Ford Explorer vs Subaru Outback: which is more reliable?
The Subaru Outback is ahead of the Ford Explorer on the federal record, 68/100 against 59/100 — a real but narrow gap that a bad model year on either side closes.
The record, side by side
Ford Explorer
- 15 model years scored
- 14,935 owner complaints on record
- about 117 complaints per year on the road
- 150 recall campaigns, 32 safety-critical
- best year 2019 (82/100) · worst 2020 (28/100)
Subaru Outback
- 13 model years scored
- 6,232 owner complaints on record
- about 72 complaints per year on the road
- 57 recall campaigns, 34 safety-critical
- best year 2024 (93/100) · worst 2020 (35/100)
Mean score is the average across model years from 2013 on, where both records are comparable. How the score works.
Year by year: Explorer against Outback
The comparison that decides the purchase. A nameplate is not one car — a redesign can move the record sixty points inside two years, and the two nameplates rarely move together.
| Year | Explorer | Outback | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 67 CAUTION | 79 BUY | -12 |
| 2024 | 79 BUY | 93 BUY | -14 |
| 2023 | 76 BUY | 88 BUY | -12 |
| 2022 | 72 BUY | 56 CAUTION | +16 |
| 2021 | 70 BUY | 78 BUY | -8 |
| 2020 | 28 AVOID | 35 AVOID | -7 |
| 2019 | 82 BUY | 41 AVOID | +41 |
| 2018 | 71 BUY | 60 CAUTION | +11 |
| 2017 | 39 AVOID | 56 CAUTION | -17 |
| 2016 | 32 AVOID | 74 BUY | -42 |
| 2015 | 50 CAUTION | 82 BUY | -32 |
| 2014 | 60 CAUTION | 72 BUY | -12 |
| 2013 | 38 AVOID | 72 BUY | -34 |
| 2012 | 78 BUY | — | — |
| 2011 | 73 BUY | — | — |
What owners actually complain about
Ford Explorer
- Steering — 3,398 complaints
- Structure — 3,052 complaints
- Unknown Or Other — 2,679 complaints
Subaru Outback
- Electrical System — 1,898 complaints
- Visibility/Wiper — 1,659 complaints
- Unknown Or Other — 1,128 complaints
They do not fail the same way: the Explorer's complaints concentrate in Steering, the Outback's in Electrical System. That difference matters more to a buyer than the score gap, because it says which repair bill you are taking on.
Years to avoid on each
Ford Explorer — avoid: 2013, 2016, 2017, 2020.
Subaru Outback — avoid: 2019, 2020.
A year scores below 45 on complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns. Every car’s years to avoid.
What each costs today
A recent used Ford Explorer prices at about $40,800 and a Subaru Outback at about $44,100 — the Ford Explorer is roughly $3,300 less, and they return 20.0 against 28.0 MPG combined.
Class-level estimates re-priced to your country, not a valuation of one car. Method.
FAQ
Is the Ford Explorer or the Subaru Outback more reliable?
On the NHTSA record the Subaru Outback scores 68/100 against the Ford Explorer's 59/100, averaged across every model year we hold. The gap is small enough that the model year matters more than the badge.
Which Ford Explorer and Subaru Outback years should I avoid?
Ford Explorer: 2013, 2016, 2017, 2020. Subaru Outback: 2019, 2020. Each of those scores under 45 out of 100 on complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns.
What goes wrong on the Ford Explorer and the Subaru Outback?
The largest complaint group on the Ford Explorer is Steering (3,398 complaints); on the Subaru Outback it is Electrical System (1,898).
Is the Ford Explorer or the Subaru Outback cheaper to own?
A recent used Ford Explorer prices at about $40,800 and a Subaru Outback at about $44,100, before insurance and the maintenance band. Both pages carry the five-year running-cost figure.