Compare the2024 Mazda CX-50VS 2025 Subaru Forester

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 Forester doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

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 Forester’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 Forester and its not available on the Base and the Forester’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert does not include automatic braking.

Both the CX-50 and the Forester 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, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available around view monitors.

The Mazda CX-50 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 an “Acceptable” 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-50’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 7 more horsepower (187 vs. 180) and 8 lbs.-ft. more torque (186 vs. 178) than the Forester’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The CX-50’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 76 more horsepower (256 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-50 turbo 4 cyl. is faster than the Subaru Forester:

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 Forester doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

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

The CX-50 stops much shorter than the Forester:

For better traction, the CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Forester (245/45R20 vs. 235/50R19).

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 Forester Sport/Touring’s 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo has standard 20-inch wheels. The Forester’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

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 Forester doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the CX-50’s wheelbase is 5.7 inches longer than on the Forester (110.8 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the CX-50 is 3.4 inches wider in the front and 3.4 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Forester.

The CX-50 2.5 Turbo handles at .87 G’s, while the Forester Sport pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The CX-50 has a much larger cargo volume than the Forester with its rear seat up (31.4 vs. 29.6 cubic feet).

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

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

The CX-50 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.

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 Forester doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

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 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.

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 Forester can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The CX-50 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 engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Only the Forester Premium/Sport/Limited/Touring offers a Keyless Access and Start.

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 Forester’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

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