What is the best year for a Kia Sportage?

The 2022 Sportage (42 complaints, 10/10 NHTSA safety, 6 severe) is the standout used pick — the mature end of the fourth generation before the 2023 redesign. The new fifth-generation launch in 2023 had 177 complaints but settled quickly to 62 in 2024 and 46 in 2025. Avoid 2012-2013 and 2017, which saw complaint spikes tied to the Theta II engine recall era.

How much does Kia Sportage insurance cost?

Sportage insurance averages around $1,997/year, or about $166/month.

Is the Kia Sportage or Toyota RAV4 cheaper to maintain?

The RAV4 is $33/year cheaper — $429 versus $462 for the Sportage. Both carry the same reliability score and major repair probability. The Sportage's repair frequency of 19% is significantly lower than the RAV4's 26%, meaning fewer unscheduled shop visits despite the slightly higher annual maintenance figure.

Should I buy an extended warranty for a Kia Sportage?

Major repair probability of 11% at the class average, repair frequency well below it. Low-risk ownership. Extended warranty isn't strongly warranted for 2021+ models. For 2012-2013 and 2017 used models with documented engine recall history, coverage is worth taking seriously.

Is the Subaru Forester expensive to maintain?

The Forester costs $632/year to maintain — $111 above the compact segment average of $521. Repair frequency of 37% is above the class average of 30%. Reliability score of 7 is below the class average of 8, and major repair probability of 13% is above the 11% norm. It trails the compact class average on every ownership-cost metric.

What is the best year for a Subaru Forester?

The 2024 Forester (28 complaints, 10/10 safety, 4 severe) is the standout year — the best on record. Avoid 2014 (402 complaints, 53 severe) and 2018-2019 (483 and 831 complaints respectively), which coincide with documented engine oil consumption and EyeSight recall issues. The 2022-2024 window shows significant improvement.

How much does Subaru Forester insurance cost?

Forester insurance averages about $2,035/year — roughly $170/month.

Is the Subaru Forester or Toyota RAV4 cheaper to maintain?

The RAV4 is $203/year cheaper — $429 versus $632 for the Forester, over $1,000 in savings over five years. The RAV4 also has higher reliability (8 vs. 7), lower major repair probability (10% vs. 13%), and lower repair frequency (26% vs. 37%). The RAV4 has a significant advantage on every maintenance metric.

Should I buy an extended warranty for a Subaru Forester?

Reliability score of 7, major repair probability of 13%, and repair frequency of 37% — all above the compact class average — make extended warranty worth considering, particularly for 2014-2019 models with severe documented complaint spikes. For 2022 and newer, the risk profile improves substantially but still trails the class average.

Kia Sportage vs Subaru Forester

Two compact SUVs compared on the numbers that matter — maintenance cost, reliability, and insurance.

// VERDICT

Our verdict

Buy the Kia Sportage — lower 5-year cost and better reliability.

Buy the Subaru Forester if its specific features or size suit your needs better.

// COST HEAD TO HEAD

Maintenance and ownership cost

	Kia Sportage	Subaru Forester
Annual maintenance	$462winner	$632
5-year total cost	$2,310winner	$3,160
Reliability score	8 / 10winner	7 / 10
Major repair risk (5yr)	11%winner	13%
Cargo space	73.7 cu ft	74.4 cu ftwinner
Starting price (new)	$30,900	$29,600winner
Best years to buy	—	—

// RELIABILITY

Which is more reliable?

	Kia Sportage	Subaru Forester
RepairPal score	8 / 10winner	7 / 10
NHTSA complaints / 100k	185.7	172.2winner
Years to avoid	2010, 2012, 2013	2013, 2018, 2019
Value retained · 3 yr	75.7%	86.9%winner
Value retained · 5 yr	56.8%	67.5%winner
Value retained · 7 yr	45%	54.4%winner

// COMMON PROBLEMS

What breaks — and what it costs

	Kia Sportage	Subaru Forester
Engine	55.6%	13.3%winner
Electrical	6.1%winner	8.0%
ADAS	5.8%winner	10.6%
Brakes	8.5%	3.8%winner
Suspension	—winner	4.2%
Steering	1.5%winner	1.8%
Fuel system	1.1%winner	1.6%
Tires/Wheels	0.5%winner	1.5%
Glass/Windows	2.7%winner	24.4%
Airbags	2.5%winner	10.4%
Lighting	1.0%	—winner

One major repair on either model can run $1,500–4,000. A warranty caps your exposure, especially on known problem years.

// INSURANCE

Which is cheaper to insure?

	Kia Sportage	Subaru Forester
Avg annual premium	$1,997winner	$2,035

// FULL MODEL PAGES

GAS

Kia Sportage

$462/yr maint · 8 reliability

Full model page

GAS

Subaru Forester

$632/yr maint · 7 reliability

Full model page

// FAQ

Common questions

The Sportage averages $462/year in maintenance — $59 below the compact segment average of $521. Repair frequency of 19% is well below the class average of 30% — owners visit for unscheduled repairs far less often than most rivals. Major repair probability of 11% is at the class average. Low cost and low visit frequency make it a strong ownership value.

How we calculated this. Maintenance costs and reliability scores from RepairPal. Complaints and recalls from NHTSA. Fuel economy from the EPA. Insurance averages from CarEdge. Pricing from KBB. Depreciation from iSeeCars. Full methodology →