- Olga Kokorina
- Translated by Olga Apetenok
- Ru Fr He
Meet the new Mazda CX-50
The new compact SUV by Mazda (Japan) will have four-wheel drive and two engines to choose from. It will initially feature a gasoline engine, and a hybrid system will appear later. Production of the Mazda CX-50 will start in 2022 at the American Mazda Toyota Manufacturing (MTM) plant in Huntsville, Alabama. The SUV will be sold in North America. It is not yet known whether it will appear on other markets. The new Mazda CX-50 is built on the CX-5's transverse engine platform, and there is reason to believe that the CX-50 will soon replace the ‘older sibling’ in the family. Although Mazda Motor has not commented on the matter yet.
According to the advertising video, the new CX-50 is designed for outdoor trips. With the canoe fixed on the rooftop, the SUV confidently moves along the forest dirt road and transmits video from a handy rear-view camera when parking in reverse. Therefore, the entry-level vehicle is four-wheel drive, despite the fact that compact urban SUVs tend to use the front axle, and the rear is connected through a clutch (i-Activ AWD). But it is not about the Mazda CX-50. It must have full off-road potential. The vehicle’s major task is also emphasized by the presence of the Mazda Intelligent Drive Select, or Mi-Drive, which includes different modes of driving electronics, sharpened for different types of coverage. The CX-50 is targeted at outdoor enthusiasts, so the SUV got roof rails for attaching equipment to the roof, as well as reinforced center pillars and door frames.
For the first time, the engine range comprises two units taken from the CX-5: a 2.5-liter naturally-aspirated engine and a 2.5-liter turbocharged engine from the Skyactiv-G family. Both are paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. The manufacturer has not yet announced the CX-50’s engine output, but for the CX-5 these units produce 190 and 253 hp, respectively. It can also be noted that the vehicle is made in compliance with the Kodo corporate style. The interior is minimalist, and there is a chic panoramic roof for complete unity with nature.
