Everything I LIKE and DISLIKE about the 2024 Mazda CX-50 Turbo

In this video I discuss my likes and dislikes about the 2024 Mazda CX-50 Turbo AWD. I was able to drive the CX-50 Meridian Edition for nearly two weeks and a variety of conditions. I am very impressed by what newer Mazda vehicles have to offer however there are a few aspects I think they could improve. The turbo powertrain has tons of torque and even though the 6 speed has less gears than the competition, I didn't find this to be an issue. The Meridian ride quality can be a little harsh but not terrible. If you are looking for a compact SUV that can go off the beaten path, I would put the CX-50 on your list. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
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Likes: 0:00
Dislikes: 6:22
#mazda #mazdacx50 #suv

[@markjoseph8795]

*The CX-50 Turbo is now definitely on my short list of vehicles I intend to purchase in the near future.* *I really like the small, unobtrusive "infotainment screen", rather than acres of screens I've seen on many vehicles.* *For me personally, less tech is better. I prefer to be engaged in driving, rather than technology siphoning the all fun out of driving.*

[@anthonyc.4246]

Absolutely. Just bought the Meridian edition and the infotainment system is perfect for me. Not too obtrusive, I don't want to be distracted from the main purpose ... Driving. Has just enough to be helpful and looks quite classy, I must say. I test drove an Outback XT and the touch screen was HUGE. Took up the whole console. Very ugly. Plus, I like buttons.

[@SK-qc6fb]

Door sound, door sound, really!

[@Flocculation]

Good review overall. I did play it at 2x after a few minutes because you tend to make each point 3 times in slightly different ways.

[@CarsMadeSimple]

Thanks!

[@5hrsbefore1998]

I really appreciate this video and your focus on the everyday usage aspects of it. You covered a lot of little things that other youtubers gloss over or don’t mention at all. thank you!

[@CarsMadeSimple]

Appreciate that! I try to point out things that impact day to day living that may be better or worse than other vehicles I have spent time with.

[@edranft4071]

Mazda won’t be happy but I appreciate all the details that are not mentioned at all by other reviewers!

[@piedpipersays]

I agree-the cup holders alone on this car are a deal killer for me.

[@Grey-Rock]

Excellent review. It’s nice to still see wagon-style vehicles being made. I think they are preferable to raised SUVs.

[@roadcykler62]

One way to maybe eliminate some of the rear fender bulge from your mirror is lean your head against the side glass and adjust the mirror outward until you just see the least bit of the fender. To do the other side, lean over where your head is above the center console and do the same with that mirror. It also eliminates almost all of the blind spot which I know is built into the mirrors anyway but it could help a little. Thanks for the review.

[@davidwayne9982]

There is a FACTORY 1.5 inch LIFT available for that too.... which would help... I LOVE this vehicle. I think I might get the higher trim package and just BUY some of the 17" black offroad wheels with wildpeaks on them extra and have them installed. I can get a photo and do the hood myself with dip and it would be impossible to tell the difference-- and later, if I want- I can just peel it off cleanly!!

[@ericschmitz357]

RE: concept of likes and dislikes: As an engineer we are taught the concept of "regularity condition". This means we design to the regularity condition first, then look to variances or other conditions of concern. We must be aware in looking to solve one variance problem that we don't negatively impact the normal or most commonly encountered situation (typically the most important condition). The likes and dislikes presented here are very helpful. They can be strengthened further by an explanation of why a particular like or dislike is designed the way it is...or an explanation of how to strengthen. One of the significant ergonomic dislikes (cupholders location) was actually a brilliant design when one considers a more significant spacial consideration, but yes under some conditions the design is compromised...to point out the negatives under one condition needs to be balanced against the benefit under a more significant regularity/operational condition. The presenter actually did that when discussing the ergonomically excellent design of the buttons on the steering wheel - it is clear that this reviewer intuitively gets the concept - more/other reviews should be doing this more often.

[@CarsMadeSimple]

I appreciate that!

