Is the Subaru Forester more reliable than the Mazda CX-50?

Slightly, yes. The Forester has a lower rate of owner complaints per vehicle sold, at 8.7 per 10,000 against 27.4 for the CX-50. It also has a much longer record. The CX-50 has been sold only since 2023, so its data is thinner and the gap stays small.

Which has more recalls, the Forester or the CX-50?

The Forester has more in total, with 13 recalls across 9 model years. The CX-50 has 6 across 4 model years. The Forester has simply been on the road longer, so a raw count favors the newer car more than it should.

What is the most common Forester problem?

Cracked windshields. Owners report glass cracking with no impact, sometimes while parked and within the first few thousand miles. Cracks can spread within hours, and a cracked windshield can knock out the EyeSight system. Replacement is quoted at over $1000, and warranty help is often slow or denied.

What goes wrong most on the Mazda CX-50?

Brake, structure, and power train complaints lead, with suspension and electrical close behind. The most common single report is false automatic emergency braking, where the car brakes hard with nothing ahead. Front ball joint and control arm failures are the most serious suspension reports.

Which Forester years should I avoid?

Avoid 2018 and 2019, the weakest years in the data. The 2023 model ranks among the strongest. The 2025 model also ranks well, but it is new and has had less time to collect complaints, so it is not proven.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Mazda CX-50 vs Subaru Forester: Reliability Compared

Mazda CX-50

Good

More Reliable

Subaru Forester

Good

Reliability favors the Subaru Forester slightly over the Mazda CX-50, mainly because its owner complaint rate is much lower. Windshield cracking and start/stop stalls are the Forester's weak spots. The CX-50 has a short record and a higher complaint rate.

How Do the Mazda CX-50 and Subaru Forester Generations Compare?

Most used Forester shoppers will be looking at fifth-generation (SK) cars, which covered 2019 through 2025 and received a facelift in 2022. A sixth generation (SL) arrived for 2025, so that year overlaps both. The 2018 model belonged to the older fourth generation, which ran 2014 through 2018, and it ranks among the weakest years. The CX-50 has had a single generation (VA) since 2023. Its 2025 model received an update, which makes 2023 and 2024 the original cars and 2025 onward the updated ones. Every CX-50 year is young, so its complaint history is still short.

Verdict

The Subaru Forester is more reliable than the Mazda CX-50, scoring 74/100 vs 70/100.

Reliability favors the Forester, but only slightly. Its owner complaint rate is much lower than the CX-50's, and it has a long record across nine model years. Its recurring problems, mainly cracked windshields and stalls from auto start/stop, are annoying and sometimes serious. The CX-50 has far fewer complaints in total, yet more per vehicle sold, and its record covers only four model years. That short history keeps the gap narrow.

Key Differences

1Subaru Forester has 18.7 fewer complaints per 10k sold
2Mazda CX-50 has 7 fewer total recalls
3Subaru Forester scores 4 points higher in reliability

Category Scoreboard

1Mazda CX-50

—

2Subaru Forester

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateSafety Rating

Mazda CX-50 vs Subaru Forester: Which Is More Reliable?

Mazda CX-50 vs Subaru Forester at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Mazda CX-50	Subaru Forester
Reliability Score	70/100	74/100
Years Tracked	4	9
Total Recalls	6	13
Complaints per 10k Sold	27.4	8.7
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2026 NHTSA	2026 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	0	4

What Are the Common Problems With the Mazda CX-50 and Subaru Forester?

Windshields dominate the Forester's complaints. Glass cracks with no impact, sometimes while parked, and a cracked windshield can disable EyeSight. Its second theme is stalling: auto start/stop fails to restart the engine at stops, and one car shut down at 70 MPH. The CX-50's complaints are more varied. Reports include false automatic emergency braking, front ball joints pulling out of control arms, and repeated dead batteries that lock owners out. Both models have crash-linked reports in electrical complaints. The Forester also has crash-linked engine reports, while the CX-50 has single crash-linked reports in brakes and suspension.

