2021 Subaru Forester vs 2022 Mazda CX-5

The 2021 Subaru Forester was recognized for its timeless design, especially appealing to SUV shoppers who valued practical and rugged aesthetics. Although redesigned for the 2019 model year, its overall styling remained reminiscent of previous generations, with the most noticeable update being the taillights featuring a distinctive cross shape. Subaru seemed to follow the principle of not fixing what wasn’t broken, retaining its characteristic boxy, upright shape that provided a clean, unpretentious look.

While the Base trim was somewhat plain with its 17-inch steel wheels, higher trims like the Forester Sport added eye-catching elements such as orange striping around the body and roof rails, a rear spoiler, and black 18-inch alloy wheels. The combination of these features, particularly with complementary paint colors like Dark Blue Pearl, enhanced the vehicle’s aesthetic appeal considerably.

The Forester shared its Subaru Global Platform with models like the Impreza, Crosstrek, Legacy, and Outback, ensuring a balance of ruggedness and practicality. Inside, the no-nonsense mix of materials promised durability over aesthetic appeal, with trims like the Sport adding touches of orange trim and stitching for personality. Higher trims upgraded to leather upholstery and included features like heated front seats, heated mirrors, and a windshield de-icer, which were part of the All-Weather Package.

In contrast, the 2022 Mazda CX-5 presented a sleeker, more modern appearance, making subtle updates such as new LED headlights and taillights, redesigned bumpers, and a fresh grille. The top-of-the-line Signature trim featured body-color lower exterior trim to drive home Mazda's premium brand aspirations.

Mazda made no changes to the luxurious interior of the CX-5, continuing to offer premium Nappa leather, genuine wood trim, and polished metallic accents. The new seats improved comfort, a significant upgrade from previous models. Mazda also introduced a more confusing trim level lineup, with the CX-5 2.5 S and 2.5 Turbo versions indicating different engine options, tailored for either efficiency or performance.

Our test vehicle was the 2.5 Turbo, boasting optional features like Soul Red paint, a navigation system, and a rear bumper guard, amounting to a total of $39,445, including destination charges. The Mazda CX-5 certainly underscored its bid to be perceived as an entry-level luxury SUV through these refinements.

The 2021 Subaru Forester came with a single powertrain option: a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine delivering 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque, mated to a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). This naturally aspirated boxer engine gave the Forester a unique low center of gravity, an advantage over competitors’ inline-four engines. With a maximum towing capacity of 1,500 pounds and standard Trailer Stability Assist, the Forester offered sufficient utility for light towing needs.

Despite these specs, the engine felt merely adequate in performance. It sufficed for everyday driving but lacked the punch for confident highway merging or spirited overtaking maneuvers, often accompanied by noticeable wind noise at high speeds. The ride quality was a mixed bag, with soft suspension helpful for absorbing road imperfections but resulting in significant body roll and bounce on uneven surfaces.

Subaru's commitment to all-wheel drive (AWD) shone through, with the Forester featuring AWD as standard—uncommon in its segment. The vehicle also included the sophisticated X-Mode for varying driving conditions, and the Sport trim featured Dual X-Mode settings. With 8.7 inches of ground clearance, the Forester was equipped to handle light off-roading effectively, albeit not as well as purpose-built options like the Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk or Ford Bronco Sport.

For 2022, the Mazda CX-5 included two powertrain options: the naturally aspirated 2.5-liter engine producing 187 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque, and the turbocharged 2.5-liter version delivering up to 256 horsepower and 320 pound-feet of torque on premium fuel. Both engines were paired with a revised six-speed automatic transmission and standard AWD. The naturally aspirated engine achieved a combined fuel economy of 26 mpg, while the turbocharged variant managed 24 mpg, with real-world figures coming in slightly lower during testing.

Mazda's update for 2022 included improved structural rigidity and reworked suspension tuning, resulting in a quieter, smoother, yet sportier ride. The Mazda Intelligent Drive Select (Mi-Drive) offered Normal, Sport, and Off-Road modes, enhancing the CX-5's versatility. The CX-5 excelled in driving dynamics, with minimal body roll and outstanding grip, making it feel more like a sporty car than a conventional SUV.

