2018 Subaru Forester vs 2020 Subaru Forester
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Sep 23, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 2018 Subaru Forester | 2020 Subaru Forester |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 494 | 601 |
| Recall campaigns | 3 | 0 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 405 | 472 |
| Investigations | 1 | 0 |
| Crash reports | 26 | 26 |
| Fire reports | 1 | 9 |
| NCAP overall rating | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 24–28 | 29 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 18,000 mi | 6,037 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Subaru Forester | Subaru Forester |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility/wiper | 135 | 252 |
| Electrical System | 71 | 102 |
| Engine | 32 | 80 |
| Air Bags | 96 | 11 |
| Visibility | 21 | 49 |
| Power Train | 23 | 32 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 30 | 24 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 8 | 43 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Airbag warning light | 33 | 0 |
| Stalling | 25 | 31 |
| Hesitation / surging | 16 | 8 |
| Battery drain | 16 | 17 |
| Vibration / shaking | 12 | 10 |
| Loss of power | 8 | 6 |
| Electrical failures | 8 | 0 |
| Won’t start | 7 | 0 |
2018 Subaru Forester
2020 Subaru Forester
Compare all Subaru Forester vs Subaru Forester 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.