Diagsheet

Compact SUVs · 11 model years, 2014 to 2025

Toyota RAV4 vs Subaru Forester: problems and reliability

On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Forester looks better on 3 and the RAV4 on 0, with 4 too close to call.

Toyota RAV4

Toyota RAV4

3,653 complaints · 22 recalls

Subaru Forester

Subaru Forester

4,371 complaints · 14 recalls

Newest report Sep 24, 2026 · checked Sep 27, 2026

Counts are not adjusted for sales. The more cars of a model there are on the road, the more complaints it draws, so the raw totals above say a lot about sales. Everything below compares shares of each model's own complaints, the mileage problems start at, recalls per model year and each model's years against its own median.

Scorecard

Measure, 2014 to 2025RAV4Forester
Complaints that report a crash7.6%6.9%
Complaints that report a fire4.1%1.2%
Complaints that report an injury4.6%3.1%
Median miles when problems are reported24,00025,000
Recall campaigns per model year2.01.3
Do-not-drive recalls00
NHTSA investigations11

The shaded side is lower (for miles, higher). Values within about a tenth of each other count as too close to call.

What owners complain about

The system RAV4 owners complain about most is electrical; for the Forester it is windshield and wipers. Complaints citing fuel and propulsion make up 12% of all RAV4 complaints, against 4.2% on the Forester. The Forester leans the other way on windshield and wipers: 24% of its complaints, against 3.1% for the RAV4.

Toyota RAV4Subaru Forester

Electrical22%16%
Engine18%13%
Windshield and wipers3.1%24%
Airbags8.9%13%
Fuel and propulsion12%4.2%
Transmission and drivetrain7.3%7.8%
Structure8.2%3.0%
Brakes7.0%4.0%
Speed control3.9%6.4%
Steering6.3%3.1%

Share of each model's complaints that cite each system, from NHTSA's own component codes. One complaint can cite several systems, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

The most reported problems

The most reported problem on the RAV4 is stalling (8.8% of its complaints). On the Forester it is windshield problems (26% of its complaints), against 3.6% on the RAV4.

ProblemRAV4Forester
Windshield cracks or distorts3.6% 13210k mi26% 1,148most in 2019 · 10k mi
Airbag warning light or recall8.8% 323most in 2021 · 24k mi13% 548most in 2017 · 40k mi
Engine stalls or loses power while driving8.8% 323most in 2019 · 31k mi7.4% 322most in 2015 · 42k mi
Battery dies or the car will not start6.4% 235most in 2020 · 30k mi6.6% 289most in 2019 · 25k mi
Brakes grind, pulse or wear early7.3% 266most in 2016 · 14k mi4.3% 187most in 2015 · 32k mi
Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails6.4% 232most in 2019 · 40k mi3.5% 155most in 2019 · 20k mi
Engine overheats or leaks coolant8.4% 308most in 2020 · 47k mi0.8% 3465k mi
Suspension noise, struts or alignment1.3% 4818k mi4.6% 203most in 2014 · 52k mi

Share of each model's own complaints, with the count beside it. "Most in" links to the symptom sheet for the model year with the most reports of it, and the mileage is the median from reports that gave one.

When problems start

Problems show up at about the same mileage on both. Half the RAV4 complaints that give a mileage come before 24,000 miles, and half the Forester complaints before 25,000. 73% of RAV4 reports and 73% of Forester reports come before 50,000 miles. Older model years have had longer to reach high mileage, so a window that runs to recent years pulls both medians down.

Toyota RAV4Subaru Forester

Under 25k51%49%
25k to 50k22%24%
50k to 75k14%15%
75k to 100k5.6%6.4%
100k to 150k5.8%4.6%
Over 150k1.9%1.1%

Share of the complaints that state a mileage: 1,442 for the RAV4 and 2,428 for the Forester.

Worst and best years

The 2019 RAV4 draws 3.0 times the complaints of a typical RAV4 year for its age. The 2019 Forester draws 2.8 times the complaints of a typical Forester year for its age.

