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The 2017 Subaru Forester is a small sport utility vehicle 4wd vehicle covered by 3 EPA fuel-economy configurations. In NHTSA's records it has accumulated 591 owner complaints and 1 recall campaign(s). Of those complaints, 40 report a crash and 1 report a fire; 25 complaints report injuries totalling 28 injured people, and 0 deaths are recorded across all complaints for this model-year. The single most-reported component is Air Bags, named in 166 complaints (28.1% of the total). The sections below reproduce the underlying records in full: crash-test ratings, every recall campaign with its NHTSA campaign number, complaint counts by component, and EPA fuel-economy figures for each configuration.
NHTSA Safety Ratings
NHTSA tested the 2017 Subaru Forester SUV AWD under its 5-Star Safety Ratings program. Ratings run from 1 to 5 stars; "Not rated" means NHTSA did not publish a score for that test for this variant.
| Test | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall rating | ★★★★★ |
| Frontal crash — overall | ★★★★☆ |
| Frontal crash — driver | ★★★★★ |
| Frontal crash — passenger | ★★★★☆ |
| Side crash — overall | ★★★★★ |
| Side crash — driver | ★★★★★ |
| Side crash — passenger | ★★★★★ |
| Side pole crash | ★★★★★ |
| Rollover resistance | ★★★★☆ |
Electronic stability control was fitted as standard equipment on the tested variant, and NHTSA records no safety recall investigation rating adjustments for it.
Recall Campaigns (1)
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) that include the 2017 Subaru Forester. Each campaign below shows the official NHTSA campaign number, the affected component, and the manufacturer's own summary, consequence and remedy statements as published by NHTSA. To check whether a specific vehicle is covered, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.
Campaign 19V701000 — Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification 03/10/2019
Summary: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Forester vehicles equipped with heated seats. An electrical connection in the front passenger seat for the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may loosen.
Consequence: If the connection loosens, the front passenger airbag may deactivate even though the seat is occupied, increasing the risk of injury to the front passenger in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the ODS sensor mat harness, free of charge. The recall began February 11, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUM-98.
Owner Complaints (591)
Owners have filed 591 complaints about the 2017 Subaru Forester with NHTSA. Complaint counts are not sales-adjusted — higher-selling vehicles naturally attract more complaints — but the breakdown by component shows where owners report problems most often.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 166 | 28.1% |
| Electrical System | 106 | 17.9% |
| Visibility/wiper | 104 | 17.6% |
| Unknown Or Other | 97 | 16.4% |
| Engine | 47 | 8.0% |
| Power Train | 46 | 7.8% |
| Seats | 34 | 5.8% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 33 | 5.6% |
| Steering | 25 | 4.2% |
| Service Brakes | 15 | 2.5% |
| Structure | 15 | 2.5% |
| Suspension | 12 | 2.0% |
Complaints by Component — Visual
Bar length is proportional to the most-reported component for this model-year (Air Bags, 166 complaints).
By filing year, complaints peaked in 2019 with 128 filings. Owners filed 591 complaints in total across 11 calendar years in the database extract. Complaints involving a crash number 40 and those involving a fire number 1; 25 complaints report at least one injury.
EPA Fuel Economy
The EPA classifies the 2017 Subaru Forester as a small sport utility vehicle 4wd vehicle and published ratings for 3 configurations (engine, transmission, drive and fuel combinations). Combined fuel economy spans 24–28 MPG; the median configuration returns 23 city / 28 highway / 25 combined MPG. Fuel types covered: Premium Gasoline, Regular Gasoline.
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | Fuel | Combined MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl | Automatic (AV-S8) | All-Wheel Drive | Premium Gasoline | 25 |
| 2.5L 4-cyl | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | All-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 28 |
| 2.5L 4-cyl | Manual 6-spd | All-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 24 |
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls and safety ratings databases and EPA FuelEconomy.gov dataset, accessed October 2026. See our methodology.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2017 Subaru Forester have?
NHTSA's complaints database held 591 complaints for the 2017 Subaru Forester when accessed in October 2026. The most-reported component was Air Bags with 166 complaints.
How many recalls affect the 2017 Subaru Forester?
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) covering the 2017 Subaru Forester in the data accessed in October 2026, including campaign 19V701000 for Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification.
What is the 2017 Subaru Forester's safety rating?
NHTSA gave the tested 2017 Subaru Forester SUV AWD an overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars, with 4 stars for frontal crash, 5 for side crash and 4 for rollover resistance.
What MPG does the 2017 Subaru Forester get?
The EPA rated 3 configurations of the 2017 Subaru Forester. Combined fuel economy ranges from 24 to 28 MPG, with a median of 25 MPG (median city 23, median highway 28).