Choosing Between a CX-5 and Subaru Forester

[kooritsuki]

Hi there, I'm new to this forum.

I'm looking to finance a vehicle for my mom. She currently drives a 2009 Rav4 and I drive a 2008 Forester. They were both reliable cars for us and I love my Forester, so those were the first 2 I considered. After some test drives and research, Rav4 is no longer part of our consideration. But I do like the 2015 Forester very much. I have no prior experience with Mazdas at all.

Here's a bit about what we're looking for. My mom is 65 yrs old and does short distance city driving mostly. We value reliability and safety (which I understand both the Forester and CX-5 are Safety Top Picks Plus) the most, because drivers in our part of the city are getting worse and my mom is not the best driver either. Both the Forester and the CX-5 are within my price range, so I likely won't be making a decision solely based on the price difference between the two cars. My father has mobility issues, so he needs a car that is easy to get on and off of. Cargo space is also important as we need to fit a wheelchair in the trunk easily.

My co-worker told me to consider the 2014 CX-5. It's several thousand dollars cheaper than the Forester and he's heard good things about it. When I researched it online, I keep reading that it's "fun to drive".

So for those of you who think so, what exactly is it that you find fun? I'll probably be going for a test drive this weekend myself, so I'd like to know what to look out for.

Is Mazdas reliable? We need the car to last 10 or more years. Will I be looking at replacing expensive parts of the vehicle often within that period of time?

For those of you who have been driving Mazdas for a while, how old is your car before you had to do a major (several thousand dollars) repair?

What did you dislike the most about your CX-5? (Especially applicable to those with 2014 models.)

What is the collision avoidance system like when used in real life? What are the things you like about it? What are the things you don't like about it?

Did you have to adjust your driving style because of the system? (ex. You may get rear-ended easily if system stops the car suddenly.)

I've posed similar questions in a Forester forum, but would really love to have CX-5 owners' help in my decision. Of course, the ultimate decision lies in which car my mom prefers after she got to test drive both. But I'd like to know some details and be informed.

Thanks a bunch in advance.

 

[nXt]

What is fun to drive? Shouldn't matter for a 65year old woman.
Reliable? I guess so, but Mazda's are known to have their AC crap out around 60k, and my 2004 Mazda3 crapped out around 65K, 9 years after I bought it. cost $1600 to fix. Everything else is fine.
Dislike? Road noise is loud, but comparable to other cars, Infotainment system is ok, not great, issues with usb/ipod resumeing and shuffle modes.
Collision avoidance... on the CX-5 it's the SCBS (Smart city brake system). Only kicked in a couple times on me, always when i'm parking into a spot really fast, never on the road.
If it does kick in, you're pretty damn close to almost hitting the person in front of you, so you should worry about that saving your ass than "what if someone hits you from the back"
Driving style adjustment? no.

For your mother, buy the cheapest cx-5 auto, it'll be fine, don't need all the extra stuff.
In the USA, SCBS is only on Touring and higher with tech package.

 

[Seminole]

Honestly a Forester will probably be the better car for them. The ingress/egress is much easier in the Forester when I sat in one compared to my CX-5. Plus the CX-5 seats have bigger side bolstering which make it a little harder for the older folk to get in (drove my grandparents around this weekend so I got to experience it). It will also have a smoother ride for them and it's a little bigger in the back for the wheelchair.

A CX-5 is a great vehicle, but it just won't fit their priorities as well as the Forester will.

 

[vanwyk4257]

I owned a 2010 Subaru Forester, and currently own a 2013 Mazda CX5 touring. The forester had the 2.5na motor with the 4-speed auto, I think they may be going to more CVT transmissions now as they did in the outbacks. The 2.5 boxer in the Subaru had pretty good power and acceleration and was a nice smooth motor. The CX5 has less torque, but bear in mind I have a 2013 with the 2.0 liter, the newer models with the 2.5 skyactiv motor are probably on par with the forester.
The forester I had was the top of the line model equipped with leather, heated seats and all the bells and whistles.
My CX5 has the bose stereo, power sunroof etc. and is AWD.

I like the collision avoidance system from the perspective of being able to simply glance at the mirror and even if someone is in your blind spot and not very visible on the mirror itself the system illuminates the indicator on the mirror so you know that there is a vehicle there. The only caveat is that it will give a "false alert" once in a while when changing lanes or turning if there is an object close to the road that it picks up. The pros outweigh the cons however in my opinion.

