2026 Subaru Forester

📊 Our Analysis

The 2026 Subaru Forester belongs to the Small SUVs category. This vehicle class has a driver death rate near the national average of 38 deaths per million registered vehicle years. While modern crash engineering in this category has improved substantially over the past decade, the death rate reflects a combination of vehicle design, typical driving conditions, and driver demographics.

With an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award, the Subaru Forester meets the institute's most stringent criteria for 2026: Good ratings in all six crashworthiness evaluations, an Advanced or Superior rating for front crash prevention (vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian), and Good or Acceptable headlights across all available trims. This is the highest distinction IIHS offers, and fewer than 30% of tested vehicles earn it.

In individual crash test components, the Subaru Forester earned 6 "Good" ratings out of 6 evaluated categories. Earning "Good" in every tested category is excellent — it means the vehicle performed at the highest level in each measured dimension of crashworthiness, from structural integrity to injury risk to safety restraint performance.

The estimated class death rate of ~42 per million is 11% above the national average. Understanding what drives death rates — vehicle weight, structural design, and driver behavior — can help you make informed trade-offs. See our guide to choosing a safer car.

Important note: Death rates are class-level estimates adjusted for driver age and sex (Farmer, 2023). Individual model risk may vary based on specific safety features, weight, and how the vehicle is driven. Read our full methodology for details on how we calculate safety scores. This analysis is produced independently — we have no affiliations with Subaru or any vehicle manufacturer. Learn more about us.

🌍 International Crash Test Results

International test results are for the same-generation model sold in their respective markets. Body structures are typically identical across regions; differences are mainly in standard safety features and test protocols. Learn more about vehicle safety →