Mazda CX-50 Long-Term Owner Review | Pretty, Not Perfect 

This is the ONLY RU-vidr to correctly inform about the infotainment being touchscreen while in motion .....this is a great reviewer .

Gripes about the infotainment system come from those that have not spent the 10 minutes it takes to master. Never have to clean the greasy fingerprints off it either. Very intuitive.

As an ICU Nurse, I was surprised when you mentioned terms like “art line, doppler, etc.” on a car review video, but also your voice sounded familiar from watching “so you want to be a _____” medical videos & yep I was right!🤣🤣🤣 Great video, Dr. Jubbal!

People probably think I am crazy when I tell them that I prefer the steering feel in my mazda cx-50 over my other car, a 23 m4 comp xdrive. The handling in the mazda feels more natural than it does in my m4 which is like twice the price. I am glad I am not the only one noticing how surprisingly good the handling in this cross-over is. Before the m4 I had a 2020 supra and even that, being a fully dedicated sports car, still did not have the steering feel of this cx-50. FYI, to solve the laggy throttle and transmission issue, you need to drive in the sport mode. Then it's almost a non-issue. The sport mode makes a big difference in the throttle and the transmission responsiveness.

Not gonna lie, you got an instant like and follow when you explained the heart rhythm vs arterial flow patterns. Well done, man. Dig the video and the way you've explained things. Looking forward to more. Doesn't hurt that I'm looking into a CX-50 now XD

I saw one on the road the other day and it's easily one of the best looking vehilcles out there

I got my late August of last year (model year 2024), I currently have over 10,500 miles and I personally love it! I have the Premium S model, so no fancy "brown" leather or 360 camera. But I have wireless charging, half leather has stitched seats, and a panoramic roof. I haven't had any issues with the infotainment system or anything else. My auto wiping sensors are pretty good for a Mazda I believe. But mine is the second to highest class to the regular trim, not the turbo. So I'm thinking maybe because I have less sensors and less technology in my vehicle that it performs better. I'll be doing a review here soon on my Mazda when I hit 15,000 miles. So we'll see

I just bought one. Your video and Scotty Kilmore convinced me. I hope it lasts as long as a Honda or Toyota. I keep my cars for 10 years

Really well done review. My Jeep just died and I'm seriously looking at the CX-50 as my next vehicle.

I'd never thought medical terms could be incorporated so well in a car review. Please keep up the great work and videos.

Super helpful review. I laugh reading all negative comments about this only being 3 months for a long term review.. its a new model viewers, cool your jets.. as someone who bought the new mazda 3 in 2019 i appreciate a review even a few months in, it beats a review that was limited to only a day or so from a journalist. Kudos to you sir!

I bought a '22 CX-5 last year and, where there are parallels, I completely concur with your criticisms/praises. The thing handles beautifully and is visually striking. I was very skeptical about the encoder wheel setup for the infotainment at first, but for the same reasons you cite, I've really come to love it. I'd love to see a CX-50 Hybrid as was teased last year.

I have a non turbo cx-50 and I love it

I've had my CX-50 for 5 months and you taught some some cool things I didn't know my car could do. Good review.

Love your comment about the ECG! I love your honesty and fresh take on reviewing this car. I wish I saw this before getting my current car. Great job with the review!

Thanks for posting! We're around 2K and feel pretty much the same about our CX50 experience.

I also purchased a CX-50 PP Turbo and have around 3500 miles on mine and absolutely love it. Had a 3 Turbo for a year before that and it has all the great traits of that car plus even more. Agree with some of the issues you are having. My wireless charger is also useless, but found on Reddit that Mose people are having the same issue. As far as the climate goes, sometimes it will go off of the auto seat setting, and if you just hit auto again on the climate knob, it will come back. I noticed that it wasn't there on your screen. Also, the sound system for this car is rock solid.

Very honest review 👏 Mazda cars are really fun to drive

I test-drove cx5 and cx50 back to back the other day. I have to say cx5 gives me a less good driving experience than cx50: I don't like that I have to lower my eyeballs every time to look at the infotainment screen in cx5 when driving, and the screen is a little too close to the driver too. I've watched more than 10 different reviews on RU-vid and you're the only one who mentioned the screen alignment and ciliary muscles. I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels this way! Thank you for the awesome review!

