Mazda CX-50 vs Mazda CX-5: MPG, Fuel Cost, Recalls and Safety
On EPA ratings the 2025 Mazda CX-50's best version gets 38 mpg combined against 28 mpg for the Mazda CX-5.
Mazda CX-50
38mpg
Best 2025 version: 2.5L 4-cyl hybrid · 4WD · CVT
Mazda CX-5
28mpg
Best 2025 version: 2.5L 4-cyl · 4WD · 6-speed automatic · auto start-stop
The cheapest Mazda CX-50 to fuel costs $1,700 a year at EPA's prices, $600 less than the cheapest CX-5. NHTSA lists 5 recalls for the 2025 CX-50 and 0 recalls for the CX-5.
Side by side
| 2025 model year | CX-50 | CX-5 |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel economy (EPA) | ||
Best combined rating | 38 mpg (clearly better) 2.5L 4-cyl hybrid · 4WD · CVT | 28 mpg 2.5L 4-cyl · 4WD · 6-speed automatic · auto start-stop |
Best gas rating Gas engines only; hybrids and diesels excluded | 28 mpg | 28 mpg |
Hybrid or plug-in available | Hybrid 38 mpg | No |
AWD or 4WD available | Yes | Yes |
Lowest annual fuel cost 15,000 miles at EPA fuel prices | $1,700 (clearly better) | $2,300 |
5-year fuel cost vs average new vehicle Cheapest-to-fuel version (EPA) | Saves $3,000 (clearly better) | Same |
| Safety (NHTSA) | ||
Safety recalls, 2025 model year Counts depend on sales and time on sale | 5 | 0 |
Owner complaints, 2025 model year Filed with NHTSA so far | 47 | 27 |
NHTSA overall crash rating Range across tested versions | 5 stars | 5 stars |
Rollover risk Range across tested versions; lower is better | Not rated | 16.9% |
Marks the clearly better figure. Small gaps (under 2 mpg or 5%, $100 a year in fuel) and overlapping crash-test ranges are not marked, and recall and complaint counts are not scored because they depend on how many were sold.
Best combined rating by model year
The best-rated version of each, every model year since 2016. The CX-50 rated higher in 3 and the CX-5 in 1 of the 4 years both were sold.
- Mazda CX-50
- Mazda CX-5
2025: Mazda CX-50 38 mpg · Mazda CX-5 28 mpgTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
| Model year | Mazda CX-50 | Mazda CX-5 |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | – | 29 |
| 2017 | – | 27 |
| 2018 | – | 29 |
| 2019 | – | 29 |
| 2020 | – | 28 |
| 2021 | – | 28 |
| 2022 | – | 26 |
| 2023 | 27 | 26 |
| 2024 | 27 | 28 |
| 2025 | 38 | 28 |
| 2026 | 38 | 26 |
Recalls by model year
Safety recalls NHTSA lists for each model year. Counts depend on how many were sold and how long each model year has been on the road.
- Mazda CX-50 (left bar)
- Mazda CX-5 (right bar)
2026: Mazda CX-50 0 recalls · Mazda CX-5 0 recallsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
| Model year | Mazda CX-50 | Mazda CX-5 |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | – | 4 |
| 2017 | – | 1 |
| 2018 | – | 3 |
| 2019 | – | 2 |
| 2020 | – | 0 |
| 2021 | – | 0 |
| 2022 | – | 0 |
| 2023 | 2 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 | 5 | 0 |
| 2026 | 0 | 0 |
More on each model
- 2025 Mazda CX-50 MPGEvery version and a fuel cost calculator
- Mazda CX-50 by yearMPG, recalls and complaints
- 2025 Mazda CX-5 MPGEvery version and a fuel cost calculator
- Mazda CX-5 by yearMPG, recalls and complaints
Questions
Which gets better gas mileage, the CX-50 or the CX-5?
For 2025, the CX-50. Its best version is rated 38 mpg combined; the CX-5's best is 28 mpg.
Which is cheaper to fuel?
The CX-50. At EPA's assumptions its cheapest version costs $1,700 a year against $2,300, a $3,000 difference over five years.
How do they compare in NHTSA crash tests?
The 2025 CX-50 is rated 5 stars overall and the CX-5 is rated 5 stars overall. Rollover risk is 16.9% for the CX-5.
Sources and method
- US EPA fuel economy data (fueleconomy.gov), file dated Sep 18, 2026, and EPA fuel prices.
- NHTSA recall file dated Sep 29, 2026 and owner complaint file dated Sep 28, 2026; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings.
We compare the best-rated version of each model unless a row says otherwise. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.