[@chrislim7976]

That's engineer talk for don't throw a baby out with the bathwater. Ok.

[@flapadlr]

cupholders...i have a CX-30 which has the cupholders in the samem configuration. i learned pretty quickly how to get my tumbler in and out of the cupholder. However, I noticed that the lip above the gearshift control is piano black plastic on the CX-50. This scratches from bad breath. You will bump against that lip getting the common tumblers in and out and it will start to look bad. In the CX-30 the piano black does not extend to that lip, it's metal look plastic. Just a detail for you all. 50k miles on my CX-30 no issues, might be leaning into a CX-50 next year. Thank you for the review.

[@CarsMadeSimple]

Thanks for the information!

[@Kodabonesies]

I actually like the cup holders over my 21 cx9. I’ve spilled so many coffees using the claw method to get my coffee cups lol 😊

[@rick8125]

How did the 6 speed transmission perform? Seems like most other reviews state it needs another gear or two. Would definitely improve MPG’s

[@CarsMadeSimple]

I actually didn't mind the fact it only had 6 gears but it wouldn't have hurt to have an 8 speed. The shifts were a little muddy at times but the performance wasn't an issue with all of the torque on tap.

[@torqueguy1]

Haunches is a good word. Nice job. 👌🏻

[@omegalamda3145]

Bought the Meridian. Love it, the radio has a radio Easter egg EQ adjustment window, with 25 different Hz adjustments. It’s worth the time to adjust it over time and you’ll have an excellent balance for the eight speaker system. I’ve owned the CX 50 for 4 months and continuously find other features that don’t scream out at you. It’s refreshing from all,of the art meets science designs aka Toyota etc. highly recommend a test drive if interested. Btw I’ve mastered the turn wheel in 6 weeks, once you get the muscle memory effect with the wheel you rarely take your eyes off of the road. I’ve a touchscreen 2019 6- speed Crosstrek and find myself looking at the touchscreen to modulate music or other Apple light touch. The control wheels wheels on the Mazda clicks and you can tell where you are without using your eyes to look. The balance of cruise control and other driving assistance is perfect for people that enjoy driving rather then set and go. The Mazda has minimal beeping and warning sounds it never and never over corrects what the driver needs. It works very well if you used the distance set switch properly. I really like the switch near the drivers left hand to turn off the automatic engine shutoff device. A very rare find these days. The Easter egg surprises keep on coming!!

[@andreatuckman1084]

I am trying to decide on my next lease and I keep coming back to Mazda. I presently drive the CX30, which I absolutely love. It’s the carbon copy of the interior of both the CX50 and CX5. The steering wheel is functional and handsomely designed compared to others in its class with lots of chrome inserts. The seats are surprisingly comfortable in my little CX30 , which is a pet peeve of mine when sitting in some other brands, especially on long trips. I don’t have the turbo edition and I find there’s little need for the extra cost. If I need to, I can flip the little switch and use the sport mode which I never see anyone mention in video reviews. I can go on forever raving about the quality and fun of driving my third Mazda. So you may be wondering why I’m considering one of the larger SUVs in Mazda’s lineup. The answer is, because it gives me more room for luggage in the rear without having to fold down the sears. That’s it! Happy driving 😊

[@royjin55]

Any annoyances with the seat belt chime? Multiple reddit posts with people getting very annoyed with it for the '23 model. Curious if the '24 changed anything.

[@RealKevGotEm]

theres a speaker under the steering wheel, i found this out a few days ago. put your hand over it and you'll see, just place a piece of tape over it if you want

[@CarsMadeSimple]

I didn't get annoyed by it. I like how you could change the volume of the turn signal indicator though.

[@maxxbenzz7842]

I'm sure there is a setting hack you can turn this off.

[@troymerricks9076]

I don’t mind the screen. It’s all for safety. So morons don’t have the desire to mess around with their screens and cause a fatal accident.