Best to wait a few years after release of new model if you want a vehicle with less potential issues. Also, I've read some complaints online from owners, wishing it had a bit smaller, more practical 19 or 18 inch wheels & better tire sidewall.

Side vents are probably always working to prevent water condensation on side windows, so it makes sense to direct them to windows. And driver's vent is the one that's closer to the driver's right hand on a steering wheel

Thanks for the review! Really really want this SUV. Especially this model 😍

Ohhh man can’t wait until I get one. I’m definitely going for the black, same trim as yours. She’s a beaut

Saw one on the road for the first time today, very sharp looking vehicle. Hoping to purchase one this year.

Thanks for the review. Currently own a 2018 CX-5 and thinking about upgrading to CX-50

I hope Mazda takes note for the 2024 model year.

Until you made the MD comment, I didn’t even connect you to the old videos I used to watch when you talked about medical stuff! Hope your enjoying the Mazda!

I love the infotainment system for the exact same reason.

Great review of a fantastic vehicle! I'm about to pull the trigger on the GT version in Ingot Blue. I shopped the Forester and the CR-V EX-L Hybrid as well, but this Mazda is in a league of it's own!

Thanks so much for the review and mentioning your road bike. I was worried my 56cm road bike wouldn't fit in the back without taking the front wheel off.

After a test drive a couple of weeks ago, we have a red one on order! We currently have a 2016 CX-5 and we really like it and are looking forward to getting the 50!

Love my CX30 but this is a beautiful ride.

I love the infotainment. It’s miles above the tablet touchscreens in the Toyota. I opted for the preferred plus as I found the ride smoother on the 17 inch wheels, and I wanted black rims. I’m also can’t do the piano black in the upper trim. I had to opt out despite wanting the Bose system. I love this car. I traded in a rav4 and never felt better about a choice. Plus the looks!!! I love the way this thing looks. Not like any of the usual softer crossovers you see. Also with charger. Flip the phone so the top is facing the passenger door. I was laying mine like you with top towards me, and had issues. Turned it around and it’s fine now.

Every late model vehicle I've driven with park alert and braking assist as well have separate controls to disable each system. Most vehicles have a button or switch that turns the park alert sound on/off and then the disable for the braking assist is usually in touch screen menu somewhere

Concerning the car's emergency braking. I have the Thule hitch-mounted bike rack. You need to disable collision avoidance in the REAR to stop the car from breaking while backing up. It is found in the safety settings of car infotainment. Hope that helps!

His statement that the interior of the cx50 feels nicer than the cx5 is complete bull. As somebody who owns a CX5 and has sat inside a CX50, this is what I observed. 1) Cx5 has padding on the center console where your knees rest. Cx-50 has hard plastic. 2) Cx5 has softly padded sun visors. Cx-50 has hard plastic sun visors. 3) Cx5 has a felt lined glove box. Cx-50 has hard plastic. 4) Cx5 Bose tweeters are built into the A pillars. Cx-50 has flimsy plastic door mounted units. 5) Cx5 has softly padded rear door panels by the windows. Cx-50 is hard plastic. 6) Cx5 has carpet on the sides of the cargo compartment. Cx50 has hard plastic. 7) Cx5 has 40/20/40 split rear seats. Cx50 has 40/60. 8) Some report that the Cx5 independent rear suspension handle rough pavement better than the torsion beam rear of the CX-50.

Yea.. issues you mentioned need to be addressed in the next model yr. Im excited to see how they update engine with hybrid options.

You can enable the touchscreen in the settings (the options is a bit buried but it's there). For the climate control - it's obvious that it tracks some external parameters and 99% that's described in the owners manual. May there is a way to improve the parking sensor behavior too, or just pull it's fuse if it's that bad.

Thank you so much for this video. My next car will be a CX-50!

Look forward to more long term ownership updates on the CX-50! I own a 2017 CX-5 GT and agree with the small quirks about the auto wipers and rear trunk button. So far no major issues at 80k miles DIY maintaining myself. May upgrade if they release a CX-50 Hybrid.

