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.

Is the Honda CR-V expensive to maintain?

The CR-V averages $407/year in maintenance costs — $114 below the compact segment average of $521. Its 9/10 reliability score and 9% major repair probability are both better than the class averages of 8 and 11% respectively. Repair frequency of 30% matches the segment average, but the combination of low cost per visit and a below-average major-repair risk makes it the strongest long-term ownership value in the compact class.

What is the best year for a Honda CR-V?

The 2022 CR-V is the strongest used buy. It sits at the mature end of the fifth generation — after Honda resolved the early oil dilution complaints that plagued 2017–2019 models — with just 216 complaints and only 8 severe issues on record. The 2020–2022 range is generally clean. Strongly avoid the 2017–2018 model years; they generated over 1,700 and 2,000 complaints respectively, driven by a well-documented 1.5T engine oil dilution problem.

How much does Honda CR-V insurance cost?

The CR-V averages about $1,951/year to insure — roughly $163/month. That's among the lower rates in the compact SUV class, reflecting its strong safety scores and moderate repair costs. Actual rates vary by trim, model year, and driver profile, but the CR-V is consistently a favorable quote for buyers prioritizing low total cost of ownership.

Is the Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV4 cheaper to maintain?

The CR-V and RAV4 are nearly identical in maintenance cost — $407/year versus $429/year — a difference of about $22 annually. Over five years that's roughly $110, which is negligible. The CR-V holds a slight reliability edge (9 vs. 8) and a lower major repair probability (9% vs. 10%), but both are among the most cost-efficient compact SUVs you can buy.

Should I buy an extended warranty for a Honda CR-V?

For most buyers, no. The CR-V's 9% major repair probability is below the compact class average, and its 9/10 reliability score means you're statistically unlikely to need expensive unscheduled repairs. The exception: if you're buying a used 2017–2019 model, coverage is worth taking seriously given the documented engine issues from that generation. For 2020 and newer, self-insuring is the smarter financial move.

Subaru Forester vs Honda CR-V

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

// VERDICT

Our verdict

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

Buy the Honda CR-V — lower 5-year cost and better reliability.

// COST HEAD TO HEAD

Maintenance and ownership cost

	Subaru Forester	Honda CR-V
Annual maintenance	$632	$407winner
5-year total cost	$3,160	$2,035winner
Reliability score	7 / 10	9 / 10winner
Major repair risk (5yr)	13%	9%winner
Cargo space	74.4 cu ft	76.5 cu ftwinner
Starting price (new)	$29,600winner	$33,500
Best years to buy	—	2013, 2014, 2015

// RELIABILITY

Which is more reliable?

	Subaru Forester	Honda CR-V
RepairPal score	7 / 10	9 / 10winner
NHTSA complaints / 100k	172.2winner	190.9
Years to avoid	2013, 2018, 2019	2017, 2018, 2019
Value retained · 3 yr	86.9%winner	86.7%
Value retained · 5 yr	67.5%	71.1%winner
Value retained · 7 yr	54.4%	58%winner

// COMMON PROBLEMS

What breaks — and what it costs

	Subaru Forester	Honda CR-V
Engine	13.3%winner	19.3%
Electrical	8.0%winner	8.7%
ADAS	10.6%winner	16.6%
Brakes	3.8%winner	4.0%
Suspension	4.2%	—winner
Steering	1.8%winner	11.6%
Fuel system	1.6%winner	8.1%
Tires/Wheels	1.5%winner	2.0%
Glass/Windows	24.4%	3.4%winner
Airbags	10.4%	8.1%winner
Seatbelt	—winner	1.0%

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?

	Subaru Forester	Honda CR-V
Avg annual premium	$2,035	$1,951winner

// FULL MODEL PAGES

GAS

Subaru Forester

$632/yr maint · 7 reliability

Full model page

GAS

Honda CR-V

$407/yr maint · 9 reliability

Full model page

// FAQ

Common questions

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.

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 →