There’s no doubt that Subaru has had the all-wheel-drive wagon niche locked down
for quite some time. The reason being is that Subaru has been producing wagons
on testosterone treatments for many years now. Ever since Crocodile Dundee was
showing us how the Outback could get through rough terrain yet still be fast
enough to chase down wallabies, we have slowly started picking up on just how
good these vehicles are. Subaru’s all-wheel-drive systems are industry leaders
as they perform insanely well in inclement weather. And with Subaru’s overall
reliability it’s hard not to simply go with this vehicle for a top pick. The
problem is, that for 2013 that the Subaru Forester will continue to have the
same design therefore you must wait another year before the redesigned vehicle
shows up to dealerships. As for the Mazda CX-5, it’s an all new design and is
packed with efficient in a technologically advanced powertrain they can deliver
up to 31 miles per gallon on the highway with all-wheel-drive thanks to Mazda’s
SKYACTIV components. And if you compare apples to apples with the base model 2.5
L Subaru Forester and a Mazda CX-5 with all-wheel-drive and the prices start out
at $23,000 for each. One advantage is that the Subaru Forester can start out at
just over $20,000 but it is fairly basic.
Some folks are still skeptical about Mazda due to the malaise that was apparent
during its years under control of Ford but as of this year the company received
the most improved award and is working towards regaining a name synonymous for
reliability. Subaru on the other hand has an established name for reliability
and if you have a hard time finding it then simply go to a music Festival where
you will see hundreds of old Subaru’s 300,000 miles on them. Now the 2013 Subaru
Forester is going to deliver around 27 miles per gallon on the highway which is
far less than the Mazda. But the Forester does have more power is rated at 170
hp while the Mazda CX-5 gets only 155 hp. Neither one are lightweights so don’t
be planning on winning any races.
The Subaru Forester wins when it comes to ground clearance as it offers 8.4
inches while the Mazda CX-5 can only deliver just under 6 inches. Just like many
other things, those 2.4 inches mean either failure or success in helping you
reach your climactic goal. My advice to you would be to keep saving and wait for
the 2014 Subaru Forester and the Mazda CX-5 SKYACTIV-D diesel to arrive it will
be getting around 42 miles per gallon. Then we can come back and debate which
one’s going to be better. If I have to choose, I would go with the Subaru
Forester simply because, I personally go off-road and usually find myself pretty
scary situations where I need ground clearance and an effective all-wheel-drive
system.