2021 Kia Seltos vs 2021 Subaru Forester
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 2021 Kia Seltos | 2021 Subaru Forester |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 354 | 207 |
| Recall campaigns | 2 | 0 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 134 | 351 |
| Investigations | 1 | 0 |
| Crash reports | 13 | 16 |
| Fire reports | 6 | 5 |
| NCAP overall rating | 4/5 | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 27–31 | 29 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 43,500 mi | 8,500 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Kia Seltos | Subaru Forester |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 214 | 32 |
| Visibility/wiper | 4 | 76 |
| Electrical System | 46 | 33 |
| Power Train | 64 | 14 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 42 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 23 | 6 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 6 | 17 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 10 | 12 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Stalling | 90 | 15 |
| Check engine light | 51 | 0 |
| Oil consumption | 50 | 0 |
| Vibration / shaking | 27 | 0 |
| Loss of power | 19 | 0 |
| Clunking / rattling | 17 | 0 |
| Misfire / rough idle | 14 | 0 |
| Hesitation / surging | 14 | 5 |
2021 Kia Seltos
2021 Subaru Forester
Compare all Kia Seltos vs Subaru Forester years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.