Subaru Forester vs. Mazda CX-5: Which Is Better?
While the 2022 Mazda CX-5 is the more cost-effective choice, the Subaru Forester offers an improved fuel economy and interior design.
Written by Liz Jenson
Reviewed by Jessica Barrett
The 2022 Mazda CX-5 is more cost-effective than the 2022 Subaru Forester, but some drivers may prefer the improved fuel economy, user-friendly display, and roomy interior offered by the Forester.
Choosing the right SUV can be really difficult, especially with great options like the Subaru Forester and the Mazda CX-5 at your disposal. But which of these two vehicles will best fit your needs, and which one best fits your budget?
Luckily
Jerry
, the trusted broker app
that helps drivers save on car insurance
, has created a guide to help you choose between these two SUVs. We’ll look at pricing, performance, comfort, and features available for each model to see which one is right for you—let’s get started!Find out if you can reduce your monthly car payments in minutes
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Subaru Forester vs Mazda CX-5: Which is more expensive?
When it comes to the base price for your vehicle, it shouldn’t be a surprise that Mazda is more affordable than Subaru. Mazda is known for making affordable vehicles, and the CX-5 is certainly no exception.
Model | Starting MSRP | Model | Starting MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|
Forester Base | $27,070 | CX-5 S (Base) | $25,900 |
Forester Premium | $29,320 | CX-5 S Select | $27,900 |
Forester Sport | $30,890 | CX-5 S Preferred | $29,600 |
Forester Limited | $33,000 | CX-5 S Carbon Edition | $30,720 |
Forester Wilderness | $33,945 | CX-5 S Premium | $32,310 |
Forester Touring | $36,420 | CX-5 S Premium Plus | $33,950 |
As you can see, regardless of the trim level, the CX-5 is, on average, $1,000 to $2,000 cheaper than the Subaru Forester.
Ownership costs
While the Subaru Forester may be more expensive initially, MSRP doesn’t tell you everything about pricing. When it comes to ownership costs, though, the Forester and the CX-5 are pretty neck-and-neck.
According to Edmunds the five-year true cost to own a 2022 Subaru Forester is about $36,830 and the CX-5 has an estimated five-year true cost of $36,866. This means that neither car wins in terms of ownership costs, but both vehicles are comparatively inexpensive to maintain—which is great news!
Insurance costs
Another factor to consider is your car insurance. On average,
Subaru Forester insurance costs
will be slightly higher than Mazda CX-5 insurance costs
.The average Forester will cost $2,072 per year to insure, while the average CX-5 will cost about $1,158 per year for the same coverage. While you may be able to find some great rates for your car by using
Jerry
, this difference in insurance pricing is largely due to the fact that the CX-5 has a lower MSRP and therefore will be less expensive to repair than the Forester in the event of an incident.Winner: The Mazda CX-5
Overall, the Mazda CX-5 is undeniably less expensive, both to purchase and to own. While both vehicles do have similar ownership costs, the lower MSRP of the CX-5 and the more affordable average insurance costs make the CX-5 the cheaper of these two vehicles.
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Subaru Forester vs Mazda CX-5: An in-depth comparison
Now that you know a little more about pricing, let’s take a closer look at the performance and features that you can expect from each vehicle.
Body size and style
Overall, the Subaru Forester has the Mazda CX-5 beat in terms of passenger room and cargo room.
While the dimensions of these two vehicles are fairly similar overall, you’ll definitely be able to fit more cargo in the Subaru Forester—and your passengers will enjoy just a little more room on all sides, too. As such, if space is a top priority for you, the Subaru Forester is a better pick.