[@yournightmare9999]

But low IQ people especially reviewers still don't get it

[@ltwig476]

When I test drove the CX50, I loved the sporty look and the.great shifting trans. The seats were very uncomfortable. The steering wheel and most of the dash seemed outdated. the large cell phone thingy sticking up out of the top of the dash seemed like an after thought. I found the rear view mirror to be useless for an SUV. The sporty back rake looks fantastic, you just can't see much out the back. The overall amount of room in the rear with seats down was very lacking, again the sporty rake. I ended up purchasing the Forester Touring instead. That car is a great looker for sure.

[@cwqrpportable]

OMG, you bought a Forester instead?! Lol...... that's just sad

[@ltwig476]

@@cwqrpportable Some people have better tastes for driving experience than just sportiness.

[@anthonyc.4246]

Forester Sport has a great looking interior. I would have considered that car if it wasn't slow as sh*t.

[@cwqrpportable]

@@anthonyc.4246 I knew I would suffer terrible buyer's remorse if I bought a Subaru. Just too anemic with the CVT. Meh......

[@fidelbanuelos9601]

Redline Reviews, the authority on doors, says it passed the "solid sounding thunk" test. Glad you challenged it, though.

[@CarsMadeSimple]

Yeah definitely not from the outside. Haha

[@kennyb899FM]

I agree with your dislikes and would like to add the sunroof as part of the dislikes love my Cx50 Turbo but the sunroof does not open fully ...

[@photog1529]

I picked up my CX-50 Turbo Premium about two weeks ago...went with the Machine Metal Gray metallic paint and terra cotta interior. So far, I only have two nits...I wish Mazda included a dashboard button to disable the adaptive cruise control. I don't particularly care for this feature, so I need to go into the menu system to disable it every time I start the engine. A button similar to the iStop disable switch would have been nice. Which leads to my second nit: the iStop button (along with a few others) is located on the lower left of the dash and is obscured by the steering wheel. A little better placement would have been desirable. As far as the infotainment goes, my previous vehicle was a 2014 Mazda 6 GT, so I'm pretty used to using the control dial...not a big deal to me. All in all...I'm really enjoying it. There is one thing I'd change, however...the trim piece that surrounds the shift knob and controls. I don't care for the glossy piano black...shows fingerprints and smudges too easily...would have liked a carbon fiber insert or something similar. Maybe the aftermarket accessory will offer something similar.

[@CarsMadeSimple]

Congratulations! Thanks for sharing your thoughts in detail. It should help anyone else looking into the CX-50 🙂

[@uploadtime1780]

Appreciate this bit some of these dislikes are way out in left field. The voice command while blower is in auto sounds completely unnecessary.

[@CarsMadeSimple]

Why? It's extremely useful in summer when your A/C is blasting and you're trying to use a voice command. This is also true for making or receiving phone calls. The only reason I know about it is because I've found it helpful in my personal vehicle.

[@uploadtime1780]

@CarsMadeSimple I guess, because I can imagine problems long term and the fact you said it didn't interfere. Again, I appreciate it, but I just kind of find it out there personally. Still, thanks for the review. My Mazda6 Signature will slam on the brakes if I don't react to its warnings. It's caught me off guard before. So if you do get to test that aspect, I imagine it would perform equally. Appreciate it, and I know what you're doing takes a long time, so this was not to discourage or downplay your insight and thoughts.

[@user-ie1od8wz9w]

Bro what’s up with you sunglasses they remind me of the back doors on the CX-50

[@zhanatomarov3984]

Why this trim does,nt have a heating for stearing wheel ??????????????? very very strange, cause, this is not base version

[@CarsMadeSimple]

Yes it is disappointing given the price point.

[@dalbriggss]

I wish Mazda would offer a charcoal grey interior. Black and Terracotta are not enough interior color choices.

[@l4ndz3r]

id still pick cx5 over cx50 or even the cx9... im a fan of cx5 style and overall feel of the car

[@mrbungle589]

Test drove a 2023 CX5 turbo and went home with it.👍

[@kosmokritikos9299]

If reduced ground clearance is not an issue, the CX-5 is fine.

