2022 Volvo XC90 vs 2023 Mazda CX-50

Volvo had come a long way from its box-shaped cars and wagons of the 1970s, '80s, and '90s. Thankfully, Volvo never distanced itself from its family-friendly, safety-oriented image. The brand, and its products, had moved upscale, teetering on the brink of the luxury class. Volvo underwent a hard reboot after Ford sold it to China's Zhejiang Geely Holding in 2010, developing new vehicle platforms from scratch to underpin its lineup of sedans and crossover SUVs.

The original XC90 was a 2003 model produced with incremental updates through the 2015 model year. Launched as a 2016 model, the current XC90 was the company's flagship SUV and rode on the Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform. The 2022 XC90 had a great stance and a wonderful profile, with a body tilted toward the front as if poised to launch. The roofline was long and sleek, containing the big greenhouse without telegraphing bulk and height. Pronounced wheel arches emphasized athleticism, and a snub nose recalled the upright grille of the classic 245 wagon. Superior fit and finish conveyed quality, and the LED detail in the headlights, called "Thor's Hammer," added a tongue-in-cheek nod to the XC90's Swedish heritage.

The 2023 Mazda CX-50 featured a blunt nose, long hood, rakish windshield, and a cabin pulled back toward the rear wheels, exhibiting the subtle seductiveness that characterized most of Mazda’s cars and SUVs for the past decade. However, the CX-50 conveyed newfound ruggedness with blistered and boxed fender swells, borderline garish lower body and wheel arch cladding, and the same fake front and rear skidplates that every other crossover pretending to be an SUV wore. Oversized air intake and vent designs imparted performance and somehow avoided offending the eye.

When paired with the CX-50’s standard black grille and mirror caps and the available 20-inch wheels, these exterior design elements came together in an appealing way. Later in the model year, a new CX-50 Meridian Edition joined the lineup with exclusive wheels, all-terrain tires, splash guards, and a roof-mounted load platform that Mazda said would accommodate a rooftop tent. The interior of the CX-50 displayed Mazda’s traditional mix of driver-focused design, round analog and digital gauges, quality materials, polished metallic trim, and a smattering of controls. Vertical air vents surrounded the instrument cluster and anchored each end of the dashboard, leaving a lone off-center vent in the middle of the dash that looked too small and too conspicuous, as though it was an afterthought.

The 2022 Volvo XC90 came with a choice of three powertrains. T5 models used a turbocharged 2.0-liter gasoline four-cylinder, producing 250 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. T6 models got a supercharged and turbocharged version of that engine, bumping the output to 316 hp and 295 lb-ft. The T8 had a plug-in hybrid powertrain with the supercharged/turbocharged gasoline four-cylinder engine and an electric motor, or a turbo gas engine and an electric motor in the extended-range model, mustering a combined 455 hp and 523 lb-ft of torque. T5 models were front-wheel drive (FWD) with available all-wheel drive (AWD), while T6 and T8 models were AWD only, the latter using its electric motor to drive the rear wheels. All XC90 models used a conventional eight-speed automatic transmission.

The XC90 engines used Premium (91-octane) gasoline. The EPA estimated T5 FWD models to achieve 21 mpg city/30 mpg highway/25 mpg combined, and T5 AWD models came in at 20 mpg city/28 mpg highway/23 mpg combined. T6 AWD models were rated at 19 mpg city/27 mpg highway/22 mpg combined. The T8 got a 27 mpg combined rating on gas and 55 MPGe with an 18-mile EV range. The extended range variant got a 26 mpg combined gasoline rating, a 66 MPGe rating, and an EV range of up to 36 miles. Charging the battery from "empty" to fully charged took about five hours at 240 volts (Level 2).

The 2023 Mazda CX-50 offered two versions. The 2.5 S model lineup had a 187 hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 186 lb-ft of torque, delivered to all four wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission. Mazda believed this base-engine version of the CX-50 would return 27 mpg in combined driving. The CX-50 2.5 Turbo featured a turbocharged version of the standard engine, coupled with the same six-speed automatic and standard AWD system. The turbo engine made between 227 hp and 256 hp depending on the type of gas used, with torque varying between 310 lb-ft at 2,000 rpm on 87-octane gas to 320 lb-ft at 2,500 rpm on 93-octane fuel. Mazda predicted the CX-50 2.5 Turbo would get 25 mpg in combined driving, but it averaged 23.4 mpg during testing.

