The Forester is Subaru's most successful model to date and is the product that the majority of the public now associates with the marque. How does the Forester compare in the value stakes when looking at two popular rivals?
The medium-sized SUV segment is bustling with tempting propositions from some of the best automakers in the business, making it difficult to choose which model to take home. The Subaru Forester is unique among many of its peers, with genuine off-road ability, but how does the rest of the package compare with the likes of the new Hyundai Tucson and Mazda CX-5 in terms of value?
Practicality
All three products are comparable from a dimensions perspective and trade blows in various departments with the Forester and Tucson having similar boot sizes at 520 and 539-litres respectively, with the CX-5 featuring a 442-litre boot. With the second row folded flat, the Mazda has the most space at 1 914-litres, followed by the Hyundai at 1 860-litres and the Subaru at 1 060-litres. When it comes to ground clearance and towing capacity, the Subaru wins, sporting 220mm and a braked towing capacity of 1 800kg to the Mazda’s 185mm and 1 000kg, and the Hyundai’s 181mm and 1 650kg.
Performance
While performance is not high on the list of priorities for a family SUV, it is handy to have good overtaking torque, which our trio appear to lack. The Mazda is the most powerful product here and has the most torque but is the heaviest, making the Hyundai and Subaru similar in terms of performance. In terms of fuel consumption, all three products are similar on paper, but it is the Subaru with the lowest claimed consumption figure.
| Subaru Forester 2.0i | Mazda CX-5 2.0 Active Auto | Hyundai Tuscon 2.0 Premium | |
| Engine | 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder petrol | 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder petrol | 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder petrol |
| Transmission | CVT | 6-speed automatic | 6-speed automatic |
| Power | 115 kW | 121 kW | 115 kW |
| Torque | 196 Nm | 213 Nm | 192 Nm |
| Boot capacity | 520-litres | 442-litres | 539-litres |
| CO2 emissions | 179 g/km | 160 g/km | 193 g/km |
| Fuel consumption | 7.6 L/100km | 6.9 L/100km | 8.9 L/100km |
| 0-100 km/h | 10.3 sec | 10.4 sec | 11.4 sec |
| Kerb weight | 1 524kg | 1 575kg | 1 457kg |
| Price | R496 000 | R515 400 | R524 900 |
*This table was compiled with information sourced from www.duoporta.co.za as well as the official press releases of each model.
Specification
Our trio all feature good standard specifications with 17-inch alloy wheels, 6 airbags (7 in the Subaru), ABS, stability control, outer rear ISOFIX child seat anchor points, front/rear USB ports, front and rear electric windows, air conditioning, cruise control, cloth seats, auto lights, front fog lamps and reverse cameras.
The Subaru get keyless entry/start, an electrically operated driver’s seat and an all-wheel drive system, all great features while the Mazda’s LED headlights, automatic wipers/mirrors and rear PDC are also nice to haves.
Safety
In terms of safety, the Forester was crash tested by Euro NCAP in 2019, where it scored 5-Stars with 97% for adult occupant safety, 91% for child occupant safety, 80% for pedestrian safety and 78% for its safety assistance systems. The CX-5 was crash tested by EuroNCAP in 2017, achieving the maximum 5-Stars, including 95% for adult occupant safety, 80% for child occupant safety, 78% for pedestrian safety and 59% for its safety assistance systems. The Tucson was also tested by Euro NCAP, but in 2021 where it achieved 5-Stars with 86% for adult occupant safety, 87% for child occupant, 66% for pedestrian safety and 70% for its safety assistance systems.
Warranty and maintenance
In the warranty and service plan department, the Subaru offers a 3-year/75 000km maintenance plan and a 5-year/150 000km warranty. The Mazda gets a 3-year/unlimited km warranty and service plan while the Hyundai gets a 5year/150 000km warranty and an additional 7-year/200 000km drivetrain warranty along with a 6-year/90 000km service plan.
Verdict
Looking at the data, there can only be one winner and in this case, it is the Subaru Forested by virtue of its low list price, features, competitive performance and drivetrain along with its maintenance plan.
Sean NurseWith a lifelong passion for cars, bikes, and motorsport, Sean knew that attaining a degree in journalism would allow him to pursue his passion, which was to be a motoring journalist. After graduating in 2012, Sean was awarded a bursary from the SAGMJ which allowed him to work for a variety of motoring publications. This was a dream come true for Sean, and after a year of gaining vital industry experience, he was hired as a motoring journalist at a local newspaper and worked his way up to editor. In 2020, Sean joined the AutoTrader team and counts himself lucky to wake up and genuinely love what he does for a living.View News & Reviews
