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Should I keep my Subaru Forester?
Keeping an 8-year-old (2018) Subaru Forester at typical mileage costs about $5,039 a year: $925 in value it loses, $1,132 insurance, $1,584 fuel, $1,299 maintenance and repairs and $100 registration. A new one costs about $8,035 a year to own, mostly because new cars lose value faster.
By model year
What a Subaru Forester costs to keep, by year
Next 12 months for a paid-off car at 12,000 miles a year, average insurance costs, $3.30 gas. Click a year to run your own numbers in Keep or Switch.
| Year | Value today | Cost to keep next year | Value lost | Maintenance and repairs | Efficiency | Repair complaints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $24,323 | $5,866 | $2,289 | $715 | 28 MPG | About average |
| 2024 | $21,373 | $5,526 | $1,943 | $736 | 28 MPG | Fewer than average |
| 2023 | $18,847 | $5,281 | $1,615 | $856 | 28 MPG | Fewer than average |
| 2022 | $16,714 | $4,970 | $1,306 | $886 | 28 MPG | Fewer than average |
| 2021 | $14,946 | $5,041 | $1,267 | $1,101 | 29 MPG | Fewer than average |
| 2020 | $13,269 | $4,798 | $983 | $1,169 | 29 MPG | Fewer than average |
| 2019 | $11,918 | $4,811 | $953 | $1,235 | 29 MPG | Fewer than average |
| 2018 | $10,635 | $5,039 | $925 | $1,299 | 25 MPG | Fewer than average |
| 2017 | $9,419 | $4,853 | $673 | $1,387 | 25 MPG | Fewer than average |
| 2016 | $8,484 | $5,147 | $848 | $1,527 | 25 MPG | About average |
| 2015 | $7,407 | $5,130 | $741 | $1,638 | 25 MPG | About average |
| 2014 | $6,466 | $5,038 | $647 | $1,661 | 25 MPG | About average |
| 2013 | $5,645 | $5,185 | $564 | $1,770 | 23 MPG | About average |
| 2012 | $4,928 | $5,202 | $493 | $1,877 | 23 MPG | About average |
| 2011 | $4,302 | $5,287 | $430 | $2,040 | 23 MPG | About average |
Should you keep it?
Keeping vs replacing your Subaru Forester
- Cheapest year to keep: 2020, at about $4,798 a year.
- Fewest repair-heavy complaints: 2024.
- Older isn't always cheaper: value lost shrinks as a car ages, but maintenance and repairs grow, from $715 a year for a 2025 to $2,040 for a 2011.
A paid-off car is usually the cheapest car you can drive, even with repairs: a replacement starts losing value the day you buy it and comes with tax, fees and often a loan. Switching tends to pay only when repairs get large and frequent, or a much more efficient car cuts fuel costs enough. Keep or Switch compares your Subaru Forester against any replacement, including the costs of switching.
Questions
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a Subaru Forester per year?
For a 2018 model at typical mileage, about $5,039 a year in value lost, insurance, fuel, maintenance, repairs and registration, not counting any loan. Years in the table range from $4,798 to $5,866.
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