Subaru Forester vs Mazda CX-5
Head-to-head reliability comparison from 11,596real NHTSA consumer complaints. Year-by-year breakdown, shared problems, crash & fire rates.
Which is more reliable, Subaru Forester or Mazda CX-5?
Verdict from 11,596 NHTSA complaints
Mazda CX-5 wins this comparison overall. Mazda CX-5 comes out ahead on 4 of 4 reliability metrics — including a 201% lower complaint rate.
Head-to-Head Metrics
Lower is better on every metric. Bar length = relative magnitude. ✓ = winner.
Mazda CX-5 wins by 201%
Mazda CX-5 wins by 56%
Mazda CX-5 wins by 89%
Mazda CX-5 wins by 270%
NHTSA Crash Test Ratings
Official NCAP star ratings — government crash test data. Most recent rated model year.
Subaru Forester
2026 model yearMazda CX-5
2025 model yearSource: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Lower star = higher injury risk in that crash type.
Complaint Volume — Year by Year
Sales-volume data not available for both models — showing raw complaint counts. Higher-volume models will appear higher even when reliability is comparable.
Most Reported Problems
Top component complaints for each model. Identical bar lengths = both have the same recurring issue.
Year-by-Year Head-to-Head
Lower is better. Click either model column to see that year's full breakdown.
Frequently Asked Questions
Subaru Forester vs Mazda CX-5 — the most common buyer questions, answered from NHTSA data.
Which is more reliable, the Subaru Forester or the Mazda CX-5?
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Mazda CX-5 wins this comparison overall. Mazda CX-5 comes out ahead on 4 of 4 reliability metrics — including a 201% lower complaint rate. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation via VinItel.
Should I buy a Subaru Forester or a Mazda CX-5?
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On reliability data alone, the Mazda CX-5 is the safer bet — but the actual condition of the specific car matters far more than the model average. Check the VIN of any vehicle you're considering for accident history, title issues, and odometer rollbacks.
What problems do the Subaru Forester and Mazda CX-5 share?
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Top complaints for the Subaru Forester: Wipers & Visibility, Engine Problems, Airbags. Top complaints for the Mazda CX-5: Engine Problems, Electrical Faults, Transmission / Drivetrain. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
Which has fewer NHTSA complaints, the Subaru Forester or the Mazda CX-5?
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Across all model years, the Subaru Forester has 8,517 NHTSA complaints and the Mazda CX-5 has 3,079. Normalized for sales volume (complaints per 10,000 vehicles sold), the Mazda CX-5 has the lower complaint rate. Raw counts can mislead — a 2× more popular model will naturally collect 2× more complaints. Detailed normalized comparison: vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/compare/subaru/forester/vs/mazda/cx-5
Which is safer in a crash, the Subaru Forester or the Mazda CX-5?
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Crash-involvement rate from NHTSA complaints: Subaru Forester 10.3% vs Mazda CX-5 6.6% — the Mazda CX-5 has the lower crash rate. NHTSA NCAP star ratings (frontal, side, rollover) for both models are also shown on the comparison page. Note: the per-VIN history matters more than the model average — a salvage-title car of any model carries higher crash exposure than the median.
Does the Subaru Forester or the Mazda CX-5 have more fires?
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Fire-involvement rate based on NHTSA complaints: Subaru Forester 1.70% vs Mazda CX-5 0.90%. The Mazda CX-5 has the lower reported fire rate. Fire complaints are a relatively rare but important safety signal — they often correlate with electrical-system or fuel-system defects. Check specific recall campaigns at vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/subaru/forester and vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/mazda/cx-5
What years of the Subaru Forester are worse than the Mazda CX-5?
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The comparison page renders a year-by-year head-to-head table — for each model year (where both models have data), it shows complaint count or per-10K rate side by side and marks which model fares better that year. Buyers cross-shopping a specific model year should always check the year-level VinItel pages: vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/subaru/forester/{year} and vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/mazda/cx-5/{year}.
Where does this Subaru Forester vs Mazda CX-5 comparison data come from?
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All complaint, crash, fire, and fatality data comes from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) consumer-complaint database — the same source insurance regulators and the federal government use. NCAP star ratings come from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program crash tests. Sales-volume normalization (per 10K sold) uses US annual vehicle sales. Data refreshes every 6 hours. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
Related Reliability Comparisons
Other head-to-head matchups buyers cross-shopping the Forester or CX-5 also look at:
Comparison data refreshed 2026-05-04 from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.·Source: NHTSA ODI
A model average can't see the car you're buying.
Even the Mazda CX-5 has cars with hidden accidents, salvage titles, and odometer rollbacks. Check the VIN before you buy — full report $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Deep-dive into either model: