The Mazda Crossover That Quietly Runs A Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Powertrain
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Friday, 21 Aug 2026 22:00 0 4 autotech
Have you ever wondered why the Toyota RAV4 is one of the best-selling compact SUVs on the market today? Next to the Ford F-150, it’s one of the highest grossing vehicles in the American market. Mazda has been needing a hybrid powertrain for its compact SUVs for a long time. They’ve been slow to catch up. Thankfully, Toyota lent them the previous-generation powertrain that produces 219 horsepower.
They even share the same production plant in Huntsville, Alabama. At this point, the price difference is a bit steep in the difference between the mystery Mazda and the RAV4, as the new RAV4 costs a few thousand dollars less than the Mazda from a base model perspective. However, knowing Mazda, you’ll get a slightly more premium cabin and a few more creature comforts outright.
This powertrain powering this Mazda is a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder engine whose gears are changed by a planetary-gear eCVT and three electric motors. Combined, this mystery Mazda outputs 219 horsepower and 163 pound-feet of torque. Like most Mazdas of today, there’s also an all-wheel drive-only option that powers this gas-sipping SUV. Speaking of, you’ll benefit from 39 MPG in the city and 37 MPG on the highway with a combined number of 38 MPG. Don’t expect to go anywhere fast in this one, though, as it only gets zero to 60 MPH in about 7.8 seconds.
A $2.3 Billion Toyota-Mazda Joint Venture Explains How This Happened
2026 Subaru Solterra front 3/4 shot parked on the roadNicole Wakelin | Top Speed
This isn’t the first time Toyota has shared a production plant with another automaker. Technically, they own a 20 percent stake in Subaru as well, sharing the same plants, and frankly almost identical cars, like the Subaru Solterra and the Toyota bZ. Not to mention the Toyota GR86 and the Subaru BRZ.
Now, they also share a plant with Mazda in Huntsville, Alabama. This has turned into a joint 50/50 venture and a $2.3 billion investment with production beginning in 2021. While the new RAV4 benefits from the newer A25A-FXS engine put into every Toyota RAV4, this Mazda has the slightly older A25D-FXS engine that’s clearly just as good. Again, Mazda’s been needing something like this for a long time.
Same Engine, But The Mazda Pays A Weight Penalty
Front 3/4 shot of 2025 Toyota RAV4 parked in fieldToyota
The previous generation RAV4 Hybrid’s powertrain helped it achieve 39 to 40 miles per gallon combined, while this Mazda can only achieve about 38 MPG combined. This Mazda is also a couple of hundred pounds heavier than the RAV4, at 4,000 pounds for the Mazda compared to the last-generation RAV4’s 3,700 pounds, give or take.
This helps not only the EPA ratings, but also the zero-to-60 time, seeing as the RAV4 is a slim few tenths of a second quicker than the Mazda at 7.3 seconds (to 7.8 seconds depending on the test). Everything else is completely identical to the donor company’s engine. But identical specs don’t mean an identical car — and that’s where things get interesting.
The Mazda CX-50 Hybrid Is A Fancier RAV4
2026 Mazda CX-50 Driving ShotMazda
The Mazda CX-50 itself came out for the 2023 model year. At this point, the CX-5 had been out for a while and the Mazda CX-30 had only been out three years prior. There wasn’t necessarily a need for another compact SUV from Mazda, but with the market heading towards more “rugged do-it-all” SUVs, the CX-50 almost seemed obligatory. It is also surprising that this powertrain found itself in the CX-50 as opposed to the CX-5, as the CX-5 outsold the CX-50 by nearly 20,000 units in 2025.
Maybe the plan was to shift more sales toward the CX-50 before they introduced the new bespoke CX-5’s hybrid powertrain for the new generation. Regardless, it comes in three trim levels witha starting MSRP of $34,750, which is about $3,000 more than the base model RAV4, but of course, it’s a tad fancier.
