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My first ever test of a Subaru caught me off guard by how much I liked it 2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness review with The Road Beat Words and pictures by Mitchell Weitzman For decades, Subaru has been associated with flannels, rescue dogs, progressive bumper stickers — and yes, lesbians. It’s one of the strangest and most persistent brand stereotypes in the car world. After a week with the Forester Wilderness, I realized something simpler: Subaru fans aren’t part of a cult. Rather, they just might have good taste. In Wilderness trim, the Forester is genuinely eye-catching. It’s not perfect, but it has a personality that quietly works its way under your skin — something many crossovers, particularly from Toyota, struggle to replicate. Focused on fun and encouraging you to wander that little farther, this Forester is a spirited crossover that makes you want to keep exploring. Picks Modern car design often leans into overstyled chaos. The Forester Wilderness isn’t entirely innocent of that trend, but here it feels cohesive rather than cluttered. The trademark plastic cladding around the fenders adds toughness instead of cheapness. Subtle gold accents, knobby all-terrain tires, and lifted proportions give it authentic presence. It looks purposeful. And that's because it is, and multiple friends commented how nice this latest Forester appeared visually. And because it’s a real-deal Subaru, it’s genuinely capable off-road. While I didn’t attempt anything Rubicon-level, the Forester handled several frankly appalling gravel roads with ease, gliding over loose surfaces with a calm and articulate demeanor. Ground clearance itself is a strong 9.3-inches, nearly a full inch more than what a new RAV4 Woodland Edition or a Mazda CX-50 offers while also dominating the approach and departure angle metrics, too. A more revealing test came on a battered stretch of snaking tarmac just outside Georgetown, California — a road riddled with potholes, crests, and tight hairpins. A stiff modern sports car would feel fragile here, constantly wary of bottoming out or bending a wheel. In the Subaru, you simply carry speed and let the car and suspension do their job. It’s the kind of road where you start to feel like Colin McRae on a Monte Carlo rally Special Stage. That compliance creates confidence, and even with thick all-terrain tires, the Forester encourages you to push harder than expected. It’s the classic “slow car fast” philosophy — but here it feels intentional. The suspension absorbs punishment without losing composure, and on smoother stretches the chassis reveals a balance that rivals what you’d expect from a Mazda in this class and enjoys a hasty pace. The steering is sharp and responsive, even if ultimate feedback is of course limited like most all new cars. Then there’s Subaru’s horizontally opposed “boxer” four-cylinder. Output is modest — there’s no getting around that — but throttle response is crisp and immediate. Around town, it feels alert and eager enough, only feeling underpowered when you bury your foot and ask for more than it has to give - there isn't much extra. What surprised me most is refinement. Unlike some coarse inline-fours that drone like unbalanced washing machines, the Subaru engine is relatively smooth and subdued. It never feels aggravated nor agricultural. For daily driving, that matters more than outright speed and an engine that plays in the background is much appreciated in a vehicle such as this. Despite the rough roads — and sometimes enthusiastic pace — the Forester remained impressively solid. No squeaks. No rattles. The seats deserve praise too: comfortable for long stretches yet supportive enough when the road turns twisty. I used to think calling a Subaru “fun” was just marketing optimism. Turns out, there’s substance behind the sentiment. Nicks Fuel economy is the most obvious casualty of the Forester and in Wilderness treatment. Despite its modest power output, the Forester returned just 22 mpg over a week of mixed driving. That’s noticeably behind several rivals and well below the hybrid alternatives from Mazda, Toyota, and Honda. Yes, the all-terrain tires play a role, but this is still a thirsty little engine. The interior, while solidly assembled, leans heavily on hard plastics. At over $40,000, some materials don’t quite match the price tag — even if the overall construction feels durable and sorted. I like to oversized sunroof, but it's not quite panoramic in size and it's rather awkward and straining to fully open from the front seats. A nearly 12-inch central touchscreen is another weak point. It’s visually busy at first glance, crowded with icons and information. More frustrating is its speed. Startup feels like waiting for a Windows 95 desktop to finish booting, and even once fully awake there’s a slight lag between inputs and responses. In a 2026 vehicle, that delay feels unnecessary. I never got lost in the infotainment at least, so despite the stuffed nature of it, it's at least easy to