[@omegalamda3145]

The sunglasses!!! Lol

[@groovymoon]

We are selling pur 2023 Turbo Premium+. Seats are horribly uncomfortable, ride is too stiff, steering is too stiff.

[@vebo6380]

I am not a techy, so I could care less about the infotainment system. I don’t even carry a cell phone. I don’t need the car driving ME, I want to drive IT. I love the looks and reliability of the CX-50, so I would consider buying one, however I would turn off most of the driver assist options. The only thing that concerns me is the stitching that runs down the center of the seats. Seems like it would be somewhat akin to sitting on a long strip of beef jerky.

[@CarsMadeSimple]

I didn't notice any major discomfort with the stitching. Most of the times things like that cannot be felt through clothing.

[@user-vs7ec1wz5d]

Very nice-looking vehicle. I don't care for the big black decal on the hood. Low mounted front turn signals are hard to see in some situations. I would prefer them mounted up closer to the headlights. I completely agree with your list of dislikes. The pee wee screen and the dumb location for the cup holders. The cup holders if used with some paper cups will probably crush in when your try to remove then and dump the drink all over the place, which I think could possibly cause an accident. Thanks for another great video.

[@CarsMadeSimple]

Yeah the cupholders are not in an ideal location. Thanks!

[@user-vs7ec1wz5d]

@@CarsMadeSimple Thank you for another great video!

[@jpcanavera]

Yeah they are rearward on the CX-5 and some reviewers don't like that either!

[@RealKevGotEm]

im sad i regret getting one just 6 weeks ago :( i got a preferred plus in white and i regret the color and the fuel economy is bad

[@Rol0123]

Why do u regret it?

[@RealKevGotEm]

@@Rol0123 cause of the fuel economy

[@reachboio]

turbo?

[@RealKevGotEm]

@@reachboio no.

[@sunitjoshi3573]

How much mpg are you getting?

[@Unchainedmaple888]

I only wish that the front end had a sharper design that looked more like the CX-30

[@CarsMadeSimple]

I like the front!

[@mrbungle589]

I think the front of the CX5 and CX30 look classy. The CX50 front looks aggressive, but it's the only thing I liked more than my CX5.

[@eleanormassaro5195]

@@CarsMadeSimpleme too!

[@cwqrpportable]

The turn signal fade was designed by Mazda to simulate a human heartbeat

[@vg4472]

What happens if someone takes your keys in an argument?

[@momichaux5054]

I own a 2023 CX-50----- Had to replace MASTER WINDOW SWITCH and the BELT Tensioner just last week which Mazda refused to pay for, I had to plunk down 583.00 bucks for this, I am not happy at all...

[@NooDLES411911]

The infotainment is great with the dial imo, very simple to use

[@jtaylorb88]

The fake rear vents are absolutely horrible along with the center strip on the seats its uncomfortable on longer drives.

[@feliperodriguez8871]

wiper motor is way too slow on high for heavy rain, visibility is cut down to next to nothing

[@classiccorvettesmusclecars5846]

My likes are the rugged design and a proven engine/trans combo. Dislikes is not built in Japan & the stupid annoying stop/start they put on the the turbo model..I bought a 2017 six and now have a 22 CX9 since it didn’t shut the engine off at stop signs & red lights. I don’t care that u can turn it off it’s a horrible thing that really doesn’t save gas at all.

[@mp8129]

How to turn it off? I’m waiting for my turbo premium plus and would like to have it off.

[@jpcanavera]

Thank your govt on that one. I'm glad I bought my CX-5 last year before all the Mazda's got this dumb feature. Wait till you see the cost of that special battery that they have to use because of all the stop/starts.

[@feliperodriguez8871]

The seats are uncomfortable for long rides, very stiff . Needs softer cushion on the seat

[@eleanormassaro5195]

I’ve taken many long road trips in my CX 50 and I have no problem with the seats!

[@sunitjoshi3573]

@@eleanormassaro5195 Awesome! I’m looking at 2024 CX50 Premium. Any ideas if $34,244 OTD is a good price with 0% for 60 months?

