{"id":30000,"date":"2022-11-03T17:47:05","date_gmt":"2022-11-03T21:47:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=30000"},"modified":"2022-11-03T17:47:05","modified_gmt":"2022-11-03T21:47:05","slug":"payne-multi-state-trek-shows-off-mazda-cx-50s-multi-talents","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2022\/11\/payne-multi-state-trek-shows-off-mazda-cx-50s-multi-talents","title":{"rendered":"Payne: Multi-state trek shows off Mazda CX-50’s multi-talents"},"content":{"rendered":"

Watkins Glen, New York<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 The original Watkins Glen race track was 6.6 miles of raw, open country road. After racers took the green flag downtown, they would climb steeply into the hills overlooking the stunning Seneca Lake valley \u2014 then madly plunge downhill to begin another lap through town. Man, those drivers had guts. While today\u2019s Watkins Glen races are held on a smooth, enclosed 3.7-mile track nearby, the original course is marked as a historic public road.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s available for any visitor to drive. Which I did (repeatedly) in my 2023 Mazda CX-50.<\/p>\n

The 256-horsepower, all-wheel-drive CX-50 is that rare SUV that can get you to your destination in comfort, then offer performance to enjoy the local landscape when you arrive. Heck, the CX-50 is a sci-fi cyborg compared to the \u201850s Allard J2 Cadillacs that used to conquer the Glen\u2019s hills.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

It\u2019s this kind of versatility that has the Mazda and Kia Sportage at the top of my list for North American SUV of the Year.<\/p>\n

As a juror for North American Car, Truck, and Utility of the Year, I\u2019m weighing a semifinal list of 13 vehicles for best ute (along with 13 sedans for best car and three pickups for best truck). It\u2019s a competitive group that includes a record eight electric vehicles: Audi Q4 e-tron, BMW iX xDrive M50i, Cadillac Lyriq, Genesis GV60, Kia EV6, Nissan Ariya, Rivian R1S and Volvo C40 Recharge.<\/p>\n

But as much as I enjoy EVs (I\u2019ve purchased two Tesla Model 3s in the last four years, and they\u2019re the coolest toys I\u2019ve owned), they aren\u2019t ready for prime time as family wagons. Utes are about, well, utility. Utility infielder utility. Allow me to quote from Webster\u2019s: \u201ccapable of serving as a substitute in various roles or positions.\u201d<\/p>\n

That is, vehicles that can do anything. And EVs just don\u2019t do road trips well.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

My mid-September trek to meet my race team at Watkins Glen\u2019s SCCA Regionals is a good example. Leaving Thursday afternoon, I would need to arrive in time for dinner with my sons (arriving from Seattle and Newark) to discuss the weekend ahead. I mapped the 389-mile trip and Google suggested I take the northern, Canadian route around Lake Erie, arriving at the Glen after seven hours versus the 7.45-hour southern route via the Ohio Turnpike.<\/p>\n

The 458-mile range CX-50 tester in my driveway would need to stop once for a five-minute fill-up. On the other hand, my Tesla\u2019s nav system mapped an eight hour, 10 minute drive with two stops across Canada. When I reached Watkins Glen I would have 9% of battery charge left.<\/p>\n

Did my hotel have a 240-volt charger? No. Was there a Tesla Supercharger in town? No. Would I dare take laps of Watkins Glen’s historic track without charging my battery? No.<\/p>\n

Aw, the heck with it.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

I just didn\u2019t want to deal with EV inconveniences. Electrics are inferior road-trippers. A friend says we should all make the sacrifice of longer EV road trips in order to save the planet. But what about lost time with my kids? Or losing prep time for a race? Or losing sleep?<\/p>\n

I took the gas-powered, 25 mpg, 2.5-liter turbo-4 Mazda. We had a ball together and I never had to worry about where \u2014 and for how long \u2014 my next fill-up would be.<\/p>\n

The CX-50 is the more butch-looking twin of the CX-5 \u2014 long my benchmark as best compact SUV. Not only because of its BMW X3-like handling, but for its value. Starting at $28.8K, the base ute comes with all-wheel drive, emergency braking, blind-spot assist, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, auto high beams, auto wipers and a college counselor for your child (kidding about the last one).<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

