The Subaru Forester is near and dear to my heart. I grew up in rural Vermont and it might as well be the official state car. Why? Affordable and reliable AWD. The “boxy” Forester may also be cheaper on the used market than its more “stylish” Outback and WRX siblings. But many drivers prefer the crossover SUV’s extra space. I even learned to drive in one! Here are the three best recent Subaru Forester model years to consider.

2018 – best recent Subaru Forester year

Subaru began selling the fifth generation of its Forester for 2019. And we don’t have a ton of real-world data on how reliable those are yet. But the good news about the redesign is that the 2018 models are out of fashion and cheaper on the used market. As with most cars, Subaru worked out several issues during the fourth-generation’s run (2014-2018), so its no surprise that the 2018 was one of the most reliable Subarus ever.

How do we know the 2018 is one of the best Subaru Forester years? Very few customer complaints. Keep in mind that Subaru sold 170,000 2018 Foresters in the U.S. The most common issue the NHTSA recorded “seat belts/air bags,” as reported by 99 owners. Sound scary? Subaru reported that the passenger seat weight sensor could malfunction and the passenger airbag could shut off, so it recalled every car and replaced this sensor. If you are considering a 2018 Forester, just make sure this work has already been done. Subaru also did a recall to replace the fuel pumps on this model year.

See how the 2018 Subaru Forester stacked up to the 2018 Mazda CX-5.

2016 – great 4th-gen Subaru Forester year

The 2016 model year, about halfway through the fourth generation, enjoyed another significant dip in the number of owner complaints. It was subject to the same airbag sensor recall (and the NHTSA reports 93 owner complaints about the 2016’s seat belts/airbags). Otherwise it had just 76 complaints for interior accessory problems and 61 complaints for electrical problems. Additional recalls this year were to replace the brake light switch and an intake on turbocharged models.

For the fourth generation of the Forester, Subaru dropped the regular automatic transmission for what’s called a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The result was up to 32 mpg on the highway for the same four-cylinder engine, but the downside was a reduced towing capacity. When the fourth generation first came out, Motor Trend awarded it “SUV of the Year” award.

2013, 2012 – best Subaru Forester years for a bargain

This final best Subaru Forester year is actually a two-for-one. Subaru introduced the third generation Forester for the 2009 model year. It also won “SUV of the year.” And by 2013, the automaker appeared to have most of the vehicle’s problems worked out. In fact, it enjoyed almost no owner complaints in either 2012 or 2013. For both of these years–combined–the NHTSA logged just over 100 owner complaints of an engine problem. That’s even fewer than in later years.

For shoppers in a state without a ton of road salt rusting out cars in the winter, a decade-old Subaru Forester without a ton of miles could potentially be a good investment. But it would be a wise idea to have your mechanic look it over before you buy.