The 2021 Subaru Forester offered spacious accommodation for five occupants, with above-average headroom and legroom in both rows. The tall, flat roof added to the roomy feel, enhanced by generous glass areas for excellent visibility. However, the ample sunlight might raise cabin temperatures on sunny days.

Cargo space was another strong suit for the Forester. It provided 35.4 cubic feet of space with the rear seats up and 76.1 cubic feet with them folded down. This configuration offered more space than a Honda CR-V or the redesigned 2022 Hyundai Tucson with the seats down, though less with the seats up. The lack of a sliding second-row bench was notable, especially compared to rivals like the Ford Escape and Nissan Rogue. Still, practical features like a power liftgate (standard on higher trims) added convenience.

On the interior functionality front, the Forester's cupholders were adequately sized, and the center console and storage compartments were reasonably practical, albeit with some drawbacks like a small phone-storage cubby and the lack of wireless charging. Control layouts were generally user-friendly but cluttered with numerous steering wheel buttons.

For the 2022 Mazda CX-5, the new seats marked a substantial improvement, offering better comfort and support along with a sportier driving position. All trims except the base featured height-adjustable front passenger seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, and heated and ventilated front seats, with our test vehicle also equipped with a heated steering wheel.

However, the CX-5’s rear seat remained somewhat snug, although heated outboard cushions and air vents improved passenger comfort. The control layout of the Mazda Connect infotainment system was more challenging to adapt to due to the lack of a touchscreen and natural voice recognition. Once accustomed, however, users found the controls manageable without looking away from the road.

Cargo space in the CX-5 was less impressive than some competitors, offering 30.9 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 59.3 cubic feet with them folded. These figures were more competitive against entry-level luxury SUVs but fell short compared to mainstream compact crossovers.

The 2021 Subaru Forester featured the Subaru Starlink infotainment system, which included a 6.5-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, SiriusXM satellite radio, front-row USB ports, and a CD player. Higher trims like the Sport added an 8-inch touchscreen and Harman Kardon audio system, with further additions like navigation and rear USB ports available on the Limited and Touring trims.

Users appreciated the user-friendly interface of the Forester’s infotainment system, complemented by physical controls making operation intuitive. Despite the easy navigation, the system was slow to boot up. The Forester also included secondary information displays in the dashboard and instrument cluster, which could seem redundant.

Mazda’s 2022 CX-5, meanwhile, retained the Mazda Connect system with a 10.25-inch display that wasn’t touch-sensing. While Mazda's reasoning was to prevent driver distraction, this design choice meant users had to operate the system via center console and steering wheel controls. This could be less intuitive compared to systems with touchscreen functionality.

Although lacking natural voice recognition, the CX-5 included standard smartphone integration via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Mazda also provided a complimentary three-year trial subscription to its connected services, except for WiFi. Higher trims included a 10-speaker Bose premium sound system, receiving generally positive reviews.

Safety was a key strength for the 2021 Subaru Forester, which received the highest “Top Safety Pick+” award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Standard safety features included Subaru’s EyeSight suite, consisting of adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lead-vehicle start alert, steering-responsive headlights, and more.

Optional features like blind-spot monitoring, rear-cross traffic alert, lane-keep assist, and reverse automatic braking further enhanced the safety profile. EyeSight’s performance was adequate, albeit with some jerky steering inputs and occasional false alarms.

The 2022 Mazda CX-5 also excelled in safety, with a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS. The standard i-Activsense safety package included adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert.

Higher trims added features like adaptive headlights, a surround-view camera system, parking sensors, rear automatic braking, and a driver monitoring system. The Traffic Jam Assist feature in the Signature trim provided low-speed adaptive cruise control and lane-centering for congested conditions. The head-up display in models equipped with it included blind-spot warnings, promoting safer lane changes.