How safe is the Subaru Forester?
Drivers of the 2020–2023 Subaru Forester died at a rate of 29 per million registered vehicle years, 21% lower than the average of 37 for all vehicles. That makes it riskier than most vehicles for its driver: it ranks 82nd of 129 vehicles, safer than 37% of them, whether they're small cars, SUVs, pickups or minivans.
Where the Subaru Forester sits among all 129 vehicles
Subaru Forester (bar is the 95% range)Every other ranked vehicleDashed line: average of 37
The rate is based on plenty of data, so this ranking is reliable.
Vehicles ranked near the Subaru Forester
These are the vehicles just above and below it on the all-class ranking. Notice they aren't all the same type: the ranking compares every vehicle against every other one. Ranks use each rate after adjusting for how much data is behind it, so a rate of 0 from a few vehicles can rank below a slightly higher rate from many. Why.
| Rank | Vehicle | Deaths* | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 79 | Ford Maverick hybrid SuperCrew 2WDPickup · Small | 27 | 39 |
| 80 | Jeep Cherokee 4WDSUV · Midsize | 28 | 38 |
| 81 | Mazda CX-30 4WDSUV · Small | 28 | 38 |
| 82 | Subaru ForesterSUV · Small | 29 | 37 |
| 83 | Honda Civic hatchbackCar · Small | 28 | 36 |
| 84 | Buick EnvisionLuxury SUV · Midsize | 29 | 35 |
| 85 | Ford Expedition MaxSUV · Very large | 32 | 34 |
How it compares with other SUVs
Among the 46 SUVs ranked, the Subaru Forester is 32nd. The safest SUVs are below. See all SUVs.
| SUVs rank | Vehicle | Deaths* | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chevrolet Tahoe 4WDSUV · Large | 0 | 100 |
| 2 | Toyota RAV4 Prime Plug-in hybrid 4WDSUV · Small | 5 | 96 |
| 3 | Volkswagen AtlasSUV · Midsize | 6 | 95 |
| 4 | Chevrolet Suburban 1500 4WDSUV · Very large | 6 | 94 |
| 5 | Ford Escape hybridSUV · Small | 7 | 91 |
| 32 | Subaru ForesterSUV · Small | 29 | 37 |
Earlier models
In the earlier IIHS study of 2019–2020 models, the Subaru Forester had a driver death rate of 30 (range 13–48) and ranked 67th of 127. The newer rate is lower.
Common questions
Is the Subaru Forester a safe vehicle?
By real-world driver deaths, the Subaru Forester is riskier than most vehicles for its driver. Its driver death rate of 29 per million registered vehicle years is 21% lower than the average, and it ranks 82nd of 129 vehicles across all classes.
How does the Subaru Forester compare with other SUVs?
It ranks 32nd of 46 SUVs. The safest is the Chevrolet Tahoe 4WD, with a rate of 0.
Why is this different from the Subaru Forester's crash-test rating?
Crash-test stars only compare vehicles of similar size and weight, so a 5-star small car and a 5-star SUV aren't equally safe. This ranking uses real-world driver death rates, which can be compared across every class.
* Driver deaths per million registered vehicle years. A registered vehicle year is one vehicle registered for one year.