2005 Honda CR-V vs 2005 Subaru Forester
Reliability comparison based on NHTSA recall and complaint records.
2005 Honda CR-V
2005 Subaru Forester
Stories from the shop
These come from different vehicle segments, which means we're not declaring a winner here. The 2005 Honda CR-V scores 3.4; the 2005 Subaru Forester scores 3.9. Different testing populations, different driving patterns, different categories of failure. Use the data below to understand what each one is good at and what each one breaks.
If you lean 2005 Honda CR-V, know what you're getting into on airbags and lighting. Those categories have noticeably more complaints than the 2005 Subaru Forester sees, and they're not cheap items when they go.
Going with the 2005 Subaru Forester? Watch the cruise control and fuel system. The 2005 Honda CR-V has fewer reports in those categories, so you'd be trading one set of weak spots for another.
On the dollars-and-cents side, total repair exposure across the top problem areas runs 1.3x higher on the 2005 Honda CR-V. That's the number to keep in mind when you're pricing the deal — a $2,000 difference in purchase price disappears the first time you're staring at a transmission rebuild.
Bottom line: these are different categories of vehicle. Pick based on what you actually need it for. We're showing the reliability data so you can factor in long-term ownership cost, not pick a winner.
Side-by-side by problem area
Common questions
Which is more reliable, the 2005 Honda CR-V or the 2005 Subaru Forester?
Based on the NHTSA data we track, the 2005 Subaru Forester comes out ahead with a reliability score of 3.9 versus 3.4. The margin is clear, so the verdict could shift if you weight specific categories differently or factor in your own use case.
What goes wrong more often on the 2005 Honda CR-V?
Compared to the 2005 Subaru Forester, the 2005 Honda CR-V sees more reported issues in airbags and lighting. That doesn't mean it's a bad truck — it means those are the categories worth budgeting for if you go that direction.
What goes wrong more often on the 2005 Subaru Forester?
Compared to the 2005 Honda CR-V, the 2005 Subaru Forester has more complaints in cruise control and fuel system. Whether that's a deal-breaker depends on the cost and severity — see the comparison table above for repair cost ranges.
Which has more recalls?
The 2005 Honda CR-V has more active recalls (1 vs 0). Total count is less important than severity, though — a vehicle with one critical recall and zero moderate ones is generally riskier than one with five moderate recalls.
Is an extended warranty worth it on either of these?
Both vehicles are out of factory bumper-to-bumper coverage at this point. Combined repair exposure across the top problem categories runs around $14,550 on the higher-risk vehicle. A quality service contract typically costs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years, so a single major failure usually pays for the contract. The math favors warranty coverage on whichever vehicle you choose, especially if you plan to keep it past 100,000 miles.