{"id":28992,"date":"2022-04-01T22:55:05","date_gmt":"2022-04-02T02:55:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=28992"},"modified":"2022-04-01T22:55:05","modified_gmt":"2022-04-02T02:55:05","slug":"payne-toughened-cx-50-takes-mazda-fun-off-road","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2022\/04\/payne-toughened-cx-50-takes-mazda-fun-off-road","title":{"rendered":"Payne: Toughened CX-50 takes Mazda fun off-road"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cuyama, California<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 What\u2019s better than a Mazda in the compact SUV segment? Two Mazdas in the compact SUV segment.<\/p>\n

Say hello to the CX-50, the more adventurous brother of the venerable CX-5.<\/p>\n

The CX-5 has been my benchmark for the segment since the second-gen model hit it out of the park in 2017. Stylishly designed with the best handling this side of an Alfa Stelvio, CX-5 offered luxury appointments for the price of a Subaru. Its success as Mazda\u2019s best-selling vehicle in the USA\u2019s most-popular segment (over 3 million unit sales) opens the opportunity for CX-50 to explore the segment\u2019s lifestyle-conscious\u00a0overlander customer.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n
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It\u2019s a trail that Subaru blazed with its rugged\u00a0all-wheel-drive, go-anywhere vibe and other brands (think Ford and its Bronco Sport, 2020 Detroit News Vehicle of the Year) are eager to follow. For CX-50, that means following fast.<\/p>\n

The Maricopa Highway north of Santa Barbara boasts some of America\u2019s most beautiful roads with glorious vistas and stunning destinations like the Carrizo Plains and Los Padres National Forest. Think the U.P. but with mountains.<\/p>\n

So much fun is the CX-50 to drive that I was soon distracted from the view by Maricopa\u2019s roller-coaster curves. Long sweepers, diving hairpins, writhing S turns. With little traffic, it\u2019s a sports car haven.<\/p>\n

Ahem, Payne, you\u2019re driving an SUV.<\/em><\/p>\n

That\u2019s what Mazda has done to the ute. It\u2019s taken the DNA of the Miata and Mazda3 performance cars and somehow translated it to high-riding SUVs \u2014\u00a0an SUV that rides 8.6 inches off the ground, for goodness’ sake. I must admit some skepticism when Mazda unveiled CX-50 last year tattooed with hip black fender cladding, wide stance\u00a0and roof rails.<\/p>\n

Such touches signal gravel road resilience \u2014 but often a softer ride tuned for off-road flexibility. Mazda has made its living as an asphalt fun machine, and I feared that might be compromised. Nope. As Mazda dynamics engineer and chief hot shoe Dave Coleman is quick to point out,\u00a0you spend most of your time on road even if you\u2019re escaping to the Outback. Cue CX-50\u2019s slogan: \u201ctough but powerful.\u201d Zoom zoom.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n
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CX-50\u2019s meaty, weighted steering wheel immediately instills confidence. Despite a higher seating position than the Mazda 3, CX-50 shares the same sweet platform. With all-wheel drive and a mighty 310 pound-feet of torque at my disposal, the Premium Plus tester just ached to be flogged.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no manual here like the Miata, but the 6-speed tranny is a model of smoothness. Jump on the accelerator out of a turn and the \u201ctip-in\u201d is buttery smooth \u2014 unlike many 9-speed gearboxes that hunt for the right gear. No bucking, no head twerking, just go.<\/p>\n

Before long, my speedometer was registering Mazda3-like numbers as I floored the ute between corners. Grab the brakes and, with all-wheel-drive grip, the CX-50 rotated easily into apexes. Hey\u00a0Coleman, thought of optioning Michelin Cup Sport tires?<\/p>\n

Actually, an all-terrain tire will be optioned on high-profile\u00a018-inch rims when the top-drawer Meridian trim debuts later this year. Gotta keep CX-50 on brand. That brand benefits from Mazda\u2019s years of handling perfection. G-Vectoring Control (GVC to Mazda faithful) cleverly cuts engine torque to help handling \u2014 and Mazda\u2019s elves have tweaked the formula for CX-50 with a unique OFF-ROAD mode.<\/p>\n

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Mimicking rally drivers who left-foot brake into corners to help transfer grip to the front wheels, GVC helped me keep CX-50 tidy as I smoked some off-road trails near Los Padres. Fun, but in more practical applications GVC will help the car settle when drivers misread a trail. That said, CX-50 can\u2019t compete with Bronco Sport\u2019s sensational dual rear clutch pack that makes the Ford\u00a0a true off-road weapon.<\/p>\n