use find your way around it. Also, the reverse camera isn't great at night. A welcome cure to the common crossover I didn’t approach my first Subaru test with particularly high expectations, and that may have worked in its favor. I left impressed — and curious to try more. The Forester Wilderness isn’t a novelty for outdoorsy caricatures. It’s a genuinely capable crossover with character, something increasingly rare in this segment. It encourages you to turn down the rough road just to see what’s there. As rivals like the RAV4 and Cherokee move further toward hybrid-only lineups boasting near-40 mpg efficiency, the Forester Wilderness gives up meaningful ground in fuel economy. That’s the trade-off. And while Subaru does offer a hybrid Forester of their own, it's sadly not compatible in the cool Wilderness trim. Subaru, if you’re listening: give us a Forester Wilderness Hybrid. 2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness – Key Specifications Basic Info Body type: AWD compact SUV / 5-door wagon Seating: 5 passengers Price as-tested: $42,430 Engine & Performance Engine: 2.5-liter naturally aspirated flat 4 'boxer' Horsepower: 180 hp @ 5800 rpm Torque: 178 lb-ft @ 3700 rpm Transmission: Continuously variable automatic (CVT) Drivetrain: Symmetrical all-wheel drive Towing Capacity: ~3,500 lbs 0–60 mph: ~8.5 seconds Fuel Economy & Fuel Fuel Economy: 24 mpg city / 28 mpg highway / 26 combined Real World Economy: 22.5 MPG Fuel Type: Regular unleaded Fuel Tank Capacity: ~17 gallons Dimensions Curb Weight: 3,675 lbs Length: 183 in Width (without mirrors): 72 in Height: 69 in Wheelbase: 105 in Ground Clearance: 9.3 in Turning Diameter: ~35 ft Cargo Volume (seats up): 28 cu ft Cargo Volume (seats down): 69 cu ft Off-Road Capability Approach Angle: ~24° Departure Angle: ~26° Break-over Angle: ~21° All-Terrain Tires: Standard Yokohama A/T 235/60R17 Underbody Protection: Standard skid plates Warranty Basic Warranty: 3 years / 36,000 miles Powertrain Warranty: 5 years / 60,000 miles Roadside Assistance: 3 years / 36,000 miles Corrosion Perforation: 5 years / unlimited miles Other Standard Features (Summary) Standard Symmetrical AWD with off-road-ready X-Mode settings 17-inch alloy wheels with all-terrain tires Power liftgate StarTex durable upholstery 12-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay / Android Auto EyeSight driver-assist tech suite Front underbody protection & rugged trim accents

The older CX-5 could have been replaced by the CX-50, but it's at least cheaper 2025 Mazda CX-5 Turbo review by The Road Beat Words and pictures: Mitchell Weitzman In light of Mazda’s introduction of the excellent CX-50 several years ago, the older CX-5 continues to soldier on. Similar in size, similar in mission, and often similar in price, it’s fair to ask why Mazda continues to build and market both given the overlap. With 2025 representing the final model year before a meaningful rethink, nothing here is new — which makes it all the more important that the CX-5 justify its existence. Picks This was a stylistic knockout when it debuted at the tail end of 2016, and remarkably, it still looks fresh and handsome nearly nine years later. Tidy and taut, the design appears as if a sumo wrestler grabbed each extremity and pulled it tight — no bloat, just tension. It manages to look muscular yet suave, and in Mazda’s rich Soul Red paint, can easily pass for something far more expensive. Inside, it follows the familiar Mazda formula of the past several presidential terms: restrained, premium, and tactile. The dash is well padded, the switchgear feels substantial, and everything you touch has real weight and purpose. The driving position is excellent, and the leather-wrapped steering wheel sits exactly where it should. It’s simply a very nice place to spend your time. Because this is an older design, there are no trendy digital sliders or haptic panels — just physical controls. The 10.25-inch display is recessed into the dash, which means you rely on the rotary click wheel to navigate infotainment and Apple CarPlay. Some will appreciate the old-school tactility even if it's not immediately intuitive. Mazda’s familiar 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder remains a gem. With 227 horsepower and a stout 310 lb-ft of torque (on regular fuel), it delivers a muscular midrange surge that makes everyday driving effortless. It even sounds good — a subdued, refined growl instead of an overworked cry for help. The six-speed automatic may be old-school, but it’s smooth and rarely caught off guard thanks to the engine’s abundant torque. If you bypass the turbo engine option, power otherwise drops to an entry 187 horsepower. Handling was a revelation for mainstream crossovers when this generation launched, and it remains impressive today. Even as competitors have improved, few feel as composed and eager when the road turns technical. Steering is precise and properly weighted, with faint but welcome feedback through the wheel. Drive it quickly and it encourages you to go quicker still. It’s beautifully