Mazda CX-50 vs Subaru Forester: which one fits you?
The short answer
Pick the CX-50 if you want more cargo room and better fuel economy; pick the Forester if you want the stronger all-wheel-drive system and more ground clearance. The Mazda CX-50 starts lower, at $29,900 against $29,995, before destination. Behind the back seats it's 31.4 cubic feet in the CX-50 and 29.6 in the Forester.
Our read: Pick the CX-50 if you want more cargo room and better fuel economy; pick the Forester if you want the stronger all-wheel-drive system and more ground clearance.
| What you get | Mazda CX-50 Public record | Subaru Forester Public record |
|---|---|---|
| Price range (MSRP) | $29,900–$42,900 | $29,995–$41,545 |
| Cargo, seats up / down | 31.4 / 56.3 cu ft | 29.6 / 74.4 cu ft |
| Ground clearance | 8.1–8.6 in | 8.7–9.3 in |
| All-wheel / four-wheel drive | Standard: on-demand all-wheel drive (i-Activ AWD (gas); Electric AWD / eAWD (hybrid)) | Standard: full-time all-wheel drive (Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive) |
| EPA combined fuel economy | 25–38 mpg | 26–35 mpg |
| What owners report (My MPG) | Too few owner reports yet | Too few owner reports yet |
| Max towing | 3,500 lb | 3,500 lb |
| NHTSA recalls, 2024–26 models | 4 campaigns | 8 campaigns |
Which one fits more of your stuff
With the back seats up, the Mazda CX-50 gives you 31.4 cubic feet against 29.6 in the Subaru Forester, about 6% more for groceries, strollers and suitcases.
Fold the seats and the Subaru Forester holds 74.4 cubic feet to the Mazda CX-50's 56.3. So the order flips once the seats are down, which is worth knowing if you haul bulky things more than you carry people.
What the all-wheel drive actually does
The Mazda CX-50 comes with on-demand all-wheel drive, which Mazda calls i-Activ AWD (gas); Electric AWD / eAWD (hybrid) on every version. Every CX-50 has all-wheel drive. Gas models use Mazda's i-Activ system and the hybrid uses an electric rear-drive system.
The Subaru Forester comes with full-time all-wheel drive, which Subaru calls Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive on every version. Every Forester, hybrid included, has all-wheel drive that powers all four wheels all the time.
If you drive in snow or on dirt roads often, that difference favours the Subaru Forester. For rain and the odd snowy morning, either system is enough; good tires matter more.
How each handles rough roads and deep snow
The Subaru Forester sits higher: 8.7–9.3 in of ground clearance against 8.1–8.6 in for the Mazda CX-50. That extra height helps on rutted dirt roads, deep snow and steep driveways.
Mazda CX-50: The spec deck lists 8.6, 8.5 and 8.1 in across trim groups. The column-to-trim mapping wasn't clear in the PDF.
Subaru Forester: 8.7 in is standard; the Wilderness has 9.3 in.
Engines, hybrids and what they change
The Mazda CX-50 comes with 2.5L 4-cyl (187 hp); 2.5L turbo 4-cyl (227 hp regular / 256 hp premium fuel); 2.5L hybrid (219 hp). The Subaru Forester comes with 2.5L boxer 4-cyl (180 hp); 2.5L hybrid (194 hp total).
Both offer a hybrid, so you can get the better fuel economy either way; compare the hybrid trims' prices against the gas ones you'd otherwise buy.
Fuel: the EPA number and what owners really get
On the EPA's combined rating the Mazda CX-50 gets 25–38 mpg and the Subaru Forester gets 26–35 mpg, depending on engine and drivetrain. The higher end of each range is usually the hybrid or front-drive version.
What each one costs before you negotiate
By the window sticker, the Mazda CX-50 runs $29,900–$42,900 and the Subaru Forester runs $29,995–$41,545, before the destination charge.
Reliability: what we can and can't tell you
We couldn't find a free, independent reliability signal for either the Mazda CX-50 or the Subaru Forester that we could verify, so we won't guess one: any reliability estimate here would be ours, not a measurement.
Recalls are facts, not scores: NHTSA lists 4 campaigns for the Mazda CX-50 and 8 campaigns for the Subaru Forester for the last three model years. Recall repairs are free; check a car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What to know before you test-drive
Mazda CX-50: New for 2026 is the Meridian Edition on both the 2.5 S and the 2.5 Turbo. Towing is 3,500 lb for the turbo, 2,000 lb for the 2.5 S and 1,500 lb for the hybrid, per the spec deck.
Subaru Forester: The current generation launched for 2025; the new 2026 Wilderness trim adds more ground clearance and the 3,500 lb tow rating. KBB lists 1,500 lb for standard models, and no hybrid tow rating was found.
Questions people ask
Is the CX-50 or the Forester bigger inside?
With the back seats up, the Mazda CX-50 gives you 31.4 cubic feet against 29.6 in the Subaru Forester, about 6% more for groceries, strollers and suitcases. Fold the seats and the Subaru Forester holds 74.4 cubic feet to the Mazda CX-50's 56.3. So the order flips once the seats are down, which is worth knowing if you haul bulky things more than you carry people.
Does the CX-50 or the Forester have better all-wheel drive?
The Mazda CX-50 comes with on-demand all-wheel drive, which Mazda calls i-Activ AWD (gas); Electric AWD / eAWD (hybrid) on every version. Every CX-50 has all-wheel drive. Gas models use Mazda's i-Activ system and the hybrid uses an electric rear-drive system. The Subaru Forester comes with full-time all-wheel drive, which Subaru calls Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive on every version. Every Forester, hybrid included, has all-wheel drive that powers all four wheels all the time. If you drive in snow or on dirt roads often, that difference favours the Subaru Forester. For rain and the odd snowy morning, either system is enough; good tires matter more.
Which gets better gas mileage, the CX-50 or the Forester?
On the EPA's combined rating the Mazda CX-50 gets 25–38 mpg and the Subaru Forester gets 26–35 mpg, depending on engine and drivetrain. The higher end of each range is usually the hybrid or front-drive version.
How much more is the Forester than the CX-50?
By the window sticker, the Mazda CX-50 runs $29,900–$42,900 and the Subaru Forester runs $29,995–$41,545, before the destination charge.
Sources
- EPA fuel economy ratings and owner-reported MPG (fueleconomy.gov), U.S. Department of Energy / EPA. Checked October 18, 2026. Public record
- NHTSA recalls database, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Checked October 18, 2026. Public record
- Mazda USA Newsroom: 2026 CX-50 Pricing and Packaging. Checked October 18, 2026. Public record
- Subaru media: 2026 Forester and Forester Hybrid pricing (Feb 10, 2026). Checked October 18, 2026. Public record
- Mazda: 2026 CX-50 Spec Deck (PDF). Checked October 18, 2026. Public record
- Kelley Blue Book: 2026 Subaru Forester. Checked October 18, 2026. Public record
- Subaru media: 2026 Forester pricing and Wilderness (Aug 28, 2025). Checked October 18, 2026. Public record
- Mazda USA Newsroom: 2026 CX-50 vehicle page. Checked October 18, 2026. Public record
Labels tell you how much to lean on a figure: Public record comes from a government or manufacturer source, Estimate is worked out and can move, Keel data is aggregated from many listings, and Dealer says is a dealer's own claim.