Compare the2024 Mazda CX-50VS 2023 Subaru Crosstrek

Safety
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The Mazda CX-50 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The CX-50 Turbo Premium Plus has a standard 360° Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Crosstrek only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The CX-50 has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Crosstrek’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the CX-50 has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Rear Cross Traffic Braking on the Turbo Premium Plus automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Subaru charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Crosstrek and its not available on the Base/Manual and the Crosstrek’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert does not include automatic braking.

Both the CX-50 and the Crosstrek have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights and rearview cameras.

The Mazda CX-50 weighs 408 to 796 pounds more than the Subaru Crosstrek. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Mazda CX-50 is much safer than the Crosstrek:

	CX-50	Crosstrek
Overall Evaluation	ACCEPTABLE	POOR
Structure	GOOD	POOR
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	174	245
Head Peak Forces	no contact	55 G’s
Shoulder Deflection	1.54 in	1.89 in
Shoulder Force	312 lbs.	357 lbs.
Pelvis	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	982 lbs.	1116 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Neck Compression	67 lbs.	178 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	MARGINAL
Shoulder Deflection	1.02 in	2.09 in
Shoulder Force	379 lbs.	424 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	.83 in	1.69 in
Torso Deflection Rate	12 MPH	13 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis Force	446 lbs.	825 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, and daytime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the CX-50 the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 54 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Crosstrek last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2022.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Mazda above average in long-term dependability. With 13 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Subaru is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Subaru vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Mazda fourth in overall reliability. Subaru is ranked 7th.

Engine

The CX-50’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 35 more horsepower (187 vs. 152) and 41 lbs.-ft. more torque (186 vs. 145) than the Crosstrek’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder. The CX-50’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 5 more horsepower (187 vs. 182) and 10 lbs.-ft. more torque (186 vs. 176) than the Crosstrek Sport/Limited’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The CX-50’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 74 more horsepower (256 vs. 182) and 144 lbs.-ft. more torque (320 vs. 176) than the Crosstrek Sport/Limited’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Mazda CX-50 4 cyl. is faster than the Subaru Crosstrek 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder (automatics tested):

	CX-50	Crosstrek
Zero to 30 MPH	3.4 sec	4 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	9.3 sec	10.2 sec
45 to 65 MPH Passing	5.7 sec	6.3 sec
Quarter Mile	17.2 sec	17.8 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	84 MPH	82 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the CX-50 (except Turbo)’s fuel efficiency. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

Transmission

The Mazda CX-50 comes standard with an automatic transmission, for driver comfort, especially in the city. Automatic costs extra on the Crosstrek.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the CX-50’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Crosstrek:

	CX-50	Crosstrek
Front Rotors	12.8 inches	11.6 inches
Rear Rotors	12.8 inches	10.8 inches

The CX-50 stops much shorter than the Crosstrek:

	CX-50	Crosstrek
70 to 0 MPH	161 feet	169 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	118 feet	131 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Crosstrek (245/45R20 vs. 225/60R17).

The CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Crosstrek Limited’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo has standard 20-inch wheels. The Crosstrek’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

Suspension and Handling

The CX-50 has variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the CX-50’s wheelbase is 5.9 inches longer than on the Crosstrek (110.8 inches vs. 104.9 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the CX-50 is 4.1 inches wider in the front and 4.1 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Crosstrek.

The CX-50 2.5 Turbo handles at .87 G’s, while the Crosstrek Limited pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The CX-50 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Crosstrek Limited (28 seconds @ .58 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

Passenger Space

The CX-50 has .6 inches more rear headroom and 3.3 inches more rear legroom than the Crosstrek.

Cargo Capacity

The CX-50 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Crosstrek with its rear seat up (31.4 vs. 20.8 cubic feet). The CX-50 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Crosstrek with its rear seat folded (56.3 vs. 55.3 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the CX-50 easier. The CX-50’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 28.4 inches, while the Crosstrek’s liftover is 30.9 inches.

The CX-50’s cargo area is larger than the Crosstrek’s in almost every dimension:

	CX-50	Crosstrek
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	42.6”/75.4”	32.3”/64.2”
Max Width	55.6”	53”
Min Width	40.2”	43”
Height	30.2”	30”

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the CX-50’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the CX-50 Preferred/Premium/Turbo has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

Towing

The CX-50’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Crosstrek’s (2000 vs. 1500 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Subaru Crosstrek is only 1500 pounds. The CX-50 offers up to a 3500 lbs. towing capacity.

Servicing Ease

The CX-50 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Crosstrek uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo, the memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a memory system.

The CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo Premium has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The CX-50’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Crosstrek has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

The CX-50’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Crosstrek’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

On a hot day the CX-50’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Crosstrek can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The CX-50’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Crosstrek’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The CX-50’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Crosstrek’s standard halogen headlights. LED lights also light instantly and last over twenty times longer than halogen.

Consumer Reports rated the CX-50’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Crosstrek’s headlights, which were rated “Good.”

The CX-50 has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. The Crosstrek has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the Premium/Sport/Limited.

When the CX-50 Premium/Turbo is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Crosstrek’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Both the CX-50 and the Crosstrek offer available heated front seats. The CX-50 Turbo Premium Plus also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Crosstrek.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo Premium keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

On extremely cold winter days, the CX-50 Turbo Premium’s standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The CX-50’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Both the CX-50 and the Crosstrek offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the CX-50 has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only floor heat vents.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Mazda CX-50 offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Mazda CX-50 and the Subaru Crosstrek, based on reliability, safety and performance.

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