Mazda CX-50 vs Subaru Forester common problem areas comparison
Component	Mazda CX-50	Subaru Forester
VISIBILITY/WIPER	0.6Very Low	3.1Average
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	2.3Low	1.2Low
POWER TRAIN	2.9Low	0.4Very Low
SERVICE BRAKES	3.1Average	0.1Very Low
STRUCTURE	2.9Low	0.1Very Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	1.4Low	1.2Low
STEERING	2Low	0.1Very Low
SUSPENSION	2Low	—None
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	1.7Low	0.1Very Low
SEATS	1.1Low	—None
AIR BAGS	0.6Very Low	0.5Very Low
LANE DEPARTURE	0.6Very Low	—None
WHEELS	0.6Very Low	—None
VISIBILITY	—None	0.5Very Low
ENGINE	—None	0.4Very Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	—None	0.2Very Low
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	—None	0.1Very Low

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

How Does Mazda CX-50 vs Subaru Forester Reliability Compare by Year?

Mazda CX-50 vs Subaru Forester year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Mazda CX-50	Subaru Forester	Edge
2026	76/1000R / 0C	77/1001R / 0C	Subaru Forester
2025	66/1003R / 21C	79/1002R / 48C	Subaru Forester
2024	71/1001R / 26C	78/1002R / 26C	Subaru Forester
2023	65/1002R / 49C	79/1001R / 61C	Subaru Forester

Best years to cross-shop: The 2024 Mazda CX-50 scored 71/100 and the 2023 Subaru Forester scored 79/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Mazda CX-50 vs the Subaru Forester?

Choose the Forester if you want a model with a long track record and a lower complaint rate. Budget for a windshield, since cracks with no impact are its top complaint. Lean toward 2023, and avoid 2018 and 2019, its weakest years. The 2025 model ranks well, but it has had little time to collect complaints, so do not treat it as proven. Choose the CX-50 if you want a newer vehicle and can accept a thin record. Its complaints are fewer in number but higher per vehicle sold. Test drive for sudden braking with nothing ahead, and ask whether any front suspension work has been done. Aim for 2024. The 2023 and 2025 models are its weakest years, and 2026 looks strong mainly because it is so new.

Mazda CX-50 vs Subaru Forester: Common Questions

Is the Subaru Forester more reliable than the Mazda CX-50?: Slightly, yes. The Forester has a lower rate of owner complaints per vehicle sold, at 8.7 per 10,000 against 27.4 for the CX-50. It also has a much longer record. The CX-50 has been sold only since 2023, so its data is thinner and the gap stays small.
Which has more recalls, the Forester or the CX-50?: The Forester has more in total, with 13 recalls across 9 model years. The CX-50 has 6 across 4 model years. The Forester has simply been on the road longer, so a raw count favors the newer car more than it should.
What is the most common Forester problem?: Cracked windshields. Owners report glass cracking with no impact, sometimes while parked and within the first few thousand miles. Cracks can spread within hours, and a cracked windshield can knock out the EyeSight system. Replacement is quoted at over $1000, and warranty help is often slow or denied.
What goes wrong most on the Mazda CX-50?: Brake, structure, and power train complaints lead, with suspension and electrical close behind. The most common single report is false automatic emergency braking, where the car brakes hard with nothing ahead. Front ball joint and control arm failures are the most serious suspension reports.
Which Forester years should I avoid?: Avoid 2018 and 2019, the weakest years in the data. The 2023 model ranks among the strongest. The 2025 model also ranks well, but it is new and has had less time to collect complaints, so it is not proven.

More Mazda CX-50 comparisons

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More Subaru Forester comparisons

Subaru Forester vs Honda CR-V reliability Subaru Forester vs Toyota RAV4 reliability Subaru Forester vs Nissan Rogue reliability Subaru Forester vs Hyundai Tucson reliability Subaru Forester reliability by year Subaru Forester years to avoid

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How we score the Mazda CX-50 and Subaru Forester

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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