2020 Honda CR-V vs 2020 Subaru Forester
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Sep 21, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 2020 Honda CR-V | 2020 Subaru Forester |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 352 | 600 |
| Recall campaigns | 7 | 0 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 210 | 472 |
| Investigations | 2 | 0 |
| Crash reports | 21 | 26 |
| Fire reports | 2 | 8 |
| NCAP overall rating | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 29–38 | 29 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 18,000 mi | 6,037 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Honda CR-V | Subaru Forester |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility/wiper | 7 | 252 |
| Electrical System | 43 | 101 |
| Engine | 39 | 79 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 74 | 43 |
| Air Bags | 47 | 11 |
| Power Train | 20 | 32 |
| Visibility | 2 | 49 |
| Steering | 39 | 11 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Check engine light | 19 | 43 |
| Stalling | 16 | 31 |
| Loss of power | 11 | 6 |
| Misfire / rough idle | 7 | 0 |
| Hesitation / surging | 5 | 8 |
| Battery drain | 5 | 17 |
| Vibration / shaking | 0 | 10 |
| Overheating | 0 | 7 |
2020 Honda CR-V
2020 Subaru Forester
Compare all Honda CR-V 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.