2026 CX-50 2.5 S Select
Quick Answer: 2026 Mazda CX-50 2.5 S Select
The Select opens the 2026 CX-50 lineup at $29,900 MSRP, and it's not a stripped model — standard i-Activ AWD, a 10.25-inch display running wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Alexa Built-in, wireless phone charging, dual-zone climate, and Mazda's complete i-Activsense safety suite including radar cruise with Stop & Go all come standard. The 187-hp naturally aspirated engine is the same one under the Preferred and Premium; what changes above the Select is comfort equipment, not capability or safety hardware. For a Route 22 buyer who wants a genuinely new AWD Mazda without paying for a moonroof they may never open, this is the trim.
What "entry trim" means on a Mazda, specifically
Mazda doesn't ship a CX-50 without all-wheel drive, and it doesn't ship one without the driver-assistance suite either — those aren't upsells here, they're standard on every single 2026 trim, Select included. What you're actually buying up from as you climb the trim ladder is comfort and finish: a power liftgate, heated seats, a moonroof, better speakers, leather. The Select's cloth seats, manual driver's seat, and single-zone-feeling but actually dual-zone climate control cover the fundamentals competently; it just skips the pampering. If your last car didn't have a heated steering wheel either, you won't miss what isn't here.
The 2.5-liter naturally aspirated engine makes 187 horsepower and 185 lb-ft, runs on regular 87 octane, and is EPA-rated at 24 city / 30 highway / 26 combined — modest numbers next to the Turbo, honest ones for a base engine that's never asked to do anything exotic.
What you're skipping, and whether it matters
Stepping up to the Preferred at $32,400 buys a power liftgate, an 8-way power driver's seat with lumbar support, heated front seats, heated mirrors, a power sliding panoramic moonroof, and front and rear parking sensors — newly standard on Preferred for 2026. That's a real list, and for $2,500 it's arguably the best single trim jump in the whole lineup. But none of it changes what the Select can do on a Route 22 commute: the same AWD system, the same radar cruise, the same forward-collision protection. A buyer cross-shopping a used car in this price range should know the Select is competing against three-year-old CPO vehicles on trim level and beating most of them on warranty and safety-suite freshness alone.
Who actually buys the Select
First-time AWD buyers moving up from a sedan, families adding a reliable second car, and anyone who's cross-shopping the CX-50 against the CX-5 and wants to know the cheapest legitimate way into the bigger, newer platform. Empire's reviews suggest the sales process itself is the differentiator more than the spec sheet at this price point — Samantha G. described being asked "which features I would prefer in a new car; not the money I wanted to spend, not upselling me on the top tier trim level," which is exactly the conversation a Select shopper wants to have.
If the moonroof or the power liftgate turn out to matter once you're standing in front of the car, the Preferred guide walks through that $2,500 step in detail. Otherwise, the Select gets you into a new, fully AWD, fully safety-equipped CX-50 for less than $30,000 before incentives.
Frequently asked questions
What does the 2026 CX-50 2.5 S Select cost?
MSRP is $29,900, before Mazda's $1,495 destination charge, New Jersey's 6.625% sales tax, and registration fees. The pricing & leasing guide walks through the full out-the-door math and how current manufacturer offers apply.
Does the Select have all-wheel drive?
Yes — i-Activ AWD is standard on every 2026 CX-50, Select included. There's no front-wheel-drive version and no AWD upcharge to budget for.
Is the Select missing any safety features the upper trims have?
No. Smart Brake Support, Blind Spot Monitoring, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Lane Departure Warning, and Radar Cruise Control with Stop & Go are all standard starting on the Select. The trims above it add convenience and some driver-assist extras — the Turbo Premium Plus's 360-degree camera and traffic-jam assist, for instance — not a more capable core safety system.
Can I get leather or a moonroof on the Select?
Not as factory options on this trim — those arrive starting with the Preferred (moonroof) and Premium (leather). If either is a must-have, size up; if neither is, the Select's cloth seats and fixed roof save real money.
Where can I see one in Green Brook?
Check live Select inventory at Empire Mazda of Green Brook, or start a deal online through the dealership's digital showroom before you ever drive to Route 22.
The bottom line
The Select proves the 2026 CX-50's price ladder is about polish, not fundamentals. Same AWD, same safety suite, same 187-hp engine as the Preferred one trim up — minus a moonroof and a power liftgate most buyers can live without for the first year or two of a lease. Start here, and only pay for what you'd actually use.
MSRP figures exclude Mazda's $1,495 destination charge plus taxes, title, registration, and dealer-installed options; the dealer sets the actual selling price. Fuel-economy figures are EPA estimates. Equipment and availability can shift with configuration and production timing; confirm current specs with Empire Mazda of Green Brook. Customer quotes are excerpts from public Google reviews of Empire Mazda of Green Brook.