Subaru Outback vs Mazda CX-5

What's the difference?

The Subaru Outback AWD Sport XT has been a great car for my family this week. It was popular with everyone and for good reason. It has loads of space, it's easy to handle and now has the grunt under the bonnet to satisfy me as a driver. However, you are paying for that grunt with the thirsty engine and that could become tiresome with the rising costs of fuel. At this price point, I also didn't love the weird-feeling material on the seats but it still impressed with its practicality and the safety features.

My son enjoyed being in this and loved the green accents and cool 'army' green colour. It was also a great height for him to get in and out of unassisted.

The Mazda CX-5 Akera G35 offers small families a great host of premium features, as well as solid power and handling – all in an attractive package. But the emphasis here is on ‘small’ families because it’s on the compact side for a mid-sized SUV and its rivals offer more back seat space.

Its ongoing costs are reasonable and I enjoy driving it, so it gets a 7.6/10 from me.

My son calls out the back seat as a bit squishy but he otherwise likes it. He gives it a 7.0/10

Subaru has been pushing for sharper robust shapes lately and this is no different. It's a large car being 4870mm long and 1875mm wide but it still feels like a station wagon with that 1670mm height!

Everything is proportional and well sculpted with a long nose being complemented by sharper accents, like the rear tail-lights that jut out.

There are some areas of interest, like the green accents on the roof rails and black plastic body moulding, that tie in nicely with the contrasting green stitching of the interior trim.

The interior is pleasing to look at with the two-tone synthetic leather trim throughout, tapered cutaways in the dash and doors, plus stacks of soft touchpoints.

The only thing I don't really like is the 'water-resistant' material in the middle of the seats. It feels very synthetic and I wonder how it will wear over time.

Overall, it's a very handsome car, inside and out.

The Mazda CX-5 hasn’t seen much change to the exterior other than a more horizontally-styled grille. It’s a medium SUV with a handsome kerb-side presence thanks to its full-suite of LED lights and 19-inch alloy wheels. It’s an inoffensive design that should appeal to a wide audience.

The interior looks premium with the brown Nappa leather upholstery and black leather trims. The plethora of soft-touchpoints throughout reinforces that the Akera is the top model.

There's one thing I really like about Mazda and that's how it manages to balance the traditional with the new. The cabin is a seamless blend of the two elements.

The instrument panel features a 7.0-inch digital display but still has analogue dials. There's a 10.25-inch multimedia system on the dash but still a bunch of control buttons and dials to press. The gear shifter is coupled with an electric brake, the sunroof is coupled with a manual blind. You get it.

This duology between high-end tech and traditional elements makes the interior feel up to date but very accessible.

I love how roomy the interior is. Taller occupants will be singing its praises (from both rows).

The 213mm ground clearance also makes this the perfect height to get in and out of, for my six-year old all the way to my 72-year old father. No grunts or complaints were heard this week!

Individual storage is great with a large glove box, middle console with a shallow shelf, two cupholders and drink bottle holders in the first and second rows plus double-sleeved map pockets in the second row.

Boot storage is good with 522L of capacity and a level load space – perfect for sliding in a pram or luggage.

There's no underfloor storage because of the full-size spare tyre but there are little pockets on the side of the wheel arches for smaller items. You can bump up the storage to 1783L when the back row is folded flat.

Considering Subaru's sponsorship of the ski fields, I was surprised that the back row only has a 60/40 split fold configuration and not a 40/20/40, which would allow for internal stowage of longer gear… like skis. However, you do get strengthened roof racks with anchor points for bigger gear.

The amenities in each row are pretty good, too. The rear seats enjoy directional air vents, USB ports, reading lights and heated outboard seats.

I enjoyed using the tech this week, it's easy to use and looks good. My favourite combo.

The 11.6-inch touchscreen multimedia system has built-in satellite navigation and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It was ridiculously easy to connect my iPhone and I like the Bluetooth connectivity, too.

There is a USB-A and USB-C port and (unusually) an 'aux' port in the front row, but backseat passengers can also stay charged up with two USB-A ports. There are two 12-volt sockets for other charging options but basically, you're sorted with outlets.

Despite sitting in the medium-SUV segment, the CX-5 is on the compact side for cabin space and front passengers benefit the most in terms of leg- and headroom.

Back rowers get a decent amount of headroom but legroom is squishy and my legs press into the back of the drivers seat when its in my driving position, and I'm only 168cm tall!

My seven-year old complained about his space and asked Dad to slide forward for more room, which is something to consider if you have gangly teenagers.

The seat comfort sits on the firmer side for both rows and the electric front seats are narrower and shorter than I like for long journeys but for the A to B trips, they’re comfy enough.

Only the driver’s seat gets powered lumbar support but they both have heat and ventilation functions.

Individual storage is average for this class with a smallish glove box and middle console that has a removable shelf. A deep utility tray, which houses the wireless charging pad and a 12-volt port, sits in front of the gearshift and there are two cupholders in the centre console.

Each door has a shallow storage bin and the front doors also get a skinny drink bottle holder.

For individual storage in the rear, you get map pockets on the rear of the front seats and two cupholders in a fold-down armrest.

The armrest also houses two USB-A ports and the heat function buttons for the outboard seats and it's because of this positioning and the narrower width of the seat, that the back row feels more suited to two, rather than three passengers.

The technology on the whole is easy enough to use but the rotary dial operation of the multimedia system is a bit annoying to access while on the go.

The wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is a great feature and means one less cable to worry about but the built-in satellite navigation with 10-year map updates is a highlight. The head-up display pulls through the nav directions, too, which is always handy.

You also get two USB-C ports and another 12-volt outlet up front, so everyone should be sorted for charging.

The boot features a powered tailgate which is a handy family feature and a temporary spare tyre is located underneath the level floor.

You get 438L of storage capacity with the second row seat upright, which is plenty for my errands and grocery shop. That jumps up to 1340L (VDA) when the rear seats are folded. 

The cargo cover attaches to the lid, meaning it stays out of the way when you're loading stuff into the boot.

There are five grades for the CX-5. The top two grades, the GT SP and Akera, have a choice between a 2.5-litre petrol or turbo-petrol engine.

On test here is the flagship Akera grade with the 2.5L turbo-petrol engine. Before on-road costs, it is priced at $55,000. That positions it towards the top-end of its competitors with the Kia Sportage GT-Line AWD coming in at $49,920 (MSRP) and the Toyota RAV4 sliding in just under at $54,410 (MSRP). However, the new Honda CR-V is more expensive by $2.0K.

The Akera is well-equipped with premium features like a sunroof, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear outboard seats, a heated steering wheel and brown Nappa leather upholstery.

The technology is well-rounded with a 10-speaker Bose sound system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a 10.25-inch multimedia system with built-in satellite navigation (including map updates for 10 years).

There are some good practical features, too, like a powered tailgate, keyless entry and start as well as powered lumbar support on the drivers' seat.

Our model has the new 2.4-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol 'boxer' engine with a maximum output of 183 kilowatts and 350 Newton metres of torque. That's a big step up in power from the previous non-turbo engine.

The continuously variable auto transmission is relatively smooth and the combo means this handles open-road and urban conditions well.

The Akera is an all-wheel drive with a six-speed auto transmission and our test model has the 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that produces a maximum power output of 170kW and 420Nm of torque. The turbo ensures it never feels sluggish, even when you’re hitting hills.

The official combined fuel cycle figure is 9.0L/100km. Real world testing saw my figure at 9.6L/100km but that was after heavy open-road driving this week.

Unfortunately, it's thirsty and urban-dwellers will feel that the most at the bowser, but the upside is getting the extra grunt from the turbo.

The Outback has a relatively small 63L fuel tank for its size and only takes premium fuel (95 or higher).

The compromise for getting extra power from the turbo is fuel efficiency takes a hit.

The official combined fuel cycle figure is 8.2L/100km but my real-world usage came out at 10L/100km. That’s after mostly open-road driving this week, too, so it’s a bit thirstier than I was expecting.

Based on the combined cycle number and the 58L fuel tank, expect a driving range of around 784km – which is still great for the odd road trip.

I thoroughly enjoyed driving this. The engine is powerful enough to easily handle winding mountain roads, always a plus in a big family car, but the pick up is also good and you can zip across traffic or overtake when needed.

The cabin is delightfully quiet and the suspension creates a smooth ride without being floaty.

The tight 11m turning circle and accurate steering means cornering feels concise and controlled.

It's pretty easy to manoeuvre this around but you'll miss having front parking sensors in a tight car park because the nose is deceptively long.

I like how crisp the image is from the reversing camera but it's disappointing that it doesn't have a 360-degree view camera for where this Sport XT sits in the model range.

The Akera turbo-petrol delivers a decent well of power to dip into and it feels peppy in most situations. Even when you’re overtaking or getting up to speed you don’t feel like you’re nearing the bottom of the power barrel.  

Steering is responsive and the car is agile when you tackle narrow car parks or streets. However, you still get some roll in corners which my passengers felt more than I did.

The cabin is quiet, even at higher speeds and the suspension is firm enough that you feel the bumps but you’re not jostled about. The ride comfort is still good.

I’ve said it before but I love parking medium SUVs because their size is so forgiving in a car park! The Akera is no different and it’s especially easy thanks to the ultra-clear 360-degree view camera system. You also get front and rear parking sensors to help out when needed. 

The Akera has a bunch of safety features that are always great to have on a family SUV and a standout is the 360-degree camera system. It’s super clear and well-positioned on the dashboard for easy viewing.

Standard safety items on the Akera include LED daytime running lights, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure alert, lane keeping aid, a head-up display, adaptive cruise control, a driver fatigue monitor, AEB, forward collision warning and traffic sign recognition.

The previously awarded five-star ANCAP safety rating for this model has just expired and models built from January 2024 onwards are thus unrated. The CX-5 features six airbags, which is a little low for a family car but I like how many safety features this has overall.

There are ISOFIX child seat mounts on the rear outboard seat positions and three top-tethers but two seats will fit best. Front occupant comfort is compromised when a 0-4 rearward facing child seat is installed.

On-going costs are always something to consider and the Outback comes with a five-year/unlimited km warranty, which is standard for the market.

You can choose either a three- or five-year capped-priced servicing plan, the services average on the more expensive side at $515 annually on the five-year plan.

Servicing intervals are pretty good at every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first.

The CX-5 comes with a five-year/unlimited km warranty, which is average cover for the class but some of its rivals offer longer terms.

There is a five-year, or up to 75,000km capped-price servicing program and services average $423 per workshop visit, which is competitive.

Servicing intervals are reasonable at every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.