Compare the2025 Mazda CX-70VS 2024 Subaru Forester

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

Safety

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The Mazda CX-70 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 Forester doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The CX-70 Premium has a standard Secondary Collision Reduction System, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Forester doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The CX-70 Premium Plus/Turbo S has a standard 360° View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Forester 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-70 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 Forester’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the CX-70 has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Rear Cross Traffic Braking automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Subaru charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Forester and its not available on the Base and the Forester’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert does not include automatic braking.

Both the CX-70 and the Forester have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems and rearview cameras.

The Mazda CX-70 weighs 1243 to 1744 pounds more than the Subaru Forester. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

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.

Engine

The CX-70’s standard 3.3 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 98 more horsepower (280 vs. 182) and 156 lbs.-ft. more torque (332 vs. 176) than the Forester’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The CX-70 PHEV’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 141 more horsepower (323 vs. 182) and 193 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 176) than the Forester’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The CX-70 Turbo S’ standard 3.3 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 158 more horsepower (340 vs. 182) and 193 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 176) than the Forester’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

The CX-70 PHEV can travel with zero emissions for 26 miles. The Forester can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the CX-70’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Forester doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The CX-70’s standard fuel tank has 1.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the Forester (18.5 vs. 16.6 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The CX-70 Turbo S’ standard fuel tank has 3 gallons more fuel capacity than the Forester (19.6 vs. 16.6 gallons).

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the CX-70’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Forester:

	CX-70	CX-70 Turbo S/PHEV	Forester Base	Forester
Front Rotors	12.9 inches	13.7 inches	11.6 inches	12.4 inches
Rear Rotors	13.8 inches	13.8 inches	11.2 inches	11.2 inches

The CX-70’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Forester are solid, not vented.

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the CX-70 has larger standard tires than the Forester (265/55R19 vs. 225/60R17). The CX-70 Premium’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Forester (275/45R21 vs. 225/60R17).

The CX-70’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Forester’s standard 60 series tires. The CX-70 Premium’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Forester Sport/Limited/Touring’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the CX-70 has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Forester. The CX-70 Premium’s 21-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Forester Sport/Limited/Touring.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the CX-70’s wheelbase is 17.7 inches longer than on the Forester (122.8 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the CX-70 is 5.6 inches wider in the front and 5.5 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Forester.

Passenger Space

The CX-70 has 30 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Forester (141.6 vs. 111.6).

The CX-70 has 2.1 inches more front hip room, 1.1 inches more front shoulder room, 1.9 inches more rear hip room and .9 inches more rear shoulder room than the Forester.

Cargo Capacity

The CX-70 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Forester with its rear seat up (39.6 vs. 28.9 cubic feet). The CX-70 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Forester with its rear seat folded (75.3 vs. 74.2 cubic feet).

The CX-70’s cargo area is larger than the Forester’s in almost every dimension:

	CX-70	Forester
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	50.1”/97.5”	35.7”/69.9”
Max Width	49.8”	51.2”
Min Width	43.7”	43.3”
Height	31.6”	34.8”

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the CX-70 Premium’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Forester doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Towing

The CX-70’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Forester’s (3500 vs. 1500 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Subaru Forester is only 3000 pounds. The CX-70 offers up to a 5000 lbs. towing capacity.

Servicing Ease

The CX-70 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Forester 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

The CX-70 Premium has a standard heads-up display that projects speed 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 Forester doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The CX-70’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 Forester’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically. With the Forester Premium/Sport/Wilderness/Limited/Touring’s power windows, only the front windows open or close automatically.

The CX-70 has standard Advanced Keyless Entry and Start that allows you to unlock the doors from either front door handle, open the cargo door, and start the vehicle, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Only the Forester Premium/Sport/Wilderness/Limited/Touring offers a Keyless Access and Start.

The CX-70’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 Forester’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the CX-70 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Forester doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The CX-70’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Subaru only offers heated mirrors on the Forester Premium/Sport/Wilderness/Limited/Touring.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the CX-70 Premium Plus/Turbo S keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Forester doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The CX-70 has a 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. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the Forester Wilderness/Limited/Touring.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Mazda CX-70 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Forester doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The CX-70 Premium Plus has a 115-volt a/c outlet in the cargo area, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Forester doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.