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Subaru Forester vs Toyota RAV4: reliability compared

From 2006 to 2025, owners filed an average of 274 complaints per model year about the Subaru Forester and 385 about the Toyota RAV4.

Side by side

Subaru ForesterToyota RAV4
Model years compared2006-20252006-2025
Owner complaints5,4757,708
Complaints per model year274385
Recalls3743
Years to avoid2015201620172018201920202006200720192020
Best years200720082013201420162022
Most common problemVisibilityEngine
Crash ratingNo dataNo data
Fuel economy26-35 mpg combined (2025)28-39 mpg combined (2025)

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 Subaru Forester: 882006 Toyota RAV4: 70520062007 Subaru Forester: 742007 Toyota RAV4: 1,0042008 Subaru Forester: 502008 Toyota RAV4: 57520082009 Subaru Forester: 1782009 Toyota RAV4: 3272010 Subaru Forester: 2622010 Toyota RAV4: 40020102011 Subaru Forester: 1472011 Toyota RAV4: 2872012 Subaru Forester: 1072012 Toyota RAV4: 26020122013 Subaru Forester: 782013 Toyota RAV4: 2572014 Subaru Forester: 4032014 Toyota RAV4: 19820142015 Subaru Forester: 6172015 Toyota RAV4: 3052016 Subaru Forester: 4162016 Toyota RAV4: 24020162017 Subaru Forester: 5942017 Toyota RAV4: 3082018 Subaru Forester: 4992018 Toyota RAV4: 33320182019 Subaru Forester: 8342019 Toyota RAV4: 8872020 Subaru Forester: 6042020 Toyota RAV4: 64120202021 Subaru Forester: 2152021 Toyota RAV4: 3902022 Subaru Forester: 1002022 Toyota RAV4: 15020222023 Subaru Forester: 762023 Toyota RAV4: 1662024 Subaru Forester: 312024 Toyota RAV4: 17720242025 Subaru Forester: 1022025 Toyota RAV4: 98
Subaru ForesterToyota RAV4

Problems compared

ForesterRAV4
Visibility1,229426
Engine8501,420
Electrical7741,160
Airbags739649
Transmission416562
Acceleration411744
Steering164917
Fuel system270589

Questions about the Subaru Forester vs Toyota RAV4

Which is more reliable, the Subaru Forester or the Toyota RAV4?

Between 2006 and 2025, the Subaru Forester has 6 years to avoid and the Toyota RAV4 4. The Toyota RAV4 has been more consistent from year to year. By raw volume, the Subaru Forester drew fewer complaints per model year (274 vs 385), though sales volume affects that number.

Which has more recalls, the Subaru Forester or the Toyota RAV4?

From 2006 to 2025, the Subaru Forester was covered by 37 recalls and the Toyota RAV4 by 43.

What years of the Subaru Forester and Toyota RAV4 should you avoid?

Subaru Forester: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. Toyota RAV4: 2006, 2007, 2019 and 2020.

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