2025 Mazda CX-50 Receives Its Mid-Cycle Facelift Very Early, Albeit Only Digitally

Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) reported total sales for June of 35,696 units, jumping almost 20% compared to the same month last year. The year-to-date sales are 202,486 vehicles, a slower-yet-positive increase of 10.2 percent compared to the first six months of 2023.

It's interesting to note that some models are faring better than others – the compact Mazda3 rose almost 18% during H1, but the beloved MX-5 Miata ND is showing its age and dropped more than 27%. Likewise, the CX-5 compact crossover SUV remains the best-selling nameplate for the Japanese brand, although it slipped 12.3% down to a little over 70k units.

On the other hand, the little CX-30 jumped 33%, the all-new CX-90 skyrocketed by over 302%, and the locally-produced CX-50 also fared extremely well thanks to a 64% jump to more than 35k units. Speaking of the latter, this slightly more rugged compact crossover SUV was introduced in 2022 for the 2023 model year in America with production at MTMUS in Huntsville, Alabama, and slots just above the slightly smaller CX-5 and underneath larger, RWD-focused CX-70.

Curiously, although it's been on the market for less than two full sales years, the imaginative realm of digital car content creators has already decreed that Mazda's CX-50 needs to go through the classic mid-cycle facelift procedure as early as the 2025 model year. Currently, the 2024MY is on sale from $30,300 and it's probably way better for a small family than the larger CX-70 if you don't mind the lack of a six-cylinder engine.

The good folks over at the AutoYa info channel on YouTube have unofficially imagined the CGI looks of the yet-to-be-announced 2025 model year for the Mazda CX-50 with mid-cycle refresh elements. The channel's resident pixel master shows the key differences in 'old versus new' style – Mazda could hypothetically redesign the headlights, modify the bumper's intakes, and add more style to the radiator grille, as well as use tweaked headlights.

Inside, the pixel master envisions better use of the dashboard's real estate – instead of the smaller, wide central display tucked on top of the dashboard; the updated Mazda CX-50 could feature a larger screen placed closer to the driver and fit it with a touchscreen technology. As always, the CGI expert didn't forget to give us ample choice in terms of unofficial colors – both for the exterior and interior, of course.

So, what do you think? Is Mazda going to refresh the popular CX-50 for the 2025 or 2026 model years? Or are they going to wait a little longer, present the third-generation CX-5 to stop the sales slump, and then focus on the CX-50 sibling?