Not every CX-50 shopper is looking for the same thing. Some want a well-equipped SUV at a lower starting price. Some want more comfort for the daily drive. Others want turbo power or the all-terrain tires and distinctive styling of a Meridian Edition.
If you’re shopping for a 2026 Mazda CX-50 near Lakewood, the trim level matters. The right choice depends on how much time you spend behind the wheel, who rides with you, and which features you’ll appreciate most. Here’s how the seven gas trims, including two Meridian Editions, compare, plus a look at the separate Hybrid lineup.
2026 Mazda CX-50 Trims at a Glance
2.5 S Select
Essential
2.5 S Preferred
Convenient
2.5 S Meridian Edition
Outdoorsy
2.5 S Premium
Refined
2.5 Turbo
Responsive
2.5 Turbo Meridian Edition
Adventurous
2.5 Turbo Premium Plus
Advanced
Breaking Down the 2026 Mazda CX-50 Trim Lineup
Mazda CX-50 2.5 S Select: A Practical SUV with Personality
The Select is a good place to start if you want an SUV for the daily drive without paying for upgrades you won’t use. Standard AWD, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and dual-zone climate control give you useful equipment from the beginning of the lineup.
If you’re buying your first SUV or replacing an older vehicle, the Select may already have what you’re looking for. You can bring your maps and music along, give your front passenger their own temperature setting, and leave leather seating and turbo power off the shopping list.
- Wireless smartphone integration: Connect compatible maps, music, and calling functions through the center display.
- Dual-zone climate control: Let the driver and front passenger choose different temperatures.
- Wireless phone charging: Keep a compatible phone charged without another cable across the console.
Mazda CX-50 2.5 S Preferred: More Comfort for a Busy Household
The Preferred is a natural fit for shoppers who want a few more comforts in their daily drive. It adds heated front seats, a power liftgate, and a panoramic moonroof, giving a family SUV more comfort without moving into the leather-trimmed models.
If your week includes school drop-offs and grocery stops before packing for a weekend away, these are upgrades you’ll use often. The power liftgate helps when your hands are full, and parking sensors provide alerts when you’re maneuvering near other vehicles or a garage wall.
- Heated front seats: Add warmth during cold morning departures.
- Power driver’s seat: Eight-way adjustment and lumbar support help you find a comfortable position.
- Front and rear parking sensors: Provide alerts when maneuvering near obstacles.
Mazda CX-50 2.5 S Meridian Edition: For Drivers Who Make Time to Get Outside
New for 2026, the 2.5 S Meridian Edition brings all-terrain tires to the non-turbo CX-50 lineup. It keeps the heated front seats, power liftgate, and panoramic moonroof of Preferred, then adds 18-inch wheels and black exterior details.
If getting outside often means a gravel access road to a campground or trailhead, this trim is worth considering. You get the Meridian tire setup and appearance without paying for turbo power, while keeping the conveniences you’ll use on the drive to work.
- 18-inch wheels with all-terrain tires: Replace Preferred’s 17-inch wheels and all-season tires with a setup suited to outings that include gravel access roads.
- Black exterior details: Gloss black emblems and badges coordinate with the black roof rails.
- Power liftgate and heated front seats: Make loading weekend bags easier and add warmth on cold morning drives.
Mazda CX-50 2.5 S Premium: More Polish for the Drive Home
The Premium makes sense when your CX-50 is where you spend a good part of the day. Leather-trimmed seating, ventilated front seats, and Bose audio add comfort for a longer commute or a road trip, while retaining the non-turbo engine.
If you care more about the seat you settle into and the music you listen to than extra acceleration, this may be the right step up. Driver’s seat memory is also useful when you share the vehicle and don’t want to readjust your position every time you switch.
- Heated and ventilated front seats: Offer comfort through chilly mornings and warmer afternoons.
- Two-position driver’s seat memory: Make switching between drivers more convenient.
- 12-speaker Bose audio: Upgrade the listening experience for music and podcasts.
Mazda CX-50 2.5 Turbo: For Drivers Who Still Want to Enjoy the Drive
The 2.5 Turbo is the trim to consider if you want your next SUV to feel more responsive when you press the accelerator. It builds on Premium’s leather seating, front-seat ventilation, and Bose audio, then adds turbo power and a windshield-projected Active Driving Display.
If highway merges and uphill stretches are a regular part of your driving, the added engine response may be worth the upgrade. You keep the cabin comforts for a long trip, with more power available when you need to build speed.
- Turbocharged engine: Delivers stronger acceleration than the non-turbo engine.
- Active Driving Display: Projects selected driving information onto the windshield.
- Adaptive headlights: Adjust their direction as you steer to help illuminate curves.
