Mazda CX-5 GT diesel v Subaru Forester 2.0D-L comparison review

Staring at the jagged assortment of rocks on the narrowing trail ahead it's safe to assume the engineers who spent years honing the Subaru Forester to be so competent on-road and so practical as a family wagon had probably never contemplated it tackling hidden corners of Australia like this.

Then again, the Forester has always been pitched as more capable than your average mid-sized SUV, a car not afraid of the occasionally challenging trail, a sodden track or a sandy beach.

Hence its inclusion in this duel, for which we headed to Kangaroo Island south of Adelaide in the quest for adventure and some roads less travelled.

We'll be looking at how the Forester performs its everyday duties, but, more importantly, we want to test its off-road mettle and see just how far a soft-roader can go.

Getting there is important, but being able to keep exploring moreso, at least for this unusual match-up.

Plus, we want to see how it fares against one of its fiercest rivals, a car that accounts for more mid-sized sales than any other.

In the opposing corner is the sales king of the segment, Mazda's CX-5. The recently arrived second generation model gets a new body and fresh interior teamed with largely carryover engines. The formula is familiar, the execution more precise.

Most buyers opt for the petrol-powered variants in mid-sized SUVs, but given the adventurous nature of this test we've chosen the diesel models, each promising longer distances between fills and the effortless cruising nature of an oil burner.

Value packed

If it's choice you want look no further than the Mazda CX-5, which covers a five-model spread across a $20K range.

For this test we've gone for the mid-level Touring, a $41,990 proposition with the diesel donk and standard auto transmission.

From Subaru it's the choice of two diesel models and we've got the 2.0D-L, $35,740 once fitted with the optional CVT (continuously variable transmission) auto.

The Subaru's $6K price advantage brings a skinnier list of equipment, although the basics are there, including dual-zone air-conditioning, reversing camera, cruise control, Bluetooth, daytime running lights and twin USB chargers.

Photos: Thomas Wielecki

The paddle shifters on the steering wheel, CD player and full-sized spare tyre are wins the Mazda doesn't match.

And, whereas Mazda offers most exterior colours for the same price (grey and red are the only exceptions, adding $300) Subaru makes any hue the same price.

The Mazda does make up its premium in other areas, including smart key entry, digital radio tuning, parking sensors at either end, fake leather trim and a small head-up display to project the speedo closer to the driver's line of sight.

But it's the active safety suite that really separates the Mazda. It includes auto braking up to 80km/h, auto braking in reverse and a blind spot warning system.

Subaru's great EyeSight system gets many of those features, but it's simply not available on diesel Foresters.

To be fair, with the exception of safety gear, some of those CX-5 features - as well as real leather trim - can be had in the Subaru if you step up to the 2.0i-S, which at $41,740 for the auto is much closer to the Mazda on price.

However, even then the Mazda is ahead on value, in large part because of that safety gear.

Inside

Like its exterior, the Forester's interior is beginning to show its age. From the finishes and trims to the controls and overall dash presentation, more than four years on the market means the Subaru is starting to show its age.

Subaru Forester 2.0D-L.

But it delivers on space. Head room is plentiful front and rear and those in the back get plenty of knee space. The larger windows and excellent side vision also keep adults and kids well positioned. It's easy to see why the Subaru is still such a popular option with families.

The Mazda, on the other hand, benefits from much of the thinking and materials in the larger CX-9, a car praised for its interior thoughtfulness and presentation.

Mazda CX-5 GT.

And those in the rear get air vents and a 40/20/40 split-folding seat that boosts flexibility and allows adjustment of the back rest between two positions.

The Mazda's flat rear seat lacks some under-thigh support, but it's a minor quibble for what is otherwise a comfortable place to travel.

Getting there

The very nature of exploring the lesser known parts of Australia means covering plenty of familiar roads on the way there. Which is why it's important whatever you're driving does it comfortably and capably.

Plenty of serious off-roaders - think Toyota LandCruiser 70-Series and Jeep Wrangler - struggle at this hurdle, albeit excelling once they hit the rough stuff.

Enter the CX-5. The original model that arrived in 2012 (to replace the CX-7) was still on the top of the sales charts as it bailed out earlier this year. Popular, then.

But it wasn't perfect, most notably with its cruising comfort, which was eroded due to tyre roar, something amplified at freeway speeds and on coarse bitumen surfaces.

Thankfully the new model quells those unwanted acoustics substantially, to the point where the CX-5 is now respectably hushed on country cruises.

Significant effort has been put in to ensuring the latest CX-5 is quieter than ever, now challenging class leaders for refinement.

It's bulked up in the process, the new body sporting more sound deadening and a revised design that has seen weight increased by 40kg; at 1744kg it's 46kg up on the Forester.

But the CX-5 has the muscle to fight it. Its diesel engine displaces 2.2 litres, 10 per cent more than the Subaru.

No surprises that it wins the power war, its 129kW comfortably trouncing the Forester's 108kW.

But it's the torque that makes the biggest difference here. The CX-5's hearty 420Nm makes for effortless hill climbing and a clear performance advantage, a muted rumble accompanying more forceful manoeuvres. It's a willing engine where the extra punch and enthusiasm makes a difference.

The Subaru, on the other hand, manages just 350Nm, albeit available very low in the rev range, at 1600rpm, making it very accessible.

