What is the best year for a Subaru Outback?

The 2023 Outback is the strongest used pick — 84 complaints, 10/10 NHTSA safety score, 9 severe issues. Strongly avoid 2018-2020, which generated 799, 1,025, and 889 complaints respectively, driven by widespread oil consumption and EyeSight system issues. The 2021-2022 range remained elevated. 2023 marks the clear turning point.

How much does Subaru Outback insurance cost?

Outback insurance averages about $1,964/year — roughly $164/month. One of the lower insurance rates in the compact class despite above-average maintenance costs.

Is the Subaru Outback or Honda Passport cheaper to maintain?

The Honda Passport is $86/year cheaper — $521 versus $607 for the Outback. The Passport also has a higher reliability score (8 vs. 7) and lower repair frequency (28% vs. 37%). The Outback's differentiators are its standard AWD and wagon body style, which are meaningful depending on use case.

Should I buy an extended warranty for a Subaru Outback?

The 2018-2020 generation's documented complaint history makes extended warranty strongly recommended for those model years. Major repair probability of 12% and repair frequency of 37% are both above compact class averages. For 2023 and newer, the profile improves considerably — but the Outback's overall cost premium makes a repair fund or warranty worth planning for.

Is the Toyota RAV4 expensive to maintain?

The RAV4 costs around $429/year to maintain — $92 below the compact segment average of $521. Repair frequency of 26% is also below the class average of 30%, meaning fewer unscheduled shop visits than most rivals. Combined with an 8/10 reliability score and 10% major repair probability, it's one of the most economical compact SUVs to own over time.

What is the best year for a Toyota RAV4?

The 2022 RAV4 is the standout used buy. It marks the first fully settled year of the fifth generation after a turbulent launch window — complaints dropped from 865 in 2019 to just 127 in 2022, with a 10/10 NHTSA safety score and only 13 severe issues. The 2022–2023 range is reliably strong. Be cautious with 2019–2021 models, which carried elevated complaint counts as Toyota worked through early fifth-gen issues.

How much does Toyota RAV4 insurance cost?

RAV4 insurance averages around $1,990/year, or about $166/month — nearly identical to the Honda CR-V and toward the lower end for compact SUVs. The RAV4's broad popularity means insurers price it competitively. Rates vary by trim, location, and driver history, but the RAV4 is consistently an affordable quote across most profiles.

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

The difference is minimal — the RAV4 averages $429/year versus $407/year for the CR-V, a gap of about $22 annually. Over five years that's roughly $110. Both are class leaders in maintenance cost. The CR-V scores slightly higher on reliability (9 vs. 8), but the RAV4's lower repair frequency (26% vs. 30%) means fewer unscheduled trips to the shop. Either is a sound long-term ownership choice.

Should I buy an extended warranty for a Toyota RAV4?

Probably not for most buyers. The RAV4's major repair probability of 10% sits just below the compact segment average, and its 8/10 reliability score reflects a vehicle that holds up well with normal maintenance. If you're purchasing a 2019–2021 model used — which carried above-average complaints during the fifth generation's early years — adding powertrain coverage is a reasonable precaution. For 2022 and newer, the reliability case for an extended warranty is weak.

Subaru Outback vs Toyota RAV4

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

// VERDICT

Our verdict

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

Buy the Toyota RAV4 — lower 5-year cost and better reliability.

// COST HEAD TO HEAD

Maintenance and ownership cost

	Subaru Outback	Toyota RAV4
Annual maintenance	$607	$429winner
5-year total cost	$3,035	$2,145winner
Reliability score	7 / 10	8 / 10winner
Major repair risk (5yr)	12%	10%winner
Cargo space	—	70.4 cu ft
Starting price (new)	$34,995	$34,800winner
Best years to buy	—	2018, 2021, 2022

// RELIABILITY

Which is more reliable?

	Subaru Outback	Toyota RAV4
RepairPal score	7 / 10	8 / 10winner
NHTSA complaints / 100k	287.6	89winner
Years to avoid	2018, 2019, 2020	2012, 2013, 2014
Value retained · 3 yr	79.2%	94.5%winner
Value retained · 5 yr	61.4%	75%winner
Value retained · 7 yr	48.8%	62%winner

// COMMON PROBLEMS

What breaks — and what it costs

	Subaru Outback	Toyota RAV4
Engine	8.1%winner	15.5%
Electrical	18.7%	12.7%winner
ADAS	7.0%winner	9.7%
Brakes	4.0%winner	5.8%
Suspension	—winner	2.9%
Steering	3.6%winner	3.9%
Fuel system	1.3%winner	7.9%
Tires/Wheels	1.0%winner	2.1%
Glass/Windows	26.3%	5.1%winner
Airbags	5.4%winner	7.8%
Lighting	3.3%	—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?

	Subaru Outback	Toyota RAV4
Avg annual premium	$1,964winner	$1,990

// FULL MODEL PAGES

GAS

Subaru Outback

$607/yr maint · 7 reliability

Full model page

GAS

Toyota RAV4

$429/yr maint · 8 reliability

Full model page

// FAQ

Common questions

The Outback costs $607/year to maintain — $86 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. Major repair probability of 12% is slightly above the 11% norm. Above-average cost and repair profile across all metrics.

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 →