Home · 2020 · Subaru
2020 Subaru Forester Wilderness
Buyable, but go in with open eyes: this car has specific known issues to check before money changes hands.
592 owner complaints · 0 recalls · data verified July 19, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Buy-rated alternatives from this era
Other 2018–2022 cars in the same rough price bracket with a clean, matured Buy verdict — worth cross-shopping before you commit to the 2020 Subaru Forester Wilderness.
Why caution?
Visibility & wipers problems dominate (51% of complaints, typically reported near 5k miles).
Zero recalls, rare for a car this age.
Complaint reports have faded. Early issues appear resolved or aged out.
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →#315 of 469Among the 2020 models with a matured record, the 2020 Subaru Forester Wilderness ranks #315, scoring higher than 31% of them. See the 2020 ranking →
Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
5/5 overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating · 2020 Subaru Forester SUV AWD
Rollover risk in a single-vehicle crash: 17%
No open NHTSA defect investigations on file.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2020 Subaru Forester Wilderness, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Speed control (24)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Visibility & wipers
51%301 complaints · typically near 5k mi · 3 in the last 2 years
“The head unit suddenly stopped working. It unfortunately isn’t covered Under warranty. The screen consistently turns on and off.”
Electrical system
17%99 complaints · typically near 14k mi · 31 in the last 2 years
“My car is violently shaking and completely stalling out in intersections when attempting to restart from an Auto-Stop.”
Engine
12%73 complaints · typically near 60k mi · 21 in the last 2 years
“My car is violently shaking and completely stalling out in intersections when attempting to restart from an Auto-Stop.”
Driver assistance
7%42 complaints · typically near 56k mi · 5 in the last 2 years
“While driving on public roads, all dash warning lights illuminated simultaneously. The instrument cluster displayed “EyeSight OFF.” At the same time, the electronic pa…”
Check it against this car’s mileage
Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.
We can place 3 of this model's commonly reported problem areas against a mileage. Nothing is stored.
Read all 592 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 29 crash/fire/injury reports →
Recalls (0)
No recall campaigns on file for this model year.
Questions to ask the seller
Questions worth asking the seller of this Subaru before you buy, drawn from its public record:
- Owners of this model report visibility & wipers problems more than anything else (owners tend to report it near 5k miles). Has this car shown any visibility & wipers symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Owners of this model report electrical system problems more than anything else (owners tend to report it near 14k miles). Has this car shown any electrical system symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
- How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
- Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?
Before you hand over money
Check the VIN for open recalls
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2020 Subaru FORESTER WILDERNESS beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2020? See how every Forester Wilderness model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2020 Subaru Forester Wilderness against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.