Is Subaru as reliable as Toyota?
Toyota comes out ahead: Subaru 2.71 vs Toyota 0.94 NHTSA owner complaints per 1,000 vehicles sold (model years 2015–2022). Subaru owners filed 2.9× as many complaints per vehicle sold as Toyota owners.
By CarWhere Research · Updated November 2026 · Method
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA per 1,000 vehicles sold (model years 2015–2022; published U.S. sales). Not a survey, not Consumer Reports' method, and not repair frequency.
Subaru vs Toyota at a glance
| Subaru | Toyota | |
|---|---|---|
| Complaints per 1,000 sold | 2.71 | 0.94 |
| Serious-safety complaints per 1,000 | 0.15 | 0.10 |
| Rank of 19 brands | #12 | #2 |
| Models covered | 5 | 12 |
| Vehicles sold (rated model years) | 4,460,431 | 15,629,831 |
| Owner complaints | 12,108 | 14,637 |
| Share of brand U.S. sales covered | 89.3% | 96.2% |
| Top complaint areas | Visibility / wipers 31.4% · Electrical system 24.7% · Engine 9.1% | Powertrain / transmission 16% · Engine 14.6% · Electrical system 13.9% |
| Recall campaigns (vehicles covered) | 88 (8.9 million) | 198 (15.8 million) |
Model years 2015–2022. Lower is better. Serious-safety complaints are those where the owner reported a crash, a fire or at least one injury. Recall campaigns are NHTSA campaigns filed January 2016 to September 2026; vehicles covered counts a vehicle once per campaign.
What drives the numbers
- Subaru's count is driven most by 2016–2020 Outback complaints about electrical system and visibility / wipers (4,323, 35.7% of Subaru's complaints). Other models with rates above Subaru's overall 2.71: Forester (2.92).
- Toyota's count is driven most by 2019–2020 RAV4 complaints about engine and fuel / propulsion (1,563, 10.7% of Toyota's complaints). Other models with rates above Toyota's overall 0.94: Highlander (1.46), Venza (2.00), Tundra (1.06).
Subaru vs Toyota complaints per 1,000 sold, by model year
Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are still growing. Compare the two lines within a year, not one year against another.
| Model year | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subaru | 2.54 | 2.44 | 3.03 | 2.91 | 4.17 | 3.43 | 1.37 | 1.38 |
| Toyota | 0.86 | 0.79 | 0.79 | 1.03 | 1.28 | 1.04 | 0.95 | 0.74 |
What Subaru and Toyota owners complain about
Share of each brand's NHTSA complaints naming the area (a complaint can name more than one).
Subaru
- Visibility / wipers31.4% · 3,806
- Electrical system24.7% · 2,986
- Engine9.1% · 1,102
- Powertrain / transmission6.3% · 758
- Air bags5.7% · 689
- Speed control / throttle4.3% · 517
Toyota
- Powertrain / transmission16% · 2,340
- Engine14.6% · 2,143
- Electrical system13.9% · 2,028
- Fuel / propulsion11.9% · 1,744
- Brakes11.8% · 1,725
- Air bags9.6% · 1,404
Model matchups
Each brand's best-selling model in the classes both sell, on the same per-1,000-sold measure.
Compact SUVs: Subaru Forester vs Toyota RAV4
The Toyota RAV4 has fewer complaints per vehicle sold: Subaru Forester 2.92 vs Toyota RAV4 1.10 complaints per 1,000 sold. The Forester's most-cited area is visibility / wipers (29.5%); the RAV4's is electrical system (21.5%).
2.92 complaints per 1,000 sold
1.10 complaints per 1,000 sold
- Basis:
- 3,483 complaints / 3,155,248 sold, MY 2015–2022 NHTSA
- Better years:
- None flagged
- Years to avoid:
- 2008, 2019–2021, 2023, 2024
- Top complaint areas:
- Electrical system 21.5% · Engine 17.8% · Fuel / propulsion 13.6%
Midsize cars: Subaru Legacy vs Toyota Camry
The Toyota Camry has fewer complaints per vehicle sold: Subaru Legacy 2.64 vs Toyota Camry 0.84 complaints per 1,000 sold. The Legacy's most-cited area is visibility / wipers (31.1%); the Camry's is powertrain / transmission (18.5%).
2.64 complaints per 1,000 sold
- Basis:
- 854 complaints / 323,373 sold, MY 2015–2022 NHTSA
- Better years:
- 2021, 2022
- Years to avoid:
- 2010, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2018–2020
- Top complaint areas:
- Visibility / wipers 31.1% · Electrical system 25.3% · Engine 7.1%
0.84 complaints per 1,000 sold
- Basis:
- 2,348 complaints / 2,788,813 sold, MY 2015–2022 NHTSA
- Better years:
- 2016, 2017, 2022
- Years to avoid:
- 2008–2012, 2018–2020
- Top complaint areas:
- Powertrain / transmission 18.5% · Engine 15.4% · Brakes 14.4%
Compact cars: Subaru Impreza vs Toyota Corolla
The Toyota Corolla has fewer complaints per vehicle sold: Subaru Impreza 1.49 vs Toyota Corolla 0.68 complaints per 1,000 sold. The Impreza's most-cited area is visibility / wipers (26.6%); the Corolla's is air bags (20.9%).
