Ford Escape vs Subaru Forester
Compact SUV · 2015–2025 · 12,979 federal complaints
Ford Escape
9,457 complaints · 6 engines
Most-complained engine: SIGMA · 1.5L I4
Full breakdown for Ford Escape →
Subaru Forester
3,522 complaints · 2 engines
Most-complained engine: 2.5L H4
Full breakdown for Subaru Forester →At a glance
Side by side. EPA figures are the model's median across its test variants; price is the base-trim MSRP (CarAPI), median across covered model years.
| Ford Escape | Subaru Forester | |
|---|---|---|
| Base MSRP | $23,845 | $22,695 |
| Most common engine | SIGMA · 1.5L I4 | 2.5L H4 |
| Induction | Turbo | Naturally aspirated |
| Fuel economy | 26 MPG | 27 MPG |
| Running cost | $2,350/yr | $2,300/yr |
| Low emissions | 340 g/mi | 332 g/mi |
| Displacement | 2.0 L | 2.5 L |
| NHTSA overall crash rating | ★★★★★ (2025) | ★★★★★ (2025) |
| Rollover risk (NHTSA) | 17.4% | 17.4% |
| Engines with enough data | 6 | 2 |
Side by side
Both cars scored as percentiles within Compact SUV, so the shapes are directly comparable. Built from EPA test data.
What each one's complaints are about
Showing each car's highest-volume engine. Share of component mentions — not a failure rate, and not a ranking between the two.
Ford Escape
Subaru Forester
How often each one's complaints involve a fire, crash or injury
Shares of each car's own complaints — sales volume cancels out of a within-car ratio, so these two can be compared. The vertical mark is the all-vehicle average.
all vehicles — Fire 1.1% · Crash 4.4% · Injury 2.6%
Every engine with enough data
Complaint counts per engine are shown for scale only — they track how many were sold, not how often they fail.
Ford Escape
- SIGMA · 1.5L I4Turbo3,105
- GTDI · 2.0L I4Turbo2,601
- DRAGON TC · 1.5L I3Turbo1,613
- 1.6L I4Turbo1,066
- I-VCT · 2.5L I4Naturally aspirated611
- DURA · 2.5L I4Naturally aspirated421
Subaru Forester
- 2.5L H4Naturally aspirated3,337
- 2.0L H4Turbo185
Recalls where NHTSA said stop driving or park outside
The severest recall class only. Model-level, manufacturer-confirmed. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer, whatever the car's age.
Ford Escape
None on record for this model.
Subaru Forester
None on record for this model.
One car having more complaints than the other mostly reflects how many were sold, not how often they break. Compare each car's own mix of problems — not the totals.