balanced, absorbing mid-corner bumps without drama and maintaining composure in a way that feels distinctly un-crossover-like. Standard all-wheel drive in the Turbo further reduces understeer on corner exit, helping put that torque down cleanly to the road beneath. Price is another strength. At $40,755 for this loaded Premium Turbo model, it undercuts the last equivalent CX-50 Turbo I tested by several thousand dollars. Nicks The biggest issue with this 2025 CX-5 is timing. By the time you read this, the redesigned 2026 model is effectively here. With subtly sharper styling and a more modern interior, it already looks like a meaningful leap forward — and makes this outgoing model feel every bit of its age. Then there’s the CX-50. It arguably looks better, offers a more contemporary interior, and tows up to 3,500 pounds versus just 2,000 for the CX-5. It drives nearly identically in the real world despite using a torsion-beam rear setup, and it’s now available as a hybrid for buyers concerned with fuel economy. That’s important, because as strong and enjoyable as the 2.5 Turbo is, overall fuel economy is a disappointing 22 mpg combined. The six-speed automatic, while smooth, shifts leisurely and keeps revs higher than necessary on the highway, which doesn’t help efficiency. Oddly, despite the CX-50 lacking independent rear suspension, the CX-5 neither rides nor handles noticeably better; They’re virtually indistinguishable in everyday driving. Add in the CX-50’s lower, longer, and wider stance, more cohesive interior materials, and the available panoramic sunroof — an option not offered on the CX-5 — and the case grows stronger. There are smaller annoyances, too. Proximity keyless entry only works on the front doors (competitors like the Toyota RAV4 offer it on all doors). You must wait for the power tailgate to fully close before locking the vehicle, otherwise it protests with an incessant warning beep. Measuring 10.25-inches, the central touchscreen is adequately sized, but the underlying hardware shows its age with slow reflexes. The rotary controller can feel awkward depending on menu layout, and the abundance of awkwardly-placed buttons around the gear lever reinforces the car’s vintage. The backup and 360-degree cameras are also particularly poor in low light. And then there’s a bizarre (and consistent) Mazda quirk: the wireless charging pad repeatedly triggers an iPhone to launch Apple Wallet. No other vehicle I’ve tested does this. In an era increasingly sensitive to digital privacy, that kind of glitch feels especially out of place. It's all stacked against the CX-5 The CX-5 remains an enjoyable, near-entry-luxury crossover with genuine sporting ambition. But in 2025, it feels like a lame duck. I genuinely do like the CX-5, yet I like the CX-50 more — for its fresher design, panoramic sunroof, stronger towing capability, and some extra ability for unpaved roads. That broader capability makes it easier to recommend. However, it's impossible to ignore the pricing advantage the CX-5 carries to the tune of several thousand dollars. The incoming 2026 CX-5 could change everything. Early images suggest a much larger central display and fewer physical controls — which may or may not be a mistake — but if Mazda successfully differentiates it from the CX-50 and adds hybrid power, the CX-5 could once again become the brand’s standout crossover. For now, though, this final-year 2025 model feels like a very good car caught at the wrong moment. 2025 Mazda CX-5 Turbo Premium basic specifications Price as-tested: $40,755 Engine & Performance Engine: 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-4 (SKYACTIV-G) Horsepower: 227 hp @ 5,000 rpm (regular fuel) Torque: 310 lb-ft @ 2,000 rpm Transmission: 6-speed automatic Drivetrain: All-wheel drive (standard) Towing Capacity: 2,000 lbs Fuel Economy & Capacity EPA Fuel Economy: 22 mpg city / 27 mpg highway / 24 mpg combined Real World Economy: 22 MPG Fuel Tank Capacity: 15 gallons Recommended Fuel: Regular (87 octane; premium increases output to 256 hp) Exterior Dimensions Overall Length: 180 in Width: 73 in Height: 66 in Wheelbase: 106 in Ground Clearance: 8 in Curb Weight: About 3,900 lbs Interior Space Passenger Volume: 104 cubic feet Cargo Volume (behind rear seats): 30 cubic feet Cargo Volume (rear seats folded): 59 cubic feet Exterior Features (Turbo Premium) 19-inch alloy wheels LED headlights and taillights Power liftgate Heated power side mirrors Gloss black exterior accents Interior & Comfort Leather-trimmed seats Heated front seats Heated steering wheel Dual-zone automatic climate control Power-adjustable front seats (driver memory) 10.25-inch center display with rotary controller Bose premium audio system Wireless phone charger Technology & Safety Apple CarPlay and Android Auto Blind Spot Monitoring Rear Cross Traffic Alert Lane Departure Warning with Lane Keep Assist Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go Smart Brake Support 360-degree camera system Warranty Basic (Bumper-to-Bumper): 3 years / 36,000 miles Powertrain: 5 years / 60,000 miles Roadside Assistance: 3 years / 36,000 miles

