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.

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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