Add the rockin\u2019 256-horse, 2.5-liter turbo-4 and standard features grow to leather heated seats, panoramic sunroof, head-up display and 20-inch wheels. Price? $43K. The comparable BMW x30i will set you back $52K while delivering 245 horses and 2 mpg less. Pinch me.<\/p>\n

Charging up I-94 to the Bluewater Bridge, the CX-50 exhibits the same obsession with detail as the (much smaller inside) Mazda3 hot hatch. The six-speed tranny is buttery smooth, the turbo-4 torquey, the steering flawless.<\/p>\n

That obsession with detail extends to the electronics.<\/p>\n

Crossing into Canada, the speed limit sign in my head-up display didn\u2019t change from mph to km\/h like the Volvo XC90 I recently drove to the Great White North. No, it did something better.<\/p>\n

It told me my speed in mph. So when the Canadian speed limit went from 100 km\/h to 110 km\/h, the sign changed from 62 mph to 68 mph. Brilliant, especially for metric-illiterate Yanks who just want to know how to keep their speed not more than, say, 5 mph over the legal limit.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

The head-up display also showed the wireless Android Auto directions and indicated whether a car was in my blind spot. After the experience, I was pining for a head-up display in my Tesla.<\/p>\n

I mentioned the Kia Sportage earlier as one of my Top 2 SUVs due to its own impressive interior appointments and standard features. Sportage can\u2019t hold a candle to the Mazda\u2019s handling, but it makes its case with a self-drive system nearly on par with Tesla and Cadillac.<\/p>\n

On recent trips to northern Michigan, Sportage drove itself for long distances, allowing me to relax and even monitor messages on my phone. The CX-50 isn\u2019t that good, maybe because Mazda thinks that you bought a Mazda because you enjoy driving (not being driven around).<\/p>\n

That driver focus also informs Mazda\u2019s rejection of a touchscreen infotainment system. Even Audi and BMW \u2014 which pioneered the remote, rotary dial controller \u2014 have succumbed to the touchscreen in this smartphone-obsessed world.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

Mazda has stubbornly stuck with its remote controller, and it works beautifully for those willing to learn its methods. Its ergonomics are logical, and \u2014 once mastered \u2014 allow for less-distracted driving.<\/p>\n

Over the country roads leading into Watkins Glen from the Niagara border crossing, the Mazda\u2019s 320 pound-feet of torque came in handy \u2014\u00a0Whoosh!<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 in passing traffic on two-lane country roads. Once at Watkins Glen, however, the Mazda\u2019s duties turned more utilitarian.<\/p>\n

\"While<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

CX-50 comfortably fit me and my two boys \u2014 all six-plus footers \u2014 as well as bags of ice, groceries and other necessities. Another NACTOY SUV finalist, the Lexus RX, has two inches less rear legroom than the CX-50 while sporting a $52K sticker similar to the BMW X3.<\/p>\n

After Sunday\u2019s race, I contemplated the seven-hour drive back home by way of Canada. Scheduled arrival time: 1 a.m. thanks to a single gas stop. The compact SUV space is awash in flashy EVs this year. But they have some work to do to catch up with the fleet CX-50.<\/p>\n

Next week: BMW iX<\/em><\/p>\n

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

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

Price: $28,825 base, including $1,225 destination fee ($43,170 Premium Plus as tested)<\/p>\n

Power plant: 2.5-liter inline-4 cylinder; turbocharged, 2.5-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, 6.6 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<\/p>\n

Highs: Obsessive attention to detail; utility with performance capability<\/p>\n

Lows: If you like sleek Mazda styling, opt for the CX-5; remote controller requires patience to learn<\/p>\n

Overall: 4 stars<\/p>\n

Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Watkins Glen, New York\u00a0\u2014 The original Watkins Glen race track was 6.6 miles of raw, open country road. After racers took the green flag downtown, they would climb steeply into the hills overlooking the stunning Seneca Lake valley \u2014 then madly plunge downhill to begin another lap through town. Man, those drivers had guts. While […]<\/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\/30000"}],"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=30000"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30000\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30001,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30000\/revisions\/30001"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30000"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30000"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30000"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}