Thanks for such a positive and great review .........I really enjoyed it from start to finish. Very clear and concise. Since you're a CX50 Turbo owner yourself and drive like a hooligan as you described, do you put regular or premium gas ? The fact that you choose to drive the CX50 over your sports car 95% of the time is inspiring as well. I was also wondering if you ever reviewed a Alfa Romeo Stelvio ? I understand it's a different animal and in a different price range, but if you have, how would you compare the two ? I am leaning towards the CX50 GT Turbo for its style and being able to use regular fuel if I so choose. I don't know which has the best reliability, however. Thanks again for a job well done.

Regarding the soft feeling brakes, I owned 2 CX 5. I found them soft when new too. However, I used to drive Integra GSR and remembered I need to bed the pads in first. So I did the same to my CX 5. Heat the pads up by abruptly brake few times until it heats up and cool it by driving slowly but never stopped. Takes 15 minutes to 20 minutes. Repeat until it starts to grab harder. I like late braking by old habits. It works. Try it.

Great review, my only hangup on purely aesthetics is way too much black plastic trim around the wheel well and bottom. Those pieces will fade over time if you are not constantly taking care of them.

I’m planning to get one of these in August looking forward to get one

Thanks for the review. I'm sold! May I ask what the dimension for the trunk space is? (Width and Height) thanks

Great review.

Loved the doctor speak in the beginning.. lol. I'm considering the car but have read complaints about overheating of the wireless charging components rendering it useless. I also saw complaints of the dashboard rattling with higher mileage. Please give your experience. Thank you

I'm contemplating putting my order in for one of these, Meridian Edition. Having leased 3 Mazda3s before this, a 16, 17 and 2020 GTs and loving the small hatch appeal of it and how fun it is to drive, I never thought I'd get into a SUV but the appeal of this cx-50 and my experience from the test drive yesterday definitely has me on the edge to put in an order. The Meridian is still made in Japan, which is why I'm considering that over the GT. Thanks for your honest review here, appreciate it. For your reverse sensor issue, have you tried to disable the driver aids? It's that first button on the left with a circle around it. That should disable all smart braking functionality and if that doesn't, back in my Mazda 3 there's options in the settings to disable brake assist

Yes! I’ve been meaning to have service look at the left driver vent but I guess it’s by design. It’s very annoying heat only comes out of that top vent when on feet only mode

Love the cx50 . Just did a recent review on the Meridian edition.

As soon as the seat heating is switched on or off manually, the automatic regulation for it is also deactivated. However, the "AUTO" lamp remains on. To activate the function, simply press AUTO again.

For the parking sensor go on the screen settings and select settings and on of the settings has the sensor

Awesome review / follow-up, thanks for sharing! Did you notice differences between the CX-5 and CX-50 and what drove you to the CX-50? Thanks and keep them coming!

I have the mazda 3 100th edition and the steering is unreal. I also had the cx5 2018 same thing its fantastic. I know its not the same car but mazda has been killing it.

I believe even if you disable the Parking sensor, the collision avoidance will still kick in when you back up and is in proximity of collision.

Wow ! Although I really enjoyed your enthusiastic review of the CX50 GT Turbo that you own and I am contemplating ordering, I am however, somewhat disappointed that my comment and query didn't warrant some kind of a reply, whether positive or negative. That said, I will check out future reviews you may have on future cars of interest. Have a great day. :)

I want the preferred plus but im debating if I get the white one if I should get the black or grey wheels?

