RAV4 vs Forester vs Equinox

[Old Ball Coach]

Hello all!

I am looking for people's opinions on these 3 different vehicles. We are looking at purchasing a vehicle to replace my 200k mile 2008 Dodge Avenger. The Avenger still runs well, but it will go down to my oldest child who will be getting her license in May. It has been a great vehicle for us, but we are looking at moving up to an SUV vehicle to add a little more space for our 2 growing kids in the back when we take our trips to the in-laws.

I am the type that will make a vehicle purchase and keep the vehicle until it dies. I know that the majority on this site will encourage me to find an older used vehicle to purchase. I am definitely looking for a 3 year old vehicle but it seems that the used Toyota and Subaru don't drop in price very much below a new vehicle, whereas the Equinox does drop in price a bit by the time they are 3 years old.

I am leaning strongly to the the RAV4 or Forester, but my wife seems to like the Equinox.  Any thoughts that you in the community have on these three vehicles?

And NO, not purchasing a vehicle is NOT an option with where we live, so only thoughts on the above vehicles is needed. No comments about how a vehicle should not be purchased. TIA.

[Lulee]

Subaru's apparently stink nowadays.  My brother is having trouble with his second hand 2006 Forester that seemed great when purchased but is burning oil, sometimes at a predictable rate where he can replace it and sometimes it just goes almost completely dry endangering the engine.  Subaru is doing a recall on NEW cars to fix it but this has been an ongoing issue for years and years which they haven't resolved and won't retroactively take care of.  There was a long term issue with head gaskets which unfortunately his car may fall prey to as well.  Seems like he's done a ton of work on it since he got it.  The time I spent online looking for ways to help him get it fixed and stay fixed convinced me to NEVER look at a Subaru.

[Another Reader]

There was a model change for the RAV-4 for 2019.  If any dealers have the old 2018 in stock, you should get a very good deal on one.  A dealer in Georgia was offering $6k off MSRP last Fall.  That will compare favorably with a three year old car with 30k miles.

[hudsoncat]

I have a ten year old RAV4 that I bought new (well before finding MMM). I've had zero issues and needed nothing but basic maintenance in the time I've owned it.  I hope to drive it for ten more years. It's just been rock solid. I have a family member who has a 12 year old RAV4 (We're a buy and keep type of family) with the same experience. I can't speak at all to the other vehicles mentioned, but I'd buy a RAV again if/when we are in the market.

[Trifle]

As Lulee mentioned above, Subaru is still struggling with its oil burning issue, caused by faulty rings.  I had the engine block in my Forester replaced by Subaru a few months ago due to this problem.   I couldn't find data on how often this happens (what percentage of their cars), but it's a thing.  Subaru settled a large class action on this a few years ago, but it is still happening in their newer vehicles.  Sad to say I was so disgusted with the whole thing i sold the Forester and bought a Honda.

Of the other two choices on your short list the Toyota has better reliability ratings than the Chevy. 



 

[soccerluvof4]

We have a 2016 Rav 4. My vote goes there. No GM products for this guy. Sadly but never have had good luck EVER!

[Cadman]

The pre-2019 Equinox is actually a very good vehicle, but I believe it's in a larger class than the Rav4. Word on the new Equinox is lots of interior hard plastics and uncomfortable seats. Not that buying a brand new vehicle makes a lot of sense.

I find myself in lots of rental SUVs for work and surprisingly (something I never thought I'd say) my favorites have been Fords.

[RetiredAt63]

My last Subaru also had the head gaskets go - it was a hidden warranty (very well hidden in Canada) and it took months to be reimbursed.    The AWD was really nice for Canadian winters though, and the extra clearance was great for bumping across fields at dog shows.

Have you considered Mazda at all?  My 2010 Mazda 3 is still going strong with well over 250,000 km, and I gather they have some nice SUVs.

[sparkytheop]

I've had my Forester for 1 1/2 years, and so far, so good.  I was able to do a road trip from OR to UT, and got an average of about 35 mpg, so that was cool.

