Mazda has fitted the CX-50 with black cladding around its wheel arches, lifted suspension, and various other off-road cues that include a faux front skid plate. The rear is even more aggressive with massive fake vents, a dual-exit exhaust, and a faux diffuser. LED lighting looks sporty with its numerous black accents, while a set of roof rails further bolster practicality.
In the Forester, the design is less modern and is a very light refresh of what has come before. That’s no bad thing. Sure, the Forester is less attractive, but it’s not offensive to look at either and features the same sort of off-road plastic accents and roof rails, particularly on the Wilderness model where you get particularly noteworthy off-road ability. The CX-50 is the car we’d rather look at, but we’d take the Forester if we knew that scratches and bumps were inevitable. On balance, the Mazda wins this round.
Keyword: Crossover Comparison: Mazda CX-50 Vs. Subaru Forester