Australian here with a Mazda 6 Wagon (Yes they do exist in the current gen in our market with option of a turbo). The interior does look nice overall, but it kind of looked like they did cost cut a bit in places where they thought people wouldn't notice or care. In particular the boot, with those hard plastics everywhere, instead of fabric finishes and that is particularly noticeable on the back of the seats, which frankly look awful and will scuff badly. The silver scuff plates have also been left out of the design for the boot and so have the tie down hooks. Scuff plates have also been left off all four doors as well. Light markers on the inside of the doors have also been left out of the design from this model on all four doors. Some of the hard plastics also look to be a slightly lower grade then Japanese Mazda's and the cheaper finishes on the back of the front seats, with Mazda's black vinyl, kind of clashes with the front of the seats finish. There was also a simplified layering to the front dashboad, that still looks great, but has had some of the materials and fake stitching removed, compared to other Mazda designs which would help with cost. The Mazdatec vinyl also looked a tad less premium then what we have on our Japanese made car, but that is hard to tell from a video. I also noticed there was no privacy blind or pull up cargo net in the back, but I guess you could have pulled that out to make room for your bike? This could all be a US thing as they probably had to keep the cost down, given that US customers are very price sensitive. They did a similar thing with the US built Mazda 6 back in the day. What was obvious, is Mazda has focussed on some of the things that do make their cars a pleasant place to be and give a premium feel. I'll bet both the throttle response and the gear box get a tune at some point too, as that is a common thing Mazda does as their designs age and they come around to a mid life upgrade. Even this late in the Mazda 6's life here, the 2023 cars just got launched with retuned throttle, gearbox and steering racks and that is on a car thats been in the market here now for ten years and is the oldest Mazda design still sold new in Australia. Got to say though that colour combination you've picked is really sharp and the overall practical space in the car is spot on. Enjoy your car. Dan

My wife likes the little rotary dial and volume button in the middle console. She said it best “it helps my ADD” lol She loves this car more than our 4Runner we traded in. She did agree with me that we do need to get another 4runner and use it strictly for overlanding in the future.

How quiet is it on the highway, in terms of wind noise, etc.? Thanks. Great review!

Love my CX-50 man it has taken me to no where places ❤❤❤

I am a registered vascular tech and do vascular ultrasounds and was thinking the same thing with the blinkers lol I don’t do echo but I’m like that’s more arterial than an ECG. I love my cx50! I wish I waited for the terra-cotta but I got the black interior. But it’s still a good looking vehicle.

I wanted this for my volvo xc60 replacement, but the stiff ride, road noise, and torsion beam rear was a deal breaker for me. Stiff sports car like steering is wonderful but not for daily and parallel parking..

Always best to hold off for a few years on any new-gen or model release, so that the kinks can be worked out a bit better.

I love Mazda’s infotainment system

Is a lane-keep assistant doing a good job? I had '20 CX30 and wasn't really efficient. Just wondering is ot better now

My Wife and I are cross shopping this with a Bronco Sport right now. My Wife of course loves the Bronco Sport because of it's bold look but I feel that will fade quickly once the honeymoon phase is over. The reliability issues Ford has had these past year has me freaking out inside and the Bronco Sport itself has had 3 recalls in the past 2 years. I am desperately trying to softly push her towards the Mazda. It may be a simple clean look without any flair, but at least it does still look good and the quality is lightyears ahead of what I am seeing on the Bronco Sport. My Wife is killing me with that choice.

May I ask what is the color of your car here? Is it the polymetal grey or something else, because it definitely has a blue tint to it. Lovely review by the way, really enjoyed it!

Thanks, for the long term review. My wife and I both own Mazda CX-5's. Mine a 2019 Signature and hers a 2015 GT and I'm interested in buying a CX-50 Hybrid to replace her car. I love the overall design and Terra Cotta leather interior and that it's made in the USA. I wish they had based the CX-50 on the CX-5 platform and that it had the multi-link independent rear suspension and 40/20/40 split rear seat. Also the off center, center front air vent looks odd and overall you can see cost cutting in the interior. Overall I still prefer the CX-5 and it's a little cheaper to buy plus I love my 2019 Signature with 62,500 trouble free miles on it. But, I will still seriously consider the Hybrid model.

I have a " 2024 " CX50 GT turbo on order. They are making a couple of upgrades with the steering and dampers for a more comfortable ride. I would have postponed the order and opted for the hybrid version that is forthcoming. However, I heard that although the fuel efficiency would be much better with the hybrid, the turbo performance would suffer. Why ?

Mazda do have the option to turn on the touch screen while driving under the setting for the CX-50

Great videos, is that a OEM Mazda trailer hitch?

@6:10 parking sensor Off could be for the front sensors only.

Do you hear minor squeaky noise coming from steering column when you spin the steering wheel fast? Trying to figure out whether it is a more common issue with cx50 or isolated quality control issue. I would have gotten another Mazda 3 if I didn't need cargo space...

