2015 Jeep Cherokee vs 2015 Subaru Forester
Two compact SUVs, compared on what actually matters when you're buying used:
what breaks, when it breaks, and what it costs you.
2015 Jeep
Cherokee
4/10
The KL Cherokee is competent off-road and comfortable on it, but the 9HP48 transmission and rear PTU make it a coin-flip ownership experience past 80k miles.
VS
2015 Subaru
Forester
8/10
Buy the naturally-aspirated 2.5i, run from the XT, and budget for a head gasket check by 100k.
Milo scores the 2015 Subaru Forester higher — 8/10 against 4/10.
By the numbers
Green is the better number — higher on every score, lower on failures, complaints and recalls.
| Jeep Cherokee |
Subaru Forester |
| Known failure points | 8 | 6 |
| NHTSA complaints | 1780 | 613 |
| Safety recalls | 11 | 3 |
| Service bulletins | 12 | 12 |
| Reliability | 38 | 74 |
| Cheap to own | 35 | 68 |
| Fun factor | 55 | 48 |
| Holds value | 45 | 72 |
| Enthusiast cred | 40 | 55 |
The most expensive thing that goes wrong
2015 Jeep Cherokee
ZF 9HP48 9-speed transmission — harsh shifts, phantom neutrals, refusal to upshift past 4th, valve body faults
$400–$4,50020k–60k mi
2015 Subaru Forester
CVT (TR580/TR690) shudder or failure, far more common on the turbocharged 2.0XT than the NA 2.5i
$3,500–$5,50060k–100k mi
If you buy one, buy this one
✅ 2015 Jeep Cherokee
2015 Trailhawk with the 3.2L Pentastar V6, Active Drive Lock (rear locker), Tech Group, and a documented history of PTU fluid changes and every 9-speed software update. Under 80k miles, one owner, and — critically — every single recall closed on the NHTSA lookup.
✅ 2015 Subaru Forester
2015 Forester 2.5i Premium or Limited with the CVT and full service records showing on-time CVT fluid changes — or better, a manual-equipped 2.5i for total drivetrain peace of mind.
Narrowed it down? Get the full report
This comparison is model-level.
Milo's report goes car-level — the one you're actually looking at:
- A line-by-line negotiation script
- The pre-purchase inspection checklist
- VIN-specific open recalls
- What it's really worth right now
- Your next 15,000 miles, forecast
- Hidden features & money-savers
Run my free report →
First report free · then $10
Scores and findings blend documented NHTSA recalls and complaints with
patterns synthesized from owner communities. Always inspect the specific vehicle and
verify open recalls by VIN before buying.