In terms of driving and handling I think the CX5 is much more composed and handles better than the forester that I had. The forester also felt "cheap". The interior plastics were hard and appeared much less refined than the interior of the CX5 overall, but again that was a few years ago and I'm not sure what Subaru may have done with the recent facelift of the Forester.

Cargo space for a wheelchair shouldn't be an issue with either vehicle, they are fairly similar to my recollection.

In terms of wet weather or snow and ice both are great vehicles. I put an all terrain tire on my stock 17" wheels for the winter, one of the worst on record here in West Michigan, and my CX5 was outstanding. I ran full snow tires on the forester and it was impeccable as well in the winter.

Both are great vehicles, I would suggest bringing your mother along for the test drive to see which one she is more comfortable in.

 

[tibimakai]

In your place I would consider even the Mazda5 if you like the front fascia. They are lower(easier to get in and out), third row seat can be folded, more room for the wheelchair, they are much cheaper even if they are fully equipped. I believe that they are still fun to drive, but they have less power and worse mpg rating.

 

[socalcx-5]

Those were my final 2 choices as well and I went with the CX-5 GT. However, for a 65 year old woman, I think the Forester is the better choice.

The biggest issue is the visibility out of the Forester, which is amazing. Huge windows and a low dash. You feel like you can see everything at all times. The CX-5 on the other hand, has very poor rearward visibility, making the Blind Spot Monitoring System almost a must-have. The interior of the CX-5 feels a little more cramped than the Forester as well.

In terms of cost of ownership, from the research I did they appeared to be pretty much identical. I'm assuming you're looking at the 2.5 liter engine Forester, and no the XT Turbo which uses a CVT. One other thing in the Subaru's favor is 2 years of free maintenance.

The fun to drive factor is what pushed me to the CX-5, as well as the fact that I bought last year and had only the 2014 Foresters to choose from, so they were first year models, which scared me. If I were in your shoes and buying for my mom, I'd most likely go with the Forester.

 

[deepfriedsushi]

Hi there, I'm new to this forum.

I'm looking to finance a vehicle for my mom. She currently drives a 2009 Rav4 and I drive a 2008 Forester. They were both reliable cars for us and I love my Forester, so those were the first 2 I considered. After some test drives and research, Rav4 is no longer part of our consideration. But I do like the 2015 Forester very much. I have no prior experience with Mazdas at all.

Here's a bit about what we're looking for. My mom is 65 yrs old and does short distance city driving mostly. We value reliability and safety (which I understand both the Forester and CX-5 are Safety Top Picks Plus) the most, because drivers in our part of the city are getting worse and my mom is not the best driver either. Both the Forester and the CX-5 are within my price range, so I likely won't be making a decision solely based on the price difference between the two cars. My father has mobility issues, so he needs a car that is easy to get on and off of. Cargo space is also important as we need to fit a wheelchair in the trunk easily.

My co-worker told me to consider the 2014 CX-5. It's several thousand dollars cheaper than the Forester and he's heard good things about it. When I researched it online, I keep reading that it's "fun to drive".

So for those of you who think so, what exactly is it that you find fun? I'll probably be going for a test drive this weekend myself, so I'd like to know what to look out for.

The reason I picked the CX5 was because of it's "fun to drive" factor combined with the hard to beat overall package in fuel economy, utility and quality. I've only really owned/driven mazdas since I started driving, so I'm a little bias, but I've test driven many many cars over the years to get a good comparison to what other cars are like. I did my best to try to be open minded and try something other than a mazda when looking for a CUV, but I just kept going back to the CX5 because it was more in tune with how I thought cars should drive. The best way I can describe the fun in mazda are the car's responsiveness in the steering, handling and body control. The cars steer like a precision instrument. It feels completely natural. Whatever you input the steering wheel, the car will do with out hesitation. It builds confidence going around corners or even driving in a straight line. If the steering wheel is straight, the car will go straight. Other cars have a hard time doing that. Going down the freeway would always need back and forth adjustments, or the steering would feel disconnected or have a dead spot in the center with a lot of play before the car responds to turning. Mazdas spoil you by not having to deal with that. Everything else (non luxury car brands)feels lazy, slow and imprecise.

Is Mazdas reliable? We need the car to last 10 or more years. Will I be looking at replacing expensive parts of the vehicle often within that period of time?

Mazda's reliability have been pretty good overall, but they haven't had as good of a record as companies like Toyota or Honda. However, the fact that toyota has agreed to use the next generation mazda2 and it's skyactive engine/technology as the base for their next yaris is really telling of what toyota thinks of mazda's quality and reliablity (read: very good). It's a little hard to look down the road 10 years, but Mazda's skyactiv engine tech has been out in the Mazda3 for a few years already and there haven't been any real issues with them. The only unreliable things about mazda are the parts that Ford had their hands in, which this CX5 doesn't.

