Is the Toyota Corolla more reliable than the Subaru Forester?

Yes, the Corolla has a clear edge. Its standing is excellent, while the Forester's is good. The Corolla costs less to repair each year, needs fewer shop visits, and has a lower chance of a major repair. Both cars do have stalling complaints tied to auto start/stop.

Which has more recalls, the Corolla or the Forester?

The Corolla has more. Federal recall records show 44 recalls across nine model years for the Corolla and 13 for the Forester. More recalls do not mean worse reliability here, since the Corolla still ranks higher. Check any car's VIN for open recalls before you buy.

Which is cheaper to repair, the Corolla or the Forester?

The Corolla is cheaper. Independent repair-cost data puts it at about $362 a year against $632 for the Forester. Over five years that is roughly $1,350 less. Only 7% of Corolla repairs are major, compared with 13% for the Forester.

Why do Subaru Forester windshields crack so often?

Owner complaints do not name a cause. They describe cracks that appear with no impact, often on a parked car and within the first few thousand miles. Some begin near the wiper rest area or the EyeSight camera. Replacement is quoted at over $1000, and cracked glass can disable EyeSight.

Does the Toyota Corolla stall at stoplights?

Some owners report it. Complaints describe the engine shutting off at a stop with auto start/stop on, usually in rain with the wipers running. A low power steering warning appears and the driver must shift to park to restart. Dealers often find no fault. Some reports involved the Corolla Cross.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Subaru Forester vs Toyota Corolla: Reliability Compared

Subaru Forester

Good

More Reliable

Toyota Corolla

Excellent

Reliability favors the Toyota Corolla over the Subaru Forester by a clear margin. Independent repair-cost data shows the Corolla is cheaper to maintain and far less likely to need a major repair. The Forester has fewer recalls, but windshield cracks and battery-related stalls drive its owner complaints.

How Do the Subaru Forester and Toyota Corolla Generations Compare?

Weak years on both cars sit right at a generation change. The Corolla's 2018 and 2019 model years belong to the eleventh generation, which was refreshed in 2017. The twelfth generation ran 2020 through 2023, and its first and last years are the Corolla's weakest, 2020 and 2023. The data lists no newer generation, so the latest cars are best judged on their own records. The Forester's 2018 model closed out the fourth generation, which was facelifted in 2017. The fifth generation ran 2019 through 2025 and was facelifted in 2022. A sixth generation began in 2025. The Forester's weakest years, 2018 and 2019, straddle the handover between the fourth and fifth generations.

Verdict

The Toyota Corolla is more reliable than the Subaru Forester, scoring 81/100 vs 74/100.

A clear edge goes to the Corolla. Independent repair-cost data shows it costs less to keep running, sends owners to the shop less often, and has far fewer repairs that turn major. The Forester still stands at good, but its bills run higher and its biggest complaint is a windshield that cracks with no impact. The Corolla has many more federal recalls, so check each car's recall status before you buy, but that does not change the overall result.

Key Differences

1Toyota Corolla costs $270 less per year to repair
2Subaru Forester has 31 fewer total recalls
3Toyota Corolla scores 7 points higher in reliability

Category Scoreboard

1Subaru Forester

—

5Toyota Corolla

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostRepair FrequencyMajor Repair RiskSafety Rating

Subaru Forester vs Toyota Corolla: Which Is More Reliable?

Subaru Forester vs Toyota Corolla at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Subaru Forester	Toyota Corolla
Reliability Score	74/100	81/100
Years Tracked	9	9
Total Recalls	13	44
Complaints per 10k Sold	8.7	5.6
Annual Repair Cost	$632/yr	$362/yr
Repair Frequency	0.4/yr	0.3/yr
Major Repair Risk	13%	7%
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2026 NHTSA	2026 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	1	8

What Are the Common Problems With the Subaru Forester and Toyota Corolla?

Stalling at a stop with auto start/stop active shows up on both cars, but the surrounding problems differ. Corolla owners tie it to rain and wipers, followed by a low power steering warning. Forester owners see an "EyeSight Disabled" message, and dealers usually blame the battery. The Forester's largest complaint group by far is glass that cracks with no impact. The Corolla's heavier concern is safety: its air bag area has 62 crash-linked complaints, mostly air bags not deploying in severe crashes, and steering has 12. The Forester's air bag crash reports describe no air bag failure.

Subaru Forester vs Toyota Corolla common problem areas comparison
Component	Subaru Forester	Toyota Corolla
VISIBILITY/WIPER	3.1Average	0.1Very Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	1.2Low	0.6Very Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	1.2Low	0.6Very Low
ENGINE	0.4Very Low	0.8Very Low
AIR BAGS	0.5Very Low	0.6Very Low
POWER TRAIN	0.4Very Low	0.6Very Low
STEERING	0.1Very Low	0.5Very Low
VISIBILITY	0.5Very Low	—None
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.2Very Low	0.1Very Low
SERVICE BRAKES	0.1Very Low	0.2Very Low
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	0.1Very Low	0.2Very Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	0.1Very Low	0.1Very Low
STRUCTURE	0.1Very Low	—None
FUEL SYSTEM	—None	0.1Very Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	—None	0.1Very Low
SEAT BELTS	—None	0.1Very Low
SUSPENSION	—None	—None
LANE DEPARTURE	—None	—None
WHEELS	—None	—None
TIRES	—None	—None

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

Which Is Cheaper to Maintain: Subaru Forester or Toyota Corolla?

