At its launch in China, where it’s assembled by its joint-venture with Changan in Nanjing, the CX-50 was made available in two normally-aspirated powertrains. These two engines should be familiar as they are the 2.0-liter Skyactiv-G (155 horsepower, 200 Nm) and the 2.5-liter Skyactiv-G (187 horsepower, 250 Nm). Both engines are mated to a 6-speed automatic with idle start/stop tech.

Those two conventional combustion engines are now joined by a hybrid engine. Instead of using their own Mazda Hybrid or M Hybrid powertrain which is available in a 24-volt mild hybrid configuration for the CX-50’s Small Product Group platform mates like the Mazda3 and CX-30, Mazda has gone with the RAV4’s electrified 2.5-liter instead.

In the CX-50 2.5 HEV (as the hybrid variant’s officially called), the power and torque figures are identical to the RAV4. The Atkinson-cycle 2.5-liter normally-aspirated 4-cylinder already makes 178 horsepower and 221 Nm. But this is combined with a front electric motor making 120 horsepower and 202 Nm, and in the case of all-wheel drive versions, an additional 54 horsepower, 121 Nm rear electric motor at the back. Either way, they’re mated to an E-CVT gearbox.

The similarities between the CX-50 HEV and RAV4 HEV even extend to the available drive modes—Normal, Power, and in the case of the AWD, Trail and even to the plastic cover on the engine, which is identical save for the Mazda logo.

Mazda in China claims fuel consumption of between 17.85 to 19.6 km/L based on China testing standards. This is compared to around 13.5 km/L on the 2.5-liter all-wheel drive CX-50. These figures are also nearly as efficient as the RAV4 Hybrid which claims 19.2 to 19.6 km/L in China depending if it’s optioned with front- or all-wheel drive.

The move to use Toyota-sourced hybrids shouldn’t come as a surprise as Mazda is partly owned by Toyota (5 percent). They’ve also done some badge-engineered projects in the past such as the Mazda Bongo Brawny (Toyota Hiace) and the European market Mazda2 Hybrid (Toyota Yaris).

The same hybrid system, barring the internal combustion engine part, is also expected to be used in the all-new Forester Hybrid coming in 2025.

What does this have to do with the Philippine market, you ask? The availability of the CX-50 outside North America increases the chance of seeing it in markets such as the Philippines. It must be remembered that the CX-8 was once a Japan market exclusive, however once it was made available in China, it paved the way for assembly in Malaysia where the Philippines currently sources its units.