Honda and Toyota SUVs are everywhere, and for good reason. It’s extremely difficult to find SUVs that have packaging that’s as complete, or nearly as complete, as most Honda and Toyota models. The SUVs from these brands have names you know, like Highlander, Pilot, RAV4, CR-V, and 4Runner. Except for the 4Runner, these SUVs are made for calm, easy, reliable, safe, and practical driving on every road, but aren’t there alternatives you could drive and still have the same qualities?
Premium SUV Feeling Without Luxury Pricing
The Incredible Cabin
If there were an SUV that competes with the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V on price and features, but with a cabin adorned with premium materials, it would be worth considering. That’s exactly what you’ll find in this alternative SUV. This brand has always punched above its price class in terms of cabin design and materials, making it easy to step in and get comfortable.
More Adventurous Than Its Predecessor
Can a rugged personality be combined with premium materials and a well-designed cabin? Despite the predecessor to the ideal alternative to a Honda or Toyota SUV coming equipped with a premium cabin, it also has a rugged personality, making it ready for adventure. It leans into a trail-focused design with available drive modes and an impressive roof load capacity. It could be the right choice if you want an SUV that feels more outdoorsy without being a full-on off-roader.
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Engaged Driving In A Top Safety Pick
Safety Is Everything
If you’re going to play with the big dogs, you’ve got to compete at their level. Toyota and Honda have built their reputations on reliability, quality, affordability, and safety. Thankfully, several SUVs have found their way to the top of the safety charts as well, including the 2026 Mazda CX-50. It receives the ‘Top Safety Pick+’ honors from the IIHS, with impressive crash-test performance and safety features designed to help it be in fewer crashes than past models.
The Mazda i-Activsense Safety Suite
Mazda has incorporated a suite of safety features that rivals those of Toyota and Honda. This driver assistance package incorporates cameras, radar, and collision mitigation features to increase driver awareness and reduce the likelihood of an accident. Some of the items included in this package are the Adaptive Front-Lighting System, High-Beam Control, Lane Departure Warning System, Forward Obstruction Warning, Driver Attention Monitor, and Smart City Brake Support.
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The Mazda CX-50 Is Luxury-Adjacent
Going Upscale Just Got Easier
The 2026 Mazda CX-50 offers a more upscale interior than most mainstream rivals. This allows the CX-50 to punch above its weight with the “premium without luxury pricing” angle, which has become one of the biggest advantages of driving a Mazda. By comparison, the CX-50 offers the lowest starting price ($29,900) among the 2026 Toyota RAV4 ($31,900) and the 2026 Honda CR-V ($30,920), making the Mazda the affordable choice with a premium feel.
When Style Matters, Mazda Delivers
Some vehicles simply catch your eye and show you what vehicle styling could be. There’s nothing wrong with the styling of the Toyota RAV4 or Honda CR-V, but they are two of the most common SUVs on the road. The CX-50 turns heads wherever it goes, thanks to the Kodo design language that makes the SUV appear in motion even when standing still. Mazda designed the CX-50 with a wider, lower, and more athletic look than most rivals, making it more appealing to drivers seeking a great alternative to the most common SUVs on the road.
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Multiple CX-50 Powertrain Options For Power And Efficiency
The CX-50 Drives Like A Mazda
Mazda might have moved away from the “zoom zoom” tagline, but it didn’t move away from the feeling. SkyActiv engine technology is still part of the mix, and the 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine makes 187 horsepower in its naturally aspirated form, while the turbocharged version delivers 256 horsepower when fed premium fuel. The secret sauce to Mazda fun has always been its quick torque delivery, and the CX-50 reaches 185 pound-feet at 4000 rpm, making it practically jump off the line. If you opt for the turbocharged model, the torque figure is 320 pound-feet, which means quicker acceleration. Toss in the deft steering and precise handling, and you might forget it’s an SUV.
Standard AWD And Good Efficiency
The 2026 Mazda CX-50 comes standard with AWD, which means you’ll be ready to handle foul weather if you drive this SUV. Unfortunately, that means it might be a bit less efficient than expected, but the trade-off could be worth it to most drivers. The standard powertrain returns 24 city/30 highway MPG, while the turbocharged versions reach 23 city/29 highway MPG. These figures compare favorably to the Honda CR-V, which offers 28 city/33 highway MPG.
Surprising Capability
You aren’t limited to the dimensions of the vehicle in terms of cargo capacity when you choose the CX-50. In addition to a generously strong roof rack, both powertrains can easily handle some towing when properly equipped. The base powertrain is rated at 2,000 pounds of towing capacity, while the turbocharged models increase that figure to 3,500 pounds. This number matches the rating of the top trims of the Toyota RAV4, and bests the Honda CR-V in every way. In fact, the turbocharged CX-50 tows more than the Ford Bronco Sport, which is rated at 2,700 pounds.
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Mazda Features That Make A Difference
Mi-Drive
The Mi-Drive system is also known as Intelligent Drive Select. It allows the driver to choose from Normal, Sport, and Off-Road modes for the right responsiveness while driving. The Sport mode sharpens responses, making on-road driving more engaging and dynamic.
Head-Up Display
The Mazda CX-50 is one of the few compact SUVs that can be had with a head-up display. It is a color display projected onto the windshield, just outside of the driver’s line of sight, making it easy to keep the readings you want right in front of you and avoid taking your eyes off the road for too long.
Bose Audio System
The Premium and Premium Plus trims are available with a 12-speaker system featuring Bose Centerpoint and AudioPilot technologies to turn the cabin into a concert hall. Leave the road noise outside where it belongs and become immersed in the amazing Bose sound of the CX-50 with this system.
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Going Hybrid Never Looked So Good
Increased Efficiency In A Stylish Mazda
Another alternative to the Toyota and Honda SUVs crowding the roads is the hybrid CX-50. This SUV comes with the same Mazda styling, premium materials, and qualities as the non-hybrid models, but with a more efficient powertrain. It uses a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and three electric motors to produce 219 horsepower. Like other CX-50 models, it also has standard AWD to meet your driving needs.
The Trade-Offs Of The Hybrid CX-50
The Mazda CX-50 Hybrid is more efficient than its non-hybrid variants with a fuel efficiency rating of 39 city/37 highway MPG. This is lower than what a Toyota RAV4 Hybrid offers, which achieves 48 city/42 highway MPG. Additionally, the CX-50 Hybrid can tow up to 1,500 pounds, matching the Honda CR-V, but is well below the towing capacity of other CX-50 models.
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Great Reasons To Choose the CX-50
Drivers looking for an SUV that competes with Toyota and Honda models but offers something different should consider the 2026 Mazda CX-50. It has a much more engaging driving feel than most compact SUVs, comes with standard AWD, includes excellent safety features to earn top safety scores, and it looks and feels more upscale and premium than its price suggests. The CX-50 feels more like an SUV you want to drive, rather than an appliance you have to drive.
Sources: Mazda, Kelley Blue Book, IIHS, The EPA