Mazda CX-50 2.5 Turbo Meridian Edition: Outdoor Character with More Power
The Turbo Meridian combines the all-terrain tire setup with a stronger engine and more passenger comfort. It adds terracotta leather, hood graphics, a heated steering wheel, and heated rear seats, giving it more than an appearance change over the non-turbo Meridian.
If you want the Meridian tires and styling but also enjoy a more responsive drive, this is the version to compare. The extra heated features are welcome when you and your passengers head out early on a cold morning.
- Meridian exterior equipment: Includes 18-inch wheels, all-terrain tires, hood graphics, and side rocker garnish.
- Terracotta leather seating: Gives the cabin a different color treatment from the non-turbo Meridian.
- Heated steering wheel and rear seats: Extend cold-weather comfort beyond the front seats.
Mazda CX-50 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus: More Technology for Everyday Driving
The Turbo Premium Plus is where the CX-50 adds more help with seeing around the vehicle. It keeps turbo power and adds a 360° View Monitor with See-Through View, along with features such as Front Cross Traffic Alert and Rear Smart Brake Support.
If you regularly park in a tight garage or back out between taller vehicles, those camera views and alerts may be useful. It’s a trim for shoppers who want more parking and driver-assistance technology alongside the comfort of a turbo model.
- 360° View Monitor with See-Through View: Provides additional camera perspectives when maneuvering.
- Additional driver assistance: Includes Front Cross Traffic Alert and Rear Smart Brake Support.
- Auto-dimming mirrors: Help reduce glare from headlights behind you.
Preferred vs. Premium: Which Comforts Matter Most?
Preferred and Premium share the non-turbo engine. Preferred adds heated seats, a power liftgate, and parking sensors; Premium builds on those features with leather seating, ventilation, seat memory, and Bose audio.
2.5 S Preferred
For the household on the move: Heated seats, a power liftgate, and parking sensors make it easy to appreciate during a busy week. It may be all you need if leather and upgraded audio aren’t priorities.
2.5 S Premium
For more time behind the wheel: Leather-trimmed seats, ventilation, memory settings, and Bose audio make the cabin more inviting. It’s worth considering when your commute or road trips give you plenty of time to enjoy those upgrades.
Premium vs. Turbo: Comfort or Comfort with More Power?
The Turbo keeps the cabin features that make Premium appealing and adds stronger engine response. The choice is less about passenger space and more about what you want from the drive.
2.5 S Premium
A comfortable place to settle in: Choose Premium if you want leather, ventilation, and Bose audio and feel satisfied with the non-turbo engine.
2.5 Turbo
More response when you ask for it: Choose Turbo if acceleration is part of what you enjoy about driving. The windshield display and adaptive headlights add to the upgrade.
What Makes the Meridian Editions Different?
The Meridian Editions are for shoppers drawn to the CX-50’s outdoor side. Both use 18-inch wheels with all-terrain tires, but the non-turbo version keeps black half-leatherette seating while Turbo Meridian adds terracotta leather, hood graphics, and more heated features.
The 2.5 S Meridian Edition is new for 2026, giving you the Meridian look and all-terrain tires without moving into turbo power. If engine response and passenger comfort matter just as much, Turbo Meridian deserves a closer look. AWD and all-terrain tires don’t replace careful driving. Dedicated winter tires may be worth considering for regular snow and ice.
Is the CX-50 Hybrid More Your Style?
The CX-50 Hybrid is for drivers who like the idea of a comfortable SUV but pay close attention to fuel use. With an EPA-estimated 38 mpg combined and standard electric AWD, it’s worth comparing if commuting and errands account for much of your mileage. Actual fuel economy varies with conditions and driving habits.
Its three trims follow a familiar progression. Hybrid Preferred includes heated front seats and a panoramic moonroof, Premium adds leather, ventilation, and Bose audio, and Premium Plus brings heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, and an Active Driving Display.
Which Mazda CX-50 Trim Should You Buy?
For many households near Lakewood, Preferred is a good place to start. Its heated seats, power liftgate, and parking sensors bring useful upgrades without moving too far up the lineup.
If you want more from the cabin, choose Premium. If you want more from the engine, compare 2.5 Turbo. The Meridian Editions suit shoppers who prefer their appearance and all-terrain tire setup, while Turbo Premium Plus puts more emphasis on camera visibility and driver assistance.
Select remains a strong option if its standard equipment covers what you want. And if you drive enough for fuel costs to weigh heavily in your decision, make time to compare the Hybrid before choosing.
Find Your CX-50 at McDonald Mazda West
Visit McDonald Mazda West in Lakewood to see how your favorite trims compare from the driver’s seat. Our team can help you check equipment, look over cargo space, and arrange a test drive in an available model. We currently expect the 2027 Mazda CX-50 to arrive in late Q4 2026 or early Q1 2027, though timing may change.