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2026 Subaru Outback vs. 2026 Mazda CX-50: Which SUV Wins in Lancaster County?

By Lancaster County Motors Subaru  |  Reviewed by Jonathan Furukawa, General Sales Manager, and Ross Rodruan, General Manager  |  Last updated August 2026

The Mazda CX-50 is arguably the closest thing to a direct Outback rival on the market today: it's built around the same idea of standard all-wheel drive, adventure-ready styling, and a starting price aimed at mainstream buyers rather than luxury shoppers. In fact, Subaru and Mazda both publish official comparison pages pitting these two against each other. Below, we break down pricing, performance, safety, cargo, technology, and total cost of ownership using current manufacturer and EPA data, and we asked our own General Sales Manager and General Manager to weigh in on what they see Lancaster County shoppers actually choose, and why.

2026 Subaru Outback vs. Mazda CX-50: At a Glance

This comparison uses the Outback Premium and the CX-50 2.5 S Premium, the most popular, most comparably equipped trim of each model. Every Outback and every CX-50 comes standard with all-wheel drive.

*Starting MSRP includes destination charge; excludes tax, title, license and dealer fees. Specs shown reflect manufacturer and EPA data available as of August 2026 and are subject to change.

Price & Value: A Near-Perfect Tie

Few comparisons in this segment are this close on price. The 2026 Outback Premium starts at $36,445 with destination, and the 2026 CX-50 2.5 S Premium starts at $36,495 with destination, a $50 difference that's effectively a rounding error. Both come with all-wheel drive standard, so this matchup genuinely comes down to which vehicle's specific strengths matter more to you, not which one is the better deal on paper.

Mazda's lineup stretches further at the top end, with turbocharged trims reaching 256 horsepower and hybrid trims rated at 38 mpg combined, topping out at $44,495. The Outback's six-trim range tops out lower, at $49,445 for the loaded Touring XT, with its own turbocharged option available from the Limited XT trim up.

"The CX-50 is one of the few vehicles where I tell customers honestly, the base price and standard AWD are basically identical to what we offer. It comes down to what you actually do with the vehicle, and once we talk about cargo room or towing, the conversation usually comes back to Outback pretty quickly."

Jonathan Furukawa, General Sales Manager, Lancaster County Motors Subaru

Performance & Towing

The CX-50's standard 2.5-liter engine produces a bit more power than the Outback's, 187 horsepower and 185 lb-ft of torque versus 180 horsepower and 178 lb-ft, and pairs it with a conventional 6-speed automatic rather than a CVT, which some drivers simply prefer for how it feels under acceleration. It's a small but real edge for Mazda at this trim level.

Towing tells a different story. The Outback Premium's non-turbo engine is rated to tow 2,700 pounds, well ahead of the CX-50 2.5 S Premium's 2,000-pound rating. Both brands offer a turbocharged engine further up their respective lineups that raises the tow rating to 3,500 pounds, so the gap narrows or disappears entirely once you're shopping the higher trims of either vehicle.

Interior, Cargo & Comfort

This is where the Outback's advantage is hardest to argue with. Behind the second row, the two are close, 32.5 cubic feet for the Outback versus 31.4 for the CX-50. But fold the seats down and the Outback opens up to 75.7 cubic feet of maximum cargo space, a full 34% more than the CX-50's 56.3 cubic feet. For anyone who regularly hauls larger gear, furniture, or camping equipment, that's a meaningful, everyday difference, not a marginal one.

Both vehicles offer comfortable, well-built cabins for 2026, with heated front seats and a power liftgate standard at this trim level on each. Mazda's interior design leans slightly more upscale in look and feel, a point Mazda has built its recent reputation on, while the Outback's extra headroom and cargo volume tend to matter more in daily practical use.

Safety Ratings & Driver-Assist Technology

Both vehicles earned a 2026 IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award, the organization's highest distinction, so there's no meaningful gap in crash-test performance here. Both also include a full driver-assist suite standard: Subaru's EyeSight system on the Outback, and Mazda's i-Activsense suite on the CX-50, each including adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and blind-spot monitoring at this trim level.

"When two vehicles both hit Top Safety Pick Plus, I'm not going to pretend one is dramatically safer than the other, because the data doesn't support that. What I will point out is what happens after the sale, and that's where 50-plus years of Subaru AWD experience in this region starts to matter."

Ross Rodruan, General Manager, Lancaster County Motors Subaru

Technology

The Outback Premium's 12.1-inch touchscreen is noticeably larger than the CX-50's 10.25-inch display, though both support wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto standard at this trim. Mazda's broader powertrain menu, spanning gas, turbo, and hybrid options all under the CX-50 nameplate, gives shoppers more room to trade up to a hybrid or turbocharged model later without leaving the badge, which is a fair point in Mazda's favor for buyers who like to shop a single nameplate.

Reliability, Warranty & Total Cost of Ownership

Subaru and Mazda back these vehicles with identical coverage: a 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty and a 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty on both. With pricing this close and warranties matching exactly, the total cost of ownership comparison largely comes down to fuel economy (a modest edge to the Outback at 31 mpg highway vs. 29 for the CX-50) and how each vehicle's cargo and towing capabilities line up with how you actually plan to use it.

Which One Is Right for You?

Why Buy from Lancaster County Motors Subaru

Lancaster County Motors Subaru has helped Lancaster County drivers choose the right vehicle for their roads, their families, and their budgets for years. Our sales and service teams work with the Outback lineup every day, from the first test drive through years of scheduled maintenance, which gives us a genuine, ground-level view of how these vehicles hold up long after the new-car smell fades.

"We've been part of the Lancaster County community for years, and we want every customer walking off our lot to feel confident they made the right choice, whether that's an Outback or something else. That's the kind of straight talk we think this market deserves."

Ross Rodruan, General Manager, Lancaster County Motors Subaru

Frequently Asked Questions

About Our Experts

	Ross Rodruan, General Manager Ross oversees dealership operations at Lancaster County Motors Subaru, including the sales and service departments, giving him a long-term view of how Subaru vehicles perform for local owners well past the day they drive off the lot.
	Jonathan Furukawa, General Sales Manager Jonathan leads the sales team at Lancaster County Motors Subaru, where he works directly with Lancaster County shoppers every day to match them with the right Subaru model and trim for their needs and budget.

Pricing, specifications and ratings referenced above reflect publicly available manufacturer, EPA and IIHS data as of August 2026 and are subject to change without notice. Starting MSRP includes destination charge and excludes tax, title, license and dealer fees. Contact Lancaster County Motors Subaru for current pricing, incentives and availability.