A legitimately nice car is undone by details and disappointing gas mileage, and that's before discovering the price 2026 Lexus NX 450+ Review by The Road Beat If you want a truly great luxury crossover, look right past this Lexus and go straight to the Genesis GV70. Even in base form with the 2.5-liter engine, the Genesis matches and consistently beats the NX in the ways that matter. Back to the Lexus in question: the NX 450+ is an underwhelming experience that frustrates and disappoints when it comes to the small details that buyers actually have to live with. Now, that might be forgivable at $50K, which is along the starting price for an NX-class. But for this top 450h+ model, It’s unforgivable at $67,134 as-tested . Picks Still a sharp-looking crossover This isn’t a new shape anymore—this NX design has been with us for over three years—but it still looks tidy and taut in a sea of overly busy crossovers with their contradicting and overzealous angles. Lexus used to try too hard to stand out, but lately they’ve done the opposite, and it’s paying off. The NX is handsome without being obnoxious and every bit as brand new in 2026. A genuinely premium cabin A Lexus will never feel as indulgent as a competing Mercedes equivalent (that regularly costs 25% more), but even with Lexus positioned as an “entry” luxury product, the NX’s interior rarely disappoints. The vibrant red leather in my tester adds drama, but the bigger takeaway is how solid everything feels owing to Lexus' solid build quality meant to outlast its driver. This cabin has a weight and surety that no Toyota (Lexus' parent company) can match. Even premium Toyotas like the Crown cheap out in places where Lexus doesn’t, and it shows. Touch points feel secure, materials feel upscale, and there were zero rattles  over battered neighborhood pavement. Excellent seats The seats deserve a shoutout: supremely comfortable, perfectly shaped, and with the kind of adjustment range that makes long drives effortless. Lexus also offers “F Sport” seats in some models, but those tend to shove my head and neck forward in an awkward way. These standard seats are far better for this car's purpose. A relaxed highway cruiser The hospitable and accommodating NX is at its best eating up highway miles. It’s comfortable, quiet, and easy to place on the road. The steering is direct and nicely weighted, and overall it’s a calm, confident commuter. And yes—like most modern Toyota and Lexus products—you can disable some of the more annoying driver assists (like automatic high beams), which is appreciated by people like me. Easy touchscreen The large center touchscreen is one of the easiest infotainment systems to live with. The Toyota/Lexus interface makes browsing radio and media simple, and best of all: there’s still a volume knob . Thank you! Same goes for the physical temperature knobs for the climate control—simple, intuitive, and friendly. Nicks This sounds like a great car so far. But the NX 450+ stumbles in areas buyers will notice immediately—and for the price, the mistakes are hard to excuse. Disappointing fuel economy This plug-in hybrid advertises 34 MPG  even if you never plug it in. But after a week of mixed country, suburban, and highway driving, I averaged just 27 MPG —and that was with a light foot and a genuine effort to drive efficiently. Sure, it will admittedly do better if you charge this plug-in hybrid for maximum effect. But if you’re not charging it regularly—and studies show most do not with plug-in hybrids—the efficiency is simply unimpressive. In fact, that’s the same mileage I’ve seen from a Genesis GV70 with a turbocharged four-cylinder and zero hybrid assist. The Lexus also sounds poor for a luxury vehicle, not helped by the CVT holding constant RPM that burns into your brain. Yet my main takeaway is the very weak gas mileage, and it was actually under 26 for a while until I took a long freeway cruise to Davis and back which helped it out. An annoying CVT For a luxury vehicle, the NX doesn’t sound premium when accelerating. The continuously variable transmission holds constant RPM in a way that becomes irritating as the four-cylinder engine holds a constant drone under throttle, especially during passing or climbing grades. It’s not unbearable, but it doesn’t feel “$67K Lexus” either. Shockingly poor AWD drivetrain This may be the biggest deal-breaker of the entire car. All-wheel drive is supposed to make a vehicle feel more secure in low-traction conditions by distributing torque to all four wheels instead of just two. Like when it's wet, for example. Yet even in slightly damp conditions, a moderate throttle input while merging onto a 45 MPH road triggered egregious front wheelspin  and a Christmas tree of traction-related warning lights. That’s not just annoying—it’s alarming. AWD is supposed to remove hesitation in situations by promoting security through grip. And in this NX, it made me second-guess the car in the exact moment it was supposed to help. This behavior was sadly repeatable