because it sounds siriusly shitty. But your statement is wrong if you’re referring to changing FM channels. For those you absolutely just need to push (not turn) the volume knob right or left. That changes the preset stations up or down. Also on the steering wheel, the track up and down does the same thing.
Also you can set both FM and Satellite stations as favorites and just press the ⭐️ (favorites) button next to the knob. That takes you right to all your favorites so you can quickly pull them up.
Does anyone know how tall Ryan is and if his legs and torso are proportionate? Thanks
I’m happy to hear that Ryan is still legs/torso proportionate 😀
What a treat! Two “legs torso proportionate”.
I recommend roll on test for acceleration. Passing power is what these are geared for.
I plan on buying the base model of the CX-50. Hoping for a long and happy ownership experience.
"It just doesn't feel fast". There are so many reviews of these Mazda turbo vehicles that vary in driver impressions of power and speed. Mazda is the only company that I am aware of that dialed in extra horse power and torque by using premium fuel, and I know from driving my wife's CX-5 Turbo that premium fuel makes a huge difference. However you need to burn a half tank or more to have the ECU read the increase in octane to reap the benefits. How many times do press fleet cars get fueled by the press drivers? And how often is it possible that the driver refuels with 87 or 89 octane vs 91 or 93? Years back my family visited relatives in Colorado, and we rented a Mazda CX-9 (V6) to get around in. I remember being completely underwhelmed by the big Ford 3.5 V6's power, especially on all those mountainous passes we explored. It was on the day we returned the car to the airport rental lot that I realized what might have been the reason for this, other than high-elevation drop in horsepower because of the thinner air. I refueled the CX-9 at a nearby gas station, and discovered that 85 octane fuel is sold in Colorado. Our home state of Massachusetts offers 87 minimum, 93 maximum. It was clear to me that most drivers, given the choice, would spring for the cheap gas for the NEXT sucker to rent that car. 😜
I just said a lot, but I guess I'm suggesting that this CX-50 might have the wrong fuel in it. 🤷♂
As far as the radiostations go if you store your them in favorites then use the main control knob and pushright it will retrieve them there.
My goodness, what’s the camera/lens set up here? That depth of field is crisp. Great review as always!
Canon R3/R5 and a combination of the 2.8 trinity lenses.
Great review and beautiful scenery!
I work at a Chevy dealer, and a guy from Mazda had one these at our car wash and got out of it while it was in reverse. It pretty much destroyed the driver’s door, and damaged the fender. That specific one was $39,000😬
System clearly works great ....
The car enemy is obviusly it´s tires and rims .... Better all terrain tires for sure makes a big difference !
Great video
Waiting for a comparison with the subaru outback wilderness as soon as possible plz 😊
We’re hoping to do that when we can get our hands on a CX-50 Meridian, which is the direct competitor of the Wilderness.
*comparison
If the POS Subaru isn’t in the shop!
@@Jose_hernandez970...if press mules are in the shop, they don't get delivered to journalists.
On point Ryan have always loved your honest reviews. When’s the Rivian R1t coming through?
Does rivian have press fleet vehicles available in washington state?
@DrivingSportsTV I have figured out how to change radio stations!!! As per the manual, slide and hold the volume knob until an audible sound(beep) than station changes. If you just press it, as you discovered it only moves to the next favourited song.
@Ryan, Driving Sports TV, if you were camping two hours into the backcountry on forest/logging/mountain roads, would you rather take the CX50 or Forester (same trim, Meridian or Wilderness)? Thank you
I am surprised that Mazda abandoned the mid size pick up truck market. All that Mazda offers is smaller SUVs and CUVs. Mazda pickups were pretty good little trucks. This CX 50 is the closest thing they offer to a small pick up.
Hey,
Will you please do another review of the Solterra but with the wheel on the rocks test? I liked those
If you save your favorite radio stations in your favorites you can click left or right arrows on the steering wheel to scroll through them. I guess that kinda helps?
Thank you for the detailed review. This makes me at ease choosing the Outback Wilderness over the Mazda CX5 and CX50 😝
Wilderness is a disgusting-looking vehicle. Have fun not being able to adjust your climate controls when the center screen freezes and making fake engine noises when you drive over a speed bump in a parking lot, pretending you are offroading.
@@michaelp.3485 what a rude, confrontational, and ridiculous response……
can you explain why you feel the Lexus NX350 is light years ahead...making comments like that should be explained with a few examples. you could say the suspension but does the Lexus really ride that much better?
Did you use premium gas though, cause that raises the horsepower on this engine compared to non-premium gas.