2016 Subaru Forester vs 2016 Toyota RAV4
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 2016 Subaru Forester | 2016 Toyota RAV4 |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 408 | 235 |
| Recall campaigns | 3 | 3 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 445 | 257 |
| Investigations | 1 | 1 |
| Crash reports | 39 | 33 |
| Fire reports | 3 | 11 |
| NCAP overall rating | 5/5 | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 25–27 | 25–32 |
| Median reported mileage | 39,884 mi | 25,000 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Subaru Forester | Toyota RAV4 |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 93 | 57 |
| Air Bags | 96 | 18 |
| Engine | 60 | 25 |
| Service Brakes | 29 | 43 |
| Power Train | 49 | 11 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 37 | 12 |
| Exterior Lighting | 6 | 28 |
| Visibility/wiper | 20 | 12 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Stalling | 30 | 11 |
| Battery drain | 19 | 0 |
| Hesitation / surging | 18 | 0 |
| Airbag warning light | 15 | 0 |
| Loss of power | 11 | 0 |
| Vibration / shaking | 7 | 6 |
| Check engine light | 6 | 5 |
| Electrical failures | 6 | 0 |
2016 Subaru Forester
2016 Toyota RAV4
Compare all Subaru Forester vs Toyota RAV4 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.