Mazda CX-50

The bulge over the rear fenders (circled in green) might also suggest that this car is using the new FR platform.

It is definitely very similar to the MX30, which imo looks great and now looking at your comparison, even the front turning signal is similar with the one in MX30. Great comparison pics btw! Overall the design even though its an early spy shot I believe its great.

This makes me wonder if the CX-50 is going to sit above the CX-5. It looks larger, more aggressive (tail pipes) and the back looks a little like a Cayenne.

Not really sure you can drawn a comparison between the two. One is front driver, smaller and one is going to be rear-driven and bigger. Price wise it is going to be more expensive for sure therefore it will sit above (way) of the CX5.

As it was rumoured I believe they will keep selling both, at least for a couple of years because it is they're best selling vehicle and I am not sure how many people will want to go spend another 10-15K on a new Mazda.
 
I agree with you guys, they'll probably keep both models, at least for a while. The CX-50 will definitely be more expensive, and they need something in the CX-5's current price range to continue to compete for sales.

With the car being a little bigger, having a different platform, and likely having a few more luxury features, I don't think it will cannibalize CX-5 sales much.

Nice catch with the tail pipes too @dougal!
 
Can anyone read the tire size? Looks like at least 20’s. Curious about the width, too.

Yeah, those look like 20" wheels. The tire gap looks smaller as well. The other question is if that was Dave Coleman driving it!
 
Excellent updates and analysis, everyone...Much appreciated! (y)

Can anyone read the tire size? Looks like at least 20’s. Curious about the width, too.
I believe they are...Watched a video where the commentator mentioned you can see they're 20's on the rear tire.
 
We are in need of compact [emergency] 3-row, Kia Sorento size (189" long, 76" wide). Any clues that CX-50 will offer that in USA?
 
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I used to have a '08 CX9. Now, a '17 CX5.
Mazda needs a new model that fits in between, dimension wise.
I am happy there are more folks thinking this way.
With every generation almost every manufacturer increases dimensions. But my garage stays the same size since the 80s.
 
I am happy there are more folks thinking this way.
With every generation almost every manufacturer increases dimensions. But my garage stays the same size since the 80s.
I agree fully BG. I chose the CX-5 (2019) partly because of its compact dimensions of my garage. My 2008 RDX had grown 8" by 2019. I hope there is a new CX-5 that stays relatively small and the CX-50 is bigger.
 
Rumors from BestCar magazine of Japan:
Translated best I could...
Please take it with grains of salt .... :)

The coming CX-50 will be a derived model from next CX-5.
Think of them as Cayenne Coupe vs. Cayenne (or MB GLC coupe vs. GLC)
The next-CX-5 will be slightly lengthened to 4600mm (181in). Height will be marginally increased to 1680mm (66.1in). The more sporty CX-50 will be of the same length, but lower by 60mm. (2.36in).
Expected release date for CX-50 is 2023.

As for powertrain, high end models will have the new inline-6 (3.0L Skyactiv-X) + 48V mild hybrid, or Skyactiv-D 3.3L, making 285hp/37kg-m(267ft-lb) or 285hp/61.2kg-m(442ft-lb) respectively.
Lower end models will offer choices of Skyactiv-G 2.5L+48V(190hp/27.2kg-m:196ft-lb), 2.5T(230hp/42.8kg-m:309ft-lb) or 2.2L Skyactiv-D(190hp/45.9kg-m:331ft-lb).
On drivetrain, two choices will be offered, RWD or AWD.
 
Makes sense but the spy photos look like a bigger chunkier car. Maybe it's the CX-5. Hard to tell with all that camo.
 
Rumors from BestCar magazine of Japan:
Translated best I could...
Please take it with grains of salt .... :)

The coming CX-50 will be a derived model from next CX-5.
Think of them as Cayenne Coupe vs. Cayenne (or MB GLC coupe vs. GLC)
The next-CX-5 will be slightly lengthened to 4600mm (181in). Height will be marginally increased to 1680mm (66.1in). The more sporty CX-50 will be of the same length, but lower by 60mm. (2.36in).
Expected release date for CX-50 is 2023.

As for powertrain, high end models will have the new inline-6 (3.0L Skyactiv-X) + 48V mild hybrid, or Skyactiv-D 3.3L, making 285hp/37kg-m(267ft-lb) or 285hp/61.2kg-m(442ft-lb) respectively.
Lower end models will offer choices of Skyactiv-G 2.5L+48V(190hp/27.2kg-m:196ft-lb), 2.5T(230hp/42.8kg-m:309ft-lb) or 2.2L Skyactiv-D(190hp/45.9kg-m:331ft-lb).
On drivetrain, two choices will be offered, RWD or AWD.
Those are quite old news and while I still believe some of these are true, especially the 3.0 Skyactiv X for Europe, in NA I think we are going to get a turbocharged 3.0l Skyactiv-G (hopefully based on the ND Miata 2.0) with about 350hp.

Tbh that's all I am interest in :)
 
Those are quite old news and while I still believe some of these are true, especially the 3.0 Skyactiv X for Europe, in NA I think we are going to get a turbocharged 3.0l Skyactiv-G (hopefully based on the ND Miata 2.0) with about 350hp.

Tbh that's all I am interest in :)

I think they have already stated that the inline 6 is a Sky X engine.
 
Engineering aside, I struggle to understand the marketing.

It seems to me if Mazda wanted to break away from the RAV4 / CR-V crowd, with 300+ hp engines and rear wheel drive, they should have created a new marque a la Lexus / Acura, to be accompanied by the next gen 6, or at the very least used a different naming convention than one so closely identified with the CX-5 (let alone CX-30) in the everyman class.

The reality is people pay a lot of money for a badge and unless this vehicle meaningfully undercuts the BMWs of the world on price, making it "budget premium" rather than just "premium" it might be tough sell to other than the Mazda loyalists.
 
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Engineering aside, I struggle to understand the marketing.

It seems to me if Mazda wanted to break away from the RAV4 / CR-V crowd, with 300+ hp engines and rear wheel drive, they should have created a new marque a la Lexus / Acura, to be accompanied by the next gen 6, or at the very least used a different naming convention than one so closely identified with the CX-5 (let alone CX-30) in the everyman class.

The reality is people pay a lot of money for a badge and unless this vehicle meaningfully undercuts the BMWs of the world on price, making it "budget premium" rather than just "premium" it might be tough sell to other than the Mazda loyalists.
It's simple, Mazda brand does not have enough popularity, therefore not enough money to make a full premium variant of they're cars, as Toyota and Honda did and tbh you can't grow overnight into a premium segment. As an example, take Hyundai Genesis, that eventually became Genesis brand.

I even think they mentioned they don't want to go full luxury, they want to go premium at VW level type of money. Which is not a bad thing, IMO.
 
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