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Compact SUV Recalls and Complaints Compared

Comparing a RAV4, CR-V, CX-5, Outback or Escape? This table brings together their recall records, complaint totals and EPA fuel economy for the years shown. Use it to choose which model-year reports to read, then check the engine, equipment and history of the actual car.

How to read the complaint figure: "Reports per year of model-year age" pools complaints in CarTold's records across a model's tracked model years, then divides by the total years those model years have collectively been on the market (each model year's age is 2026 minus that year, same as our model-year comparison pages). It is a rough adjustment, not a defect rate — it doesn't account for units sold, miles driven, or how complaint-filing behavior has changed over time. Recall campaigns and investigations that span more than one model year are counted once per model, not once per year. This comparison only covers the five models and years currently tracked on CarTold, not the full compact SUV segment. See our full methodology for the limits of each record type. A larger figure means more reports relative to this age measure, not a greater share of vehicles with faults.
Models compared
5
Recall totals across models
88
Total complaints
22741
Investigation totals across models
8

Recall records, complaints and fuel economy

The summary cards add the model totals. A recall or investigation covering two of these models contributes to both, so those cards are not counts of unique campaigns or cases across the group.

Sorted by reports per year of model-year age, highest first. The MPG range combines different years and powertrains; check the specific variant before using it to estimate fuel costs.

Model Years Recall campaigns Complaints Reports per yr of model-year age Investigations Combined MPG
Ford Escape 2016–2020 32 8136 203.4 2 23–41 Model hub →
Honda CR-V 2016–2021 17 6327 140.6 4 27–38 Model hub →
Subaru Outback 2017–2021 16 3974 113.54 1 22–29 Model hub →
Toyota RAV4 2016–2021 14 2991 66.47 1 24–40 Model hub →
Mazda CX-5 2016–2021 9 1313 29.18 0 24–29 Model hub →
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Most common complaint categories in this group

The largest categories across the five models, using CarTold's component grouping. Models with more complaints contribute more to this chart; it does not describe a typical owner's experience.

Other 6101 (27%)
Engine 5637 (25%)
Electrical 3435 (15%)
Visibility & lighting 2132 (9%)
Drivetrain 2118 (9%)

Sources and methodology

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