Compare the2024 Hyundai TucsonVS 2024 Mazda CX-50

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Hyundai Tucson have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Mazda CX-50 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Tucson are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The CX-50 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

With its standard Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, the Hyundai Tucson is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Mazda CX-50, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Tucson’s standard Downhill Brake Control allows you to creep down safely. The CX-50 doesn’t offer Downhill Brake Control.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Tucson has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning with Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, systems which detect vehicles approaching from the sides and can automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. Only the CX-50 Turbo Premium Plus offers Rear Cross Traffic Braking.

Both the Tucson and the CX-50 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The Tucson comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The CX-50’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Tucson 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Mazda covers the CX-50. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the CX-50 ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Tucson’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the CX-50’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Tucson for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Mazda doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the CX-50.

There are over 55 percent more Hyundai dealers than there are Mazda dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Tucson’s warranty.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Tucson has a 150-amp alternator. The CX-50’s standard 100-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are better in initial quality than Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai above average in initial quality. With 15 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 31 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is ranked 12th.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Hyundai Tucson uses regular unleaded gasoline. The CX-50 with the 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Hyundai Tucson higher (7 out of 10) than the Mazda CX-50 (5 to 7). This means the Tucson produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the CX-50 every 15,000 miles.

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Hyundai Tucson, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the CX-50.

The Tucson stops shorter than the CX-50:

For better traction, the Tucson has larger tires than the CX-50 (235/65R17 vs. 225/65R17).

For superior ride and handling, the Hyundai Tucson has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Mazda CX-50 has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The Tucson has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Tucson flat and controlled during cornering. The CX-50’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The Tucson Limited AWD handles at .82 G’s, while the CX-50 pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Tucson Limited AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the CX-50 (27.4 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 28 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

The Hyundai Tucson may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 200 to 350 pounds less than the Mazda CX-50.

The Tucson is 3.5 inches shorter than the CX-50, making the Tucson easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the Tucson uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The CX-50 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Tucson has 7.9 cubic feet more passenger volume than the CX-50 (108.2 vs. 100.3).

The Tucson has 1 inch more front headroom, .9 inches more front hip room, 1.7 inches more front shoulder room, .9 inches more rear headroom, 1.5 inches more rear legroom, 1.8 inches more rear hip room and 2.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the CX-50.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Tucson’s rear seats recline. The CX-50’s rear seats don’t recline.

The Tucson has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the CX-50 with its rear seat up (38.7 vs. 31.4 cubic feet). The Tucson has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the CX-50 with its rear seat folded (74.8 vs. 56.3 cubic feet).

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Tucson’s liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The CX-50 doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Tucson uses the Electronic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The CX-50 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The Tucson has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The CX-50 doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The Tucson Limited’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The CX-50 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The power windows standard on both the Tucson and the CX-50 have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Tucson is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The CX-50 prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Tucson Limited’s Remote Smart Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Smart Park Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The CX-50 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The Tucson is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The CX-50 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Insurance will cost less for the Tucson owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Tucson will cost $620 less than the CX-50 over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Hyundai Tucson will be $1965 to $5515 less than for the Mazda CX-50.

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

The Hyundai Tucson outsold the Mazda CX-50 by almost five to one during 2023.