2012 Subaru Outback vs 2012 Toyota 4RUNNER
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Sep 22, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 2012 Subaru Outback | 2012 Toyota 4RUNNER |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 292 | 96 |
| Recall campaigns | 16 | 8 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 320 | 356 |
| Investigations | 1 | 1 |
| Crash reports | 15 | 5 |
| Fire reports | 6 | 1 |
| NCAP overall rating | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 20–24 | 19 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 90,991 mi | 46,122 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Subaru Outback | Toyota 4RUNNER |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 39 | 70 |
| Power Train | 107 | 0 |
| Engine | 50 | 5 |
| Electrical System | 37 | 6 |
| Service Brakes | 35 | 6 |
| Exterior Lighting | 18 | 0 |
| Steering | 9 | 5 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 8 | 2 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Stalling | 83 | 0 |
| Vibration / shaking | 32 | 0 |
| Check engine light | 21 | 0 |
| Rust / corrosion | 13 | 0 |
| Hesitation / surging | 11 | 0 |
| Brake problems | 7 | 0 |
| Airbag warning light | 7 | 0 |
| Loss of power | 5 | 0 |
2012 Subaru Outback
2012 Toyota 4RUNNER
Compare all Subaru Outback vs Toyota 4RUNNER years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.