From time to time, my father (and co-author of this blog) Marc Bouchard and I share an automotive-themed day to test drive a recent model. Usually, these events are tightly scripted, with manufacturers spending days preparing to deliver a most impressive ride. This time, Mazda put the emphasis on driving pleasure, letting us freely test-drive its new hybrid-powered 2025 Mazda CX50 across the Montreal region. Rather than follow the proposed route through the Montérégie region, we preferred to draw inspiration from our recent trip to the Prairies, where we had done a similar thing, by visiting some of the city's “kitschiest” landmarks.
Heading for Saint-Joseph-du-Lac
Leaving downtown, we headed for Montreal's north shore, where the Ciné-Parc St-Eustache and its giant neon cowboy were supposed to be waiting for us. Much to our dismay, all the attractions we'd hoped to see in the area had been retired, leaving us plenty of time to appreciate the Mazda CX50's new engine block, equipped for the first time with mild hybridization. Its 219 horsepower are far from breathtaking, but we were frankly surprised by the driving feel, which remains pleasant and dynamic all the same. And that's the Mazda philosophy, which puts the connection between driver and vehicle at the heart of its design.
An orange like no other
Moving on to the Décarie highway for a second round of kitschy monuments, we also noticed the quality of the sound system, easily connected to one's phone thanks to a simple but effective infotainment system. We might have preferred slightly more granular position adjustments, especially since the seats are rather stiff, but all in all the cabin is comfortable. In any case, the Mazda CX50 hybrid brought us to our destination, the famous Orange Julep, extremely economically: only 6.2L/100km, even in the city. What's more, we have to admit that the vehicle's red color goes particularly well with that of the restaurant!
Is hybridization worth the cost?
The rest of our journey took us mainly through the congested streets of Montreal, from the colorful Château Maneki to the gigantic Guaranteed Pure Milk bottle in the downtown area. Even in heavy traffic, the 2025 Mazda CX50 continued to offer a pleasant driving feel, although we sometimes wished for a little more torque and power. It was also at this point that our opinions began to differ. While the base price of $42,950 before shipping and preparation costs raised my father's eyebrows, I wasn't too surprised. It may be a bit too expensive for the product, but in today's market, I think it's still pretty reasonable! At least with the hybrid model, you'll be sure to save on gas...