They are very popular here, but I haven't heard anyone complain about oil issues, so, yea?

It's comfortable, I mostly like it (there are a few things my old escape had that were better, but I'll live, and I hate everything about the new escape bodies, so I wasn't going to get another one).  I was able to get the "loaner" car from the dealer, so got a great deal on it and it only had 3k miles.

Drove around in over a foot of snow yesterday and today, and it handled it all great.

RAV4 was in the running when I was buying, but the purchase price on the subaru decided it for me.

[Dave1442397]

RAV4 for longevity.

The Subaru would be a distant second for me, and the Equinox wouldn't even be a consideration.

I dumped a GM product in December 2017 because, with 96k miles, the transmission was shot, it had already gone through two wheel bearings and an alternator, and it was starting to have some of the common electrical issues GM cars are known for. I won't be buying another GM product.

[Annie101]

We love our 09 RAV4, purchased 4 years ago.  Ours has a fold out third row, which is tiny but awesome to have on rare times we want to bring an extra Person.  They don't make it anymore and it's really only for small people but allowed us not to buy a larger car!!

[Old Ball Coach]

Thanks for all of the input everyone. Getting a vehicle is such a big decision. It's one of those things that I just dwell on forever and am tentative to take that step.

[golfreak12]

Nothing to do with your choices but I bought a 2018 CR-V EX when they were clearing them out beginning of this year. I love the car. The Honda Sensing technology is amazing.
The RAV4 were in the decision too but my wife didn't like the look of the older RAV4 so we went CRV instead.

[HBFIRE]

Newest Rav 4 has a hybrid coming out, supposedly 40 mpg.  Seems pretty solid.  I tend to prefer Toyota for their reliability.  My favorite cars were both Toyotas.

[dragoncar]

Subaru's apparently stink nowadays.  My brother is having trouble with his second hand 2006 Forester that seemed great when purchased but is burning oil, sometimes at a predictable rate where he can replace it and sometimes it just goes almost completely dry endangering the engine.  Subaru is doing a recall on NEW cars to fix it but this has been an ongoing issue for years and years which they haven't resolved and won't retroactively take care of.  There was a long term issue with head gaskets which unfortunately his car may fall prey to as well.  Seems like he's done a ton of work on it since he got it.  The time I spent online looking for ways to help him get it fixed and stay fixed convinced me to NEVER look at a Subaru.

I'm also soured on Subaru because we've got a Forester in the process of needing new head gaskets.  Currently leaking around 1 quart per 1000 miles, almost 10 years old.  I love it otherwise... really easy to work on (maintenance items like fluids, timing belt, etc).  But the boxer design is inherently flawed, no matter how much they change the gaskets. 

Nothing to do with your choices but I bought a 2018 CR-V EX when they were clearing them out beginning of this year. I love the car. The Honda Sensing technology is amazing.
The RAV4 were in the decision too but my wife didn't like the look of the older RAV4 so we went CRV instead.

I generally prefer Hondas, but I'm not super excited to maintain a turbo. 

[Unique User]

As Lulee mentioned above, Subaru is still struggling with its oil burning issue, caused by faulty rings.  I had the engine block in my Forester replaced by Subaru a few months ago due to this problem.   I couldn't find data on how often this happens (what percentage of their cars), but it's a thing.  Subaru settled a large class action on this a few years ago, but it is still happening in their newer vehicles.  Sad to say I was so disgusted with the whole thing i sold the Forester and bought a Honda.

Of the other two choices on your short list the Toyota has better reliability ratings than the Chevy. 



 

I had no idea about the Forester and oil burning issues.  Ours blew up in 2007 about 6 months after replacing the engine block.  DH blamed that I was not paying attention to oil changes even though I assured him I had. 

I have a 9 year old Rav4 that is still going strong, but has always felt a bit tinny.  I'd buy another Toyota with no questions though, it is a great car and has had zero issues in 9 years.  DH had an Equinox through work for a few years.  I liked it as it felt more like a car than the Rav4, but we didn't have it long enough to gauge.  His company just replaced the Equinox with a Hyundai Ioniq.  We REALLY like it.  It's like a less expensive Prius. 