and defeats the very purpose of why anyone buys an AWD vehicle in the first place. AWD Genesis vehicles have never done this, neither an AWD BMW has never done this to me, nor an Audi Quattro. So, if you’re shopping specifically for an AWD crossover, this is an unacceptable failure. Steering wheel controls: a usability disaster Both CarPlay and the central touchscreen work more than fine for the average human, but it's the steering wheel controls that remain positively confounding. To use the cruise control, skip a song, or adjust settings, the unlabeled buttons bring up an overlay menu on the dash and head-up display, and often with a delay. Adjusting key features like the safety settings requires digging through layers, hitting the virtual “more,” and generally fumbling through a system that feels designed to distract you. It’s a mess. A proper disaster-class mess. Muscle memory over long-term usage will help greatly, but the acclimation period feels like it was almost designed to cause collisions. Terrible heated seats and weak heated steering wheel This one sounds petty—until you live with it. These heated seats are among the worst I’ve tested in years. Even on a 30-minute drive home in cold weather, the seats never got more than lukewarm on the highest setting. Two passengers even noticed the same thing for their seats. And on my 15-minute commute in the early morning, they barely warmed at all to the point of being pointless. The heated steering wheel was equally disappointing: it occasionally got warm in one random spot where your hands don’t naturally rest, then cooled itself off like it was a mistake. For the record, the heaters were always set manually to High, not “Auto.” For a luxury car—just any brand new car—this is unacceptable yet is maddening for a brand like Lexus to perform so poorly here. Even the normal heater took too long to get hot. Pointless door handle design I also dislike the exterior door handles. They look like normal handles, but they don’t actually move. Instead, they’re oversized, bulbous, and less satisfying to use when they electronically lock and unlock the vehicle. In other words: Lexus found a way to make a normal door latch worse. The price is the punchline I’m sorry, but a $67K compact Lexus with heated seats that barely work and AWD behavior that can’t be trusted in damp conditions is so far from a value proposition. I take back what I said earlier about Lexus automatically equaling value—at least in this configuration. Undone by everyday necessities People buy Toyota and Lexus because they’ve built a reputation for long-term dependability. But this NX 450+ is undone by basic, everyday necessities. The AWD system didn’t inspire confidence. The heated seats barely functioned. The steering wheel heater felt like a half-finished feature. Those may sound like “little” things, but they’re exactly the features Lexus and luxury car buyers interact with daily. Then there’s the fuel economy. Many buyers won’t plug in their plug-in hybrid consistently, and if they’re going to commit to charging, they may as well just buy an EV in the first place at this price point. The reality is that, without regular charging, the NX 450+ doesn’t deliver the efficiency advantage it promises. Everything points back to the Genesis GV70: its flashier and nicer interior, stronger and enjoyable performance, better real-world drivability, AWD that actually works, and a price that makes far more sense. A Lexus NX starting at $50K can still be a compelling buy. But at almost $70,000 , this underwhelming NX 450+ simply isn’t worth it. 2026 Lexus NX image gallery: 2026 Lexus NX 450h+ Luxury – Basic Specifications Price as-tested: $67,134 Powertrain & Performance Engine: 2.5 L inline-4 hybrid Drivetrain: All-Wheel Drive (AWD) Transmission: Electronically controlled CVT (e-CVT) Combined System Output: ~304 hp total Electric-Only Range (EPA est.): ~37 miles EPA Combined MPG (gas only, battery depleted): ~34 MPG Real World MPG: 27 MPG Towing Capacity: 2,000 lbs Turning Diameter (curb to curb): ~38 ft Fuel Tank Capacity: 14.5 gal Curb Weight: ~4,500 lbs Dimensions & Capacity Seating Capacity: 5 Cargo Volume (behind 2nd row): 23 cu ft Cargo Volume (rear seats folded): 47 cu ft Wheelbase: 106 in Length: 184 in Width (without mirrors): 73 in Height: 66 in Ground Clearance: 8 in Wheels: 20-inch alloy wheels Warranty (U.S. Coverage) Basic (New Vehicle Limited): 4 years / 50,000 miles Powertrain: 6 years / 70,000 miles Hybrid System Components: 8 years / 100,000 miles Traction Battery (High-Voltage): 10 years / 150,000 miles Corrosion Perforation: 6 years / unlimited miles Roadside Assistance: 4 years / unlimited miles Maintenance Warranty (complimentary factory): 1 year / 10,000 miles Standard Safety & Driver Aids Adaptive Cruise Control Lane-Keeping/Lane-Trace Assist Blind-Spot Monitoring Rear Cross-Traffic Alert Automatic Emergency Braking(Features may vary slightly by market/package) Thank you for reading The Road Beat's 2026 Lexus NX 450h+ review

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