Compact SUV · what it costs new, what it’s worth used, and who has one near you.
The 1998 Subaru Forester is a compact suv we track across the used market in Canada. It comes in gas (9.7 L/100 km) and hybrid (6.9 L/100 km) forms, so the main choice is fuel — the hybrid earns its premium back over enough kilometres. A 22-year-old one keeps roughly 3% of a current model's market price — what actually matters over five years of ownership.
Gas — combined
9.7L/100 km
Hybrid — combined
6.9L/100 km
Fuel / year (20k km)
$3,453
Hybrid saves
$997/yr
Typical figures. See what it costs for your commute.
Fuel economy & range: Natural Resources Canada (Open Government Licence — Canada). Safety recalls & owner-reported complaints: US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (public domain); complaint shares are a relative signal, not a failure rate. Prices, payments, depreciation, listing counts and dealer inventory: Conquest market data; payment estimates use market-average terms and are not an offer of credit. Independent service — not affiliated with or endorsed by Subaru.
Median market price by vehicle age
Same data pipeline, every rival — tap to open its page
Owner-reported problems and open safety recalls
Most-reported problems
Across 112 owner complaints filed on the 1998 Subaru Forester
Share of complaints naming each system — a signal of what owners report most on this model, not a failure rate. The denominator is people who filed a complaint, not every owner. Complaints are filed with the US regulator; the same models are sold in Canada.
Safety recalls
1 campaign issued by the manufacturer
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · Foundation Components · Master Cylinder
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS). (THE 1999 2.2 LITER LEGACY VEHICLES ARE EXCLUDED). IN EXTREMELY COLD WEATHER, THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCE IS INCREASED.
Campaign 99V040000
Recall campaigns are manufacturer-issued and fixed free of charge. This is the US campaign set matched by year, make and model — it is not a check against a specific VIN, and Canadian campaigns may differ.