[shunkman]

I have a 2008 Rav4 and it has been as extremely reliable. Many of the 130,000+ miles have been on rough unpaved mountain roads. I am considering a 2019 Rav4 hybrid when they are available.

Reliability and total cost of ownership are very important to me. These are Toyota's strengths.  I will NEVER buy another GM product. Some say GM reliability has improved but this has not been my experience. Besides the Chevy I owned a few years ago, Chevy's were in our fleet of staff cars at work. They all had problems and many of them were repeat component failures.

[ericrugiero]

If I was buying new Honda and Toyota would be at the top of my list.  They are reliable for a long time and tend to hold their value pretty well. 

The most "mustachian" choice could be to purchase one of the brands like Chevy that's a few years old and depreciates much faster.  Purchase price would be lower and long term reliability would probably be lower so you might not keep it as long.  The key here is to get the big drop in value out of the way and then get rid of it before reliability becomes and issue.  Yes, there is some risk here but there is risk with any vehicle purchase.  Every vehicle has a value curve and my goal is to get on the flattest part of the curve where the vehicle quality and reliability is sufficient.   

[JanetJackson]

Rav4, hands-down.

If I didn't need a smaller vehicle for better gas mileage I'd still be in the Rav4 that I sold a few years ago.  It was inching to 200k and no issues... was a 1995, I think?

Very solid vehicle.  My parents just bought a Forester and it's been in the shop for 6 weeks of the three months that they have owned it.  Anecdotal, certainly, but I've never had a Toyota or Honda in the shop that much- and those are the only brands I buy nowadays.
:::Shrug:::

[Car Jack]

Subaru's apparently stink nowadays.  My brother is having trouble with his second hand 2006 Forester that seemed great when purchased but is burning oil, sometimes at a predictable rate where he can replace it and sometimes it just goes almost completely dry endangering the engine.  Subaru is doing a recall on NEW cars to fix it but this has been an ongoing issue for years and years which they haven't resolved and won't retroactively take care of.  There was a long term issue with head gaskets which unfortunately his car may fall prey to as well.  Seems like he's done a ton of work on it since he got it.  The time I spent online looking for ways to help him get it fixed and stay fixed convinced me to NEVER look at a Subaru.

I wouldn't consider a 13 year old vehicle one from "nowadays".  The EJ25 used in that ancient vehicle is currently only used in STi's.  The "fix" is to replace the head gaskets with multi-layer steel gaskets, which is a very well known fix. 

The new (starting 2019) Forester uses a completely new engine and chassis.  I have my own problems with direct injection, used now in most Subarus and most other vehicles.  My understanding is that the Rav 4 uses direct and port injection, which eliminates intake valve carbon build up.  Subaru doesn't.

I'm very well aware of the previous engine and have a short block waiting at my dealer to replace the one in our 13 Crosstrek once the winter passes.

To the OP, from a longevity and proven reliability standpoint, I'd be looking at a Rav4.

[FireAnt]

I have a 2016 Forester and I'm happy with it. I had another 2016 Forester that I had a rollover accident and hit a tree (slick roads) and I left without more than minor scratches/bruising. The safety features is what attracted me the most, along with AWD. I also know the insurance rates are great. When I upgraded my 2010 Corolla to the Forester I only had to pay $1/month. When I was searching cars, the two contenders were Mazda CX-5 or the Forester if you are open to Mazda. They seem to also have great reviews.

[mschaus]

Welp, someone has to say it: Since you're on the MMM forums asking for advice on SUV purchases, the first step is to evaluate if an SUV is really what you are looking for. I'd imagine an SUV is appropriate for maybe 1% of people considering them. Do you have an incredibly unique vehicle need situation?

