2025 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid vs Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Comparison Test + Video

If the 2025 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid is a basket of fries, then the 2025 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is a plate piled high with diced potatoes.

OK, fine — maybe that’s just my stomach creating connections that might not otherwise exist, but it’s a surprisingly apt analogy when you think about it. After all, both gas-electric crossovers share the same key ingredients, but it’s the way they’re served that sets them apart. 

Power

If you haven’t heard, Mazda borrowed Toyota’s famous fuel-saving powertrain in its entirety to create the CX-50 Hybrid. That means everything from the four-cylinder engine to the transmission, electric motors, and battery pack is shared between these two crossovers. However, the way each of them performs is noticeably different.

In the case of the CX-50, the absence of a selectable eco setting stands in contrast to what hybrids are supposed to be about; however, it makes this Mazda feel naturally peppier than the RAV4 Hybrid, while the automatic continuously-variable transmission (CVT) isn’t as problematic. By contrast, loud droning sounds emanate from under the Toyota’s hood with a heavy foot applied to the throttle, while acceleration isn’t quite as gutsy.

Mazda CX-50 Hybrid 8 / 10

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid 7 / 10

Driving Feel

The CX-50 also happens to drive like a Mazda, which is entirely unlike its counterpart in this comparison. While not quite sporty — and that’s perfectly fine — there’s a noticeable level of engagement from behind the wheel that’s missing from the Toyota, which is far more relaxed. Specifically, there’s a sense of steering resistance that gives a good idea of which direction the front wheels are pointed, whereas the RAV4’s system is overboosted and absent of feel.

The Mazda’s chassis is tighter, too, with barely any perceptible body roll compared to the softer ride and handling of the RAV4. What this Toyota offers isn’t sloppy, mind you — it simply isn’t as direct and dialled in. However, both crossovers could benefit from better braking feel, with a lack of initial bite that’s especially noticeable when slowing down from highway speeds in a hurry.

Mazda CX-50 Hybrid 8 / 10

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid 7 / 10

Comfort

Of course, there are pros and cons that come with that sharper on-road feel, with the CX-50’s ride quality coming in a distant second place in this comparison. It’s not necessarily uncomfortable, although the general stiffness of the suspension and chassis means road imperfections make their way inside more easily than they do in the RAV4.

And while part of it surely comes down to the slightly larger wheels the range-topping CX-50 Hybrid GT tested here rides on — it’s fitted with 19-inch alloys versus the RAV4 Limited Hybrid’s 18-inch wheels — it’s a byproduct of the difference in overall execution. But then road noise is just as well hushed in the Mazda, while the seats are slightly more supportive and come wrapped in genuine leather at the top of the lineup compared to the Toyota’s synthetic stuff.

Mazda CX-50 Hybrid 7 / 10

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid 7 / 10

Fuel Economy

It isn’t just the way it feels on the open road that favours the RAV4 Hybrid — it’s how much fuel it burns. That’s a pretty key metric for a hybrid of any kind, and it was perhaps the gas-electric CX-50’s biggest disappointment during this test. Not only was the indicated average of 7.9 L/100 km over the course of a little more than 700 km worse than its adversary’s 7.0 over a similar total, but that number is quite a bit higher than the 6.2 it’s rated for. (The RAV4 Hybrid is rated for 6.0.)

Of course, the winter conditions experienced during this test were enough to explain why both crossovers fared so much worse than expected, with significant snowfall and particularly cold temperatures all week long. That means the gap between them should be much closer with more reasonable weather in the forecast, as has been our experience in the past.

Mazda CX-50 Hybrid 7 / 10

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid 7.5 / 10

Styling

The CX-50 isn’t quite as objectively sleek and stylish as the similarly sized — and, it’s worth noting, much older — Mazda CX-5, although it’s more interesting to look at than the decidedly more staid RAV4. Where Toyota’s compact crossover is equal parts angular and anonymous, the latter of which is a result of how well it sells (and with good reason), Mazda’s effort here is more muscular and eye-catching, especially in this tester’s rich shade of red paint ($500).

Conversely, the RAV4’s cabin is more interesting across the entirety of the lineup, with the optional brown leather seen here about the only way the CX-50 could be called stylish inside. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with it otherwise, but the space lacks the shapes, colours, and textures Toyota’s designers opted for — and to great effect. But then the lack of genuine leather in the range-topping RAV4 Hybrid is a glaring omission.

Mazda CX-50 Hybrid 8 / 10

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid 8 / 10

Practicality

The CX-50’s sleek roofline makes up no small part of its aesthetic appeal, although it means it’s the inherently less practical pick between the pair. In fairness, the cargo area is longer than the RAV4’s; but the slightly higher bumper liftover combined with the shorter overall height leads to less volume in the back, with 826 L versus 1,059 L. Meanwhile, stowing their 60/40 split-folding rear seats opens up 1,594 L in the Mazda compared to the Toyota’s 1,977 L.

