Compare the2023 Mazda CX-50VS 2022 BMW X1

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Mazda CX-50 are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW X1 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests front crash prevention systems. With a score of 6 points, IIHS rates the Smart Brake Support in the CX-50 as “Superior.” The X1 scores only 4 points and is rated only “Advanced.”

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The CX-50 Turbo Premium Plus has standard Smart Brake Support-Reverse that use rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. The X1 doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the CX-50. But it costs extra on the X1.

The CX-50 Turbo Premium Plus has a standard 360° Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The X1 only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The CX-50’s blind spot warning system uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. The X1 doesn’t offer a system to reveal objects in the driver’s blind spots.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the CX-50’s standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side and Rear Cross Traffic Braking on the Turbo Premium Plus automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. The X1 doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

Both the CX-50 and the X1 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems and rearview cameras.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, and daytime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the CX-50 the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 53 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The X1 last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2018.

Mazda’s powertrain warranty covers the CX-50 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than BMW covers the X1. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the X1 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 54 percent more Mazda dealers than there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the CX-50’s warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the CX-50’s reliability 28 points higher than the X1.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Mazda above average in long-term dependability. With 13 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, BMW is rated lower.

The CX-50’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 28 more horsepower (256 vs. 228) and 62 lbs.-ft. more torque (320 vs. 258) than the X1’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the CX-50 (except Turbo)’s fuel efficiency. The X1 doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

The CX-50 stops much shorter than the X1:

For better traction, the CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the X1 (245/45R20 vs. 225/50R18).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo has standard 20-inch wheels. The X1’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the CX-50’s wheelbase is 5.7 inches longer than on the X1 (110.8 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the CX-50 is 3.6 inches wider in the front and 3.7 inches wider in the rear than the track on the X1.

The CX-50 2.5 Turbo handles at .87 G’s, while the X1 xDrive28i pulls only .86 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the CX-50’s turning circle is 1.4 feet tighter than the X1’s (36 feet vs. 37.4 feet).

For greater off-road capability the CX-50 has a 1.1 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the X1 (8.3 vs. 7.2 inches), allowing the CX-50 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The CX-50 Premium/Turbo’s minimum ground clearance is 1.4 inches higher than on the X1 (8.6 vs. 7.2 inches).

As tested by Car and Driver while at idle, the interior of the CX-50 2.5 Turbo is quieter than the X1 xDrive28i (37 vs. 40 dB).

The CX-50 has 1.3 inches more front legroom, .3 inches more front shoulder room and 2.8 inches more rear legroom than the X1.

The CX-50 has a much larger cargo volume than the X1 with its rear seat up (31.4 vs. 27.1 cubic feet).

The CX-50’s cargo area is larger than the X1’s in almost every dimension:

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the CX-50 Select/Preferred/Premium/Turbo’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The X1 doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

The CX-50 has a 2000 lbs. towing capacity. The X1 has no towing capacity.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the CX-50 has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the X1 only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

The CX-50’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the X1’s standard halogen headlights. LED lights also light instantly and last over twenty times longer than halogen.

Consumer Reports rated the CX-50’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the X1’s headlights, which were rated “Good.”

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The CX-50’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the X1’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

The X1’s optional cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The CX-50 Turbo’s standard adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

Both the CX-50 and the X1 offer available heated front seats. The CX-50 Turbo Premium Plus also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the X1.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo Premium keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The X1 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Mazda CX-50, based on reliability, safety and performance. The BMW X1 isn't recommended.

The Mazda CX-50 outsold the BMW X1 by over three to one during 2022.