Mazda built the CX-50 for drivers who want their crossover to look good and feel alive on a back road, then handed the keys to people who need a family hauler, the mismatch shows. The seats lack long-distance support, headroom runs tight for anyone over six feet, and the torsion-beam rear suspension lets more road noise through than the CX-5's independent setup, all while costing more money. The 2025 hybrid with Toyota's bulletproof RAV4 powertrain (38mpg combined, 219hp) is the easy call if fuel economy matters; otherwise, you're choosing sharp styling and eager handling over space and serenity. Buy it if you value engagement and looks over comfort; walk if you're tall, log highway miles, or just want the more refined CX-5 for less.
Toyota built a reputation on the 2008-2022 Sequoia's unkillable 5.7L V8, owners routinely cruise past 300k miles on oil changes alone, and one just hit 500k before needing spark plugs. The 2023 redesign looks sharp and the 437-hp hybrid hauls hard, but the cargo area is a mess: the battery placement means the third row won't fold flat, leaving you with a stepped floor where the Tahoe gives you actual usable space. The twin-turbo V6 is unproven long-term, fuel economy still hovers around 16 mpg, and you're paying $75k+ for the privilege. If you need three-row towing muscle and don't mind dated tech, hunt down a clean second-gen and enjoy bulletproof engineering. If you want the new one, load it with your actual gear first, that weird tiered trunk might be a dealbreaker, and at this price the American competition suddenly looks reasonable.