Rugged Or Refined: 2024 Subaru Crosstrek vs 2024 Mazda CX-50

The Subaru Crosstrek has long been a favorite of those with a sense of adventure. In marketing speak, they say it’s for active lifestyles, which basically means people who like to get out there and do stuff. Hiking, kayaking, biking, and a day at the beach all qualify. Those activities are inherently messy, which can be tough on your car.

That’s not a problem for the Crosstrek. Standard all-wheel drive, good ground clearance, a durable interior, and responsive engines all make it perfectly suited to outdoor activities. It’s a great car for families, since kids are only slightly less messy than dogs. The downside is that the Crosstrek isn’t the most engaging car to drive for enthusiasts. It also doesn’t offer a true premium interior.

If you’re searching for a more refined crossover, then there’s the 2024 Mazda CX-50. This is a brand known for building fun cars like the Miata, which is a favorite of driving enthusiasts. Mazda offers powerful engine options with crisp, sporty handling, which makes their cars fun.

The CX-50 also has a much more upscale interior. Mazda isn’t a luxury brand, but it is a premium brand. Even the base trims of the CX-50 are attractive with top trims pushing close to luxury status. Let’s take a closer look at these two crossovers to see which one is the right one for you.

Exterior Dimensions: A Big Difference In Length

Overall, the exterior dimensions of these two crossovers are quite close. That is, until you take a look at the length. This makes one easier to wedge into smaller parking spots and gives the other a more spacious cabin.

Crosstrek: Small And Rugged

The Crosstrek looks like the tougher of the two with sharper angles, an aggressive grille, and large wheel arches. There’s nothing timid or subtle about this crossover. It looks ready to take you anywhere, whether that’s the office, the fairgrounds, or a rutted dirt road to the family cabin. Its smaller dimensions make it easier to maneuver in tight conditions from parking lots to off-road terrain.

CX-50: Sleek And Stylish

The CX-50 takes an entirely different approach with a sleek, sporty exterior. It fits with the more engaging driving dynamics it offers and the upscale interior. Although very nearly the same size as the Crosstrek, it is longer, which is both good and bad. While this makes it a little less nimble in tight quarters, it adds interior room with an extra 5.7 inches in the wheelbase.

Interior Dimensions

Both the Crosstrek and CX-50 are two-row crossovers with seating for up to five people. Since these aren’t huge vehicles, the rear seats are best for only two adults, especially on longer trips. A couple of kids in car seats will also find plenty of room without arguing about being in each other’s spaces. Here’s where that longer exterior and increased wheelbase of the CX-50 make a difference, with more room for passengers to get comfortable.

Crosstrek: Comfortable, Durable Seating

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The Crosstrek offers a range of durable seating surfaces, from cloth to leather to water-resistant StarTex. They’re attractive, but not upscale or elegant. There’s that whole active lifestyle thing that keeps the Crosstrek from offering anything truly premium. The seating is comfortable and attractive, but it’s not especially eye-catching. The good news is that it’s easy to clean and maintain. In terms of room, here’s where that smaller exterior is a negative, with less room for rear passengers.

CX-50: More Room And More Premium

The CX-50 has a more refined interior. There are leatherette seating surfaces on the base trim with real leather that includes contrast stitching higher in the lineup. It’s more luxurious and more eye-catching, but it will make you a bit more nervous if the dog runs across the seats. It’s also roomier. Although slightly smaller when it comes to the first row, it outshines the Crosstrek with over 3 inches of additional second-row legroom.

Infotainment: Touchscreen Or Rotary Dial

There are lots of different ways to control infotainment systems, but the most common method is via a touchscreen. Additional control through voice or steering wheel buttons is also common, but a touchscreen is pretty much the standard. It’s what you’ll find in the Crosstrek, but Mazda relies mostly on a rotary dial controller that’s a bit confusing.

Crosstrek: Two Small Screens or One Big Screen

The Crosstrek offers dual 7-inch touchscreens in the base trim with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The rest of the lineup gets a single 11.6-inch vertical touchscreen with wireless smartphone connectivity. The larger screen also comes with both USB-A and USB-C charging ports and premium audio options. Although the dual-screen setup is dated, it’s only on the base trim and both setups are easy to use.

