Image: Mazda
Image: Mazda
Image: Mazda
Image: Mazda
NewsBy: Ryan De Villiers
Mazda’s local offerings cater to a wide array of needs from double cab bakkies to sporty sedans, but it seems that the US market has the pleasure of having an off-road inclined CX-50 model.
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Image: Mazda
Across the Atlantic in the States, the CX-50 is powered by two distinct power-plant options, namely;
- A naturally aspirated 2,5-litre four-cylinder 140 kW and 252N.m, which is found in the lower-lying models in the eight-part CX-50 range
- A turbocharged 2,5-litre four-cylinder can be found in the higher-specced CX-50 models, and endows said SUV’s with an output of 169 kW and 420 N.m using lower octane fuel but jumps up by 190 kW and 434 N.m when fed higher octane fuel.
Image: Mazda
Aside from its power plant, the CX-50 is equipped with the firm’s i-Activ All-Wheel-Drive technology and the Mazda Intelligent Drive Select as standard. The CX-50’s power plant is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.
In terms of its physique, the CX-50’s front is characterized by a familiar grille and headlights array, while its bumper is flanked by large air curtains on either side. The flank showcases body colour-matched fender flares housing 17-inch alloy wheels on the entry-level model, while the range-toper is outfitted with 18-inch alloy wheels. The rear is more or less than the same as the CX-5, except for air vents on the sides. Compared to the local lineup, the CX-50 is on par with models such as the CX-5 and the newish arrival, the CX-60.
Image: Mazda
In terms of price, the entry-level stacks almost squarely with the entry-level CX-5, which has been the brand’s best-selling model in the local market for some time. At the furthest end of the range, the CX-50 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus costs just R10 000 more than the equivalent CX-5 model based on current exchange rates (but ignoring import fees which inflate the price).
Image: Mazda
Riding higher than the local CX-5 variant, would you be interested in owning an overloading Mazda with the same on-road manners we’ve come to expect from the brand alongside an affinity for rugged off-roading?
Keyword: US Mazda CX-50 Blends On-Road Manners and Off-Road Capability