Check out the "car decision chart" in this article:
http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2016/10/04/so-i-bought-an-electric-car/

And some good stuff from the blog:
http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2012/03/19/top-10-cars-for-smart-people/
https://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2011/05/02/car-strategies-to-cut-your-costs-in-four-or-more/
http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2011/04/19/how-to-come-out-way-ahead-when-buying-a-used-car/
http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2014/12/01/all-wheel-drive-does-not-make-you-safer/

Cheers!

[HBFIRE]

Welp, someone has to say it: Since you're on the MMM forums asking for advice on SUV purchases, the first step is to evaluate if an SUV is really what you are looking for. I'd imagine an SUV is appropriate for maybe 1% of people considering them.

Please read the OP's post.  He specifically mentions that he only want comments on these 3 vehicles.  Let's please address the OP's request.

[mschaus]

Welp, someone has to say it: Since you're on the MMM forums asking for advice on SUV purchases, the first step is to evaluate if an SUV is really what you are looking for. I'd imagine an SUV is appropriate for maybe 1% of people considering them.

Please read the OP's post.  He specifically mentions that he only want comments on these 3 vehicles.  Let's please address the OP's request.

Indeed, that is correct, sorry OP. Then let's just consider those links a service to anyone else with questions who might stumble upon the thread.

[Blueberries]

I can't comment on the Equinox, but I did some research on the other two a few months back and below is what I came up with.  This was just for my own benefit and is based on various estimates I pulled online, including direct quotes from my insurer.  The Rav4 has a new look this year, so you may find a great deal on a 2018.  The 2019 has a rear vent option, but if that doesn't matter to you and you're happy with the look of the 2018, you might get lucky.  On the other hand Subaru does seem to offer better financing deals.  I've worked the math and for the deals we've been offered; the 0% does put you ahead of the other credit-based discounts if you forego to the 0%.  That's not always the case, but it's something to keep in mind.

5 Year Costs

Rav4   
   
Fuel                    $1,077.00
Insurance            $1,383.02
Maintenance    $2,500.00
Repairs            $744.00
Total                  $5,704.02

Forester   
   
Fuel                  $902.00
Insurance          $1,370.00
Maintenance     $2,500.00
Repairs          $910.00
Total                  $5,682.00


Estimated Blue Book Value after 15 Years (I keep my cars forever and I'm ridiculous enough to care about the BBV.  This is based on estimates from 2004.  It's obviously not a guaranteed to hold true 15 years from now, but I did it as part of my spreadsheet.)

Rav4   Value         $2,200.00

Forester Value         $1,000.00    

[Old Ball Coach]

@Blueberries

Thanks for the very detailed analysis. I will be keeping this vehicle forever as well.

[HBFIRE]

Those fuel projections should also compare the Rav4 hybrid, which is rated at 39 MPG.

[J Boogie]

There is a chart hanging out there on the internet about which Subaru years/models were affected by the defective parts.

I just bought a 2016 outback, and I was aware of this issue and made sure it was not affected beforehand.

I will admit though the large volume of vehicles affected gave me pause about buying a Subaru.

But I chose an Outback because they hold their value well, they last a long time (given they have a 4 cylinder engine, which typically fail earlier than larger engines), get decent MPG, and have good safety stats/features. But you have to make sure you dodge that leaky oil bullet.

[RWD]

Stay away from the Equinox:
http://www.dashboard-light.com/vehicles/Chevrolet_Equinox.html

I am definitely looking for a 3 year old vehicle but it seems that the used Toyota and Subaru don't drop in price very much below a new vehicle, whereas the Equinox does drop in price a bit by the time they are 3 years old.

Really? According to KBB you should be able to get a 3-year old RAV4 for at least ~30% off of MSRP, and that's not even taking into account the cost of options, dealer fees, and sales tax. That's pretty significant ($7k+). Example, $17k for a 7,500 mile 2016 RAV4 LE.

[Old Ball Coach]

@RWD

Correct, I can get it for about 30% off of new. My point was that they don't drop in value nearly as much as the Equinox seemed to.

[FIRE Artist]

You didn’t put the CR-V in your group, I am curious as to why.  Same class of vehicle, reliable.