Mazda figures if you\u2019re that serious about off-roading, you\u2019ll get a Bronco or Wrangler armored with skid plates, dual transfer case\u00a0and plastic fenders so you don\u2019t scratch the paint. CX-50 offers fore and aft cameras so you don\u2019t drive off a cliff.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n
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The latter comes in particularly handy if you want to trailer a dirt bike \u2014 or U-Haul a go-kart racer as I used to do with my kiddies. Three camera views are available, one of which keeps an eye on your trailer sides. The 2.5-liter turbo-4 will tow up to 3,500 pounds;\u00a0the standard, 186-torque 4-banger can haul\u00a02,000.<\/p>\n

The latter is no stripper entry model.<\/p>\n

Like CX-5, the base CX-50 is a bargain at $28,025. Standard everything that would cost thousands more on a luxe brand: all-wheel drive (Mazda SUVs are now standard AWD like Subies), blind-spot assist, adaptive cruise control, emergency braking, auto tranny, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n
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A word about the latter. I love wireless tech, but Android Auto drains phone battery. Miles from anywhere in Los Padres National Forest, my phone ran out of juice, leaving me direction-less. Lesson: use the cord on long trips to keep your phone charged while navigating.<\/p>\n

The roomy console is dominated by a nifty remote controller to operate the infotainment screen, but \u2014 true to Mazda\u2019s obsession with detail \u2014 the screen automatically turns to a touchscreen when Android Auto is activated so you can use it like your phone.<\/p>\n

Want more obsession? The rear doors open wide to 90 degrees for easier car-seat access \u2014 and the roof to store bikes and gear.<\/p>\n

Mazda fans have rightly argued their steeds are as good looking as Bimmers, but the CX-50\u2019s nod to off-road culture is a radical departure for a brand that has prized sleek lines.<\/p>\n

Lower and wider than CX-5, CX-50 looks aggressive but extra bodywork is everywhere from the wheel arches (though the cladding is not as intrusive as on the smaller CX-30) to the rocker panels to the expansive grille. It won\u2019t be everyone\u2019s cup of tea, and the 50 blends into the SUV crowd more than the sculptured CX-5.<\/p>\n

The interior, however, is premium goodness and now suitable for four, where the CX-5 has always been cramped in the rear seat. Credit a wheelbase stretched five\u00a0inches, which adds generous cargo and rear seat room for big Americans.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n
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Mazda seems to have figured us out with 322,756 sales last year \u2014 the most for the brand since ’94. Hungry for more, CX-50 is Made in ‘Bama on Mazda\u2019s first U.S. line since the ol\u2019 Ford joint venture days in Flat Rock.<\/p>\n

Now it goes head-to-head with Ford\u2019s Bronco Sport for my favorite compact SUV. Life is good in compact ute-land.<\/p>\n

2023 Mazda CX-50<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vehicle type: Front-engine, all-wheel-drive, five-passenger SUV<\/p>\n

Price: $ 28,025 base, including $1,225 destination ($41,170 Premium Plus as tested)<\/p>\n

Power plant: 2.5-liter inline-4 cylinder; turbocharged\u00a02.5-liter inline-4<\/p>\n

Power: 187 horsepower, 186 pound-feet of torque (2.5L); 256 horsepower (227 on regular gas), 310 pound-feet of torque (turbo-4)<\/p>\n

Transmission: 6-speed automatic<\/p>\n

Performance: 0-60 mph, 6.2-8.0 seconds (Car and Driver est.); towing capacity: 2,000 pounds (2.5L), 3,500 pounds (turbo-4)<\/p>\n

Weight: 3,907 pounds as tested<\/p>\n

Fuel economy: EPA 24 mpg city\/30 mpg highway\/27 mpg combined (2.5L); 23 mpg city\/29 mpg highway\/25 mpg combined (turbo-4)<\/p>\n

Report card<\/strong><\/p>\n

Highs: Butter-smooth drivetrain; standard features galore like CX-5 but with more interior room, 90-degree rear doors<\/p>\n

Lows: Less-distinct Mazda styling; handy remote controller requires time to learn<\/p>\n

Overall: 4 stars<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Cuyama, California\u00a0\u2014 What\u2019s better than a Mazda in the compact SUV segment? Two Mazdas in the compact SUV segment. Say hello to the CX-50, the more adventurous brother of the venerable CX-5. The CX-5 has been my benchmark for the segment since the second-gen model hit it out of the park in 2017. Stylishly designed […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,87],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28992"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28992"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28992\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28993,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28992\/revisions\/28993"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28992"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28992"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28992"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}