Throw in the Forester's CVT auto - which constantly adjusts its drive ratio depending on the conditions and driver demands - and it makes the difference less marked than it may seem on-paper.

Indeed the Forester's drivetrain is willing, making for respectable performance, but it can't match the Mazda for overtaking prowess or initial acceleration.

Without a stop-start engine shutdown system when stationary the Forester also uses fractionally more fuel: 6.4-litres per 100km versus the CX-5's 6.0L/100km.

For overall driving manners the Mazda also comes out swinging. The suspension beautifully melds control and comfort, with some residual tautness at low speeds and excellent control as the pace increases. It's an impressively relaxed ride.

The Forester, on the other hand, is set up softer, but there's also more left-right movement, something that detracts from its ride comfort. It's busier and less composed, something that becomes more obvious the faster you travel.

Hit a bump, too, and the Forester's suspension rebounds further, accentuating the terrain.

Less grip from its tyres (like the CX-5, they're Yokohama Geolanders, but a different spec) means reaching its limits sooner, too, and ultimately reduces confidence as corners and bumps become more prevelant.

When it comes to on-road confidence and control, then, the CX-5 wins.

Down and dirty

The more you stand back and admire the chunky shape of the Forester the more you appreciate the effort that's gone in to ensuring it can comfortably tackle beaches, tracks and muddy trails.

Its snub nose tucks the bumper under at the front, whereas the CX-5's protrudes to slice through the air and give a more dramatic (and car-like) design.

Similarly, at the rear the CX-5 is more about the look, the Forester about reducing the chances of plastic components snaring on rocks or ridges.

That's noticeable as we venture on to a beach strewn with seaweed, where the CX-5's modest 193mm of ground clearance leads to the occasional scuff underneath.

The CX-5's suspension is also less willing to dip a wheel into a hole or compress it deep into the wheel arches over a walking-pace bump, instead hanging a tyre momentarily in the air, in turn forcing the electronics to chime in and send drive where there's grip.

Thankfully the all-wheel drive system is generally intelligent, using 27 sensors and systems (from wheel speed sensors to the windscreen wipers, the latter to predict less grip) to shift from its front-wheel focus (in gentle driving all drive is sent to the front wheels) to send drive further aft as required. Only when diagonally opposing wheels are struggling for traction does progress halt.

Which is where the Forester comes to the fore.

That additional suspension travel - due in part to the loftier 220mm of ground clearance - makes for easier off-road running. Those 27mm might not seem like much, but it can mean the difference between getting through and getting stuck.

Wheeling on to a rocky section there's less need to pick your way around the tricky stuff, the Forester instead trudging over, almost relishing the challenge of something more rigorous. By default its all-wheel drive system sends 60 percent of the drive to the front, the rest to the rear.

It's clear engineers placed plenty of emphasis on ensuring the Forester could out-bush its prime mid-sized competitors.

All is not perfect in the Forester camp. Light throttle applications, for example, require additional care with the right foot. The combination of some mild turbo lag and a transmission eager to hook up makes for over-sensitivity when dribbling along - just the moment when care is required.

The throttle sensitivity is partially accounted for with the X-Mode button, which reduces the reaction to those initial inputs, but it's also offset by holding a lower ration through the CVT gearbox.

The Forester also has the back-up of its spare tyre. Having rubber that is identical to the four already on the car is great peace of mind; in the Mazda's its skinny spare is limited to 80km/h and it's likely to be less resilient to punctures if you still have to cover craggy ground.

Verdict

To some extent what this test highlights is how compromises are inevitable depending on what a car is designed to do. That's why we still have dedicated sports cars for going fast and four-wheel drives for heading off-road.

Getting to the destination is more relaxed and enjoyable in Mazda's CX-5. The effort that's gone into its on-road driving manners makes it a winner in this class, while its diesel engine performs beautifully for effortless acceleration and impressive fuel economy.

But get on to rougher terrain and its limitations become apparent. You need to be more aware of its bumper overhangs, particularly at the front, and it doesn't ride as high off the ground. It's simply not as well suited to rough road driving.

Which is where the Subaru Forester comes into play.

Its softer suspension lets the game down on-road, but it makes for better off-road going and its higher riding body is more suited to ruts and steep approaches. It's more likely to soldier on and reinforces that with its X-Mode all-wheel drive system and superior suspension travel.

It's clear the Subaru has been designed from the outset for some sort of off-road prowess, right down to its full-sized spare tyre.

Not perfect, but a winner for those who do want to venture further than most soft-roaders will ever go.

2017 Mazda CX-5 Touring diesel price and specifications

Price: $41,990, plus on-road costs

Engine: 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel

Power: 129kW at 4500rpm

Torque: 420Nm at 2000rpm

Transmission: Six-speed automatic, all-wheel drive

Fuel use: 6.0L/100km

Ground clearance: 193mm

Approach angle: 17 degrees

Departure angle: 20 degrees

Ramp-over angle: 15 degrees

2017 Subaru Forester 2.0D-L price and specifications

Price: $35,740, plus on-road costs

Engines: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel

Power: 108kW at 3600rpm

Torque: 350Nm at 1600-2400rpm

Transmission: CVT automatic, all-wheel drive

Fuel use: 6.4L/100km

Ground clearance: 220mm

Approach angle: 23 degrees

Departure angle: 25 degrees

Ramp-over angle: 20 degrees

• For more information, visit our Mazda showroom.
• For more information, visit our Subaru showroom.