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Kia Sportage vs Subaru Forester: reliability compared

From 2006 to 2026, owners filed an average of 143 complaints per model year about the Kia Sportage and 262 about the Subaru Forester.

Side by side

Kia SportageSubaru Forester
Model years compared2006-20262006-2026
Owner complaints3,0125,510
Complaints per model year143262
Recalls2440
Years to avoid201220132017201520162017201820192020
Best years201920212022200720082013
Most common problemEngineVisibility
Crash ratingNo dataNo data
Fuel economy24-42 mpg combined (2026)26-35 mpg combined (2026)

A car that sells more collects more complaints, so the fairest test is the number of years to avoid, which compares each year with a typical year of the same car.

Complaints per model year

2006 Kia Sportage: 1112006 Subaru Forester: 8820062007 Kia Sportage: 772007 Subaru Forester: 742008 Kia Sportage: 982008 Subaru Forester: 5020082009 Kia Sportage: 802009 Subaru Forester: 1782010 Kia Sportage: 202010 Subaru Forester: 26220102011 Kia Sportage: 1812011 Subaru Forester: 1472012 Kia Sportage: 3922012 Subaru Forester: 10720122013 Kia Sportage: 3812013 Subaru Forester: 782014 Kia Sportage: 1252014 Subaru Forester: 40320142015 Kia Sportage: 1462015 Subaru Forester: 6172016 Kia Sportage: 1342016 Subaru Forester: 41620162017 Kia Sportage: 4042017 Subaru Forester: 5942018 Kia Sportage: 1662018 Subaru Forester: 49920182019 Kia Sportage: 712019 Subaru Forester: 8342020 Kia Sportage: 1692020 Subaru Forester: 60420202021 Kia Sportage: 542021 Subaru Forester: 2152022 Kia Sportage: 472022 Subaru Forester: 10020222023 Kia Sportage: 1952023 Subaru Forester: 762024 Kia Sportage: 752024 Subaru Forester: 3120242025 Kia Sportage: 552025 Subaru Forester: 1022026 Kia Sportage: 312026 Subaru Forester: 352026
Kia SportageSubaru Forester

Problems compared

SportageForester
Engine1,583851
Electrical435783
Brakes332303
Transmission211418
Fuel system144273
Driver assistance144312
Visibility951,237
Airbags144739
Acceleration110412

Questions about the Kia Sportage vs Subaru Forester

Which is more reliable, the Kia Sportage or the Subaru Forester?

Between 2006 and 2026, the Kia Sportage has 3 years to avoid and the Subaru Forester 6. The Kia Sportage has been more consistent from year to year. By raw volume, the Kia Sportage drew fewer complaints per model year (143 vs 262), though sales volume affects that number.

Which has more recalls, the Kia Sportage or the Subaru Forester?

From 2006 to 2026, the Kia Sportage was covered by 24 recalls and the Subaru Forester by 40.

What years of the Kia Sportage and Subaru Forester should you avoid?

Kia Sportage: 2012, 2013 and 2017. Subaru Forester: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.

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