• A 2025 Mazda CX-50 was abandoned in a college parking lot on New Year’s Eve.
  • The SUV has no license plates, no owner, and no explanation for its appearance.
  • Internet users speculate the vehicle may have been misplaced by a rushed delivery truck.

The holiday season may be over, but the spirit of giving (or maybe misplacing) lives on in the form of a strange automotive mystery. A brand-new Mazda CX-50 Turbo—completely unclaimed and without plates—has been sitting in an empty college parking lot, leaving everyone scratching their heads. Did Santa make a wrong turn, or is there a more grounded explanation for this vehicular orphan?

The compact SUV was first spotted on New Year’s Eve by Reddit user Jack Buckley, who works nearby. Its fresh-from-the-factory vibes were impossible to miss: protective stickers still clung to the door handles and pillars, and the interior seats remained wrapped in their original plastic. Clearly, this car hasn’t seen much action since rolling off the assembly line.

A $42K Mystery in Cypress Green

The striking Cypress Green exterior, along with the alloy wheels and tailgate emblems, suggests this is a 2025 Mazda CX-50 2.5 Turbo Premium. This trim has an MSRP of $42,720, positioning it as one of the higher-end models in Mazda’s lineup. Notably, the green paint is a fresh addition for the 2025 model year.

More: Furious Subaru Driver Smashes Into Utah Mazda Dealership After Refund Dispute

Naturally, Buckley shared photos of the rogue Mazda on Reddit’s r/Mazda thread, and the post quickly went viral. “No one has come to claim it,” the post reads, “we don’t know why it’s here or how it got here.”

A Brand-New Mazda CX-50 Turbo Wrapped In Plastics Was Abandoned At A Parking Lot, And Nobody Knows Why
A Brand-New Mazda CX-50 Turbo Wrapped In Plastics Was Abandoned At A Parking Lot, And Nobody Knows Why
A Brand-New Mazda CX-50 Turbo Wrapped In Plastics Was Abandoned At A Parking Lot, And Nobody Knows Why
A Brand-New Mazda CX-50 Turbo Wrapped In Plastics Was Abandoned At A Parking Lot, And Nobody Knows Why
A Brand-New Mazda CX-50 Turbo Wrapped In Plastics Was Abandoned At A Parking Lot, And Nobody Knows Why
A Brand-New Mazda CX-50 Turbo Wrapped In Plastics Was Abandoned At A Parking Lot, And Nobody Knows Why
A Brand-New Mazda CX-50 Turbo Wrapped In Plastics Was Abandoned At A Parking Lot, And Nobody Knows Why
A Brand-New Mazda CX-50 Turbo Wrapped In Plastics Was Abandoned At A Parking Lot, And Nobody Knows Why
A Brand-New Mazda CX-50 Turbo Wrapped In Plastics Was Abandoned At A Parking Lot, And Nobody Knows Why
A Brand-New Mazda CX-50 Turbo Wrapped In Plastics Was Abandoned At A Parking Lot, And Nobody Knows Why
A Brand-New Mazda CX-50 Turbo Wrapped In Plastics Was Abandoned At A Parking Lot, And Nobody Knows Why
A Brand-New Mazda CX-50 Turbo Wrapped In Plastics Was Abandoned At A Parking Lot, And Nobody Knows Why
A Brand-New Mazda CX-50 Turbo Wrapped In Plastics Was Abandoned At A Parking Lot, And Nobody Knows Why
A Brand-New Mazda CX-50 Turbo Wrapped In Plastics Was Abandoned At A Parking Lot, And Nobody Knows Why
A Brand-New Mazda CX-50 Turbo Wrapped In Plastics Was Abandoned At A Parking Lot, And Nobody Knows Why
A Brand-New Mazda CX-50 Turbo Wrapped In Plastics Was Abandoned At A Parking Lot, And Nobody Knows Why
A Brand-New Mazda CX-50 Turbo Wrapped In Plastics Was Abandoned At A Parking Lot, And Nobody Knows Why
A Brand-New Mazda CX-50 Turbo Wrapped In Plastics Was Abandoned At A Parking Lot, And Nobody Knows Why
A Brand-New Mazda CX-50 Turbo Wrapped In Plastics Was Abandoned At A Parking Lot, And Nobody Knows Why
A Brand-New Mazda CX-50 Turbo Wrapped In Plastics Was Abandoned At A Parking Lot, And Nobody Knows Why
A Brand-New Mazda CX-50 Turbo Wrapped In Plastics Was Abandoned At A Parking Lot, And Nobody Knows Why
A Brand-New Mazda CX-50 Turbo Wrapped In Plastics Was Abandoned At A Parking Lot, And Nobody Knows Why

Photos: Jack Buckley / Reddit

PDI Clues and Trucking Theories

Mazda enthusiasts swarmed the comments with theories and advice. Some suggested contacting Mazda using the VIN to trace the car back to its dealership. Others recommended calling the police, just in case this factory-fresh CX-50 was stolen or abandoned under sketchy circumstances.

Some Reddit users with an eye for detail pointed out that much of the protective plastic had already been removed, a telltale sign that the car had completed its Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI). That rules out the possibility of this being a straight-from-the-truck situation. But if that’s the case, why is it parked here, seemingly forgotten?

The most plausible scenario is that something might have happened during transport. Maybe a rushed truck driver, overloaded with cars and desperate to make it home for New Year’s, decided to temporarily stash the CX-50 in what seemed like a safe spot—with plans to retrieve it later. Of course, “later” hasn’t arrived yet.

As of now, the Japanese SUV remains parked, its story unresolved. Mazda fans, and anyone who loves a good automotive mystery, are keeping an eye on the viral post, waiting to see how it all unfolds. Whoever ends up with this brand-new CX-50 will certainly have one heck of a story to tell at the next car meet. Let’s just hope the rightful owner claims their ride before it turns into the campus mascot.