If you want Mazda’s off-roady CX-50, you can now get it for a bit less.
While the CX-5 is still the front-runner in Mazda’s sales charts, the CX-50 has been a hugely important car in gaining the automaker a stronger foothold in the US market. It’s been around for a few years now, and as you typically see over a car’s lifecycle, we have a few changes in store for the 2026 CX-50. There’s no mid-cycle refresh or generational overhaul in sight just yet (as is coming to the aforementioned CX-5), but Mazda’s strategy this year is to drop the CX-50’s base price, which may make it a bit more accessible to budget-minded shoppers.
If you want the more dirt-worthy, rugged look of the CX-50 Meridian Edition and don’t want to spring for the turbo engine, you can now get it with the base 2.5 S powertrain. That makes the 2026 Mazda CX-50 2.5 S Meridian Edition a substantially cheaper option, coming in at $34,645 — or $7,150 less than the turbocharged version. You still get the 18-inch wheels, all-terrain tires, black roof rails and black badging, critically, so the only downgrades you seemingly get is the less powerful engine and leatherette seats rather than genuine leather.
Right off the bat, the 2026 Mazda CX-50 2.5 S Select, the base model, is getting a $600 shave off its MSRP. That creates a nice, marketable figure of $29,900 before destination charges, or $31,395 once you factor those in.
The 2.5 Turbo models also get a price reduction for the new model year, thanks to two factors. A base 2.5 Turbo is on the menu for 2026, so you don’t have to step into the Meridian Edition or the Premium Plus if you want the extra grunt. Now, the CX-50’s available 256 horsepower and 320 lb-ft of torque is available for $39,395 (again, a nice and marketable number, being just under $40K). That said, the Meridian Edition itself gets a $600 price cut (to $41,795), as does the Turbo Premium Plus (down to $44,395).
Depending on which model you choose, Mazda decided to add in new black badging and emblems. A new white interior option is also available on some models as a $200 added-cost option.
There is a catch, though…
On one hand, it’s welcome news that the 2026 Mazda CX-50 does get a hike to its base price. That’s only helpful if you shop at that end of the price band, though, so the CX-50 you’re likely shopping for is probably more expensive after all. You’ll see a $550 increase, for example, on the 2.5 S Preferred ($33,795), which rocks Mazda’s naturally aspirated 2.5-liter engine putting out 187 horsepower and 185 lb-ft of torque. The 2.5 S Premium, for its part, gets an even heftier $700 jump to $36,395.
And so the story goes if you’re shopping the 2026 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid, as well. Go for the base Hybrid Preferred and you’re staring down a $580 jump ($36,145), while the Hybrid Premium ($39,645) is $450 pricier. The only slight reprieve from a more expensive electrified CX-50, based around the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid’s powertrain, is to go all-in on the Hybrid Premium Plus. If you do that, you’ll spend $100 less than last year, or $41,645 if you’re stuck at MSRP.
Here’s a full 2026 Mazda CX-50 pricing breakdown:
| Trim | 2026 MSRP | Difference from 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 2.5 S Select (Base) | $31,395 | -$600 |
| 2.5 S Preferred | $33,795 | +$550 |
| 2.5 S Meridian Edition | $34,645 | New trim option for 2026 |
| 2.5 S Premium | $36,395 | +$700 |
| Hybrid Preferred | $36,145 | +$580 |
| Hybrid Premium | $39,645 | +$450 |
| Hybrid Premium Plus | $41,645 | -$100 |
| 2.5 Turbo | $39,395 | New trim option for 2026 |
| 2.5 Turbo Meridian Edition | $41,795 | -$600 |
| 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus | $44,395 | -$600 |