[@hippo-potamus]

Not a fan of the always on awd.

[@kosmokritikos9299]

The dislikes seem a bit nitpicky.

[@almoultrie3490]

Nice report

[@witsendcottage595]

I agree about the infotainment screen...it should a large tablet like that of the Mach E... you failed to mention the disappointing small opening of the panoramic sunroof.... Mazda has a design problem....all of their SUVs look the same....no mystery there. Also, mileage is not that great.

[@CarsMadeSimple]

I did mention that small opening in my walkaround video. I didn't find the smaller opening to be that much of a drawback to warrant it a "dislike". The MPG wasn't great but I was getting roughly what it is rated at (which still isn't great).

[@RealKevGotEm]

100% very sad

[@seanmccann2790]

This gives me more reason to stay with a CX-5.

[@kosmokritikos9299]

My problem with the CX-5 is reduced ground clearance.

[@NooDLES411911]

​@@kosmokritikos9299When is that ever an issue with a Mazda CX? They're not meant for any real type of offroading.

[@jpcanavera]

Yeah I went through the same thought process and took the CX-5. Difference in interior space is .6 of a cubic foot. Not worth the $2K more that a similar model of the CX-50 demands. You sit higher in that CX-5, a little more head room, and get a 4 wheel independent suspension. Also like the Japan built quality in the 5. Finally at the time of purchase, the CX-50 was a first gen car. I tend to believe that those who jump into year one of any vehicle are the testers of new designs, and year two brings about more changes due to customer feedback and experience with that new vehicle.

[@orig_gee_man]

1, Steering wheel is absolutely not thin, 2, BMW X5 had worst cup locations, nothing major, 3 Touchscreen with android or apple play size 10.2" large compared to Honda for example... 4, OMG, 5, OMG, 6, BS ignore it. At this level it is what it is. It picks up the car in front of you, as radar does, but has nothing to do with the distance keeping..

[@62play4]

When will you come out with your PERFECT SUV??????????????????????????????????

[@JenniferTopas]

Paying cx50 but expecting rx350. Good luck

[@johncarlucci8683]

very uncomfortable front seats!

[@stevenweiss2148]

I do not rely on these gadgets to maintain distance

[@davidwayne9982]

I would prefer REGULAR cruise control- I don't want some stupid computer deciding when to do what.. that's more tech BS...

[@eleanormassaro5195]

I love the radar cruise control my CX 50, the only time I don’t like it is when a car slows down and changes lanes in front of me and then my car slows down too much!😅

[@maxxbenzz7842]

So you can't turn the radar function off? Yeah I like traditional cruise control also

[@davidwayne9982]

@@maxxbenzz7842Don't know- but I doubt it-- wouldn't be safety equ. if it could be turned off.. :)

[@maxxbenzz7842]

How? It would just revert back to holding a set speed. I dont need it to tell me exactly how far back i need to stay behind the car in front of me.​@davidwayne9982

[@maxxbenzz7842]

This isnt built in Japan. Ill take a cx 5 or cx 9 instead

[@josephcrafa2694]

These auto reviewers make me laugh . I guess they have never ridden in a car with crank up windows and no air conditioning. They need to stop their whining.

[@CarsMadeSimple]

I own a car with crank windows and optional A/C for when it was built.

[@josephcrafa2694]

@@CarsMadeSimple and yet you complain about the cup holders ?

[@CarsMadeSimple]

@@josephcrafa2694 It's something I use every day. If they are hard to use, then yes it's a valid criticism.

[@SK-qc6fb]

You are still the driver, not the car

[@osint6372]

CX5

[@osint6372]

The cup holders are fine......who cares....The cup holders I care for when I drive....not when I am parked.

[@jpcanavera]

Funny thing was that the CX-5 cup holders are behind the shift so all you have to do is reach down. Some reviewers criticized that design also and said they it should be forward. I take this criticism with a grain of salt. You learn and you get used to it. Eventually muscle memory kicks in and you easily take care of that cup.