Subaru Forester e-BOXER vs Mazda CX-5 M-Hybrid

It's that time of the year once again. The June holidays are back, and the family is once again at the forefront of the minds of parents throughout the country. If you're just such a parent and happen to also be on the lookout for a new vehicle, chances are high that these two will emerge at the top of your shortlist.

Finished in blue, is the Mazda CX-5, now equipped with a mild hybrid drivetrain (catch our review of the car before it got this technology here). And it comes to compete with a long favourite here, the Subaru Forester - also equipped with its own mild hybrid technology and having received a facelift in September of 2022.

So, which should you make your next family transport?

The GT Edition Subaru Forester comes with plenty of added plastic, while the Mazda CX-5 in its Luxury (Sports) trim gets a classy black grille surround alongside black garnishes at the front, side, and rear

Smart lookers

If arriving in style is a priority for your family, you'll be more likely to be drawn to the CX-5. On the exterior, its gently curving silhouette matches with the curvaceous surfacing along its flanks as well as its rounded head and taillights in a fashion that makes the Forester look like a hodgepodge of plastic and imitation chrome.

Granted, the Forester we have here, a 'GT Edition' trim example, comes with a host of added parts, including a new front apron, redesigned faux intakes at its sides, as well as a black spoiler that might appeal to those who want something a little more rugged.

The Subaru's cabin is easily the more spacious of the two, but offers of an eclectic mix of surfaces, while the Mazda lifts its black leather and gloss black plastics with classy red stitching

With room for all

But the Mazda hits even harder design-wise when it comes to its cabin. Black leather predominates affairs here but opt for the 'Luxury (Sports)' trim example that we have this afternoon, and it comes set off by a classy application of red stitching on the steering wheel, gear selector and doors.

The Subaru loses little when it comes to apparent build quality but makes use of a mess of materials that hurts its visual cohesiveness.

Having said that, the more practical-minded will gravitate towards the Forester. It is perceivably more spacious both at the first and second row, aided by the fact that it stretches out 65mm longer than the CX-5, and further exaggerated by the presence of a sunroof and massive windows all around. And further aiding overall comfort here is the fact that it comes with seats that offer cushier bottoms and backs.

Look further back and you'll find a total of 505 litres of space for cargo in the Forester. The CX-5 offers a paltrier 442 litres in comparison.

The Subaru makes use of an 8.0-inch touchscreen, and the Mazda's 10.25-inch system can only be controlled via a rotary knob, but the Mazda's makes use of a more attractive font and home screen

And competent drivetrains

Take the driver's seat, however, and you'll find the two cars more evenly matched. Literally.

Despite having a total of 162bhp to deploy against the Forester's 148bhp, the CX-5 only manages to complete the century sprint in 10.2 seconds - just one-tenth of a second faster than Subaru.

From behind the wheel, however, the Mazda actually feels the slower of the two. Throttle response is outright dull and further hampered by the fact that it's paired with a six-speed transmission that is adamant that the engine should not be allowed to rev.

You'll notice the mild hybrid system at work more so in the Forester, but the Mazda's drivetrain counters with its high refinement

The Mazda finds redemption in the fact that its 2.0-litre unit is generally quiet and is pleasingly absent of harsh notes, while that gearbox is silky smooth during all those times when it feels it needs to snatch a higher ratio.

The deployment of mild hybrid technology, meanwhile, is more apparent in the Forester. Stop at the lights and the car will happily keep its engine shut to the point that the cabin starts to get warm (a consequence no doubt, of those large windows), but the Forester also feels more eager to pick up its plastic side skirts and move off once the lights turn green.

If you're planning to take the family from the Zoo to Cosford Container Park, you'll want to note that the ride is considerably more comfortable in the Forester. The more softer sprung of the two, it better cushions against road imperfections at low speeds.

And when you dial up the figure on the speedometer, the Forester reveals itself poor at insulating you from ambient sound (so neighbouring vehicles that would have been unnoticed in other cars will roar by). The Mazda, meanwhile, was found wanting for isolation from road noise once travelling at speed.

The Mazda will appeal to those who want to arrive in style, but the Forester should win the hearts of the practical-minded

Ready for the family

So, which family carrier of these two should you go for? At $183,800, the GT Edition Subaru Forester stands out as the better deal against the $229,888 Mazda CX-5 in its Luxury (Sports) trim (all prices as of 4 June 2024).

Its greater space, more agreeable ride and greater perceived drivetrain responsiveness marks it out as an all-round greater ferry for five, even if it lacks the slick polish that is offered by the Mazda.

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