Is the Toyota RAV4 more reliable than the Subaru Forester?

Yes, but only slightly. Both have a good standing. The RAV4 wins on cost: about $429 a year in repairs versus $632, fewer shop visits, and a lower chance of a major repair. The Forester draws owner complaints at roughly twice the rate per vehicle sold.

Which has more recalls, the RAV4 or the Forester?

The RAV4 has far more. Federal recall records show 53 across its eight model years, against 13 across the Forester's nine. Recall count alone does not mean a worse car, but owners did report waiting on parts for some RAV4 recall repairs.

Which is cheaper to repair, the RAV4 or the Forester?

The RAV4 is cheaper. Independent repair-cost data puts it at about $429 a year, while the Forester runs about $632. Over five years that is roughly $1,015 saved. Windshield replacement alone is quoted at over $1000 for the Forester.

Why do Subaru Forester windshields crack so often?

Owner complaints do not give a cause. Reports describe cracks that appear with no impact, often while parked and sometimes within a few thousand miles. Some owners are on their second or third windshield, and a cracked one can disable the EyeSight system. Warranty help is often slow or denied.

Which RAV4 and Forester years should I avoid?

For the RAV4, avoid 2019 and 2020, its weakest years. For the Forester, avoid 2018 and 2019. Better choices are the 2022 RAV4 and the 2023 Forester, both among each model's strongest years and old enough to have collected a fair record.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Subaru Forester vs Toyota RAV4: Reliability Compared

Subaru Forester

Good

More Reliable

Toyota RAV4

Good

The Toyota RAV4 has a slight reliability edge over the Subaru Forester. It costs less to repair each year. The RAV4 also has far more recalls, and its air bag complaints are the more serious, so the lead is narrow rather than clear.

How Do the Subaru Forester and Toyota RAV4 Generations Compare?

Fifth-generation cars make up most of what you will find for either model. The RAV4 ran its fifth generation from 2019 through 2025, with a facelift in 2022, and its sixth generation began with the 2026 model year. Its weakest years, 2019 and 2020, were the first two of that generation, while 2022 was the facelift year and one of its strongest. The Forester also ran its fifth generation from 2019 through 2025, with a 2022 facelift, and a sixth generation was listed from 2025. Its weakest years, 2018 and 2019, fall on either side of the 2019 generation change, so shoppers can skip that stretch.

Verdict

The Toyota RAV4 is more reliable than the Subaru Forester, scoring 76/100 vs 74/100.

Slight edge to the RAV4. Both sit at a good standing, so the gap is small. The deciding factor is ownership cost. RAV4 owners pay less per year, visit the shop less often, and face a lower chance that a repair is major. Forester owners file complaints at roughly twice the rate per vehicle sold, led by windshield cracks. The RAV4 gives some of that back with far more recalls and a troubling set of air bag complaints, which is why the lead stays slight.

Key Differences

1Toyota RAV4 costs $203 less per year to repair
2Subaru Forester has 40 fewer total recalls
3Toyota RAV4 has 4.3 fewer complaints per 10k sold

Category Scoreboard

1Subaru Forester

—

5Toyota RAV4

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostRepair FrequencyMajor Repair RiskSafety Rating

Subaru Forester vs Toyota RAV4: Which Is More Reliable?

Subaru Forester vs Toyota RAV4 at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Subaru Forester	Toyota RAV4
Reliability Score	74/100	76/100
Years Tracked	9	8
Total Recalls	13	53
Complaints per 10k Sold	8.7	4.4
Annual Repair Cost	$632/yr	$429/yr
Repair Frequency	0.4/yr	0.3/yr
Major Repair Risk	13%	10%
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2026 NHTSA	2025 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	2	6

What Are the Common Problems With the Subaru Forester and Toyota RAV4?

Glass and stalling dominate the Forester's complaints. Windshields crack while parked, sometimes within a few thousand miles, and replacement is quoted at over $1000. Start/stop failures leave the engine off at intersections with an "EyeSight Disabled" message. The RAV4's trouble is more varied: dashboard warning floods, Hybrid and Prime tanks that stop filling early, and coolant bypass valve failure. It also has the more serious crash-linked areas. Air bag complaints describe bags that stayed folded in serious crashes, and power train reports include cars moving after being shifted into park. The Forester's air bag crash reports describe no air bag failure.

