Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2020 Subaru Forester
NHTSA data on file today
The 2020 Subaru Forester has no NHTSA recall campaigns and 604 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
NCAP overall rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars, for the 1 NHTSA-tested trim.
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Visibility/Wiper 252 complaints
- Unknown or Other 107 complaints
- Electrical System 103 complaints
- Engine 82 complaints
- Visibility 49 complaints
- Forward Collision Avoidance 44 complaints
Of the 604 complaints on file, 26 report a crash and 9 a fire; across all 604 complaints, owners report 16 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $5,000–$10,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2020 Subaru Forester shows a moderate complaint volume, primarily with visibility/wiper and electrical issues. No recalls exist, suggesting fewer systemic defects. However, the complaint data is not extensive enough to determine a high degree of reliability confidently, but it suggests an average overall performance.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility/Wiper | 30,000–50,000 miles | $100–$300 | common |
| Electrical System | 40,000–60,000 miles | $200–$800 | common |
| Engine | 50,000–70,000 miles | $500–$1,500 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil and filter changes
- Tire rotations
- Brake inspections
- Coolant system service
- Transmission fluid replacement
- Cabin air filter replacement
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Wiper malfunction
- Electrical shorts
- Engine hesitation
- Unexpected dashboard warnings
- Transmission hesitation
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2020 Subaru Forester at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.