Subaru vs. Mazda
- Thread starter Jman136
- Start date
Bingo. (flash)
- :
- '17-6, '21 CX-5
Before switching to Mazda, I was a loyal Subaru owner having owned five of them -
- 2001 Forester
- 2002 Impreza Outback Sport Wagon
- 2005 Outback
- 2011 Outback
- 2013 Impreza Sport wagon
Never had a problem with any of them outside of the front end shakes on the 2011 Outback which was fixed under warranty. Earlier versions were plagued with head gasket and wheel bearing problems that took years for Subaru to correct. Was fortunate none of my Subies were subject to the oil burning debacle which Subaru denied until it became class action suit time. When I first started buying them, I lived in the snowbelt of upstate NY and these Subies did an excellent job of getting me around through the harsh wintry weather with their outstanding AWD systems.
They tend to have their market niche if AWD/4WD is necessary, but otherwise are very boring unless you go with the WRX line. Very spartan and utilitarian (especially the interiors) as others have previously mentioned, and their naturally aspirated drivetrains are not the least bit spirited but actually mundane. And if you are a true off road enthusiast, their are better choices for extreme off road duty. One aspect I give them credit for is their resale value, which is one of the best in the industry.
Even though they are not a "driver's car" like Mazda, they will continue to do well especially in the states that have inclement winter driving conditions.
Switched to Mazda two years ago when I no longer needed AWD since I moved to the deep south with milder winters, and picked up my first Mazda, a '16 CX-5 GT. But this only came about because I ordered a '16 Outback and canceled when my Subie dealer's sales manager tried to screw me and neglected to keep his word on pricing......went right to the Mazda dealer and drove home with the CX-5 and very glad it turned out that way. And liked it so much, I got rid of my '13 Impreza wagon and recently replaced it with a '17 6 for my second car. Love both of my Skyactive M's.
So now I understand what they say about Mazda puts the fun in driving.....but Subaru is also a good brand that has it's niche in the auto market...all depends on what suits your current needs. (wink)
- 2001 Forester
- 2002 Impreza Outback Sport Wagon
- 2005 Outback
- 2011 Outback
- 2013 Impreza Sport wagon
Never had a problem with any of them outside of the front end shakes on the 2011 Outback which was fixed under warranty. Earlier versions were plagued with head gasket and wheel bearing problems that took years for Subaru to correct. Was fortunate none of my Subies were subject to the oil burning debacle which Subaru denied until it became class action suit time. When I first started buying them, I lived in the snowbelt of upstate NY and these Subies did an excellent job of getting me around through the harsh wintry weather with their outstanding AWD systems.
They tend to have their market niche if AWD/4WD is necessary, but otherwise are very boring unless you go with the WRX line. Very spartan and utilitarian (especially the interiors) as others have previously mentioned, and their naturally aspirated drivetrains are not the least bit spirited but actually mundane. And if you are a true off road enthusiast, their are better choices for extreme off road duty. One aspect I give them credit for is their resale value, which is one of the best in the industry.
Even though they are not a "driver's car" like Mazda, they will continue to do well especially in the states that have inclement winter driving conditions.
Switched to Mazda two years ago when I no longer needed AWD since I moved to the deep south with milder winters, and picked up my first Mazda, a '16 CX-5 GT. But this only came about because I ordered a '16 Outback and canceled when my Subie dealer's sales manager tried to screw me and neglected to keep his word on pricing......went right to the Mazda dealer and drove home with the CX-5 and very glad it turned out that way. And liked it so much, I got rid of my '13 Impreza wagon and recently replaced it with a '17 6 for my second car. Love both of my Skyactive M's.
So now I understand what they say about Mazda puts the fun in driving.....but Subaru is also a good brand that has it's niche in the auto market...all depends on what suits your current needs. (wink)
GJ-Molestor
Banned
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- 2011 BMW 528i, 2015 Mazda 6, 1995 Nissan Maxima Manual
Don't let those names fool you. BMW calls them SAV (none of the above). Basically, they are tall cars or tall hatchbacks however you look at them. It has a high center of gravity. Yes it uses Mazda 3 chassis but due to high center of gravity it will never handle like a 3 but it's good enough for a SUV. It can still put a shame on SUVs like Rouge / CRV / etc when it comes to handling.
Wait I think you venture into the wrong forum if you don't drive a CX-5.
An SUV is usually body on frame, v8, and significantly larger and heavier then a crossover. A CX-5 is a crossover. SUVs and crossovers are two vastly different things.
There aren’t many body on frame vehicles still on the market. And those are large based on full size truck frames aside from the wrangler. The problem IMO with your position is this isn’t a regulated term with a specific definition. Each brands marketing department many call it suv cuv sav ect. So what’s the point arguing about it. Do you really mean to differentiate unibody from body on frame?
GJ-Molestor
Banned
- :
- 2011 BMW 528i, 2015 Mazda 6, 1995 Nissan Maxima Manual
I mean to differentiate SUVs from CUVs - two completely different categories of vehicles With different sizes, wheelbases, engines, and different goals.
4runner is body on frame, not fullsized, doesn't have a V8, does have locking hubs and 4WD-LOW, etc etc etc. The Explorer and Pathfinder finally went unibody a few years ago but they're both still considered SUVs. Grand Cherokee was one of the 1st unibody SUVs (maybe the 1st)
SUV = Sport Utility Vehicle
CUV = Compact or Crossover Utility Vehicle.
Anyone remember the Suzuki Samurai? It was a body on frame kei car based 4x4.
SUV = Sport Utility Vehicle
CUV = Compact or Crossover Utility Vehicle.
Anyone remember the Suzuki Samurai? It was a body on frame kei car based 4x4.
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- 2014 QX70 AWD
I always had a bit of a soft-spot for the Samurai... not sure why.
A buddy had one a ways back... he could touch the windshield with one hand, and the rear window with his other.
A buddy had one a ways back... he could touch the windshield with one hand, and the rear window with his other.
1st gen CX-5 shared a platform with Mazda3 and Mazda6
Do you have a CX-5? (dunno)
Here in OZ land, pretty much all of them are called SUVs
Yea, I think it’s whatever marketing wants to call it.
Indeed
Probably due to it being more on the road rather than off it.
For reference, here are the laden/unladen ground clearances for last of 1st gen and 2nd gen:
2016:
2017:
I haven't installed these yet after all these years but since I have air bags on the back of my GX... I still plan to add these to my CX-5. Box isn't lost in garage yet. This should help keep the rear from squatting with extra weight and when towing
https://www.mazdas247.com/forum/sho...yone-install-Air-Helper-Springs-on-their-CX-5
This should help keep the rear from squatting with extra weight and when towinghttps://www.mazdas247.com/forum/sho...yone-install-Air-Helper-Springs-on-their-CX-5
