Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2021 Subaru Forester
NHTSA data on file today
The 2021 Subaru Forester has no NHTSA recall campaigns and 215 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 76 complaints
- Unknown or Other 42 complaints
- Engine 36 complaints
- Electrical System 35 complaints
- Forward Collision Avoidance 17 complaints
- Power Train 17 complaints
Of the 215 complaints on file, 16 report a crash and 5 a fire; across all 215 complaints, owners report 9 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $4,000–$9,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2021 Subaru Forester has no recall campaigns, indicating good initial reliability. With 214 owner complaints, visibility/wiper issues are the most reported, followed by concerns with the engine and electrical system. Despite these issues, the lack of recalls and relatively moderate complaint levels suggest average reliability. However, the evidence is limited to fully assess long-term performance.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| wiper system | 20,000–50,000 miles | $150–$350 | common |
| engine | 30,000–60,000 miles | $400–$1,200 | occasional |
| electrical system | 40,000–70,000 miles | $200–$800 | 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
- Brake inspections
- Tire rotations and alignments
- Coolant system service
- Transmission fluid check
- Battery test and replacement
- Air filter replacement
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Wiper malfunction
- Engine irregular noises
- Electrical system faults
- Loss of vehicle speed control
- Forward collision warnings
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2021 Subaru Forester at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.