Here’s How Much The 2021 Subaru Forester Has Depreciated In 5 Years

The Subaru Forester, along with its Outback and Crosstrek cousins, is one of the flagships of Subaru’s American product line. The compact crossover sold more than 150,000 units annually between 2010 and 2020, and it’s not hard to see why. Between standard all-wheel drive, reasonable off-road capability, practicality, comfortable ride, and status as one of Subaru’s most reliable models, there’s a lot to like about the Forester.

One reality of owning any car, however, even one as popular as the Forester, is depreciation. If you own an older Forester, like a 2021 model, for example, the depreciation can be a significant decrease, adding to the actual cost of ownership. On the other hand, the cancellation could be a big plus for those interested in buying a used Forester and saving on the 2026 model’s starting price of $29,995 (plus $1,450). But how much has the 2021 Forester price dropped, exactly?

According to Edmunds, the 2021 Subaru Forester should drop about $12,500 or more over the five years it’s on the road. In contrast, Kelley Blue Book’s Fair Purchase Price estimate suggests the SUV dropped anywhere from $7,000 for the base Forester, to about $13,750 for the top Touring trim — with a price drop averaging $10,000 or more across all five models. Note that these prices will, of course, vary based on factors such as location and mileage.

The 2021 Forester’s five-person drop doesn’t seem too great, but that’s for just one model year. What about the Forester as a whole? However, for that, we can turn to two other sources, namely CarEdge and iSeeCars. Both of these resources provide general depreciation estimates for the Forester, and both show that, while it will lose a lot of money, the Forester holds its value much better than some of the most depreciating cars in 2025.

CarEdge estimates for a brand-new Forester, driven 13,500 miles per year, suggest it will lose about 35% of its value after five years, losing about $13,800 off the MSRP. On the other hand, iSeeCars is more optimistic, with a 32.5% drop in price expected, which equates to a price reduction of $9,740. Either way, both believe you’re looking at a resale price of between $20,000 and $25,000 when you buy or sell a five-year-old Forester.

While none of this looks all that great, it’s worth looking at these numbers in perspective. Having an SUV that retains around 60% of its value after five years is great, and means that Subaru is one of the best resale value car models.

To determine how much the Subaru Forester depreciates after five years, we rely on data from reliable sources like iSeeCars, CarEdge, and Edmunds. These stores all offer car depreciation rates, which are broken down annually. We also referred to the Kelley Blue Book, which has the Fair Purchase Price of most vehicles using pricing across the United States, to get an idea of ​​the depreciation for the 2021 model year in particular.