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2021 Subaru Forester Wilderness
Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.
207 owner complaints · 0 recalls · data verified July 19, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Visibility & wipers problems dominate (43% of complaints, typically reported near 3k miles).
Zero recalls, rare for a car this age.
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →#259 of 437Among the 2021 models with a matured record, the 2021 Subaru Forester Wilderness ranks #259, scoring higher than 40% of them. See the 2021 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 · 2021 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 2021 Subaru Forester Wilderness, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Speed control (12)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Visibility & wipers
43%90 complaints · typically near 3k mi · 6 in the last 2 years
“Windshield cracks with the slightest rock hit making the windshield unsafe to continue use. Had two replacements in first six months”
Electrical system
16%33 complaints · typically near 10k mi · 20 in the last 2 years
“The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while trying to roll up vehicle windows from driver sits and passenger sit they would roll up to 3/4th…”
Engine
15%32 complaints · typically near 38k mi · 18 in the last 2 years
“While driving the car, the engine stops completely. After a few seconds, it can be restarted. It does this several times a week at random intervals. It's very dangerou…”
Driver assistance
8%17 complaints · typically near 38k mi · 7 in the last 2 years
“After arriving home from a short drive to the grocery store I parked my car in the drive way and went inside. On the drive home I could hear a low humming coming from …”
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 4 of this model's commonly reported problem areas against a mileage. Nothing is stored.
Read all 207 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 19 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 3k 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 10k 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 2021 Subaru FORESTER WILDERNESS beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2021? See how every Forester Wilderness model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2021 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.