The 2026 Mazda CX-50 Turbo Premium Plus Proves Luxury Doesn’t Have to Be Expensive

With the 2026 Mazda CX-50 Turbo Premium Plus, you get all the perks of a luxury SUV without the price tag of one. It almost feels too good to be true.

Upon seeing the 2026 Mazda CX-50 popping against fall foliage with its shade of Soul Red Crystal Metallic, I knew I was in for a week of luxury comfort, trendy style, and athletic performance. Its candy apple red-like shade of paint is perfect for the fall foliage and other fall season hues. But this SUV has affordable benefits that keep on giving all year.

This Mazda SUV is the first model designed specifically for the American market. It provides desirable features such as extra space, a confident and engaging experience, unmatched capability, reliable safety, and near-luxury comfort without a luxury price tag. The 2026 Mazda CX-50 even has an above-average off-roading capability for those fall adventures and escaping the city.

Starting with an MSRP of $29,000 means that the 2026 Mazda CX-50 is competitively priced despite providing more standard features than it rivals, like standard all-wheel-drive , premium synthetic leather upholstery, dual-zone automatic climate control, a 10.25-inch information display, and a long list of standard safety features.

Our stories, inboxed. Subscribe to our newsletter here!

This story is 100% human-researched and written based on actual first-person knowledge, extensive experience and expertise on the subject of cars and trucks.

The 2026 Mazda CX-50 Turbo Premium Plus Makes A Difference

My review model for the week was the 2026 Mazda CX-50 Turbo Premium Plus . It's the fully loaded trim level that increases the starting price to about $42,900. This may seem like quite the leap from $29,000, but it does add a lot of desirable and advanced features, including a more powerful engine.

The standard engine is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 187 hp and 185 lb-ft of torque. It has an adequate amount of speed for daily errands and commuting. But the turbocharged 2.5-liter engine delivers 227 HP and 310 pound-feet of torque to turn up the fun with a little extra speed and confidence. Mazda says that if you add premium fuel to the tank, the horsepower and torque goes up to 256 HP and 320 pound-feet of torque.

Extra features with the Turbo Premium Plus trim include the 360-degree surround view camera, which is great for navigating around tight spaces, and reverse automatic braking. It also includes front cross-traffic alert, intersection collision mitigation, blind-spot intervention, and plenty of top-notch perks such as adaptive headlights that move with the steering wheel, heated/ventilated seats, and a wireless phone charging pad.

Driving The Mazda CX-50 Turbo Can Be Addicting

With the available turbocharged engine, the 2026 Mazda CX-50 flies from 0 to 60 mph in about 7.2 seconds to spice up boring commutes with plenty of passing power. The brakes are strong and responsive for stopping power and peace of mind. Plus, they're smooth and easy to master to avoid jerky, abrupt motions.

For the first time in a while, switching between Sport and Normal Driving does make a noticeable difference with more power. You gain faster acceleration and immediate power on tap as the engine delivers a seductive growl. Normal Mode is a bit more relaxed and balanced for a polished experience.

The ride quality is incredibly smooth over broken and beat-up sections of pavement on backcountry roads. It's like the suspension dampens impacts before they can even think about disrupting the cabin. Also, while the interior is mostly peaceful and quiet, a bit of wind and road noise is noticeable at highway speeds.

Up in the mountains around Asheville, NC, I couldn't resist putting the Off-Road Mode to the test and was pleasantly surprised by the i-Activ AWD system. It's well composed in slippery conditions on gravel and dirt roads, with an intelligent power distribution to each wheel. It's so resistant to slipping and sliding that it gets you to the campsite without breaking a sweat.

The 2026 Mazda CX-50 Is Ready To Pamper Your Entire Family

You can pretty much call the front seats of the Mazda CX-50 premium leather recliners because they are well-padded with plenty of plush support for hours of comfort. They're fit for passengers of all shapes and sizes. At 5'1", the adjustment controls allow me to find the perfect driving position with plenty of visibility. Taller passengers around the six-foot mark didn't feel cramped, with room to stretch out.

The rear seat is more spacious than the seats in the back of the smaller Mazda CX-5. Rear passengers have enough room to ride behind taller passengers in the front without complaining. The bench seat has a relaxed backrest angle and plenty of padding to match the comfort of the front seats.

The automatic climate control system automatically adjusts according to the outside temperatures to keep you nice and toasty on crisp fall mornings and chill during humid afternoons. The rear air vents are a great perk for rear passengers. I found the heated steering wheel and seats to be fast-acting for instant relief, and the ventilated seats have more cooling power than average.

Does the 2026 Mazda CX-50 Have Enough Cargo Space?

The 2026 Mazda CX-50 provides 31.4 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats. This is an excellent amount of space for storing luggage, all of your groceries, and larger items like strollers. Fold the rear seats down to access up to 56.3 cubic feet of cargo space for storing even larger and longer items.

I found that the rear hatch and doors open wide, making it easy to load up my 45-lb dog, Bruce, and bulkier items. It also helps that the Mazda CX-50 has a convenient lift-over height so it's not a struggle to lift larger items into the trunk area. If you need more space, take advantage of the roof rails.

Storage space for personal items is generous thanks to a sizable center console and glove box. A tray for the wireless phone charging pad rests in front of the center console and another storage tray is placed in front of the gear shifter. The door pockets, cupholders, and seat pockets are spacious as well.

Let's Talk About That Premium Mazda CX-50 Interior

The 2026 Mazda CX-50 interior is elegant and upscale, with an attractive element of simplicity as leather upholstery and soft-touch materials span the dash. Large sections of material are broken up by attractive metal accents and vibrant accent stitching. On a cool note, the stitching is inspired by hiking boot laces.

I wouldn't mind having all-weather rubberized mats, but the premium carpeting isn't a disadvantage. The interior materials have a premium yet durable feel, as the CX-50 is able to stand up to anything that comes its way. It's also noticeably easy to clean after taking dogs along for hiking adventures.

The available panoramic sunroof is massive and allows you to enjoy nature-filled views as natural light fills the cabin. But it may land on the 10.25-inch center display that's controlled by a rotary dial system. The screen does act as a touchscreen when connected to Apple CarPlay, but don't let the lack of full touchscreen functionality be a damper on the CX-50 parade.

It's so easy to quickly master the rotary dial system. Plus, the voice commands work well, and connecting to Apple CarPlay is so fast and easy. The digital gauge cluster is vibrant, and the premium Bose audio system delivers high-quality sound. Also, the adaptive headlights are so quick to adjust as needed! It's an advanced SUV.

Overall, the 2026 Mazda CX-50 is perfect for those who want a fun driving experience but need a bit of extra space. It's great for those looking for premium and luxury comfort without wanting to pay a luxury price tag. Plus, it's a rugged SUV that can tackle light off-roading challenges and inclement weather situations.