The 2023 Mazda CX-5 is more cost-effective than the 2023 Subaru Forester, but some drivers may prefer the improved fuel economy, user-friendly display, and roomy interior offered by the Forester.

The 2023 Mazda CX-5 offers more power with an available turbocharged four-cylinder engine, but the 2023 Subaru Forester offers better overall pricing and cost, fuel economy, and interior design.
The CX-5 has a lower starting price than the Forester, but the Forester has lower ownership costs and
car insurance
rates.
The Forester provides more passenger and cargo room than the CX-5.
The Forester and CX-5 both offer standard all-wheel drive (AWD), similar safety ratings, and tech features.

Subaru Forester vs Mazda CX-5 pricing

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	$26,395	CX-5 S (Base)	$28,075
Forester Premium	$30,920	CX-5 S Select	$29,875
Forester Sport	$32,490	CX-5 S Preferred	$31,565
Forester Limited	$34,600	CX-5 S Carbon Edition	$32,475
Forester Wilderness	$35,545	CX-5 S Premium	$34,375
Forester Touring	$38,020	CX-5 S Premium Plus	$36,875
		CX-5 Turbo	$38,225
		CX-5 Turbo Signature	$41,025

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—unless you count the turbo trims.

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 for each SUV’s most popular trim, the Forester actually beats the CX-5:

Model	Subaru Forester Premium	Mazda CX-5 Preferred
Edmunds five-year true cost to own	$42,098	$44,152

MORE

Are Mazdas good cars?

Insurance costs

Another factor to consider is your car insurance. On average,

Subaru Forester insurance costs

will be lower than

Mazda CX-5 insurance costs

The average Forester will cost $2,046 per year to insure, while the average CX-5 will cost about $3,371 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 two much higher-priced trims than the Forester.

Winner: The Subaru Forester

Overall, the Subaru Forester is undeniably less expensive to own. While the CX-5 is cheaper to purchase, its lower MSRP doesn’t balance out the higher overall costs of ownership and insurance, making the Forester the cheaper of the two vehicles.

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.

The bottom line: If space is a top priority for you, the Subaru Forester is a better pick.

Dimensions	2023 Subaru Forester	2023 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

Engine and performance

The base model Forester and the base model CX-5 have pretty similar engines and drivetrains. But the CX-5’s available turbocharged powertrain gives it an edge.

Model	Engine	Horsepower	Torque	Transmission	Drivetrain
Subaru Forester	2.5-liter four-cylinder	182 horsepower	176 lb-ft	Continuously variable automatic (CVT)	AWD
Mazda CX-5 S	2.5-liter four-cylinder	187 horsepower	186 lb-ft	6-speed shiftable automatic	AWD
Mazda CX-5 Turbo	2.5-liter turbo-four	227–256 horsepower	310–320 lb-ft	6-speed shiftable automatic	AWD

Key Takeaway: If you’re looking at base models, we’ve got a tie, but the CX-5 Turbo is the clear winner in terms of engine and performance.

Fuel economy

In terms of fuel efficiency, the Forester scores slightly better than the CX-5 once again.

Model	EPA-estimated fuel economy (city/hwy/comb)
Subaru Forester	26/33/29 mpg
Mazda CX-5 S	24/20/27 mpg
Mazda CX-5 Turbo	22/27/24 mpg

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 2023 Top Safety Picks 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 2023 Forester certainly has a lot to offer in terms of tech specs! You’ll get safety features with Subaru’s EyeSight, which includes:

Adaptive cruise control

Lane-keep assist

Forward collision mitigation

You’ll also get some fun, user-friendly features like:

A 6.5-inch touchscreen

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration with navigation capability

USB ports for passengers in the front and rear seats

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

Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alerts

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

A huge 10.25-inch full-color display

Standard keyless entry with push-button start on all trims

It’s difficult to compare these two small SUVs in terms of tech since both offer such great features. Overall, however, customers agree that the Forester’s tech and infotainment systems are 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

Heated steering wheel

Leather upholstery

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 may offer more in terms of power and performance, the Subaru Forester offers the best deal overall. For drivers who want user-friendly tech features, good fuel economy, and more space inside the cabin, the Forester is the crossover for you.

“My policy covers two people and four cars: a truck, SUV, convertible, and muscle car. Jerry helped me go from paying $308 a month to $125 a month with the same coverage. I’m loving the savings.” —Jocelyn A.

Make auto loan refinancing easy with PriceProtect™

Check my rates!

4.7/5 rating on the App Store | Trusted by 5+ million customers and 7 million cars

4.7/5 app rating | Trusted by 5M+ drivers

Reduce your monthly car payments in minutes?

Find out if Jerry can reduce your payments by an average of $150/month

Check your rate!