Compare the2025 Mazda CX-30VS 2025 Subaru Forester

The Mazda CX-30 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-30 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-30 has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Smart Braking Support - Rear Crossing on the Turbo Premium Plus 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-30 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, rearview cameras and available around view monitors.

The Mazda CX-30 has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Forester has not yet been evaluated by the IIHS for 2024.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 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 5 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Subaru is rated below average.

The CX-30’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 11 more horsepower (191 vs. 180) and 8 lbs.-ft. more torque (186 vs. 178) than the Forester’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The CX-30’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 70 more horsepower (250 vs. 180) and 142 lbs.-ft. more torque (320 vs. 178) than the Forester’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Mazda CX-30 4 cyl. is faster than the Subaru Forester:

On the EPA test cycle the CX-30 with its standard engine gets better fuel mileage than the Forester Sport/Touring (26 city/33 hwy vs. 25 city/32 hwy).

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the CX-30 (except Turbo)’s fuel efficiency. The Forester doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

The CX-30 has engine speed sensitive 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 Forester doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The CX-30 2.5 S Premium handles at .84 G’s, while the Forester Sport pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the CX-30’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the Forester’s (34.8 feet vs. 35.4 feet).

The CX-30 is 10.3 inches shorter than the Forester, making the CX-30 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The CX-30 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 Forester doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The CX-30’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/Limited/Touring’s power windows, only the front windows open or close automatically.

The CX-30 has a standard Pushbutton Start that allows you to start the engine without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Only the Forester Premium/Sport/Limited/Touring offers a Keyless Access and Start.

The CX-30 Select Sport/Preferred/Carbon/Premium’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Forester’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Mazda CX-30, based on reliability, safety and performance.