[Auto] Mazda CX-50 and Next-Gen CX-5 Confirmed to Get Hybrid Powertrains

[Wolf.17]

 

Mazda plans to launch a hybrid CX-50 later this year, and the next-gen CX-5 will have a hybrid too, according to details in the company's latest financial results.

Mazda previously confirmed that the CX-50 would add a Toyota-sourced hybrid powertrain; the next CX-5 will use a Mazda-developed hybrid setup.

While its first EV—the California-only, range-limited MX-30—was a commercial flop, Mazda will launch another electric car in 2027 using a dedicated platform.

At the moment, the only electrified Mazda sold in the United States is the mid-size CX-90, which is offered with a plug-in-hybrid powertrain. However, it looks like the lineup will soon add another one, with the Mazda CX-50 destined to get the hybrid treatment. That's according to information released as part of the company's latest first-quarter financial results, which include plans to introduce a hybrid CX-50 in the second half of this year.

 

Hybrid CX-5 and CX-50

Despite the recent news, this isn't the first time we've heard about it. A couple of years ago, Mazda vehicle dynamics engineer Dave Coleman confirmed that the CX-50 would adopt a gas-electric powertrain that was developed by Toyota. But that was the last we had heard about it until last month when we reached out to a Mazda spokesperson who confirmed to Car and Driver that the "CX-50 hybrid is coming soon" and that more details will be shared in June. Earlier this year, Mazda launched the CX-50 HEV in the Chinese market; it uses the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid's powertrain, which pairs a gas-fed 2.5-liter four-cylinder with up to two electric motors. It could preview the version that we'll get in the U.S.

Also mentioned in Mazda's financial report are plans for a next-generation CX-5. That's kind of odd considering we thought the company would phase that model out after its current life cycle, considering it competes with the newer CX-50. It seems like that's not the case, though, as Mazda is also developing its own hybrid powertrain and plans to offer it on the next-gen CX-5.

In the coming years, the automaker will be working on growing its EV business, with plans to launch what it's calling "e-Mazda. According to its financial report, this will include introducing a new EV model in 2027 that will be based on Mazda's first dedicated electric platform. The company recently revealed the Mazda EZ-6—a rear-wheel-drive sedan for the Chinese market with an estimated 370 miles of range. While it's not destined to come to North America, the EZ-6 provides a glimpse at the type of new EVs that Mazda can make.

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a60779043/mazda-cx-50-next-gen-cx-5-hybrid-confirmed/