Is the Ford Explorer more reliable than the Subaru Outback?

No. The Outback has a clear edge, though both cars stand as good. It has 22 recalls to the Explorer's 117 and a lower yearly repair cost. The Explorer does draw fewer complaints per car sold, but those include engine failures and sudden power loss.

Which has more recalls, the Explorer or the Outback?

The Explorer, by a wide margin. Federal recall records show 117 recalls across its nine model years from 2018 to 2026. The Outback has 22 over the same span. Owners also report long waits for rear camera parts on the Explorer.

Which costs less to repair, the Explorer or the Outback?

The Outback. Independent repair-cost data puts it at $607 a year against $732 for the Explorer. Over five years that is about $625 saved. Its major repair chance is 12%, against 14% for the Explorer.

What are the most common Subaru Outback problems?

Windshields that crack with little or no impact are the largest group, with 1142 complaints. Owners also report dead batteries, sometimes traced to the data communications module, plus touchscreen failures. Some also describe steering wander at highway speeds starting around 45 mph.

What are the biggest Ford Explorer problems?

Power train trouble leads, with 618 complaints. Owners describe harsh or skipped shifts and power loss while driving. Structure complaints include loose trim and a leaking sunroof. Engine failures are fewer but costly, with replacement quotes reaching $11,000 to $12,000.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Ford Explorer vs Subaru Outback: Reliability Compared

Ford Explorer

Good

More Reliable

Subaru Outback

Good

Reliability favors the Subaru Outback over the Ford Explorer. The Outback has far fewer recalls and lower yearly repair costs. Both stand as good. The Explorer draws fewer complaints per car sold, but its engine and power loss reports are more serious than the Outback's windshield and battery problems.

How Do the Ford Explorer and Subaru Outback Generations Compare?

Most Explorer shoppers will pick between two designs. The 2018 and 2019 cars belong to the fifth generation, which ran from 2011 to 2019. The sixth generation began in 2020 and is listed through 2023, and its first two years, 2020 and 2021, are the weakest. For the Outback, 2018 and 2019 sit in a fifth generation that was updated in 2018. The sixth generation ran from 2020 to 2025, with a refresh in 2023. A seventh generation began with the 2026 model year, so sixth generation cars will fill most used listings.

Verdict

The Subaru Outback is more reliable than the Ford Explorer, scoring 72/100 vs 67/100.

A clear edge goes to the Subaru Outback, though both cars hold a good standing. Federal recall records show 22 recalls for it against 117 for the Ford Explorer across the same nine model years. It also costs less to keep running and has a slightly lower chance that a repair is major. The Explorer does draw far fewer complaints per car sold. But its complaints include engine failure and power loss while driving, while the Outback's biggest ones are cracked windshields and dead batteries.

Key Differences

1Subaru Outback costs $125 less per year to repair
2Subaru Outback has 95 fewer total recalls
3Ford Explorer has 19.3 fewer complaints per 10k sold

Category Scoreboard

2Ford Explorer

—

4Subaru Outback

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostRepair FrequencyMajor Repair Risk

Ford Explorer vs Subaru Outback: Which Is More Reliable?

Ford Explorer vs Subaru Outback at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Ford Explorer	Subaru Outback
Reliability Score	67/100	72/100
Years Tracked	9	9
Total Recalls	117	22
Complaints per 10k Sold	6.8	26.1
Annual Repair Cost	$732/yr	$607/yr
Repair Frequency	0.2/yr	0.4/yr
Major Repair Risk	14%	12%
Year Wins	1 (1 tied)	7 (1 tied)

What Are the Common Problems With the Ford Explorer and Subaru Outback?

Harsh or skipped shifts, sudden power loss, and engine failures with replacement quotes of $11,000 to $12,000 define the Explorer's record. Loose trim and wiring faults add to it. Its crash-linked reports span power train, engine, structure, electrical, and rear camera complaints. Windshields that crack with no impact and batteries that die after the car sits, often traced to the data communications module, lead the Outback's list. Its steering wander at highway speed is the more serious item, with 4 crash-linked reports. Engine, structure, and rear camera are not among its main problem areas, and the Explorer has crash-linked reports in all three.

