2026 Mazda CX-50 2.5 Turbo: Stamford Buyers Guide

Quick Answer: 2026 CX-50 2.5 Turbo

The 2.5 Turbo, $37,900 MSRP, swaps in Mazda's twin-scroll turbocharged 2.5-liter four: 256 hp and 320 lb-ft on 93-octane premium fuel, or 227 hp and 310 lb-ft if you fill with regular. Towing capacity climbs to 3,500 pounds, and the trim brings Signature LED headlights, the Adaptive Front-lighting System, a full-color head-up display, and paddle shifters. EPA estimates barely budge, at 23 city / 29 highway versus the base engine's 24/30. This is where the CX-50 goes from pleasant to genuinely quick, and Riley Mazda in Stamford stocks it in the model's best colors, Soul Red included.

Read the fuel fine print first

Most listings shout 256 horsepower; fewer mention the condition attached. Mazda rates this engine at 256 hp and 320 lb-ft when burning premium, and 227 hp with 310 lb-ft on regular 87 octane. Either way the torque figure is the story: it peaks low, shoves immediately, and makes the six-speed automatic feel like the right number of gears rather than two short. On an I-95 on-ramp with a boat behind you, that low-end wall of torque is the difference between merging and negotiating.

Budget honestly: at Fairfield County fuel prices the premium-versus-regular spread is real money over a year. The good news is the engine doesn't punish you for choosing regular, it simply detunes gracefully, still out-muscling the base car by 40 horsepower.

What 3,500 pounds actually covers

The Turbo's tow rating handles the equipment of a Long Island Sound summer: a pair of jet skis, a small sailboat on a trailer, a pop-up camper, a utility trailer of mulch from the nursery on High Ridge. The Hybrid tows 1,500 pounds and the 2.5 S versions are best kept to roof duty, so if a hitch is in your plans at all, the Turbo line is your lane. Factory tow hardware and the accessory catalog are on the Riley Mazda parts page.

The night-driving equipment nobody advertises

The Turbo's lighting package deserves more airtime than the horsepower. Signature LED headlamps plus the Adaptive Front-lighting System, which steers the beam into corners, transform the dark, winding stretches of North Stamford and the Merritt's unlit ramps. Add the head-up display keeping speed at eye level, and this trim's second personality is long-trip car: Vermont on a Friday night, home Sunday, no drama.

Buyers seem to find the deal side equally undramatic. Brianna, from the store's reviews: "we had the pleasure of working with Hunter he was very professional and gave us a great deal on a new cx-50." Hunter Smith is the assistant sales manager on the team page.

Frequently asked questions

How much horsepower does the CX-50 Turbo have?

Up to 256 hp and 320 lb-ft on 93-octane premium; 227 hp and 310 lb-ft on regular. Both figures are Mazda's own, and the car runs happily on either fuel.

Does the Turbo require premium gas?

Require, no; reward, yes. Full output needs 93 octane. Skip it and you still have the strongest non-hybrid CX-50 by a wide margin.

What's the gas mileage?

EPA-estimated 23 city / 29 highway / 25 combined, a 1-mpg tax over the base engine that most buyers consider a bargain for the extra shove. Fuel-cost-first shoppers should read the Hybrid Preferred guide instead.

How much can it tow?

3,500 pounds, the highest rating in the CX-50 lineup and enough for the small-trailer category that covers most coastal-Connecticut toys. Tongue weight and equipment details are worth confirming with the store before you buy the trailer.

Turbo or Turbo Premium Plus?

This trim has the full performance hardware already; the Premium Plus adds the 360-degree camera, traffic-jam assist, and the last tier of driver aids for $5,000. The Turbo Meridian splits the difference with adventure styling at $40,400.

Where can I drive one near Stamford?

Check current Turbo inventory at Riley Mazda, 75 Myrtle Ave. Ask for a route with an on-ramp; the spec sheet undersells the first full-throttle merge.

The bottom line

The 2.5 Turbo is the CX-50 Mazda's engineers clearly had in mind all along: the chassis finally gets an engine with opinions. If your CX-50 will ever wear a hitch, cross a state line in the dark, or simply needs to make the commute interesting, the $3,000 walk from the Premium buys the most character per dollar in the lineup.