Toyota RAV4

Every RAV4 model year

Subaru Forester

Every Forester model year

Toyota RAV4Subaru Forester

Each model year against its own model's median. RAV4: 2014 0.4, 2015 0.7, 2016 0.6, 2017 0.8, 2018 1.0, 2019 3.0, 2020 2.5, 2021 1.7, 2022 0.8, 2023 1.1, 2024 1.6. Forester: 2014 0.7, 2015 1.3, 2016 1.0, 2017 1.6, 2018 1.5, 2019 2.8, 2020 2.3, 2021 0.9, 2022 0.5, 2023 0.5, 2024 0.3.2014 RAV4: 0.4 times its median2014 Forester: 0.7 times its median'142015 RAV4: 0.7 times its median2015 Forester: 1.3 times its median'152016 RAV4: 0.6 times its median2016 Forester: 1.0 times its median'162017 RAV4: 0.8 times its median2017 Forester: 1.6 times its median'172018 RAV4: 1.0 times its median2018 Forester: 1.5 times its median'182019 RAV4: 3.0 times its median2019 Forester: 2.8 times its median'192020 RAV4: 2.5 times its median2020 Forester: 2.3 times its median'202021 RAV4: 1.7 times its median2021 Forester: 0.9 times its median'212022 RAV4: 0.8 times its median2022 Forester: 0.5 times its median'222023 RAV4: 1.1 times its median2023 Forester: 0.5 times its median'232024 RAV4: 1.6 times its median2024 Forester: 0.3 times its median'241x

Each bar is that model year's complaints for each year on the road, divided by the same figure for a typical year of the same model (the dashed line). Measuring each model against itself takes the sales gap between the two out of the picture, so they can share a scale. Years too new to judge are left out.

Recalls and investigations

The RAV4 draws more recalls: 2.0 campaigns per model year against 1.3 for the Forester. A recall counts once however many cars it covers, so this figure does not grow with sales the way complaint totals do.

Toyota RAV4

22 recall campaigns and 1 NHTSA investigation across these model years. Most recalled: equipment (4), tires (3) and airbags (3).

  • 23V-734 (electrical) covers 5 model years
  • 19V-503 (equipment) covers 3 model years

Investigations

  • PE21005: Battery hold down bracket thermal events (closed, led to a recall)

Subaru Forester

14 recall campaigns and 1 NHTSA investigation across these model years. Most recalled: equipment (2), engine and engine cooling (2) and transmission and drivetrain (2).

  • 19V-701 (airbags) covers 4 model years
  • 19V-149 (exterior lighting) covers 3 model years

Investigations

  • PE19009: Occupant detection system (ods) failure (closed, led to a recall)

Whether a particular car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Crashes, fires and injuries

Crashes turn up in about the same share of complaints on both (7.6% and 6.9%). Fire reports: 148 for the RAV4 and 52 for the Forester. Complaints on file report 5 deaths in the RAV4 and 2 in the Forester for these model years.

Toyota RAV4Subaru Forester

Report a crash7.6%6.9%
Report a fire4.1%1.2%
Report someone hurt4.6%3.1%

Share of each model's complaints in which the owner reported it. These are owners' own accounts as filed with NHTSA, and one report on its own doesn't prove a defect.

Questions

Is the Toyota RAV4 or the Subaru Forester more reliable?

On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Forester looks better on 3 and the RAV4 on 0, with 4 too close to call. NHTSA complaint totals cannot settle it alone: the RAV4 has 3,653 complaints and the Forester 4,371 for the 11 model years from 2014 to 2025 that both have on file, and those totals follow how many of each were sold.

Which has more recalls, the RAV4 or the Forester?

The RAV4 has 22 recall campaigns and the Forester 14 across the 11 model years from 2014 to 2025 that both have on file. The RAV4 draws more recalls: 2.0 campaigns per model year against 1.3 for the Forester.

What are the most common problems on the RAV4 and the Forester?

The most reported problem on the RAV4 is stalling (8.8% of its complaints). On the Forester it is windshield problems (26% of its complaints), against 3.6% on the RAV4.

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