Ford Explorer vs Subaru Outback common problem areas comparison
Component	Ford Explorer	Subaru Outback
VISIBILITY/WIPER	—None	8.3Above Avg
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	0.7Very Low	7.2Above Avg
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	1.1Low	3.9Average
POWER TRAIN	1.6Low	0.6Very Low
STRUCTURE	1.1Low	0.4Very Low
VISIBILITY	—None	1.5Low
STEERING	0.2Very Low	0.6Very Low
ENGINE	0.4Very Low	0.2Very Low
AIR BAGS	0.1Very Low	0.5Very Low
SERVICE BRAKES	0.2Very Low	0.2Very Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	—None	0.4Very Low
BACK OVER PREVENTION	0.2Very Low	—None
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	0.1Very Low	0.1Very Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	—None	0.2Very Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	—None	0.2Very Low
SEATS	0.1Very Low	—None
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	0.1Very Low	—None
SUSPENSION	0.1Very Low	—None
SEAT BELTS	—None	—None
LANE DEPARTURE	—None	—None
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES	—None	—None

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

Which Is Cheaper to Maintain: Ford Explorer or Subaru Outback?

Lower repair bills favor the Outback: $607 a year against $732 for the Explorer. That gap is $125 a year, or about $625 over five years. Its chance that a repair is major is also lower, 12% against 14%. The Explorer does better on shop visits, with 0.2 unscheduled visits a year against 0.4. So the Outback costs less per repair year but sends you to the shop twice as often.

How Does Ford Explorer vs Subaru Outback Reliability Compare by Year?

Ford Explorer vs Subaru Outback year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Ford Explorer	Subaru Outback	Edge
2026	70/1004R / 0C	82/1000R / 0C	Subaru Outback
2025	72/10014R / 65C	82/1000R / 43C	Subaru Outback
2024	73/1006R / 14C	82/1000R / 69C	Subaru Outback
2023	71/10012R / 84C	77/1002R / 83C	Subaru Outback
2022	65/10021R / 208C	67/1004R / 435C	Subaru Outback
2021	62/10022R / 354C	69/1004R / 283C	Subaru Outback
2020	54/10029R / 1066C	60/1006R / 884C	Subaru Outback
2019	69/1004R / 252C	63/1003R / 1017C	Ford Explorer
2018	64/1005R / 651C	64/1003R / 779C	Tie

Best years to cross-shop: The 2024 Ford Explorer scored 73/100 and the 2024 Subaru Outback scored 82/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Ford Explorer vs the Subaru Outback?

If you want lower running costs and fewer recall headaches, buy the Outback. Expect to deal with windshield cracks and battery drain, so inspect the glass and ask about battery history. Avoid 2019 and 2020, its weakest years. The 2025 and 2026 cars rank best, but they are too new to have collected a full complaint record, so do not treat them as proven. If you would rather be among fewer owners filing complaints per car sold, and you want fewer unscheduled shop visits, buy the Explorer. Skip 2020 and 2021, its weakest years. Test drive any Explorer for shift quality, and get proof that rear camera recall work is done, since owners report long waits for parts. The 2024 and 2025 cars rank best, but they are also too new to judge fairly.

Ford Explorer vs Subaru Outback: Common Questions

Is the Ford Explorer more reliable than the Subaru Outback?: No. The Outback has a clear edge, though both cars stand as good. It has 22 recalls to the Explorer's 117 and a lower yearly repair cost. The Explorer does draw fewer complaints per car sold, but those include engine failures and sudden power loss.
Which has more recalls, the Explorer or the Outback?: The Explorer, by a wide margin. Federal recall records show 117 recalls across its nine model years from 2018 to 2026. The Outback has 22 over the same span. Owners also report long waits for rear camera parts on the Explorer.
Which costs less to repair, the Explorer or the Outback?: The Outback. Independent repair-cost data puts it at $607 a year against $732 for the Explorer. Over five years that is about $625 saved. Its major repair chance is 12%, against 14% for the Explorer.
What are the most common Subaru Outback problems?: Windshields that crack with little or no impact are the largest group, with 1142 complaints. Owners also report dead batteries, sometimes traced to the data communications module, plus touchscreen failures. Some also describe steering wander at highway speeds starting around 45 mph.
What are the biggest Ford Explorer problems?: Power train trouble leads, with 618 complaints. Owners describe harsh or skipped shifts and power loss while driving. Structure complaints include loose trim and a leaking sunroof. Engine failures are fewer but costly, with replacement quotes reaching $11,000 to $12,000.

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How we score the Ford Explorer and Subaru Outback

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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