Subaru Forester vs Toyota RAV4: known faults compared
All-wheel-drive family SUVs of similar size. The Forester’s boxer engine and the RAV4’s conventional petrol and hybrid engines fail in different ways.
The catalogue documents 63 faults for the Toyota RAV4 and 50 for the Subaru Forester. That is a measure of how much has been recorded, which grows with how many were sold and for how long, not a reliability score.
At a glance
| Measure | Subaru Forester | Toyota RAV4 |
|---|---|---|
| Documented faults | 50 | 63 |
| Rated major or critical | 39 | 57 |
| Rated common or very common | 39 | 34 |
| Typical repair | $400–$1,600 | $600–$1,800 |
| Model years covered | 1997–2023 | 1994–2023 |
| Fuel types with documented faults | petrol, diesel, hybrid | hybrid, petrol |
| Service schedule on the model page | Yes | Yes |
Where the Subaru Forester goes wrong
Most likely to turn up
- EJ25 Head Gasket Failure Between Coolant and Combustion
- EJ20 Head Gasket Failure at Coolant Passages
- EJ20 Head Gasket Failure (Single-Layer MLS)
Most expensive to fix
Where the Toyota RAV4 goes wrong
Most likely to turn up
- 1AZ-FE Head Bolt Thread Pull-Out
- 2AR-FE Piston Ring Excessive Oil Consumption
- 2AZ-FE Excessive Engine Oil Consumption (Piston Ring Flutter)
Most expensive to fix
Where the Subaru Forester and Toyota RAV4 differ
- Engine: 22 documented on the Subaru Forester, 14 on the Toyota RAV4. The costliest on the Subaru Forester is FB25 Piston Ring Oil Consumption, at up to $7,000.
- Electrical: 4 documented on the Subaru Forester, 11 on the Toyota RAV4. The costliest on the Toyota RAV4 is XA40 Hybrid High-Voltage NiMH Battery Pack Degradation, at up to $10,000.
- Transmission: 2 documented on the Subaru Forester, 8 on the Toyota RAV4. The costliest on the Toyota RAV4 is MG2 Transaxle Resolver Fault P315A, at up to $6,500.
Both carry several documented faults in engine, suspension, electrical and cooling, so check those areas on either car.
Fault areas side by side
| Area | Subaru Forester | Toyota RAV4 |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 22 | 14 |
| Suspension | 13 | 13 |
| Electrical | 4 | 11 |
| Cooling | 3 | 8 |
| Transmission | 2 | 8 |
| Fluid Leaks | 2 | 6 |
| Body & Rust | 3 | 1 |
| Brakes | 1 | 1 |
| Interior | 0 | 1 |
How to read this comparison
These are documented faults, not failure rates. A car sold in bigger numbers, for more years, has more written about it. Neither list tells you about the car in front of you: that depends on its history and how it has been looked after. Use the lists to know what to check, then check it.
Checking one of these cars?
Type the plate for the free basics and the faults that apply to that exact car. The full history and the guided inspection are one-off paid checks, no subscription.
Questions
Which has more known problems, the Subaru Forester or the Toyota RAV4?
The catalogue documents 63 faults for the Toyota RAV4 and 50 for the Subaru Forester. That is a measure of how much has been recorded, which grows with how many were sold and for how long, not a reliability score. Of those, 39 on the Subaru Forester and 57 on the Toyota RAV4 are rated major or critical. What matters more is whether the car in front of you has the specific faults its model is known for.
Which is cheaper to fix?
A typical documented repair runs $400 to $1,600 on the Subaru Forester and $600 to $1,800 on the Toyota RAV4, at New Zealand independent workshop rates. The expensive exceptions are listed on this page for each car, and they are the ones to check for before you buy.
What is the most expensive known fault on each?
On the Subaru Forester it is TR580/TR690 CVT belt wear and cooling line crack, documented at up to $9,000. On the Toyota RAV4 it is Hybrid Inverter Electric Cooling Pump Failure, documented at up to $12,000.