The Most Reliable Subaru Forester Years, And Some To Avoid (According To Owners)

Subaru SUVs are a great choice if you are looking to tackle muddy trails or steep grades. They all come with the brand's symmetrical all-wheel drive (AWD) system that keeps them glued to the road even in slippery conditions. If, however, you narrow down your search to a value-for-money compact model that offers a balance of space and practicality, that choice will ultimately lead you to the versatile Subaru Forester, which we found to be quite generous when we drove the 2025 model. First introduced for 1998, the Forester's design was based on the Impreza platform, but with a taller, boxier styling and a higher ground clearance of 7.5 inches. Some six generations later, the Forester has only become better and attractive with each update, securing itself a spot among the most successful models in Subaru history.

Ground clearance is now up to 9.3 inches, and you get lots of features and equipment that improve off-road ruggedness, including Subaru's dual-function X-MODE system, which has modes for Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud. The SUV is now also available with loads of modern tech, namely an 11.6-inch touchscreen display, a wireless smartphone charger, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. As well, there's up to 3500 pounds of towing capacity and a maximum of 69.1 cubic feet of cargo room. 

Reliability wise, the Forester performs well, and should provide years of trouble-free driving and last around 250,000 miles or more before it is scrapped. Not to mention, the Forester has been an IIHS Top Safety Pick for 17 consecutive years. All told, the Forester is built to last, but it has also had its fair share of reliability concerns. Here's a look at the most reliable Subaru Forester years you can buy and those to avoid.

Based on Car Complaints data, a well-maintained 2008 Subaru Forester should prove to be very reliable. Despite being around for nearly two decades now, the car has been trouble-free, earning itself the top-rated Seal of Awesome badge from Car Complaints — an honor that indicates a vehicle is reliable and has "no apparent defects." Part of the second Forester generation, the 2008 Forester also scores highest overall in J.D. Power's reliability surveys, with a solid rating of 88 out of 100.

The 2008 Forester maintained that positive reputation on Edmunds, with many owners praising it for being smooth to drive, reliable, versatile, comfortable, and economical. That decent efficiency comes courtesy of a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter, horizontally-opposed four-cylinder engine that funnels 173 horsepower and 166 lb-ft of torque to the ground via either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission.

Paired with the manual, the 2008 Subie returns 20 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway. That highway rating drops by one mpg when you opt for a version with the automatic transmission. Subaru also sold the Forester with a more powerful turbocharged engine, good for 224 hp and 226 lb-ft of torque. Turbo Forester models equipped with the manual transmission gain 19 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway, while those with the automatic earn 18 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway.

Like the 2008 model, the older 2004 Forester earned Car Complaints' Seal of Awesome honor for its superior reliability. The few complaints about the SUV revolve around the engine, with a small number of people complaining about turbo failure. Still, the majority state that the Forester has been dependable. It is also one of the highest rated Subaru models on Edmunds, earning 4.6 out of five from owners (for context, the 2008 model got 4.7 overall).

Similarly, customers on Kelley Blue Book (KBB) gave the 2004 Subaru Forester a stellar 4.7 for reliability, with one owner noting "My Forester is now 20 years old and all I've ever had done to it is the free dealership check-ups and regular oil changes — never another problem." To go with the reliability, owners say the 2004 Forester is highly durable, with Redditor u/Same_Week2619 reporting their 2004 Forester XS had clocked 288,000 miles and is "still going pretty good."

However, some people feel the Forester could have done with more power in order to feel peppier. "If there is one drawback to this car, it's the fact that the HP leaves a bit to be desired," the commenter on KBB said. For context, the base engine here produces 165 hp, while the more powerful variant makes 210 horses — 14 less than the 2008 model. The 2004 model is also slightly less efficient, with the base engine returning 19 mpg in the city and 25 mpg highway, while the more powerful engine nets 17 mpg in the city and 21 mpg on the highway.

Here's proof that Subaru still builds reliable cars. Per Car Complaints data, these fifth-gen models are among the least problematic Foresters you can buy. This is backed by good J.D. Power reliability scores, with the 2021 and 2024 models each scoring 83/100, while the 2022 and 2023 variants earn 84 out of 100. These vehicles aren't attractive on reliability alone, however. They also offer a more modern design, cutting-edge technology, and improved driving dynamics.

Depending on the model you go for, you stand to benefit from a boatload of niceties. This includesan 8-inch touchscreen display (a 6.5-inch touchscreen is standard), navigation, a Wi-Fi hotspot, a nine-speaker audio system, a heated steering wheel, heated power front seats, heated rear seats, memory settings for the driver's seat, a panoramic moonroof, hill-descent control, and more. In terms of safety, the base models come standard with Subaru's EyeSight suite driver assistive technologies. It bundles adaptive cruise control, lane departure alert, lane-keep assist, and forward collision mitigation. Higher trims add blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, evasive steering assist, and a driver monitoring system.

Not all Foresters are as reliable as their rugged looks hint, and the 2014 model is proof. It is the most troublesome Forester, according to Car Complaints, with its weakest point being excessive oil consumption. "This car burns oil like crazy — and you sure can smell it! I have to manually add oil every 1,000 miles or so. The oil light comes on and scares the hell out of me on every road trip. The oil light consistently comes on after 2ish hours of driving," said Melissa M on Car Complaints. Owners have also reported about the 2014 Subaru Forester shutting off unexpectedly while driving at highway speeds.

Engine related problems aside, the model is susceptible to transmission and suspension problems, with many reporting about issues with broken coil springs. But while the 2014 model is seen as the most problematic Forester overall, the 2015 model has the most complaints, with many people complaining about high oil consumption, sudden unintended acceleration, and the car stalling. Other common faults include persistent Bluetooth connectivity problems, transmission issues, suspension defects, etc., all of which sadly places the fourth-generation Forester as the least reliable in our ranking of the Subaru Forester generations by reliability.