Dimensions | 2022 Subaru Forester | 2022 Mazda CX-5 |
|---|---|---|
Wheelbase | 105.1 inches | 106.2 inches |
Passenger volume | 111.6 cubic feet | 103.6 cubic feet |
Headroom (front/rear) | 41.2/39.6 inches | 39.7/39.0 inches |
Legroom (front/rear) | 43.3/39.4 inches | 41.0/39.6 inches |
Cargo volume w/seats up | 28.9 cubic feet | 30.8 cubic feet |
Cargo volume w/seats down | 74.2 cubic feet | 59.3 cubic feet |
Ground clearance | 8.7 to 9.2 inches | 7.5 inches |
Base curb weight | 3454 lbs | 3717 lbs |
MORE: Subaru Forester Sport towing capacity
Engine and performance
The base model for the 2022 Subaru Forester is equipped with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 182 horsepower and 176 lb-ft of torque, while the base 2022 Mazda CX-5 has a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 187 horsepower and 186 lb-ft of torque at its disposal.
When it comes to the drivetrain, the similarities continue. The CX-5 has all-wheel drive (AWD), and the Forester also comes equipped with Subaru's symmetrical AWD. This is the first year that the CX-5 has come standard with AWD, though, so you can easily find used models with front-wheel drive (FWD) instead.
In short, the base model Forester and the base model CX-5 have pretty similar engines and drivetrains, so there’s no clear winner in terms of performance.
Fuel economy
In terms of fuel efficiency, the Forester scores slightly better than the CX-5 once again.
The 2022 Forester gets 26 mpg for city driving, 33 mpg on the highway, and 29 mpg combined for a slightly above-average overall fuel economy.
The CX-5, on the other hand, gets an underwhelming 24 mpg for city driving, 30 mpg on the highway, and 27 mpg combined. While this isn’t bad for an SUV, the CX-5 definitely isn’t the most fuel-efficient vehicle on the road.
Safety
This is a category in which both of these vehicles shine! The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) awards both the Mazda CX-5 and the Subaru Forester the highest possible five-star rating, and both were chosen as a 2022 Top Safety Pick+ by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
In short, it’s hard to pick a winner here because both cars score so similarly—and so well!
Tech
The 2022 Forester certainly has a lot to offer in terms of tech! You’ll get safety features with Subaru’s EyeSight, which includes adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, and forward collision mitigation.
You’ll also get some fun, user-friendly features like a 6.5-inch touchscreen, standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration with navigation capability, and USB ports for passengers in the front and rear seats. There’s even onboard wi-fi for every trim except the base.
Compared to the Forester, Mazda’s CX-5 has pretty similar tech features. You’ll enjoy safety features including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alerts to help keep your risk level to a minimum while you’re behind the wheel.
You’ll also get some nice interior features, including a Bose 10-speaker surround sound system, dual front USB audio inputs/rear USB charging ports, Bluetooth hands-free phone and audio capability, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, and a huge 10.25-inch full-color display.
It’s difficult to compare these two vehicles in terms of tech since both offer such great features. Overall, however, customers agree that the Forester is a little more user-friendly, so Subaru just barely wins this category!
Interior and comfort
When it comes to the interior, the Subaru Forester is a little roomier than the Mazda CX-5. With more total cargo space and a higher overall passenger volume, the Forester is definitely your best bet if you plan to fit a lot of passengers or cargo in your vehicle.
The base Forester trim comes with automatic climate control for your comfort, but higher trim levels have upgrade options like heated front seats, leather upholstery, and Harman Kardon audio systems.
The CX-5 is also available with stylish leather-trimmed seats, heated front seats, and a high-quality Bose audio system on some trim levels, but the overall style of the CX-5 interior is very different from that of the Subaru Forester. While the Forester favors a more minimalistic interior with a smaller display screen, the more tactical design and the 10.25-inch display screen in the Mazda CX-5 make for a slightly more confusing design overall.
The winner: The Subaru Forester
While the Mazda CX-5 is certainly more cost-effective than the Subaru Forester, that extra $1,000 to $2,000 might be worth it for drivers who value user-friendly tech features, good fuel economy, and more space inside the cabin.
Still, for buyers on a budget, the Mazda CX-5 is still a great SUV with lots to offer in terms of safety, engine performance, and interior comfort, so opting for the cheaper vehicle is a very reasonable choice!
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