Subaru Forester vs Toyota RAV4 common problem areas comparison
Component	Subaru Forester	Toyota RAV4
VISIBILITY/WIPER	3.1Average	—None
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	1.2Low	0.7Very Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	1.2Low	0.7Very Low
AIR BAGS	0.5Very Low	0.4Very Low
ENGINE	0.4Very Low	0.5Very Low
POWER TRAIN	0.4Very Low	0.3Very Low
VISIBILITY	0.5Very Low	—None
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	—None	0.5Very Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.2Very Low	0.1Very Low
STEERING	0.1Very Low	0.2Very Low
STRUCTURE	0.1Very Low	0.2Very Low
SERVICE BRAKES	0.1Very Low	0.1Very Low
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	0.1Very Low	—None
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	0.1Very Low	—None
SUSPENSION	—None	—None
LANE DEPARTURE	—None	—None
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	—None	—None
TIRES	—None	—None
BACK OVER PREVENTION	—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 RAV4?

Repair costs favor the RAV4 on every measure given. Independent repair-cost data puts it at about $429 a year, against $632 for the Forester. That gap of $203 a year adds up to about $1,015 over five years. The RAV4 also needs fewer unscheduled shop visits, 0.3 a year versus 0.4. When something does go wrong, the chance the repair is major is 10% on the RAV4 and 13% on the Forester.

How Does Subaru Forester vs Toyota RAV4 Reliability Compare by Year?

Subaru Forester vs Toyota RAV4 year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Subaru Forester	Toyota RAV4	Edge
2025	79/1002R / 48C	84/1005R / 49C	Toyota RAV4
2024	78/1002R / 26C	80/1006R / 150C	Toyota RAV4
2023	79/1001R / 61C	80/1006R / 147C	Toyota RAV4
2022	77/1001R / 86C	80/1006R / 133C	Toyota RAV4
2021	76/1000R / 196C	73/1006R / 450C	Subaru Forester
2020	71/1000R / 584C	70/10011R / 611C	Subaru Forester
2019	63/1003R / 825C	66/10010R / 864C	Toyota RAV4
2018	66/1003R / 475C	76/1003R / 330C	Toyota RAV4

Best years to cross-shop: The 2023 Subaru Forester scored 79/100 and the 2024 Toyota RAV4 scored 80/100 — 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 RAV4?

Pick the RAV4 if you want lower running costs and fewer surprises at the shop. Target the 2022 model year, one of its strongest, and avoid 2019 and 2020, its weakest. If you are looking at a Hybrid or Prime, ask how much fuel the tank takes at the pump, and confirm every recall repair has been done, since owners reported waiting on parts. Pick the Forester if you can accept the windshield risk and want a model with far fewer recalls on record. Target 2023, one of its strongest years, and avoid 2018 and 2019, its weakest. Before you buy, check the glass for chips or cracks and ask whether the windshield has been replaced. Test the auto start/stop at a few stoplights and ask about battery history, since owners report repeat battery replacements. If you want to avoid a windshield claim altogether, the RAV4 is the easier choice.

Subaru Forester vs Toyota RAV4: Common Questions

Is the Toyota RAV4 more reliable than the Subaru Forester?: Yes, but only slightly. Both have a good standing. The RAV4 wins on cost: about $429 a year in repairs versus $632, fewer shop visits, and a lower chance of a major repair. The Forester draws owner complaints at roughly twice the rate per vehicle sold.
Which has more recalls, the RAV4 or the Forester?: The RAV4 has far more. Federal recall records show 53 across its eight model years, against 13 across the Forester's nine. Recall count alone does not mean a worse car, but owners did report waiting on parts for some RAV4 recall repairs.
Which is cheaper to repair, the RAV4 or the Forester?: The RAV4 is cheaper. Independent repair-cost data puts it at about $429 a year, while the Forester runs about $632. Over five years that is roughly $1,015 saved. Windshield replacement alone is quoted at over $1000 for the Forester.
Why do Subaru Forester windshields crack so often?: Owner complaints do not give a cause. Reports describe cracks that appear with no impact, often while parked and sometimes within a few thousand miles. Some owners are on their second or third windshield, and a cracked one can disable the EyeSight system. Warranty help is often slow or denied.
Which RAV4 and Forester years should I avoid?: For the RAV4, avoid 2019 and 2020, its weakest years. For the Forester, avoid 2018 and 2019. Better choices are the 2022 RAV4 and the 2023 Forester, both among each model's strongest years and old enough to have collected a fair record.

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Decided between Subaru Forester and Toyota RAV4? Run a VIN check before you buy — uncover hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls.

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How we score the Subaru Forester and Toyota RAV4

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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