Mazda first unveiled the first-ever CX-50 last November. Riding on the same Skyactiv Vehicle Architecture as the Mazda 3 and CX-30, the CX-50 is a compact SUV that was designed exclusively for the North American market, and production has finally begun at the Mazda Toyota Manufacturing joint-venture plant.

A number of Mazda dealers have already begun accepting pre-orders for the CX-50, and with production already kicking off, it won't be long before stocks arrive in dealers this spring.

Mazda is still coy on details about the CX-50. We still don't know its dimensions, but we're definitely sure it'll be about the same size as the CX-5. Whether this will also replace the CX-5 in the future is still unknown at this point.

What we do know is that, while this car caters to the growing number of customers interested in a crossover SUV that has a decent amount of off-road capability, Mazda did not compromise on sporty on-road handling, which is what the brand was known for in the first place.

Likewise, the interior is typical Mazda, which means it's a bit more premium and well-trimmed compared to equivalent crossover SUVs like the Toyota RAV4 or Subaru Forester, both of which have rugged trims.

Also confirmed is that it will be powered by two 2.5-liter gasoline engine choices--a base non-turbo that produces 187 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque and a turbocharged version that produces 250 horsepower and 320 pound-feet.

The Mazda Toyota Manufacturing (MTM) plant is a joint-venture facility between Mazda and Toyota has a capacity of 300,000 vehicles annually, and this is where the Corolla Cross is also built. The manufacturing split between the two vehicles is 50/50, and it will directly employ up to 4,000 workers.

The last time that Mazda assembled cars in the United States was in 2012 with the previous generation Mazda 6. It was produced at Ford's Flat Rock Assembly Plant back when Mazda was part of Ford Motor Company.