For those of you who have been driving Mazdas for a while, how old is your car before you had to do a major (several thousand dollars) repair?

In my family we have a 03 MPV, 03 Protege, 95 Miata and my 14 CX-5. We have yet to experience any real reliability issues other than the Ford engine that's in the MPV (relatively minor check engine lights, oil leaks). We've never had to spend more than $500 on any repairs so far. The protege and miata have been dead nuts reliable.

What did you dislike the most about your CX-5? (Especially applicable to those with 2014 models.)

I'm a young guy <30, but I'm transporting my parents and grandparents around all the time, so I'll try to point out some of the things I've noticed with them. The ride is a little stiff for them. They may think that it isn't as smooth as it could be. However they do point out that the car feels very solid. The wind noise levels can be a bit high around the A pillars, but it's not too bad compared to other cars. Like someone else said, the seats can be a little high off the ground with somewhat aggressive side bolstering, which makes it a little more difficult to get in and out. The rear door opening can be a bit on the tighter side for the older folks. I am ok with the way the CX5 rides. I think it's the perfect balance of handling responsiveness and ride quality.

What is the collision avoidance system like when used in real life? What are the things you like about it? What are the things you don't like about it?

My car doesn't have this feature, so I can't comment on it.

Did you have to adjust your driving style because of the system? (ex. You may get rear-ended easily if system stops the car suddenly.)

Same answer as above.

I've posed similar questions in a Forester forum, but would really love to have CX-5 owners' help in my decision. Of course, the ultimate decision lies in which car my mom prefers after she got to test drive both. But I'd like to know some details and be informed.

Thanks a bunch in advance.

I will point out another thing. After sitting in the new forester after owning my CX5, the windows are HUUUUUGE. I personally didn't like it. I felt like I was in a fish tank on display with everybody looking in. However, I've heard people not liking how small the windows feel in the CX5 (mostly the rear window) in regards to how it makes it more difficult to back up or when looking in the rear view mirror. So for your parents, they may find the big windows to be a good thing since it'll make it easier to see out of when backing out. I got used to using the mirrors and back up camera to look back.

 

[ALafya]

The 2.5L Forester with the FB engine is prone to some oil consumption.
It could be such that you don't notice it between oil changes or that your mom will get the oil light after 1000 miles, not notice, continue driving until the engine is kaput.
Also, Subaru considers Quart/1200 miles as normal and is not going to fix 'mild' consumption.

Do you trust your mom to notice an oil light and possible check oil level and top-off when needed?

http://www.subaruforester.org/vbull...onsumption-merged-thread-119562/index219.html

 

[V8toilet]

I would get the Forester for the fact that it has more glass and is much easier to see out of. It's also the highest rating small SUV in CR by a wide margin. Yes the CX5 handles nice for an SUV but the Forester is no slouch either and the Forester actually got better gas mileage in CR tests.

 

[V8toilet]

In your place I would consider even the Mazda5 if you like the front fascia. They are lower(easier to get in and out), third row seat can be folded, more room for the wheelchair, they are much cheaper even if they are fully equipped. I believe that they are still fun to drive, but they have less power and worse mpg rating.

I totally agree! I own a 2012 Mazda 5 and it rides better and handles better than the CX5 and I can fit more stuff in it. I got my 2012 Sport brand new for $17,775, which is an amazing deal for what you get. It's also the highest rated van in CR and I believe its score is tied with the Forester.

 

[CC58]

I'd consider the new Forester has CVT transmission and the new engine burns oil at unusual high rate. The CVT lag equals less control IMO. The CX-5 sits pretty high and that could be a problem for entry and exit for older woman. Perhaps the Honda CRV?

 

[SteelReign]

I had a chance to sit-in on my brother test-drive a Forester and he's also driven my 2015 CX-5 along with an automatic CX-5 Sport (2.0). Here's how I'd answer your questions:

My co-worker told me to consider the 2014 CX-5. It's several thousand dollars cheaper than the Forester and he's heard good things about it.

- The 2014 and 2015 CX-5 are both going to be several thousand dollars cheaper. However, if you value safety as much as I do, the 2014 models built after October 2013 (which means built in November '13 and later) are the IIHS Top Safety Pick+. Otherwise, the small overlap test is really bad. The Forester actually beats out the CX-5 when it comes to the crash tests by scoring "Good" in the overall structure portion of the small overlap test, compared to the "Average" for the CX-5. But both still got an overall score of "Good" for small overlap.