CX-50: One Large Screen

The CX-50 offers a 10.25-inch infotainment screen standard across the lineup. When you’re using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, it functions as a touchscreen. Use Mazda’s native system, and you have to rely on the rotary dial on the center console. We aren’t a fan of the rotary dial in general, and it gets confusing flipping between the two, especially for passengers.

Performance

*256hp/320 lb-ft with premium fuel

Crosstrek: Gets The Job Done

The Crosstrek has two 4-cylinder engine options. The base 2.0-liter delivers 152 horsepower with 145 lb-ft of torque while the available 2.5-liter offers 182 horsepower with 178 lb-ft of torque. Both are paired to a continuously variable automatic transmission and have plenty of power to get the Crosstrek moving. The 2.5-liter is far nicer to drive and makes short work of highway merges. While the Crosstrek has good handling, it isn’t a sporty option. Where it does have an edge is off-road. Standard ground clearance of 8.7 inches with 9.3 inches available on the Wilderness trim makes tackling rough terrain easier.

CX-50: Delivering Stronger Performance

The CX-50 with the base 2.5-liter has 187 horsepower with 186 lb-ft of torque, making it more powerful than the top Crosstrek engine. Choose the turbo and numbers take a jump to 227 horsepower with 310 lb-ft of torque. These are both paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission, which helps make for less noise under hard acceleration. The numbers tell the story, with the CX-50 offering more power and stronger performance for an engaging drive. Combined with excellent driving dynamics, it’s a far better option for the enthusiast. Where it doesn’t match up is in ground clearance with anywhere from 8.3 inches to 8.6 inches depending on the trim.

Fuel Economy

Crosstrek: Road Trip Worthy

While the Crosstrek comes up short on performance, it comes out ahead on fuel economy. Its EPA-estimated 29 MPG combined makes it a great choice for road trips. Even in the Wilderness trim, the EPA-estimated 27 MPG combined, which is low for the Crosstrek, is the best you can do in the CX-50.

CX-50: The Price Of Performance

There is a price to be paid for performance, and you will pay more at the pump to keep your CX-50 on the road. It’s best EPA-estimated fuel economy of 27 MPG matches up with the lowest rating for the Crosstrek. If you move to the turbocharged engine, then the news is even worse with an EPA-estimated 25 MPG. It’s not terrible fuel economy, but it will hit your wallet harder on family road trips or if you have a long daily commute.

Cargo Room

Crosstrek: Ready For Anything

One of the perks to owning a crossover is the ability to easily carry cargo. The Crosstrek has good cargo room with 20.0 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 54.9 cubic feet behind the front seats. It also has a durable interior, so when you slide muddy sporting equipment into the cargo area or pile it full of muddy boots and wet clothes, it’ll easily come clean once you’re home.

CX-50: More Room For Your Stuff

The CX-50 is slightly longer than the Crosstrek. That not only creates more room for passengers, but also more room for cargo. There’s a bit more room overall, with 56.3 cubic feet behind the front seats, but with a full load of people, there’s still 31.4 cubic feet of cargo behind the rear seats. That makes it much easier to take along the whole family and all their stuff.

Pricing & Winner

If you’re looking for affordability, then the Crosstrek is the clear winner. It’s available in five trims with the Base priced at $25,195 and the top Wilderness coming in at $32,195, excluding $1,345 destination. That’s great pricing for a rugged crossover with all-wheel drive and a wide range of standard features. That Wilderness trim also makes this a more off-road worthy option.

The CX-50 comes in with a starting price of $30,300 for the base 2.5 S Select with the top 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus priced at $43,300, excluding $1,420 destination. That puts the base trim of the CX-50 only slightly below the top trim of the Crosstrek.

The CX-50 is a more powerful crossover with better handling, more room, and a more premium interior than the Crosstrek and that’s reflected in its price. However, the Crosstrek is a better choice for families with more modest budgets who put a priority on durability and off-road capability.