[RWD]

My point was that they don't drop in value nearly as much as the Equinox seemed to.

For good reason.

[PDXTabs]

Subaru's apparently stink nowadays.  My brother is having trouble with his second hand 2006 Forester that seemed great when purchased but is burning oil, sometimes at a predictable rate where he can replace it and sometimes it just goes almost completely dry endangering the engine.  Subaru is doing a recall on NEW cars to fix it but this has been an ongoing issue for years and years which they haven't resolved and won't retroactively take care of.

I just paid to replace the head gaskets on a 2005 Impreza 2.5 (same engine). AFAIK oil burning on a 2006 would be attributable to stuck rings due to poor maintenance earlier in life. But yes, in my experience Subaru's are not the most mustachian vehicle ($3800 in the last three months into ours - clutch, head gaskets, shift linkage, head light NOT the bulb, and one tire that had to be shaved down).

EDIT - and AWD is a nightmare if you ruin one tire.

[soccerluvof4]

Welp, someone has to say it: Since you're on the MMM forums asking for advice on SUV purchases, the first step is to evaluate if an SUV is really what you are looking for. I'd imagine an SUV is appropriate for maybe 1% of people considering them. Do you have an incredibly unique vehicle need situation?

Check out the "car decision chart" in this article:
http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2016/10/04/so-i-bought-an-electric-car/

And some good stuff from the blog:
http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2012/03/19/top-10-cars-for-smart-people/
https://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2011/05/02/car-strategies-to-cut-your-costs-in-four-or-more/
http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2011/04/19/how-to-come-out-way-ahead-when-buying-a-used-car/
http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2014/12/01/all-wheel-drive-does-not-make-you-safer/

Cheers!

Even though they call these things SUV's as a person that has a Rav 4 I would not call it an SUV. Even our Highlander would be borderline but for sure not the SUV. The term needs to be adjusted for conversation if you ask me.

[RWD]

I'd imagine an SUV is appropriate for maybe 1% of people considering them.

Even though they call these things SUV's as a person that has a Rav 4 I would not call it an SUV. Even our Highlander would be borderline but for sure not the SUV. The term needs to be adjusted for conversation if you ask me.

I was thinking about this too. The RAV4 and similar are technically compact crossover SUVs (i.e. CUV) which are essentially lifted hatchbacks. They are not particularly expensive to purchase or operate. Though, of course, they are not quite as efficient as their true car equivalents. For example, the 2016 RAV4 gets 23/29 mpg while the Camry with the same engine gets 25/34 mpg. But in any case, this is far far away from a Land Cruiser (13/18 mpg and triple the purchase cost).

[dragoncar]

I'd imagine an SUV is appropriate for maybe 1% of people considering them.

Even though they call these things SUV's as a person that has a Rav 4 I would not call it an SUV. Even our Highlander would be borderline but for sure not the SUV. The term needs to be adjusted for conversation if you ask me.

I was thinking about this too. The RAV4 and similar are technically compact crossover SUVs (i.e. CUV) which are essentially lifted hatchbacks. They are not particularly expensive to purchase or operate. Though, of course, they are not quite as efficient as their true car equivalents. For example, the 2016 RAV4 gets 23/29 mpg while the Camry with the same engine gets 25/34 mpg. But in any case, this is far far away from a Land Cruiser (13/18 mpg and triple the purchase cost).

Our forester is lighter and shorter than our accord.  Gets better gas mileage and holds more stuff.  I would consider it the more mustachian choice

[RWD]

I'd imagine an SUV is appropriate for maybe 1% of people considering them.

Even though they call these things SUV's as a person that has a Rav 4 I would not call it an SUV. Even our Highlander would be borderline but for sure not the SUV. The term needs to be adjusted for conversation if you ask me.

I was thinking about this too. The RAV4 and similar are technically compact crossover SUVs (i.e. CUV) which are essentially lifted hatchbacks. They are not particularly expensive to purchase or operate. Though, of course, they are not quite as efficient as their true car equivalents. For example, the 2016 RAV4 gets 23/29 mpg while the Camry with the same engine gets 25/34 mpg. But in any case, this is far far away from a Land Cruiser (13/18 mpg and triple the purchase cost).

