2015 Subaru Forester vs 2015 Toyota RAV4
Two compact SUVs, compared on what actually matters when you're buying used:
what breaks, when it breaks, and what it costs you.
2015 Subaru
Forester
8/10
Buy the naturally-aspirated 2.5i, run from the XT, and budget for a head gasket check by 100k.
VS
2015 Toyota
RAV4
8/10
Boring is the whole point: this thing will outlive your mortgage if you just change the oil.
Dead heat: both score 8/10. The tiebreaker is which specific car you find.
By the numbers
Green is the better number — higher on every score, lower on failures, complaints and recalls.
| Subaru Forester |
Toyota RAV4 |
| Known failure points | 6 | 6 |
| NHTSA complaints | 613 | 302 |
| Safety recalls | 3 | 4 |
| Service bulletins | 12 | 12 |
| Reliability | 74 | 86 |
| Cheap to own | 68 | 80 |
| Fun factor | 48 | 38 |
| Holds value | 72 | 82 |
| Enthusiast cred | 55 | 22 |
The most expensive thing that goes wrong
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
2015 Toyota RAV4
Torque converter shudder between 30-40mph
$150–$2,50020k–50k mi
If you buy one, buy this one
✅ 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.
✅ 2015 Toyota RAV4
2015 RAV4 XLE, FWD or AWD, 2.5L 2AR-FE with the 6-speed auto — avoid the tech/liftgate package, get cloth seats over leather (leather bolsters wear fast), and confirm the paint recall/campaign status on the VIN before buying.
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 →
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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.