When I researched it online, I keep reading that it's "fun to drive". So for those of you who think so, what exactly is it that you find fun? I'll probably be going for a test drive this weekend myself, so I'd like to know what to look out for.

- Its fun in that it seems to drive almost like a car. I honestly think the manual transmission for me is the most fun. Its very precise and forgiving. I own a Miata and the CX-5 is a different kind of fun. I find myself thinking I'm in a Jeep Wrangler with my manual transmission and I can overcome almost any obstacle because I'm high off the ground and I've got responsive handling with my manual transmission. Feels like a monster truck compared to the Miata. Of course the off-road abilities are probably nothing to write home about.

Is Mazdas reliable? We need the car to last 10 or more years. Will I be looking at replacing expensive parts of the vehicle often within that period of time? For those of you who have been driving Mazdas for a while, how old is your car before you had to do a major (several thousand dollars) repair?

- As said by another person, the SkyActiv stuff is relatively new. But I've never been a fan of the Forester's AWD (more parts that can go wrong) and boxer engine (actually, I'm more scared to work on them than anything). My Miata's 10 years old now but no major repair over a thousand dollars.

What did you dislike the most about your CX-5? (Especially applicable to those with 2014 models.)

- Blind spots. Looking back on the driver's side is fine but there's a huge blind spot when looking back on the passenger side, trying to merge right. I absolutely must use my rear and side mirrors and even then I'm still never 100% confident. Its made me more consistent with checking my mirrors but we'll see how long that lasts. The ride can be a bit firm, but that's the way I like it. Gives a lot more feeling of the road and a more engaging drive.

What is the collision avoidance system like when used in real life? What are the things you like about it? What are the things you don't like about it? Did you have to adjust your driving style because of the system? (ex. You may get rear-ended easily if system stops the car suddenly.)

- I don't have these systems.

I think you're on the right track when it comes to a safe car. Another vehicle I considered was the newly designed 2014 Nissan Rogue. Its the polar opposite of the CX-5 except for their crash tests results are very similar (both TSP+ and both got "Average" in overall structure in small overlap test). The Rogue rides very softly and the steering is way overboosted. It has a boatload of standard features including a back-up camera (which isn't found on the CX-5 unless you move up trim levels). The seats are awesome (Zero-gravity designed by NASA). The materials felt far better than both the CX-5 and the Forester. Its also cheaper than any automatic 2015 CX-5 and the Forester.

 

[tibimakai]

I totally agree! I own a 2012 Mazda 5 and it rides better and handles better than the CX5 and I can fit more stuff in it. I got my 2012 Sport brand new for $17,775, which is an amazing deal for what you get. It's also the highest rated van in CR and I believe its score is tied with the Forester.

If the 5, it would have had a nicer front fascia, I would have went with it.
It also has a much lower floor, much easier to load a wheelchair. Has sliding doors, that in my opinion it's much better too, specially for older people.
Even with all the options it's still much cheaper then the CX5 and Forester. The gas mileage it's not that great and there is no navigation option, but an aftermarket radio could be installed with a backup camera.

 

[kooritsuki]

Thank you everyone for your reply. You guys gave me a lot of great info to help with my decision. My mom test drove the Forester today and liked it, but we've yet to test drive the CX-5. Let's see what she thinks of the CX-5 this weekend.

Honestly a Forester will probably be the better car for them. The ingress/egress is much easier in the Forester when I sat in one compared to my CX-5. Plus the CX-5 seats have bigger side bolstering which make it a little harder for the older folk to get in (drove my grandparents around this weekend so I got to experience it). It will also have a smoother ride for them and it's a little bigger in the back for the wheelchair.

Like someone else said, the seats can be a little high off the ground with somewhat aggressive side bolstering, which makes it a little more difficult to get in and out. The rear door opening can be a bit on the tighter side for the older folks.

Thanks for pointing that out. We haven't checked out the CX-5 yet, but when my dad tried getting on and off the Forester today, he did mention how it's at the right height and the door opens wider for easier access. That was very important to us.

In your place I would consider even the Mazda5 if you like the front fascia. They are lower(easier to get in and out), third row seat can be folded, more room for the wheelchair, they are much cheaper even if they are fully equipped. I believe that they are still fun to drive, but they have less power and worse mpg rating.

