The compact hybrid SUV market has an agile new option with the arrival of the 2025 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid. It’s the brand’s first traditional hybrid.

The CX-50 Hybrid shoots Mazda straight to the top of a busy segment. A Honda CR-V Hybrid might still be the better all-rounder, but the Mazda scores highly when it comes to both driving and design, all the while sipping fuel like a RAV4 Hybrid. It is welcome proof that sensible cars can be desirable too.

Mazda creates strong high-mpg hybrid value in the middle of its U.S. lineup but loses its own narrative in the driver’s seat.

Imagine: You've got the hood up on your Mazda with a crowd leaning in, onlookers saying things like, "Woah, is that a Toyota Dynamic Force 2.5-liter four-cylinder with dual electric motors and a CVT?

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Mazda's stylish crossover gets some electrified power, courtesy of a Toyota hybrid system, but is the CX-50 the complete package?