Our forester is lighter and shorter than our accord.  Gets better gas mileage and holds more stuff.  I would consider it the more mustachian choice

What model years are they? The Accord is usually rated for better economy than the Forester.

[dragoncar]

I'd imagine an SUV is appropriate for maybe 1% of people considering them.

Even though they call these things SUV's as a person that has a Rav 4 I would not call it an SUV. Even our Highlander would be borderline but for sure not the SUV. The term needs to be adjusted for conversation if you ask me.

I was thinking about this too. The RAV4 and similar are technically compact crossover SUVs (i.e. CUV) which are essentially lifted hatchbacks. They are not particularly expensive to purchase or operate. Though, of course, they are not quite as efficient as their true car equivalents. For example, the 2016 RAV4 gets 23/29 mpg while the Camry with the same engine gets 25/34 mpg. But in any case, this is far far away from a Land Cruiser (13/18 mpg and triple the purchase cost).

Our forester is lighter and shorter than our accord.  Gets better gas mileage and holds more stuff.  I would consider it the more mustachian choice

What model years are they? The Accord is usually rated for better economy than the Forester.

Accord is much older, but not really relevant to the point that compact SUVs might be more efficient than sedans.  An Accord is not a compact car either, the civic is likely a better comparison, but has no cargo room.

[HBFIRE]

The forester has moderately good MPG.  I wouldn't call it stellar or as good as many other vehicles.  The Rav4 Hybrid is the the new MPG bar for crossovers.

[RWD]

Our forester is lighter and shorter than our accord.  Gets better gas mileage and holds more stuff.  I would consider it the more mustachian choice

What model years are they? The Accord is usually rated for better economy than the Forester.

Accord is much older, but not really relevant to the point that compact SUVs might be more efficient than sedans.  An Accord is not a compact car either, the civic is likely a better comparison, but has no cargo room.

A wagon is probably a better comparison. Toyota doesn't make many wagons, unfortunately. The closest I can think of is the [recently discontinued] Prius V.

	Cost	Economy	Cargo space	Weight	Length
2017 Prius V	$27,510 (MSRP)	43/39 mpg	34.3 cu ft	3340 lb	182.3 in
2017 RAV4 Hybrid	$29,030 (MSRP)	34/30 mpg	35.6 cu ft	3925 lb	183.5 in

[LouLou]

I have a 2015 GMC Terrain, which is identical to the Equinox. It is larger than the other vehicles in the compact SUV class without being large. I purchased it used so the original owner took the depreciation hit, not me. I have had no issues with it and enjoy it. I can fit three kids in the back. The storage capacity is good.

BUT I plan to have more kids in the next five years. If/when these kids actually exist, I plan to get a Honda minivan and will sell the Terrain. If you're planning to drive a car for 200,000+ miles, I would go for the RAV 4.

[HBFIRE]

	Cost	Economy	Cargo space	Weight	Length
2017 Prius V	$27,510 (MSRP)	43/39 mpg	34.3 cu ft	3340 lb	182.3 in
2017 RAV4 Hybrid	$29,030 (MSRP)	34/30 mpg	35.6 cu ft	3925 lb	183.5 in

Trying to figure out why the posted numbers for the Rav4 Hybrid is 34/30, but most articles are putting it at 39 MPG.  Strange.

[RWD]

	Cost	Economy	Cargo space	Weight	Length
2017 Prius V	$27,510 (MSRP)	43/39 mpg	34.3 cu ft	3340 lb	182.3 in
2017 RAV4 Hybrid	$29,030 (MSRP)	34/30 mpg	35.6 cu ft	3925 lb	183.5 in

Trying to figure out why the posted numbers for the Rav4 Hybrid is 34/30, but most articles are putting it at 39 MPG.  Strange.

