• mazda has announced pricing for the 2023 cx-50, which starts at $28,025.
• it's a bit more expensive than the cx-5 but offers the same engine choices: a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter inline-four and a turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-four.
• a rugged-looking meridian edition is coming later on, as is a cx-50 hybrid with a toyota-sourced powertrain.

mazda will soon have two entries in the popular compact-crossover segment with similar price points. the 2023 cx-50 is the newer of the two, and we now know it will be more expensive than the existing cx-5 that's just received small updates for 2022. the cx-50 starts at $28,025 and ranges up to over $42,000 in its fully loaded turbocharged trim level. that starting price is $900 more than the cx-5's base price, while the loaded cx-50 is $2900 more than a cx-5 signature.

the cx-50 has a similar trim structure as the cx-5, with 2.5 s models coming with the same naturally aspirated 187-hp 2.5-liter inline-four engine that we're familiar with from other mazda models. select ($29,425), preferred ($30,725), preferred plus ($33,165), premium ($35,625) and premium plus ($37,625) packages will be available with varying levels of equipment. a more powerful 256-hp turbocharged version of the 2.5-liter engine is offered on the cx-50 2.5 turbo models, starting at $37,625.

unlike the cx-5, the cx-50 won't call its top trim level signature, instead going with the premium plus moniker for the fully loaded 2.5 turbo model that costs $42,775. all-wheel drive and a six-speed automatic transmission are standard across the board, and a hybrid model is coming later on with a powertrain sourced from toyota.

mazda also says it will eventually launch a meridian edition version of the cx-50 with a more rugged look that includes 18-inch wheels with all-terrain tires, hood graphics, and a few other outdoorsy accessories. we assume this is the version of the cx-50 that mazda showed in the initial press pictures (pictured below). pricing isn't available yet but we reckon it will also be more than $40,000.

mazda says production of the cx-50 has already begun at its new plant in alabama that's a joint venture with toyota. we don't yet have a specific on-sale date for the cx-50 but it should start arriving at dealerships within the next month or so.