2016 Mazda CX-5 vs 2016 Subaru Forester
Two compact SUVs, compared on what actually matters when you're buying used:
what breaks, when it breaks, and what it costs you.
2016 Mazda
CX-5
8/10
A Miata on stilts with a Corolla's maintenance bill — the last CX-5 before Mazda got fancy.
VS
2016 Subaru
Forester
7/10
The 2016 Forester is the automotive Labrador: not exciting, endlessly capable, and secretly hiding a piston-ring problem you must screen for.
Milo scores the 2016 Mazda CX-5 higher — 8/10 against 7/10.
By the numbers
Green is the better number — higher on every score, lower on failures, complaints and recalls.
| Mazda CX-5 |
Subaru Forester |
| Known failure points | 8 | 8 |
| NHTSA complaints | 510 | 409 |
| Safety recalls | 5 | 3 |
| Service bulletins | 12 | 12 |
| Reliability | 82 | 72 |
| Cheap to own | 80 | 68 |
| Fun factor | 72 | 42 |
| Holds value | 70 | 78 |
| Enthusiast cred | 58 | 55 |
The most expensive thing that goes wrong
2016 Mazda CX-5
Rear subframe / trailing arm corrosion in salt-belt cars
$800–$3,50080k–140k mi
2016 Subaru Forester
CVT (TR580) shudder, judder, or valve body codes (P2764 etc.)
$300–$8,00090k–160k mi
If you buy one, buy this one
✅ 2016 Mazda CX-5
2016.5 (built April 2016+) Touring trim, AWD, in Soul Red or Machine Gray, with the Preferred Equipment Package and clean service records from a non-salt state. Manual transmission Sport FWD exists and is a unicorn for enthusiasts.
✅ 2016 Subaru Forester
2016 Forester 2.5i Premium with the All-Weather Package, one owner, dealer-serviced, WITH a documented oil consumption test showing under 1qt/3,000mi, CVT fluid changed at least once, and under 100k miles. Manual transmission if you can find one — they're unicorns and the best-driving Foresters.
Narrowed it down? Get the full report
This comparison is model-level.
Milo's report goes car-level — the one you're actually looking at:
- A line-by-line negotiation script
- The pre-purchase inspection checklist
- VIN-specific open recalls
- What it's really worth right now
- Your next 15,000 miles, forecast
- Hidden features & money-savers
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Scores and findings blend documented NHTSA recalls and complaints with
patterns synthesized from owner communities. Always inspect the specific vehicle and
verify open recalls by VIN before buying.