Compare the2025 Volvo XC60VS 2025 Mazda CX-50

The XC60’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The CX-50 doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the XC60 and CX-50 have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The XC60 Plus/Ultra/Polestar has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The CX-50’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The Volvo XC60 offers optional built in child booster seats. They’re more crash worthy than an added child seat because of their direct attachment to the seat. Mazda doesn’t offer the convenience and security of a built-in child booster seat in the CX-50. Their owners must carry a heavy booster seat in and out of the vehicle; XC60 owners can just fold their built-in child seat up or down.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the XC60 deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The XC60’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The CX-50’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

The XC60 has a standard Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS), which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the WHIPS allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. At the same time the pretensioning seatbelts fire, removing slack from the belts. The CX-50 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the XC60’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The CX-50 doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the XC60 has standard Cross Traffic Alert with Braking Intervention, 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 XC60 and the CX-50 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, 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.

The XC60 comes with a full 4-year/50,000-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 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The XC60’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the CX-50’s (12 vs. 5 years).

Volvo pays for scheduled maintenance on the XC60 for 3 years and 30,000 miles. Volvo 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.

The battery on the XC60 is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the XC60’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The CX-50’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

The XC60 has more powerful engines than the CX-50:

As tested in Motor Trend the XC60 B5 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Mazda CX-50 4 cyl.:

As tested in Car and Driver the XC60 T8 2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cylinder hybrid is faster than the Mazda CX-50 (256 HP engine):

On the EPA test cycle the XC60 running on electricity gets better mileage than the CX-50:

On the EPA test cycle the XC60 running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the CX-50:

The XC60 T8 Extended Range can travel with zero emissions for 35 miles. The CX-50 can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regardless of its engine, the XC60’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip (not available T8). Mazda only offers an automatic engine start/stop system on the CX-50 Turbo/Hybrid.

The XC60 has 4.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the CX-50 Hybrid’s standard fuel tank (18.8 vs. 14.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The XC60 has 2.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the CX-50’s standard fuel tank (18.8 vs. 15.9 gallons).

The XC60 has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The CX-50 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Volvo XC60, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the CX-50.

For better stopping power the XC60’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the CX-50:

The XC60’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the CX-50 are solid, not vented.

The XC60 stops much shorter than the CX-50:

For better traction, the XC60 has larger standard tires than the CX-50 (235/60R18 vs. 225/65R17). The XC60’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the CX-50 (265/35R22 vs. 245/45R20).

The XC60’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the CX-50’s standard 65 series tires. The XC60’s optional tires have a lower 35 series profile than the CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo’s 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the XC60 has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the CX-50. The XC60’s optional 21-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels on the CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo.

For superior ride and handling, the Volvo XC60 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 XC60 has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the XC60 flat and controlled during cornering. The CX-50’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The XC60 offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The CX-50’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The XC60 Ultimate has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The XC60’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The CX-50 doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the XC60’s wheelbase is 2 inches longer than on the CX-50 (112.8 inches vs. 110.8 inches).

The XC60 handles at .88 G’s, while the CX-50 2.5 Turbo Premium pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The XC60 B5 Core executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.4 seconds quicker than the CX-50 (26.6 seconds @ .64 average G’s vs. 28 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the XC60 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the CX-50 Hybrid Preferred (8.5 vs. 7.6 inches), allowing the XC60 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The XC60 has 2.7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the CX-50 (103 vs. 100.3).

The XC60 has 2.8 inches more front hip room, 2.3 inches more front shoulder room, 3.3 inches more rear hip room and 2.7 inches more rear shoulder room than the CX-50.

The XC60 has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the CX-50 with its rear seat folded (63.3 vs. 56.3 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the XC60 easier. The XC60’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 26 inches, while the CX-50’s liftover is 28.4 inches.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the XC60. The CX-50 doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the XC60’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under 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.

The XC60’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the CX-50’s (3500 vs. 2000 pounds).

While the CX-50 Hybrid can only tow 1500, any XC60 can tow a minimum of 3500 pounds.

Standard Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) on the XC60 uses the Dynamic Stability and Traction 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.

Unlike the driver-only memory seat and mirrors in the CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo/Hybrid Premium, the XC60 Ultra/Polestar has a passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The power windows standard on both the XC60 and the CX-50 have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the XC60 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.

If the windows are left open on the XC60 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the CX-50 can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The XC60’s standard Keyless Entry & Drive allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the cargo door, and start the vehicle, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Advanced Keyless Entry and Start standard on the CX-50 doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are optional on the XC60 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The CX-50 doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The XC60 offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The CX-50 doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The XC60’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Mazda only offers heated mirrors on the CX-50 Preferred/Premium/Turbo.

The Volvo XC60 has power folding mirrors that offer unparalleled convenience while maneuvering in tight places or parked. With the mirrors folded it’s easier to walk past and help prevent parking damage. The mirrors can be quickly unfolded when the driver is ready to leave. Power folding mirrors are only offered on the CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo.

The XC60 Ultra offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the CX-50.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the XC60 as the 2018 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year. The CX-50 has never been chosen.