Which Subaru Forester years should I avoid?

NHTSA data flags 2015, 2019, 2020 and 2025 as the Forester years to avoid, relative to other Forester model years. The 2019 has the highest complaint index at 100, with 833 complaints and 11 fires reported.

Which Jeep Grand Cherokee years should I avoid?

NHTSA data flags 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2015 as the Grand Cherokee years to avoid. The 2014 has the highest complaint index at 100, with 2,375 complaints, 150 crashes and 18 recall campaigns.

Which model has more total complaints, the Forester or Grand Cherokee?

The Grand Cherokee has 11,432 total complaints (715 per model year) over 2010-2025, more than double the Forester's 5,034 total complaints (315 per model year) over the same span. NHTSA does not publish sales data, so these totals are not normalized per vehicle sold.

Which model gets better fuel economy?

The Forester averages 25.9 MPG combined versus 19.1 MPG combined for the Grand Cherokee. The Forester's best year for fuel cost is $2,250 annually (2019-2021), while the Grand Cherokee's best is $2,950 (2023-2025).

What are the top complaint areas for each model?

For the Forester, Visibility & Wipers leads at 24% (1,207 complaints), followed by Engine at 21%. For the Grand Cherokee, Electrical System leads at 35% (4,049 complaints), followed by Engine at 23%.

Subaru Forester vs Jeep Grand Cherokee: Which Years to Avoid

Subaru Forester years to avoid are 2015, 2019, 2020 and 2025; Jeep Grand Cherokee years to avoid are 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2015. The Forester logs 5,034 total complaints across 16 model years (315 per year) versus 11,432 for the Grand Cherokee (715 per year), and the Forester averages 25.9 MPG combined against 19.1 MPG for the Grand Cherokee.

Head to head

Subaru Forester

Model years: 2010–2025 (16)
NHTSA complaints: 5,034
Per model year: 315
Recall campaigns: 32
Years to avoid: 2015, 2019, 2020, 2025
Best years: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2024
Top problem area: Visibility & Wipers
Avg. EPA combined MPG: 25.9
Avg. NHTSA overall rating: 4.8 ★

Jeep Grand Cherokee

Model years: 2010–2025 (16)
NHTSA complaints: 11,432
Per model year: 715
Recall campaigns: 77
Years to avoid: 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015
Best years: 2010, 2016, 2017, 2020
Top problem area: Electrical System
Avg. EPA combined MPG: 19.1
Avg. NHTSA overall rating: 4.7 ★

Year by year

Complaint Index is relative within each model (0 = that model’s best year, 100 = its worst). Complaints and recalls are raw counts.

Year	Forester				Grand Cherokee
Year	Verdict	Complaints	Recalls	MPG	Verdict	Complaints	Recalls	MPG
2010	Good	259	17	22	Best	118	4	16
2011	Best	147	16	23	Avoid	1,640	6	18
2012	Best	105	15	23	Avoid	1,642	10	16
2013	Best	77	12	23	Caution	802	9	16
2014	Caution	403	2	25	Avoid	2,375	18	19
2015	Avoid	613	3	25	Avoid	1,359	9	19
2016	Caution	414	3	25	Best	310	8	21
2017	Caution	587	1	25	Best	364	5	19
2018	Caution	495	3	25	Caution	853	10	21
2019	Avoid	833	3	29	Good	367	7	19
2020	Avoid	601	0	29	Best	238	3	17
2021	Good	207	0	29	Good	403	12	17
2022	Good	98	1	27.5	Good	260	13	21
2023	Good	73	1	27.5	Caution	386	21	22
2024	Best	29	2	27.5	Caution	241	16	22
2025	Avoid	93	3	28.5	Good	74	4	22

Complaint Index by year

Subaru Forester

Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best

Jeep Grand Cherokee

Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best

Frequently asked questions

Which Subaru Forester years should I avoid?: NHTSA data flags 2015, 2019, 2020 and 2025 as the Forester years to avoid, relative to other Forester model years. The 2019 has the highest complaint index at 100, with 833 complaints and 11 fires reported.
Which Jeep Grand Cherokee years should I avoid?: NHTSA data flags 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2015 as the Grand Cherokee years to avoid. The 2014 has the highest complaint index at 100, with 2,375 complaints, 150 crashes and 18 recall campaigns.
Which model has more total complaints, the Forester or Grand Cherokee?: The Grand Cherokee has 11,432 total complaints (715 per model year) over 2010-2025, more than double the Forester's 5,034 total complaints (315 per model year) over the same span. NHTSA does not publish sales data, so these totals are not normalized per vehicle sold.
Which model gets better fuel economy?: The Forester averages 25.9 MPG combined versus 19.1 MPG combined for the Grand Cherokee. The Forester's best year for fuel cost is $2,250 annually (2019-2021), while the Grand Cherokee's best is $2,950 (2023-2025).
What are the top complaint areas for each model?: For the Forester, Visibility & Wipers leads at 24% (1,207 complaints), followed by Engine at 21%. For the Grand Cherokee, Electrical System leads at 35% (4,049 complaints), followed by Engine at 23%.