Their passenger areas cater to different needs, too, with more rear-seat headroom in the RAV4. There’s also a bit more small-item storage throughout the cabin, including bigger door pockets and a deeper console bin. But then the CX-50 offers occupants in the back more legroom, while those in the front are treated to more headroom. Of course, how much these measurements matter will depend on use, but the Toyota’s extra space for stuff is hard to ignore.

Mazda CX-50 Hybrid 7 / 10

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid 8 / 10

Safety

Both crossovers are well endowed with advanced safety and driver-assist systems that add to the peace of mind they provide. Forward collision warning with pedestrian detection and automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning and keeping assistance, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control that works in stop-and-go traffic — it’s all standard.

Mazda’s adaptive cruise control is calibrated slightly better than Toyota’s, so it matches speeds with preceding traffic with a more natural feel. The rest of the stuff isn’t as prone to firing off panicked warnings as the same systems in the RAV4, although none of it’s enough to warrant a higher score.

Mazda CX-50 Hybrid 9 / 10

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid 9 / 10

Value

The 2025 CX-50 Hybrid has a straightforward lineup, with just three trims to choose from. By comparison, the 2025 RAV4 Hybrid comes in five trims, with two of them offering optional packages that add to the feature count — and the asking price.

Notably, the CX-50 Hybrid GS-L that’s the cheapest in the lineup starts at $45,145 before tax but including a non-negotiable freight charge of $2,195. That’s significantly more than the RAV4 Hybrid LE, which rings in at $38,435 with its own $1,930 freight charge factored in, although it comes with less stuff. (More on that shortly.) Next up is the CX-50 Hybrid Kuro that’s $47,045 before the government’s share, which is more than the Toyota’s XLE ($41,575), SE ($43,375), and XSE ($46,275) trims.

When it comes to their most expensive trims, the RAV4 Hybrid Limited has a pre-tax price of $49,455, while the CX-50 Hybrid GT is $50,545. But then this particular example had a few options — red paint, brown leather, illuminated door sill plates — that added another $1,303 to its asking price for a total of $51,848 before taxes.

Mazda CX-50 Hybrid 7 / 10

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid 8 / 10

Features

The CX-50’s steeper starting price comes down to the extra equipment it comes with. So while they both have a bunch of the same stuff — advanced safety suites, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connections, heated front seats — Mazda has also included a heated steering wheel, wireless phone charger, and panoramic sunroof, to name a few.

Otherwise, the Mazda’s standard stereo has eight speakers compared to the Toyota’s six (both offer upgraded units higher in their lineups with 12 and 11 speakers, respectively), while its automatic climate control system has three zones versus two. Meanwhile, features like ventilated front seats and heated rear ones are reserved for both of their top trims, with the most expensive CX-50 also featuring a head-up display that the RAV4 doesn’t.

Mazda CX-50 Hybrid 10 / 10

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid 9 / 10

User-Friendliness

The age differences between them plays a part in why the RAV4’s list of features isn’t quite as robust, with the current fifth-generation version first introduced for 2019. But then its age means this most popular compact crossover hasn’t yet succumbed to the latest trend that’s seen most in-vehicle controls centralized to the touchscreen, with a full complement of easy-to-use switchgear inside. While the infotainment interface is fairly basic, it’s straightforward no matter the screen size — eight-inch in the LE, XLE, and SE, and 10.5-inch in the XSE and Limited.

Graciously, the CX-50’s setup also relies heavily on conventional controls, with the climate and infotainment systems managed via buttons and dials. However, while the 10.25-inch screen that’s mounted high atop the dash — and awkwardly out of reach as result — features touch functionality when either Apple CarPlay or Android Auto are in use, the rest of the time it tests your patience via the console-mounted dial and buttons.

In fairness, the setup has at least a couple redeeming qualities, like a navigation button that acts as a Google (or Apple) Maps shortcut when a smartphone is connected, plus voice recognition that can switch between satellite radio stations by name. But none of it is enough to make up for the clunkiness of using a dial to accomplish what a couple quick taps of a touchscreen can manage.

Mazda CX-50 Hybrid 5 / 10

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid 8 / 10

The Verdict

There’s nothing wrong with choice, which is what the 2025 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid provides if nothing else. It also takes its best parts from none other than Toyota and wraps them up in a distinct looking — and driving — package. Unfortunately, those unique aesthetics make it slightly less practical than the 2025 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, which happens to be a universally appreciated quality in a crossover this size. While it might not be exciting, there’s a reason the RAV4 still reigns supreme — and cruises to victory in this comparison.