Two Of The Most Reliable Brands In America Share One Powertrain
Close-up shot of a 2026 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid’s emblemMazda
Mazdas are, on their own, considered to be reliable vehicles. Adding more peace of mind was their move to incorporate one of the most dependable brands on the market, Toyota. Toyota’s hybrids have been put through the wringer, so to speak, for over 25 years since the first Prius was sold in Japan in 1997. To bring it back to the Mazda CX-50 itself, JD Power gave the CX-50 a reliability score overall of 77, but that does not necessarily count for the hybrid.
IIHS Top Safety Pick+ And Five Stars From NHTSA — The CX-50 Aces Both Tests
2026 Mazda CX-50 towingMazda
We could go on and on about the fuel efficiency and dependability of this car, but safety should be your top priority when picking a vehicle. The Mazda CX-50 can deliver on this need. IIHS awarded the CX-50 their Top Safety Pick+ award in 2025.
This also makes it one of eight models that have been awarded to Mazda overall, so you know this is the real deal. In terms of crash test rankings, all six evaluations received a “Good” rating except for whiplash prevention, headlights (depending on the trim), and front crash protection, all of which scored “average.” NHTSA, on the other hand, gave it a five-star overall rating, with rollover being the only category that scored four out of five.
Sportier Steering, More Ground Clearance, And A Terracotta Interior — Where The CX-50 Wins
Besides a fancier exterior, the Mazda CX-50 has a few more things to offer over the RAV4. According to a Car and Driver comparison test, the steering seemed weightier and simultaneously quicker than the RAV4’s which signifies a bit more of a sporty nature from the CX-50. Additionally, the interior benefits from a leather trimmed cabin overall with some interesting colors like the available Terracotta interior.
It also borrows a red color from Toyota called Soul Red Crystal Metallic for an extra $595. When it comes to ground clearance, the standard RAV4 has 8.1 inches compared to the CX-50’s standard 8.6 inches (not counting the Trail Edition). The Mazda benefits from an eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty for the hybrid system and hybrid battery. That way, you can absolutely be at ease for years to come with your Toyota-powered Mazda.
Not everything is peachy with the Mazda CX-50 hybrid, however, as there are some opportunity costs had with buying the hybrid over the standard CX-50. Firstly, the towing capacity has been vastly compromised with the turbo version being able to tow 3,500 pounds (even more than the CX-5) and the hybrid version only being able to tow 1,500 pounds.
This is a 57 percent reduction, but hey, at least it could tow a U-Haul! It’s also less powerful than the newer RAV4. The newer RAV4 has 226 to 236 horsepower compared to the Mazda’s 219. Unlike the CX-90/70, there is also no plug-in hybrid variant. The RAV4 came with a PHEV variant for the previous generation and now the current one, but unfortunately, the CX-50 doesn’t get the same perks.
The Battery Lives Under The Rear Seat — And Costs You Nearly Two Cubic Feet Of Trunk Space
What they share in common, however, is that the battery placement cuts into cargo space. Toyota loves to put the hybrid battery in the rear seat or the trunk and, in this case, they put it under the back seat of the 2026 Mazda CX-50, unlike the RAV4’s trunk. Fortunately, it doesn’t actually cut down on legroom in the back, as they both offer (depending on who you ask) 37.8 inches of legroom in the back seat and about 41 inches in the front.
The cargo space does take a hit, however, as it only provides 29.2 cubic feet of storage behind the second row, whereas the non-hybrid gives you about 31 cubic feet. Additionally, the Toyota RAV4 offers even more cargo space at about 37.5 cubic feet (previous generation).
PHEV Or Premium Feel? Here’s How To Choose Between The RAV4 And CX-50 Hybrid
2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime Driving Front Three-QuarterToyota
Seeing as they’re both good options, it’s really down to looks at this point. There’s really not a huge difference when it comes to gas mileage, as it’s truly only one to two miles per gallon. The previous generation is a good buy all around and was very popular. The current generation is also shaping up to be just as popular.
If you want a PHEV and need the extra fuel efficiency, then the Toyota is for you. If you care about looks, brand prestige, and drivability, then the Mazda is for you. The Mazda is going to also offer you a way out of the turbo one if you can’t stomach how little fuel efficiency it can offer.
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