That's probably too big a car if there is 3rd row seats. My mom's not that great of a driver and parking space here can be small. I need something not too big so she can handle easily. And there's usually a maximum of only 3 of us in the car at any given time anyway... no small children or anything.

The 2.5L Forester with the FB engine is prone to some oil consumption.
It could be such that you don't notice it between oil changes or that your mom will get the oil light after 1000 miles, not notice, continue driving until the engine is kaput.
Also, Subaru considers Quart/1200 miles as normal and is not going to fix 'mild' consumption.

I'd consider the new Forester has CVT transmission and the new engine burns oil at unusual high rate. The CVT lag equals less control IMO. The CX-5 sits pretty high and that could be a problem for entry and exit for older woman. Perhaps the Honda CRV?

Is it only the Forester or is it all cars with CVT that burns oil at an unusually high rate? My mom drives mostly city and milage is low. Is that going to affect this issue more or less?? If I do decide to go for the Forester, maybe I'll have to get her to check the oil light every month???

Blind spots. Looking back on the driver's side is fine but there's a huge blind spot when looking back on the passenger side, trying to merge right. I absolutely must use my rear and side mirrors and even then I'm still never 100% confident. Its made me more consistent with checking my mirrors but we'll see how long that lasts.

Wow, thanks for pointing this out!! This is super important. My mom's getting old and sooner or later, she's going to get the "I'm old, I'm stiff, I can't shoulder check" excuse. Blind spots are no good. But perhaps the lane change assist would help with the blind spot issue?

 

[Vision67]

When I was shopping, here was my take:

Subaru Forester

For
Turbo engine in XT trim gives great acceleration
best AWD system
most back seat room
Consumer Reports #1 pick

Against
uncomfortable seats for some, short seat cushions
no back up sensors available in any trim
some burn oil at 1 qt per 1K miles
navigation sucks
interior electronics a generation behind
XT sucks too much gas (20 mpg)
CVT
very weak heater, slow to get warm inside
noisey
display for back up camera too small
heated seats will not get hot unless a person is sitting on them
no memory seats
weak acceleration in base engine
sunroof is mandatory in all but lowest trim

Mazda CX-5

For
gas mileage best in group
excellent handling

Against
rear view mirrors and hood vibrate
interior electronics dated
uncomfortable seats for some, seat cushion tilts only in highest trim
heated seats are slow to warm up
interior window and door lock switches not lighted
glovebox not lighted
no memory seats
weak acceleration in base engine


Every car design is a trade off. Only you can decide what is most important for you.

Both cars are very good. But I think I'd pick the Subaru if my circumstances were the same as yours.

 

[SirWanker]

That's probably too big a car if there is 3rd row seats. My mom's not that great of a driver and parking space here can be small. I need something not too big so she can handle easily. And there's usually a maximum of only 3 of us in the car at any given time anyway... no small children or anything.

Dude....the CX-5 and Forrester are not sub-compacts either. Why not let your mom test drive all three and let her decide?

Wow, thanks for pointing this out!! This is super important. My mom's getting old and sooner or later, she's going to get the "I'm old, I'm stiff, I can't shoulder check" excuse. Blind spots are no good. But perhaps the lane change assist would help with the blind spot issue?

FFS.....the lane change assist is just that and should not be used as the primary reason to make a lane change. Plus it can also give you false warnings too.
In all honesty, if your mom reaches to the point where she is unable to "shoulder check", perhaps it would be in her best interest ( and to other able drivers on the road) to stop driving?

 

[edhchoe]

I find my fwd cx5 much more fun to drive than my wife's AWD CX5. The AWD in combination with 19" wheels make it less responsive. I get 5mpg more also.

But I wish I had the rear cam and blind spot monitor.

 

[tibimakai]

The Mazda5 it's not a big vehicle. Look at it while you are at the dealership and you would be surprised how nice it is.

 

[deuce_WI]

Based on your needs, I'd pick the Forester.

Loading wheelchair - Optional Power Liftgate in the Forester

The tech gadgets in the Forester suck, but most old people don't care. Ask you mom if she wants to bluetooth stream pandora to her new car's radio and she'll probably give you a dumb look.

Forester's CVT trans sucks, but I bet your mom won't even notice. She might even like it.

Greenhouse in the Forester is more open, especially with the huge moonroof / sunroof, but the interior feels like cheaper materials otherwise.

Those are just a few of the things I noticed when shopping 2014s, there's plenty of other things to consider, but go check them out and see what she likes.

(Maybe your mom will just want the CX5 because it looks way better)

 

[tibimakai]

The CX5 red is very nice and she will like it instantly.