Compare the2026 Volvo XC40VS 2025 Mazda CX-50

Safety
Warranty
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Model Availability

Safety

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The XC40’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The CX-50 doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the XC40 and CX-50 have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The XC40 Ultra has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The CX-50’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The XC40 has a standard Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS), which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the WHIPS allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. At the same time the pretensioning seatbelts fire, removing slack from the belts. The CX-50 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the XC40’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The CX-50 doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the XC40 has standard Cross Traffic Alert with Braking Intervention, systems which detect vehicles approaching from the sides and can automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. Only the CX-50 Turbo Premium Plus offers Rear Cross Traffic Braking.

Both the XC40 and the CX-50 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Volvo XC40 is safer than the Mazda CX-50:

	XC40	CX-50
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Stress	209 lbs.	209 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.6 inches
Neck Compression	66 lbs.	74 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Volvo XC40 is safer than the Mazda CX-50:

	XC40	CX-50
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	411 lbs.	521 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

The XC40 comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The CX-50’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The XC40’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the CX-50’s (12 vs. 5 years).

Volvo pays for scheduled maintenance on the XC40 for 2 years and 20,000 miles. Volvo will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Mazda doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the CX-50.

Engine

The XC40 has more powerful engines than the CX-50:

	Horsepower	Torque
XC40 B4 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid	194 HP	221 lbs.-ft.
XC40 B5 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid	247 HP	258 lbs.-ft.
CX-50 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder	187 HP	185 lbs.-ft.
CX-50 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid	219 HP	163 lbs.-ft.

As tested in Car and Driver the XC40 B5 is faster than the Mazda CX-50:

	XC40	CX-50	CX-50 turbo 4 cyl.
Zero to 60 MPH	6.1 sec	7.6 sec	6.6 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	16.7 sec	20.4 sec	18.8 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	7.3 sec	8.4 sec	7.2 sec
Passing 30 to 50 MPH	3.6 sec	4.2 sec	3.6 sec
Passing 50 to 70 MPH	4.7 sec	5.6 sec	5 sec
Quarter Mile	14.7 sec	15.8 sec	15.1 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	94 MPH	89 MPH	91 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the XC40 gets better mileage than the CX-50:

			MPG
XC40
	FWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	25 city/32 hwy
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	23 city/30 hwy
CX-50
	AWD	2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/29 hwy

Regardless of its engine, the XC40’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. Mazda only offers an automatic engine start/stop system on the CX-50 Turbo/Hybrid.

The XC40 has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The CX-50 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Transmission

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Volvo XC40, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the CX-50.

The XC40’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The CX-50 doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the XC40’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the CX-50:

	XC40	CX-50
Front Rotors	13.6 inches	12.8 inches

The XC40 stops shorter than the CX-50:

	XC40	CX-50
60 to 0 MPH	111 feet	118 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	135 feet	142 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the XC40 has larger standard tires than the CX-50 (235/55R18 vs. 225/65R17).

The XC40’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the CX-50’s standard 65 series tires. The XC40 B5 Ultra’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo’s 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the XC40 has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the CX-50. The XC40 B5 Ultra’s optional 21-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels on the CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Volvo XC40 has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Mazda CX-50 has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The XC40 has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the XC40 flat and controlled during cornering. The CX-50’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The XC40 B5 Ultra AWD handles at .85 G’s, while the CX-50 Hybrid Premium Plus pulls only .83 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The XC40 B5 Plus AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the CX-50 (27.4 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the XC40 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the CX-50 Hybrid Preferred (8.1 vs. 7.6 inches), allowing the XC40 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The XC40 is 11 inches shorter than the CX-50, making the XC40 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The XC40 has 1.1 inches more front hip room, .8 inches more front shoulder room, .5 inches more rear headroom, 2.5 inches more rear hip room and 2.7 inches more rear shoulder room than the CX-50.

Cargo Capacity

The XC40 has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the CX-50 with its rear seat folded (57.5 vs. 56.3 cubic feet).

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the XC40. The CX-50 doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the XC40’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The CX-50 doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Towing

The XC40’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the CX-50’s (3500 vs. 2000 pounds).

While the CX-50 Hybrid can only tow 1500, any XC40 can tow a minimum of 3500 pounds.

Optional Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) on the XC40 uses the Dynamic Stability and Traction Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The CX-50 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

The power windows standard on both the XC40 and the CX-50 have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the XC40 is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The CX-50 prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

If the windows are left open on the XC40 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can also lower the windows the same way. The driver of the CX-50 can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The XC40’s standard Keyless Entry & Drive allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Advanced Keyless Entry and Start standard on the CX-50 doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

The XC40’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Mazda only offers heated mirrors on the CX-50 Preferred/Premium/Turbo.

The Volvo XC40 has power folding mirrors that offer unparalleled convenience while maneuvering in tight places or parked. With the mirrors folded it’s easier to walk past and help prevent parking damage. The mirrors can be quickly unfolded when the driver is ready to leave. Power folding mirrors are only offered on the CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo.

Compared to traditional radio, the Volvo XC40’s standard SiriusXM satellite radio provides an unmatched listening experience. Its extensive coverage guarantees consistent, crystal-clear reception across the continental U.S., and access to over 100 channels dedicated to a multitude of genres, including music, news, sports, talk shows, and comedy, many with only limited commercial breaks. Satellite radio is only offered on the CX-50 Premium/Turbo.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Volvo XC40 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the CX-50 Preferred/PremiumTurbo offers wireless charging.

The XC40’s optional Park Assist Pilot can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The CX-50 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Model Availability

The XC40 is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The CX-50 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

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