2020 Subaru Outback vs 2020 Subaru Forester

What NHTSA and EPA have on file for each. Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many of each were sold; newer years have had less time to collect them.

2020 Subaru Outback2020 Subaru Forester
Owner complaints900603
Most named partsVisibility/wiper (313), Electrical system (259), Unknown or other (152)Visibility/wiper (252), Unknown or other (107), Electrical system (103)
Recall campaigns (over its history)60
Service bulletins620481
NHTSA overall rating5 stars5 stars
Combined fuel economy (every version)26โ€“29 mpg29 mpg
Five years of fuel, U.S. average$11,200โ€“$12,490$11,200
Five years of fuel in Ohio, local prices$10,010โ€“$11,160$10,010
EPA classSmall Sport Utility VehicleSmall Sport Utility Vehicle

Fuel costs cover every version of each model year, the same versions as its mpg (electric ones apart): fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026. The same figures are on each model year's page. Recall campaigns are matched by model and year; check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open ones. About the data