As I've honed in on the CX-50 as a great small SUV option, I am spooked by what a lot of owners are saying about 1) seat discomfort (and fabric tears in the side of the driver seat), and 2) harsh/stiff ride. What do you owners think is the bigger issue with this vehicle - seats or harsh/stiff ride quality?

Do you think the ride would be generally more comfortable if I avoid the 20" wheels on the Preimum Plus and stick with 17" wheels offered on the non-turbo Select/Preferred/Premium?

 

You need to go drive it. One person's horrible seat is another person's dream seat. A few people on the internet saying a seat is horribly uncomfortable doesn't mean the seat is uncomfortable. It means that person making the claim doesn't find it comfortable. Bodies are different, body conditions are different, body health is different, opinions vary.

As for wheels again it's about your own personal perception. A larger wheel with a shorter sidewall will generally make for a stiffer ride. You also run the risks of more wheel damage from potholes. My personal feeling is a 17 or 18 inch tire is a nice balance.

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i would try a test drive in one with 17s...i have heard the same about the cx50 with the seats...i sat in one but didn't notice the seats that much but i also didn't drive it cause i wasn't really interested...i did notice that it's not really made for somewhat tall people...i'm just shy of 6' and i didn't like the feeling of my head being close to the roof of the vehicle...i also found the cargo area to be narrower and marginally deeper than the cx5...as far as the tires wheels go i always try to opt for the smaller wheels...tires are also typically cheaper, less chance of a pinch flat or dented wheels and you get a little more cushion out of it...below is my criteria when i was car shopping...another part of my decision is the drivers seat memory...i was able to get it in the cx5 along with leather at a lower trim than the cx50...i need reliability and to get from point a to point b...not interested in performance, just need it to run

needs:
check - reliability
check 40/20/40 - 60/40 folding second row
check - pleather/leather or seat covers (because dogs)
check 15' long - be able to fit in the garage have about 18’ of space would like to have 2’-3’ of that to walk around the front or back
check awd - awd or fwd
check - not a cvt transmission if i can avoid it (toyota's planetary style cvt is fine though)
check - timing chain, not belt
probably not - would like 30+ mpg
check 17s - smaller wheels with more tire for a little better ride
check add on - splash guards
check add on - all weather floor mats and trunk tray
check - no lights in bumpers
not sure - aux input
equalish - more cargo space than my legacy (more cargo floor area, not necessarily height, hence the want for a wagon)
check - no engine autostop
check - no cylinder deactivation
check - built in japan

wants:
check - dual driver memory settings
not sure - dual bluetooth phone connections
can add on - window rain guards
check - CarPlay
can add on - 2nd row seat back protection (rubberized)
check - heated seats
nope - cooled seats
check - backup camera

 

The complaints and or personal reviews do not support (extremely low) the number of production numbers having to do with ride quality. Mazda has a How-did-we- do survey like most auto manufactures and the seats are not on the high concern or complaint list.

As for the tearing of seat on the driver's side that area should point to the problem and who actually causes wear and tear on the seat. Again, that is not on the complaint list and I actually that is the first time I have read about it.


As for going to a smaller diameter tire, it a MYTH however the choice of the tire has a direct effect of ride quality. Don't use Run-flats and shop for comfort rating of the tire as your first priority. There is a reason why tires with a 8-10 comfort and quiet also cost much more.

 

Today my wife test drove the CX-50 Premium (17" wheels). Ride quality was not an issue, but the lack of cushion in the front seats was a noticeable issue. She uses a 2" seat cushion in her current car, which we both agreed would be a necessity on longer trips in the CX-50. However for me sitting on the cushion in the CX-50 put my head too close for my taste to the headliner (with the moonroof). I honestly felt bad breaking the news to our sales person that we would not be buying it (which I fully intended to do). They suggested we also sit in a CX-5, which we did, and seat comfort was still firm but definitely better-padded (and there was an inch more headroom also).

 

Just suggesting the seat adjustment are similar in the model and do require to full know how to adjust them which is often overlooked and or not done properly.
I realize many think because they have been driving for years or decades that they couldn’t possibly not know that and how ever seat in every platform and model having to do with seat adjustment works.
At just over 6 ft if I adjust the seat properly as a driver on most any Mazda I am nowhere close to the roof or sunroofs .

As for the comfort thing that is still IMHO a no brainer, seek out an auto upholstery shop and simply have them adjust the seat material and cushion to your personal preferences. It will not void the warranty as long as they use the basic airbag and breakaway thread. Well worth the investment for some if thier comfort is important .

 

I just picked up a 2025 CX-50 Hybrid Premium Plus this week. Didn't take long to sense the ride was pretty stiff. I checked the tire air pressure which was 47psi. Apparently the dealer had not checked the tire pressure and it came from the factory this way. After reducing the pressure to 36 the ride is much softer and good for my needs. This may not be the cause of many complaints but FWIW hope this helps someone.
After less than a week I am happy with the car. I've had several hybrids from Lexus/Toyota, which were fine but got the bug to try the CX-50. So Far it's thumbs up!!

 

Welcome to the forum

It did not come from Mazda that way ,some during new vehicle prepping or a lot person adjusted the tire pressure ?

But generally during the new owner prep there is supposed to be to a basic prepping but tire pressure checking is not a requirement but you would think a logical thing to check. The other thought is whomever at the dealership was checking the air pressure may be incorrectly filling or have a bad tire pressure gauge.

It is a good response I just didn’t want anyone to think that Mazda when it goes to final checking neglected to properly fill the tire. It really is highly unlikely if you understood the checks and balancing of a finished vehicle.

 

I appreciate your reply, and of course on a brand new vehicle the inflation issue had to come from the dealer. I spoke to my salesman the other day about this and he agreed it was a dealer issue. I'm not going to rag on my salesman, he seems great. Just thought my finding keep another new owner from chasing their tail so new into the experience. As and aside me CX-50 Hybrid is already hitting advertised mpg. Pleased!
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The first thing I noticed waas that you did not mention how many tires were at the psi to posted? Not that it matters just curious. Many of us know what a a tire looks like at that psi .
Well if you into vehicles as a DIY or if you even took the time to read your owner's manual part of the OWNERS responsibility ti to keep, check and maintain the correct tire pressure.
Pretty much always has been that way.

I might add that in no dealership I aware of is it the salesman responsibility to check the tire pressure in a new vehcle.
You may look into dealership lot vehcle upkeep. Included are such things , cleaning frequently, charging the batteries on many that go dead from none related to vehcle problems but generally hap hazards sales persons, an yup rolling the portable air compressor around and airing up the tires. These employees that do this are not highly skilled workers. LOL
Many Dealerships also provide a post-delivery check list. Some do have checked tire pressure but most don't Mazda has these available for the dealerships but that is not to say that every dealership uses them or required to use them .