So the rumor-mill (on Google and YouTube) has it that Mazda will release both a new CX-5 and CX-50 in the same 2023 model year. One would be very similar to the existing CX-5 and the other larger, RWD and inline six, aimed to take on the luxury brands. Seems a little far-fetched to me but what do others think?
Also does that make the 2022 a total carry-over/lame-duck? Not sure what more they could add to it?
To complicate things for me personally, my lease comes due in February 2022. Hmmm.
That makes perfect sense to me. CX-5 continues as the mainstream option in competition with the RAV4, CR-V, et. al. with CX-50 in the "premium" class competing against similarly sized and equipped BMWs, Mercedes, et. al., a US $40,000+ vehicle.
It would make no sense to have such a large gap between CX-30 and a premium/performance 300 hp RWD vehicle (at least to start out) when the volume sales are in the gap between the two. The indications seem to be the CX-50 trims added later will go up from there, not down--AWD, turbos, an EV. Maybe one step down with the 2.5L paired with a mild plug-in hybrid, but to me that would make mores sense as a CX-5 trim.
If that's the way it comes down, the only thing that does not make sense to me is the CX-50 name. It seems to me they should have chose one that makes a clearer differentiation from the CX-5. This would not be akin to the CX-3 vs. CX-30 where the difference is 40 hp and some hair splitting at the starting trim.