A gap of $270 a year favors the Corolla, which runs an estimated $362 in repairs against $632 for the Forester. Over five years that adds up to about $1,350. The Corolla also averages 0.3 unscheduled shop visits a year, compared with 0.4 for the Forester. When something does break, 7% of Corolla repairs are major. For the Forester that figure is 13%, nearly double, so a bad year is more likely to hurt.

How Does Subaru Forester vs Toyota Corolla Reliability Compare by Year?

Subaru Forester vs Toyota Corolla year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Subaru Forester	Toyota Corolla	Edge
2026	77/1001R / 0C	94/1000R / 0C	Toyota Corolla
2025	79/1002R / 48C	84/1002R / 37C	Toyota Corolla
2024	78/1002R / 26C	81/1008R / 97C	Toyota Corolla
2023	79/1001R / 61C	73/10015R / 243C	Subaru Forester
2022	77/1001R / 86C	82/1002R / 120C	Toyota Corolla
2021	76/1000R / 196C	83/1001R / 160C	Toyota Corolla
2020	71/1000R / 584C	74/1007R / 290C	Toyota Corolla
2019	63/1003R / 825C	77/1006R / 190C	Toyota Corolla
2018	66/1003R / 475C	80/1003R / 137C	Toyota Corolla

Best years to cross-shop: The 2023 Subaru Forester scored 79/100 and the 2021 Toyota Corolla scored 83/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Subaru Forester vs the Toyota Corolla?

Pick the Corolla if you want the lowest running costs and the smallest chance of a big repair bill. The data names 2025 and 2026 as its strongest years, but newer cars have had less time to collect complaints, so do not treat that as proof. Be careful with 2023 and 2020, the weakest years. Ask whether the front passenger air bag recall remedy was completed. Skip the manual GR Corolla if early clutch failure worries you. Pick the Forester if you need an SUV and can accept higher upkeep. Look at 2023 or 2025, and avoid 2018 and 2019, the weakest years. Before buying, inspect the windshield for cracks, especially near the EyeSight camera, since replacement is quoted at over $1000 and warranty help is often slow. Ask whether the battery has been replaced, because repeat stalls at stops were often blamed on it. Budget for the higher repair cost shown in the data.

Subaru Forester vs Toyota Corolla: Common Questions

Is the Toyota Corolla more reliable than the Subaru Forester?: Yes, the Corolla has a clear edge. Its standing is excellent, while the Forester's is good. The Corolla costs less to repair each year, needs fewer shop visits, and has a lower chance of a major repair. Both cars do have stalling complaints tied to auto start/stop.
Which has more recalls, the Corolla or the Forester?: The Corolla has more. Federal recall records show 44 recalls across nine model years for the Corolla and 13 for the Forester. More recalls do not mean worse reliability here, since the Corolla still ranks higher. Check any car's VIN for open recalls before you buy.
Which is cheaper to repair, the Corolla or the Forester?: The Corolla is cheaper. Independent repair-cost data puts it at about $362 a year against $632 for the Forester. Over five years that is roughly $1,350 less. Only 7% of Corolla repairs are major, compared with 13% for the Forester.
Why do Subaru Forester windshields crack so often?: Owner complaints do not name a cause. They describe cracks that appear with no impact, often on a parked car and within the first few thousand miles. Some begin near the wiper rest area or the EyeSight camera. Replacement is quoted at over $1000, and cracked glass can disable EyeSight.
Does the Toyota Corolla stall at stoplights?: Some owners report it. Complaints describe the engine shutting off at a stop with auto start/stop on, usually in rain with the wipers running. A low power steering warning appears and the driver must shift to park to restart. Dealers often find no fault. Some reports involved the Corolla Cross.

More Subaru Forester comparisons

Subaru Forester vs Honda CR-V reliability Subaru Forester vs Toyota RAV4 reliability Subaru Forester vs Nissan Rogue reliability Subaru Forester vs Hyundai Tucson reliability Subaru Forester reliability by year Subaru Forester years to avoid

More Toyota Corolla comparisons

Toyota Corolla vs Honda Civic reliability Toyota Corolla vs Nissan Versa reliability Toyota Corolla vs Nissan Sentra reliability Toyota Corolla vs Hyundai Elantra reliability Toyota Corolla reliability by year Toyota Corolla years to avoid

Decided between Subaru Forester and Toyota Corolla? Run a VIN check before you buy — uncover hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls.

Look Up a VIN →

How we score the Subaru Forester and Toyota Corolla

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.

See incorrect data? Report an issue