Mazda CX-50 vs Subaru Forester (2026)
Price gap, MSRP + destination
$50
- CX-50: 7 hp more, 500 lb more towing.
- Forester: 3 mpg better, 0.9 s quicker to 60.
- CX-50 wins 4 of 12 measures.
- Price: about the same.
| Measure | CX-50 | Forester | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSRP + destination | $31,395 | $31,445 | About the same |
| Horsepower | 187 hp | 180 hp | CX-50 |
| Torque | 185 lb-ft | 178 lb-ft | CX-50 |
| MPG combined | 26 mpg | 29 mpg | Forester |
| Cargo, max | 31.4 cu ft to 56.3 cu ft | 74.4 cu ft | N/A |
| Cargo, seats up | 31.4 cu ft | 29.6 cu ft | CX-50 |
| Rear legroom | 39.8 in | 39.4 in | About the same |
| Front legroom | 41.7 in | 43.3 in | Forester |
| Length | 185.8 in | 183.3 in | Not scored |
| Width | 75.6 in | 72.0 in | Not scored |
| Curb weight | 3,741 lb | 3,510 lb | Not scored |
| Towing | 2,000 lb | 1,500 lb | CX-50 |
| Seats | 5 | 5 | About the same |
| Ground clearance | 8.3 in | 8.7 in | About the same |
| 0-60 mph | 9.5 s tested | 8.6 s published | Forester |
| Basic warranty | 3 yr / 36,000 mi | 3 yr / 36,000 mi | About the same |
Not scored: length, width, curb weight. N/A rows are not counted.
Nearest trims by price
| Trim | Nearest in price | Gap |
|---|---|---|
| CX-50 2.5 S Select AWD $29,900 | Forester AWD $29,995 | $95 |
| Forester AWD $29,995 | CX-50 2.5 S Select AWD $29,900 | $95 |
Hybrid vs hybrid
| Measure | CX-50 | Forester | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSRP + destination | $36,245 | $36,180 | About the same |
| Horsepower | 176 hp | 194 hp | Forester |
| Torque | 163 lb-ft | 154 lb-ft | CX-50 |
| MPG combined | 38 mpg | 35 mpg | CX-50 |
| Cargo, max | 56.3 cu ft | 69.1 cu ft | Forester |
| Cargo, seats up | 31.4 cu ft | 27.5 cu ft | CX-50 |
| Rear legroom | 39.8 in | 39.4 in | About the same |
| Front legroom | 41.7 in | 43.3 in | Forester |
| Towing | 1,500 lb | 1,500 lb | About the same |
| Seats | 5 | 5 | About the same |
| Ground clearance | 7.8 in | 8.7 in | Forester |
| 0-60 mph | 8.7 s tested | 7.5 s estimate | Forester |
| Basic warranty | 3 yr / 36,000 mi | 3 yr / 36,000 mi | About the same |
Forester wins 5 of 13 measures.
Cost to run
Forester costs $867 less over 6 years.
12,000 miles a year. Gas $3.20. Electricity 17 cents per kWh.
| Cost | CX-50 | Forester |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP + destination | $31,395 | $31,445 |
| Fuel or charging, 1 year | $1,477 | $1,324 |
| Fuel or charging, 6 years | $8,862 | $7,945 |
| Total, 6 years | $40,257 | $39,390 |
Which is better for me?
Weight each group from 0 to 10. MPG uses fuel or charging cost.
Equal weights: CX-50 wins.
Forester wins if Towing weight is 1 or less.
| Group | Ahead | By |
|---|---|---|
| Price | About the same | |
| MPG | Forester | 10% |
| Power | CX-50 | 4% |
| Space | N/A | |
| Towing | CX-50 | 25% |
Other years
What this cannot tell you
Your price and mpg will differ.
Reliability and safety are not included.
- 2 or more sources
- 1 source
- Model-level, rule or estimate
- Sources disagree