The RAV4 was redesigned for 2019 and improved the numbers a bit. 41/37 mpg (39 mpg combined). The Prius V was discontinued in 2017 so I used the same year RAV4 for comparison. Also, fueleconomy.gov doesn't have the numbers for the hybrid yet, which is my usual source.

[big_owl]

Heck I drive a Subaru impreza WRX that I've had for almost 20 years now...never heard of oil issues.  It doesn't burn any oil and still has the original struts and discs.  I've never had any issues with the AWD despite not rotating my tires in over 5yrs and driving around on a donut for several weeks, and I'm still rolling spark plugs that are 15yrs old (at least!).  I'd buy another Subaru without a second thought (but maybe not the engine that burns oil). 

[Henrysmom1]

I am now on my 4th Subaru, it’s a 2016 Forester. Never had a problem with any of them, except the first one many years ago (over 20) which had major electrical issues. My two Outbacks and the Forester since then have been great,  none have burned oil or had any unexpected major repairs. I love the safety features and the secure feeling I have driving it. I bought this car knowing it would be my youngest sons first car and the safety features were very important to me. Love my Subies!

[Trifle]

Heck I drive a Subaru impreza WRX that I've had for almost 20 years now...never heard of oil issues.  It doesn't burn any oil and still has the original struts and discs.  I've never had any issues with the AWD despite not rotating my tires in over 5yrs and driving around on a donut for several weeks, and I'm still rolling spark plugs that are 15yrs old (at least!).  I'd buy another Subaru without a second thought (but maybe not the engine that burns oil).

Sounds like your WRX is old enough that it was outside the scope of the oil burning problem.  According to Subaru, the engines affected with the faulty piston rings were:  "FB 2.5-liter engines in the 2011-2014 Forester, 2013 Legacy and 2013 Outback and the 2.0-liter engines in the 2012-2013 Impreza and 2013 XV Crosstrek."  https://jalopnik.com/subaru-settles-lawsuit-over-oil-burning-cars-1752805682 
However people have been having problems with other models/years as well. 

I was a Subie lover before this happened -- I had three of them.  But the oil burning is no minor thing.  My Forester was burning 3 quarts every 1000 miles.  After Subaru replaced the engine, I sold it to a guy who -- turns out -- had been through the exact same thing.  He'd had an oil burning Outback that Subaru had replaced the engine on.  He'd had decent luck with the replacement engine with his Outback, so he was willing to take a gamble on my Forester.

Someone above said Subaru has a new engine for 2019?  They'd better hope that fixes the problem.  I don't know how Subaru will be able to compete with Honda and Toyota otherwise.   

[dragoncar]

I am now on my 4th Subaru, it’s a 2016 Forester. Never had a problem with any of them, except the first one many years ago (over 20) which had major electrical issues. My two Outbacks and the Forester since then have been great,  none have burned oil or had any unexpected major repairs. I love the safety features and the secure feeling I have driving it. I bought this car knowing it would be my youngest sons first car and the safety features were very important to me. Love my Subies!

How long did you keep them?  Because you might not see the problems until later in the cars life.  Of course some people do get lucky and never see the problem.  That doesn’t make it statistically unlikely

[bw_94]

If I had to pick from those vehicles, which I would never do, I'd shoot for a hybrid RAV-4.

[Clever Name]

It really depends in large part on why you feel you need a vehicle in this class in the first place. If it's because AWD is important to you, the Subaru's AWD system is so far superior to the other two that there really is no comparison.

Personally, I need AWD or 4WD because I couldn't get up my driveway without it. My Subaru Crosstrek doesn't struggle at all, but I have seen AWD Toyotas and other brands get stuck halfway up.

[dragoncar]

It really depends in large part on why you feel you need a vehicle in this class in the first place. If it's because AWD is important to you, the Subaru's AWD system is so far superior to the other two that there really is no comparison.

Personally, I need AWD or 4WD because I couldn't get up my driveway without it. My Subaru Crosstrek doesn't struggle at all, but I have seen AWD Toyotas and other brands get stuck halfway up.

Can I get a pic of this driveway?  Is it like a sand dune?