Compare the2026 Mazda CX-5 VS 2026 Subaru Crosstrek

The Mazda CX-5 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The CX-5 has a standard Secondary Collision Reduction System, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The CX-5 has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the Crosstrek’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the CX-5 has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Smart Braking Support - Rear Crossing automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Subaru charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Crosstrek and it’s not available on the Base and the Crosstrek’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert does not include automatic braking.

Both the CX-5 and the Crosstrek have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, all-wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available around view monitors.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH moderate front offset crash tests on new cars. In this updated test, results indicate that the CX-5 is much safer than the Crosstrek:

	CX-5	Crosstrek
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Chest Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Thigh/hip Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Leg/foot Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Leg Forces L/R	472/382 pounds	607/629 pounds
Restraints	GOOD	GOOD
	Rear Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Chest Rating	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Thigh Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Restraints	GOOD	MARGINAL

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4189-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Mazda CX-5 is safer than the Crosstrek:

	CX-5	Crosstrek
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Structure	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	86	131
Shoulder Deflection	1.46 in	1.65 in
Shoulder Force	245 lbs.	402 lbs.
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis Force	781 lbs.	848 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	67	215
Neck Tension	89 lbs.	134 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	MARGINAL
Shoulder Deflection	.87 in	2.17 in
Shoulder Force	134 lbs.	714 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	.79 in	1.97 in
Torso Deflection Rate	4 MPH	11 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	MARGINAL
Pelvis Force	759 lbs.	1182 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Mazda third in reliability, above the industry average. With 51 more problems per 100 vehicles, Subaru is ranked 21st.

The CX-5’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 7 more horsepower (187 vs. 180) and 8 lbs.-ft. more torque (186 vs. 178) than the Crosstrek’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Mazda CX-5 is faster than the Subaru Crosstrek 4 cyl.:

	CX-5	Crosstrek
Zero to 60 MPH	8 sec	8.1 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	8.4 sec	8.8 sec
Passing 30 to 50 MPH	3.9 sec	4.7 sec
Passing 50 to 70 MPH	5.5 sec	5.9 sec
Quarter Mile	16.2 sec	16.3 sec

On the EPA test cycle the CX-5 gets better fuel mileage than the Crosstrek Wilderness (24 city/30 hwy vs. 24 city/29 hwy).

For better stopping power the CX-5’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Crosstrek:

	CX-5	Crosstrek	Crosstrek Hybrid
Front Rotors	12.9 inches	12.4 inches	12.6 inches
Rear Rotors	11.8 inches	11.2 inches	11.2 inches

The CX-5 stops much shorter than the Crosstrek:

	CX-5	Crosstrek
60 to 0 MPH	125 feet	140 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	146 feet	152 feet	Consumer Reports

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the CX-5 Preferred/Premium has standard 19-inch wheels. The Crosstrek’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

The CX-5 has engine speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the CX-5’s wheelbase is 5.8 inches longer than on the Crosstrek (110.7 inches vs. 104.9 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the CX-5 is 2.2 inches wider in the front and 3 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Crosstrek.

The CX-5’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (57% to 43%) than the Crosstrek’s (60% to 40%). This gives the CX-5 more stable handling and braking.

The CX-5 S Premium Plus handles at .83 G’s, while the Crosstrek Limited pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

As tested by Car and Driver while at idle, the interior of the CX-5 S Premium Plus is quieter than the Crosstrek Limited (38 vs. 41 dB).

The CX-5 has 6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Crosstrek (106.5 vs. 100.5).

The CX-5 has .1 inches more front hip room, .8 inches more front shoulder room, 2.2 inches more rear headroom, 3.4 inches more rear legroom and .3 inches more rear shoulder room than the Crosstrek.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the CX-5’s rear seats recline. The Crosstrek’s rear seats don’t recline.

The CX-5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Crosstrek with its rear seat up (33.7 vs. 19.9 cubic feet). The CX-5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Crosstrek with its rear seat folded (66.5 vs. 54.7 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the CX-5 easier. The CX-5’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 28.5 inches, while the Crosstrek’s liftover is 30.7 inches.

The CX-5’s cargo area is larger than the Crosstrek’s in almost every dimension:

	CX-5	Crosstrek
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	39.1”/75”	32.1”/63.9”
Max Width	57.5”	53”
Min Width	41.3”	43”
Height	33.9”	29.3”

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the CX-5 Preferred/Premium has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button, or on the CX-5 Premium Plus, by just kicking your foot under the back bumper, completely leaving your hands free. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

The CX-5 has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

When two different drivers share the CX-5 Preferred/Premium, the memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a memory system.

The CX-5 Preferred/Premium’s standard Entry/Exit Assist glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The CX-5 Preferred/Premium has a standard heads-up display that projects speed in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The CX-5’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Crosstrek’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

On a hot day the CX-5’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Crosstrek can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The CX-5’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Crosstrek’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

When the CX-5 Preferred/Premium is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Crosstrek’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Both the Mazda CX-5 and Subaru Crosstrek offer exterior mirrors that can be folded to provide convenience. The CX-5 offers available power folding mirrors, which allow for easy, one-touch folding or unfolding at the driver’s discretion. This provides added convenience when maneuvering or parking, as well as when walking past the parked vehicle. In comparison, the Crosstrek’s foldable mirrors are manual, requiring the driver to get out and physically fold them once parked and unfold them before getting in.

Both the CX-5 and the Crosstrek offer available heated front seats. The CX-5 Premium also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Crosstrek.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the CX-5 Premium keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

Both the CX-5 and the Crosstrek offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the CX-5 Select/Preferred/Premium has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.