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I face a dilemma: I like both of these cars but can only afford one. So, as is typical, I thought I would solicit the opinions of people I know, as well as total strangers. At which point I will probably ignore everyone and flip a coin, but at least I will have done my due dilligence, right?
Anyway, the CX-5 Grand Touring looks sweet, but I'm worried about getting tires for those 19 inch rims, might have to switch them out. The Forester XT Premium wouldn't have leather or auto climate, but it would have a much more airy interior, as well as Subaru all-wheel-drive. Unfortunately, it would have lesser fuel economy, and will prefer premium gas...but it'll also have 250 HP
The Subaru's AWD system is proven but unless you need this feature, I think this is a toss-up and would come down to your test drive. I'm thinking you'll go with the POWER!
Power = Good. But too much power = lots of gas...and I commute 100 miles a day. That's why the Subaru is giving me a little pause. That and the fact that their option packaging is horrible, while Mazda's SkyActiv engines already have a reputation for exceeding their EPA ratings consistently.
I live in the Northeast, so a good AWD system can be fairly useful at times. Still, the furthest off-road either will get is someone's lawn most likely...I doubt I'd even manage to find a dirt road.
I am of the firm opinion that Subaru's AWD system is truly "excellent" and probably one of the best around. However, most people wouldn't notice, because other people's AWD systems are "good enough" in most circumstances. Mazda's supposedly has some torque vectoring going from side to side according to rumors I've read.
If I had a 100-mile commute I'd reluctantly go with the CX-5 if those were the two choices I'd narrowed it down to.
I've had 2 AWD Mazdas of varying vintage (323 GTX, Speed6) and found them both more than adequate for on-road snow duty. The Speed6 wore winter tires in winter, and so equipped it was extremely sure-footed in snow.
Haha, coming over from the .org thread for a less biased opinion? Psycho-analyzing all your previous posts, it seems like deep down inside you have already decided on the Mazda =p I've seen many people like you on subaruforester.org in the past. In the end you'll get the Mazda but you'll keep posting on the Forester threads anyway, making everyone feel weird =p
I would choose the Subie for its AWD and styling. I can't stand the happy face Mazdas. That alone is my deal breaker.
Actually, trying to get away from some of the less-sane people and get a slightly more balanced opinion. After all, that particular forum is going to have a SLIGHT bias in a certain direction, don't you think?
Subaru could have made my life a LOT easier if they had just put shift paddles on the 2.5L motor. That's a deal-breaker for me. Handling would probably be pretty close, put on 18 inch rims and that would sharpen things just a bit, and fuel economy would be excellent, and I could have probably driven home with the Adaptive Cruise installed too. But no, they had to leave the paddles off and plop a "low" mode onto the thing, eliminating it from contention for me.
Given the reaction, Subaru may rue the day they dropped those paddles in the U.S. I bet Joe Spitz isn't the only dealer pushing back on that.
You can get the Mazda CX-5 with AWD and its a lot better looking (the grill doesn't have the exaggerated "smile" of the Mazda3). They're both good cars - spend some extended time with them - you'll figure out whats best for you.
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