Thanks for a review from a driving enthusiast, I think I'm going to go with the 50 over the 5

Am looking forward to purchase of new CX50...........Mazda builds great cars.........Now driving a new CX30....Only complaint is skinny drivers seat with rock hard/high side bolsters.......................Paul

Recently got a cx-9 2023, and I am really happy with it. Wanted to go for cx5 but it's too small in second row compared to rav 4, crv and suburu outback. I was really impressed by the cabin noise and ride comfort, the suspension was smooth. Definitely high end compared to Toyota, suburu and Honda for interior and ride comfort. The only reason I won't get another mazda would be the fuel economy and lack of plugin hybrid options in the affordable category. Overall great car. Loved driving it in the mountains. Not that I care for acceleration but that turbo is very useful on the highways . Might swtich to electric in the future if the charging infrastructure improves and automakers will give us true 300 mile range. Not when it drops 50% when using the heat in winter etc

Erudite review :) I've seen some other reviewers complain the ride leans a little too much toward quite firm (not harsh). Guess I'll have to drive one, because I currently have a Subaru Legacy XT Touring on order, and am wondering how my old self would tolerate a ride that firm. Currently have a lease-ending terrific 2.0 2020 Accord Touring edition, but Honda has killed that fabulous powertrain and made the new one too long for my garage. Yeah...I know how much better the exterior looks on this, so don't laugh.

All Mazda's dating back to my first at least (98 Millenia) had the heat/AC blow out the sides even when the vents are set to the floor. I actually love that. Not sure if you've noticed, but the turn signals in the instrument panel fade just like the ones outside which is a nice touch. I'm approaching 30 days of ownership with mine (same trim) and I LOVE it. The steering is the same in the latest gen 3 and I would imagine the CX-30 also. It feels amazing!

How do you like the sound system?

Is the drivers seat a little wider with also more leg room than a CX-5 ?

Wow. To me, this is in the luxury car category. Truly beautiful.

Beautiful car, esp. color. I’m considering Mazda for the first time and like the CX50.

I have a little question, are the yellow ligths in the front are allways turned on?

Is there CX-50 preferred only? When is it gonna come out, any idea?

Hey, considering buying one of these for my wife to use as a daily driver. I've seen in other reviews that these are a bit noisy on the hwy. Do you find that? She currently drives a Mazda 3 sedan which we find very noisy. (Admittedly I drive full size high end trucks and SUV's most of the time so anything that's not super quiet seems noisy to me) Also how do you find the mileage? Do you run premium? If not is the power difference noticeable when you don't ? Thanks for the review and the info

Mazda's touchscreen infotainment system was notorious for ghost touching after being exposed to sunlight for long periods time. The turn light indicator looks like it's looking to represent the "lub dub" heart sounds that you would hear with a stethoscope 🩺💗. Pretty cool

Me trying watch a review and learning about the heart 😭 but good review. I still want this as my dream cae

This was a great review! I love this car and want to get it one day. I am 6'1 and am concerned with interior space for myself and back seat passengers. Do you think this car has enough room to accommodate for a taller driver as well as passengers?

We bought ours April 2023. The wireless charger has never worked. The dealership gave up and said “live with it not working.”

Does the traffic jam assist work well? Interested if it keeps you centered in-lane, if it shuts off when waiting at a stop light and if restarts after stopping without tapping the throttle or steering wheel button. Thanks

Nice car! What kind of window tints do you have on it?

I have a cx50 but I'm ready to go back to something like the Integra type s or m340i

I think this could have been better if it was built in Japan like the cx5. We have both and enjoy the 5 more since the seats are softer and the steering is not as hard also the independent rear suspension is better on the 5.

what about the sun roof -- can you get one without a sunroof?

I love mine ❤

A valiant effort when discussing Mazda’s infotainment system setup but it is vexing. All Mazda had to do was move the screen a few inches closer to driver/passenger and then allow the driver/passenger to chose their preference in interacting either by dial or touch. Never had to be an either/or.

Anyone know what cargo and floor mat he has? the seat back protector is a really smart idea

Not sure if you mentioned it in the video, but what % tint do you have? Windshield too? Great vid btw!

Try a throttle control sensor can help with that delayed response.