2020 Subaru Forester: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
596 NHTSA owner complaints · 0 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
The Forester's record mirrors the Outback's: oil-consumption complaints on the FB25 engine in 2014–2015, a long moderate stretch, and then a spike for the 2019 model year with the fifth generation's launch — the Starlink infotainment, battery drain, and the EyeSight driver-assistance system braking unnecessarily. The 2021–2024 years score between 83 and 91. Read the full note on the model page. 2020 specifically: this is one of the years the note above says to approach with care — 596 complaints on record, verdict AVOID.
Read the guide
Used Subaru Outback and Forester: oil consumption, then Starlink, then a clean run, including 2020 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-01.
Owner complaints: 596 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 99.33
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
I have owned this vehicle since 2019 and the auto start has ALWAYS stalled out when I stop at a light or stop sign. The vehicle needs to be put in park and restart the car. It is very dangerous
My Apple Car Play has never worked since I bought the car new in 2020. The dealership's solution each time I asked about it was for me to get a new plug in cord, update my iPhone settings, and then they can update the system manually. I have taken it in multiple times, and each time it has worked for 2-3 weeks before it no longer works again. This is dangerous because it usually happens mid-drive, and I no longer hav…
stalling/shutting down at stoplights with the auto start-stop feature has occurred continuously for the last 2 years I’ve taken to dealer, and multiple mechanics and they can’t find a problem
Recalls: 0 campaigns
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a compact SUV of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 29 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,100
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Visibility/Wiper252 complaints · typical job: Wiper motor, linkage or windscreen replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$490–$1,200
- Unknown Or Other107 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Electrical System101 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Engine76 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Visibility49 complaints · typical job: Glass, wiper or defogger repair (2.5 h labour + parts)$490–$1,200
- Forward Collision Avoidance42 complaints · typical job: Radar or camera module replacement and calibration (3.0 h labour + parts)$780–$2,160
Other Subaru Forester years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2020 Subaru Forester?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Visibility/Wiper (252 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2020 Subaru Forester a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is AVOID with a reliability score of 46/100, computed from 596 NHTSA complaints and 0 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2020 Subaru Forester's most common problem?
252 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2020 Subaru Forester sit in the Visibility/Wiper group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is wiper motor, linkage or windscreen replacement: about 2.5 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $490–$1,200 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2020 Subaru Forester cost to run per year?
About $5,497 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $27,485 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Compare with
Other compact suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2020 Subaru Forester really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Strong evidence — 596 complaints, 0 recalls on record
- 596 NHTSA complaints on record (99.3/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (41.1/yr)
- 0 recall campaigns, 0 touching safety-critical systems