Compare the2024 Mazda CX-50VS 2024 Hyundai Tucson

The Mazda CX-50 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Tucson doesn’t offer knee airbags.

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

Both the CX-50 and the Tucson have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

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 54 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Tucson has not been fully tested, yet.

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 21 points higher than the Tucson.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Mazda fourth in overall reliability. Hyundai is ranked 13th.

The CX-50’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 8 lbs.-ft. more torque (186 vs. 178) than the Tucson’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The CX-50’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 69 more horsepower (256 vs. 187) and 142 lbs.-ft. more torque (320 vs. 178) than the Tucson’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Mazda CX-50 4 cyl. is faster than the Hyundai Tucson:

On the EPA test cycle the CX-50 with its standard engine gets better fuel mileage than the Tucson AWD (24 city/30 hwy vs. 23 city/29 hwy).

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 Tucson doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

The CX-50 has 1.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the Tucson (15.9 vs. 14.3 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

For better traction, the CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Tucson (245/45R20 vs. 235/65R17).

The CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Tucson’s optional 55 series tires.

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

The CX-50 has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Tucson; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

The CX-50 has variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Tucson doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the CX-50’s wheelbase is 2.3 inches longer than on the Tucson (110.8 inches vs. 108.5 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the CX-50 is 1.4 inches wider in the front and 1.3 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Tucson.

For better maneuverability, the CX-50’s turning circle is 2.6 feet tighter than the Tucson’s (36 feet vs. 38.6 feet).

For greater off-road capability the CX-50 Premium/Turbo has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Tucson (8.6 vs. 8.3 inches), allowing the CX-50 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Maximum trailer towing in the Hyundai Tucson is limited to 2000 pounds. The CX-50 offers up to a 3500 lbs. towing capacity.

The CX-50 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Tucson uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo Premium has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Tucson doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The CX-50’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Tucson’s standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically. With the Tucson SEL/XRT/Limited’s power windows, only the front windows open or close automatically.

The CX-50’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Tucson’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

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

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the CX-50 Turbo has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Tucson doesn’t offer cornering lights.

When the CX-50 Premium/Turbo is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Tucson’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The CX-50’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Tucson offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The CX-50 has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the Tucson SEL/XRT/Limited.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Mazda CX-50 and the Hyundai Tucson, based on reliability, safety and performance.