Mazda CX-50 Just Beat The CX-5 As Hybrid Demand Takes Off

The Hybrid Helps Sales

Mazda has a great "problem" on its hands: its older CX-50 crossover just outsold its newer, redesigned CX-5 in the month of May. 14,897 people took home a CX-50 last month, a whopping 107.2% increase compared to the same month in 2025. The Japanese automaker says May 2026 was the best sales month ever for the CX-50 Hybrid, a key reason why this model sold so well.

In the same segment, the CX-5 only sold 7,805 units in May, a 17.9% decrease from a year ago. Mazda will introduce a CX-5 Hybrid next year, but this model is currently only available with a conventional four-cylinder engine.

"Mazda continued to build strong momentum in May, with total sales increasing 35% year-over-year. This growth reflects steady progress across the portfolio, led by the ongoing ramp-up of the CX-5, where gains are accelerating as both consumer awareness and dealer availability improve nationwide. Electrification remains a key driver of performance, highlighted by the CX-50 Hybrid, which is up more than 80% year-over-year."

The CX-5 Is Still Ahead

Though the CX-50 had a strong month, the CX-5 still leads the sales race with five months of 2026 now in the books. The CX-5 has moved 53,003 units to the CX-50's 52,132. Those are close numbers, but this could be the first sign of a momentum shift in favor of the CX-50. The 2026 CX-5 didn't arrive until a few months into the year, and many of those sales have been accounted by leftover 2025 model year inventory.

The CX-50 did start the year strong in January, outselling the CX-5 (10,415 to 9,873 units), but the CX-5 outsold the CX-50 in April (10,206 to 8,201 units), and the same was true for March and February.

Mazda sold Autoblog that the CX-50 and CX-5 may have similar prices tags and exist in a similar size segment, but they attract different customers. The CX-5 is cross-shopped against mainstream options like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4, while the CX-50 is compared to rugged SUVs like the Subaru Outback and Toyota 4Runner. Buyers also love the CX-50 Turbo, with 20% of buyers choosing it over the model's life. However, the CX-50 Hybrid is now so popular, more than one-third of buyers opt for it.

Strong May For Cars

Including the CX-50, May was a strong month for Mazda with 39,066 vehicles total, a 35% increase from May 2025. Though they only represented 5,174 of those sales, Mazda's car models all saw nice upticks this month and total increases this year. The Mazda3 sold 4,121 units in May (up 68%) and has sold 16,665 units so far this year (up 10.8%). The MX-5 Miata sports car sold 1,053 units (up 196.6%), reaching 3,911 units for 2026 (up 10.9%).

"Mazda3 is delivering standout results, rising roughly 75% year-over-year as consumers continue to prioritize affordability, efficiency, and overall value."

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