Subaru Impreza
1.49 complaints per 1,000 sold
- Basis:
- 738 complaints / 496,216 sold, MY 2015–2022 NHTSA
- Better years:
- None flagged
- Years to avoid:
- 2008, 2012, 2013, 2017–2019
- Top complaint areas:
- Visibility / wipers 26.6% · Lighting 22.5% · Electrical system 12.3%
0.68 complaints per 1,000 sold
- Basis:
- 1,586 complaints / 2,339,849 sold, MY 2015–2022 NHTSA
- Better years:
- None flagged
- Years to avoid:
- 2009–2011, 2019, 2020
- Top complaint areas:
- Air bags 20.9% · Engine 16.8% · Powertrain / transmission 13.7%
Midsize SUVs: Subaru Outback vs Toyota 4Runner
The Toyota 4Runner has fewer complaints per vehicle sold: Subaru Outback 4.18 vs Toyota 4Runner 0.44 complaints per 1,000 sold. The Outback's most-cited area is visibility / wipers (33.9%); the 4Runner's is steering (13%).
4.18 complaints per 1,000 sold
- Basis:
- 5,600 complaints / 1,339,285 sold, MY 2015–2022 NHTSA
- Better years:
- 2024
- Years to avoid:
- 2011, 2016–2020, 2022
- Top complaint areas:
- Visibility / wipers 33.9% · Electrical system 33% · Engine 5.8%
0.44 complaints per 1,000 sold
- Basis:
- 438 complaints / 1,003,611 sold, MY 2015–2022 NHTSA
- Better years:
- 2020
- Years to avoid:
- 2011, 2018, 2019, 2025
- Top complaint areas:
- Steering 13% · Air bags 12.6% · Electrical system 12.3%
How these numbers are calculated
complaints per 1,000 sold = NHTSA owner complaints filed for model years 2015–2022 ÷ U.S. vehicles sold in calendar years 2015–2022 × 1,000
Complaints come from NHTSA's public owner-complaint database (NHTSA data), counted once per complaint and matched across NHTSA's trim and body-style names. Vehicles sold are published U.S. calendar-year sales per nameplate. Model years with fewer than 5,000 sold are too few to rate and are left out. A brand gets a score only when its covered models number at least 3 and make up at least 70% of its U.S. sales; rates under 10% apart are called close.
This is the federal complaint rate, not an owner survey or repair-frequency figure. Consumer Reports publishes a survey-based ranking that measures something different. Full method and brand ranking.
Questions
Is Subaru as reliable as Toyota?
Toyota comes out ahead: Subaru 2.71 vs Toyota 0.94 NHTSA owner complaints per 1,000 vehicles sold (model years 2015–2022). Subaru owners filed 2.9× as many complaints per vehicle sold as Toyota owners.
Which has more serious complaints, Subaru or Toyota?
Counting only complaints that report a crash, fire or injury, Subaru logs 0.15 per 1,000 sold and Toyota 0.10. Those are 6% of Subaru's complaints and 11% of Toyota's.
Where do Subaru and Toyota rank overall?
Subaru ranks #12 and Toyota #2 of the 19 brands with enough sales data, ranked by NHTSA complaints per 1,000 sold for model years 2015–2022.
What do Subaru and Toyota owners complain about most?
Subaru: visibility / wipers (31.4%), electrical system (24.7%), engine (9.1%). Toyota: powertrain / transmission (16%), engine (14.6%), electrical system (13.9%). Shares are of each brand's complaints for model years 2015–2022; one complaint can name more than one area.
Which has more recalls, Subaru or Toyota?
From January 2016 to September 2026, NHTSA lists 88 Subaru recall campaigns covering 8,929,343 vehicles and 198 Toyota campaigns covering 15,819,237. Vehicles covered counts each vehicle once per campaign, so one car in three recalls counts three times. Recalls are fixes the maker files, a different signal from owner complaints.
Is the Subaru Forester more reliable than the Toyota RAV4?
The Toyota RAV4 has fewer complaints per vehicle sold: Subaru Forester 2.92 vs Toyota RAV4 1.10 complaints per 1,000 sold. Based on 1,328,955 and 3,155,248 vehicles sold. Years to avoid on the Forester: 2014–2020. Years to avoid on the RAV4: 2008, 2019–2021, 2023, 2024.
Is the Subaru Legacy more reliable than the Toyota Camry?
The Toyota Camry has fewer complaints per vehicle sold: Subaru Legacy 2.64 vs Toyota Camry 0.84 complaints per 1,000 sold. Based on 323,373 and 2,788,813 vehicles sold. Years to avoid on the Legacy: 2010, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2018–2020. Years to avoid on the Camry: 2008–2012, 2018–2020.