2020 Subaru Forester vs 2020 Subaru Outback
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 | 2020 Subaru Forester | 2020 Subaru Outback |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 600 | 896 |
| Recall campaigns | 0 | 6 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 472 | 612 |
| Investigations | 0 | 0 |
| Crash reports | 26 | 19 |
| Fire reports | 8 | 7 |
| NCAP overall rating | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 29 | 26–29 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 6,037 mi | 6,300 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Subaru Forester | Subaru Outback |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility/wiper | 252 | 313 |
| Electrical System | 101 | 258 |
| Engine | 79 | 48 |
| Visibility | 49 | 70 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 43 | 49 |
| Power Train | 32 | 46 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 24 | 18 |
| Lane Departure | 22 | 20 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Check engine light | 43 | 16 |
| Stalling | 31 | 42 |
| Battery drain | 17 | 48 |
| Vibration / shaking | 10 | 8 |
| Hesitation / surging | 8 | 8 |
| Overheating | 7 | 5 |
| Loss of power | 6 | 0 |
| Won’t start | 0 | 32 |
2020 Subaru Forester
2020 Subaru Outback
Compare all Subaru Forester vs Subaru Outback 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.