The CX-50 Turbo supplied plenty of smooth, sweet acceleration across a broad power curve, with no noticeable turbo lag. Normal, Sport, Off-Road, and Towing modes worked with the SUV’s G-Vectoring Control (GVC) technology to ensure natural vehicle behavior in all circumstances. The CX-50 felt firmer in terms of ride quality compared to the 2022 Mazda CX-5, perhaps in keeping with its position as a weekend nature getaway machine. The CX-50’s driving character was likened to a modern version of a Mazda6 station wagon equipped with a Subaru Outback treatment. It had up to 8.6 inches of ground clearance, nearly matching the Subaru Forester and Outback.

The 2022 Volvo XC90 came in six-passenger and seven-passenger configurations, depending on whether captain's chairs with a center console or three-across seating in the second row were selected. The third row was fine for kids but lacked legroom and thigh support for adults. The XC90 could carry up to 15.9 cubic feet of luggage behind its third row, 41.8 cubic feet with the third row folded, and up to 85.7 cubic feet with both the second and third rows folded. It could tow between 4,000 pounds and 5,000 pounds, depending on configuration and powertrain. The XC90's interior space was well-utilized, with ample door pockets, seat back pockets, console storage space, and a big glove compartment. The standard laminated panoramic moonroof added to the airy, spacious cabin. The air-conditioning system performed well during a heat wave, cooling rapidly on demand.

The 2023 Mazda CX-50 2.5 Turbo had power-adjustable heated front seats, heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, heated side mirrors, and heated windshield wipers. The ventilated front seats and dual-zone automatic climate control effectively chilled the cabin. The driver’s seat and front passenger’s seat were comfortable for hours, though they could use more side bolstering. The back seat was roomy enough for adults, with rear air vents and charging ports. Rear doors that opened to nearly a 90-degree angle and unintrusive wheel wells made entry and exit easier. Storage space was adequate, though some opportunities for additional bins were missed. The available smartphone charger had its own slot under the center armrest. The power rear liftgate revealed 31.4 cubic feet of cargo space, with a maximum of 56.3 cubic feet with the back seat folded.

The 2022 Volvo XC90 featured the Sensus infotainment system with a nine-inch diagonal, portrait-oriented touchscreen interface. The system supported familiar smartphone gestures but was found to be glitchy and slow to respond. It worked better with Apple CarPlay, and the XC90 also supported Android Auto. A 12.3-inch digital instrument panel offered easy configuration and customization. The $1,650 Advanced package included a head-up display, a 360-degree surround view camera system, and an advanced air cleaner. The standard Harman Kardon Premium Sound could be upgraded to a $3,200 Bowers & Wilkins system. The XC90 included two front USB-A ports, two rear USB-C ports, a WiFi hotspot, and the Volvo Care smartphone app.

The 2023 Mazda CX-50 had a Mazda Connect infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, and Mazda Connected Services. The base 2.5 S had an 8.8-inch display, while other trims included a 10.25-inch display. Mazda Connect historically did not offer touchscreen control, but the 2023 CX-50 allowed touchscreen control for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The available 12-speaker Bose Centerpoint surround-sound system delivered a satisfying experience. The CX-50 also offered an Active Driving Display (HUD) with blind-spot warnings.

The 2022 Volvo XC90 came with a long list of safety features, including blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, parking assist, rain-sensing wipers, slippery road alert, lane-keeping aid, adaptive cruise control, oncoming lane mitigation, and road-sign recognition. Volvo's Pilot Assist system combined several safety features to keep the car in its lane with minimal driver intervention. The 2022 XC90 received the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ designation and a five-star overall safety rating from NHTSA.

The 2023 Mazda CX-50 was expected to rate high for safety, though IIHS had not performed crash tests at the time of the review. The CX-50 included a generous standard package of driving assistance systems, with additional features available on the 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus trim. These included Traffic Jam Assist, active blind-spot monitoring, front and rear parking sensors, and a surround-view camera system. The adaptive cruise control system had some issues recognizing slower vehicles cutting into the gap ahead.