Mazda CX-50 Buyers Are Skipping the Turbo for Hybrid Power
One In 10 Picked The Turbo
The Mazda CX-50 sold 110,345 units last year in 2025, the most in the model's brief but successful existence since being introduced in 2022. Of those units, 57,372 (just under 52%) were the base 2.5-liter engine, which is to be expected given that it's the most affordable, starting at $29,000 for a 2026 model. Mazda also offers the CX-50 with hybrid and turbocharged powertrains, and you might be surprised to learn how many people opt for the latter.
CX-50 2.5 | 57,372 | 51.99% |
CX-50 Hybrid | 41,130 | 37.27% |
CX-50 2.5 Turbo | 11,843 | 10.73% |
CX-50 Total Sales (2025) | 110,345 | 100% |
Speaking with Jannice Jacobson, Mazda Senior Manager, Strategic Planning and Integration, Autoblog was told the 2.5 Turbo accounts for "20% of the sales mix" over the life of the CX-50. That means approximately one in five customers has opted for the more powerful engine.
Jacobson added a slight caveat to her statement, clarifying that the CX-50 Turbo accounted for exactly 11,843 units (just under 11% of sales) in 2025. This percentage decline isn't because Turbo demand dropped, but because Mazda introduced the hybrid, another highly popular option within the CX-50 lineup, diluting the Turbo's sales mix.
Hybrid The Brings Best Of Both
Even at its peak, the turbocharged engine only accounted for around 20% of the CX-50 product mix. Looking at CX-50 Hybrid, it accounted for over 37% of sales last year with 41,130 units sold. It may not match the Turbo's 256 horsepower and 320 lb-ft of torque on premium fuel (227 hp and 310 lb-ft on regular), but the hybrid's 219 hp bests the 187-hp base engine while delivering the highest fuel economy: 38 MPG combined. The CX-50 Turbo only achieves 25 MPG combined.
Related: Mazda's CX-5 and CX-50 Are Pulling Shoppers From Toyota, Jeep, and Lexus
The CX-50 Hybrid is also cheaper than the CX-50 Turbo, even when comparing high content trims like the Premium Plus; the Hybrid Premium Plus costs $40,450 versus $42,900 for the Turbo Premium Plus. It's no wonder why the hybrid outsells the turbo by more than three-to-one. Buyers get more power than a base CX-50, plus improved fuel economy.
Options For Premium Buyers
Jacobson further told Autoblog that CX-50 customers tend to cross-shop it more with outdoorsy vehicles and luxury brands, while the CX-5 competes more against mainstream competitors like Honda and Toyota. Part of the CX-50's premium appeal comes from its hybrid and turbo powertrains, which give it smoother and punchier performance like a luxury car.
Like the CX-50, the CX-5 previously offered a turbocharged engine as well, but it was recently discontinued when the third-generation model was introduced for the 2026 model year. Jacobson explained this decision during our discussion:
"The CUV segment is rapidly moving towards hybrid offerings, and we are really customer-focused," she said. "For CX-50, it's a strong choice for customers who want performance and capability. The differentiation of the two models (CX-5 and CX-50) and the differentiated powertrains allows us to capture more customers. If you want more performance, you have the CX-50."
Mazda also has an electrified CX-5 coming next year, bringing an all-new, in-house hybrid system. The CX-50 uses a co-developed hybrid system with Toyota. Unfortunately, a turbocharged engine is not in the cards for CX-5. "We're watching the market trend and what customers want and it's the hybrid; so that's the priority for the CX-5," Jacobson said.
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This story was originally published May 3, 2026 at 8:15 AM.