Subaru introduced the first Outback in 1995 as a rugged-looking version of the Legacy station wagon. In 1996, the automaker raised the Outback’s suspension, installed oversized fog lights, and wrapped the wheels in white-lettered tyres. North Americans loved it, even though they’d rejected the philosophically identical AMC Eagle Wagon a decade earlier. And with the lifted Outback—and the original 1996 Toyota RAV4—the modern crossover was born. It also laid the foundations for the more rugged Forester, which appeared a year later.
Naturally, Subaru thought the same trick might work on the smaller Impreza hatchback. So, for the 1997 model year, Subaru gave it the Outback treatment and called it the Outback Sport. It wasn’t as popular as its larger Legacy-based sibling, but Subaru kept the Impreza-based version through to the 2011 model year.
So, what does any of this have to do with the Subaru Crosstrek? Well, in 2013, a new model debuted called the XV Crosstrek. It used that same Outback Sport recipe, but this time an Impreza-based crossover proved more appealing. In 2016, the Crosstrek dropped the “XV” part of its name, and by the mid-2020s, the Crosstrek was the best-selling Subaru in Canada.
At its heart, the Subaru Crosstrek is a simple vehicle. It has a four-cylinder boxer engine, a manual or continuously variable transmission, and the company’s symmetrical all-wheel drive (AWD) system. Based on a car built for basic transportation, the Crosstrek lacks technological complexity but makes up for it with plenty of personality. With generous ground clearance, protective bodywork, and pedestal-style roof rails perfect for tying down extra cargo, it’s a budget-friendly and practical daily driver.
Repair Pal gives the Crosstrek an "Excellent" reliability rating, perhaps partly because of its simplicity. CarComplaints.com isn’t as positive, and owners report more trouble with Crosstreks during the first year or two after a redesign. The third-generation 2024 Crosstrek broke that trend, but that could change over time.
Should you buy a used Subaru Crosstrek? If the car has been properly maintained and you don’t find any red flags on a vehicle history report, then a used Crosstrek should serve you well. With a decent set of tyres, it effortlessly blasts through snow and gets good fuel economy. It’s also known for its safety, although in recent years Subaru’s littlest crossover has had some trouble excelling in updated crash tests performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
Subaru Crosstrek Buying Guide: Cost, Reliability, and the Best Years to Buy
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Subaru Crosstrek Pros and Cons
- Subaru Crosstrek Generations
- Third generation (2024 to Present)
- Second generation (2018 to 2023)
- First generation (2013 to 2017)
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Subaru Crosstrek years are the best?
Unless you can afford a third-generation Crosstrek, we recommend choosing an example from the last three production years of each generation—the 2015-2017 models and the 2020-2022 models. Based on CarComplaints.com reports, Crosstreks produced more owner dissatisfaction during the first two years following a redesign. Also, in these years the Crosstrek earned “Top Safety Pick” ratings from the IIHS.
What are the worst Subaru Crosstrek years?
Historically, the first model year after a redesign has produced the most owner complaints, so you might want to avoid the 2013 XV Crosstrek and the 2018 Crosstrek. The redesigned 2024 Crosstrek hasn’t suffered the same fate so far, but time will tell.
Is a used Subaru Crosstrek a good deal?
According to CarEdge, these little Subarus hold their value well and command a premium over other small crossover SUVs. However, given their impressive overall reliability rating from Repair Pal, their many talents, and their historical track record for safety, a used Crosstrek might still be a good deal, even if it has a higher price than similarly sized alternatives.
However, remember that Crosstreks are popular where it snows, and many have spent considerable time off-road. In addition to obtaining a vehicle history report on any used Crosstrek, put this Subaru on a lift for an undercarriage inspection to ensure it hasn’t seen abuse and/or indifferent care and maintenance.
Subaru Crosstrek Pros and Cons
Pros
- Standard AWD and lots of ground clearance
- Plenty of utility in a small package
- Favourable reliability, safety, and EPA fuel economy ratings
Cons
- Anaemic acceleration with base engines
- Lots of noise and transmission droning with CVT
- Hybrids are in short supply
Subaru Crosstrek Generations
Third generation (2024 to Present)
The new Subaru Crosstrek was redesigned for the 2024 model year, again based on the latest version of the Impreza five-door hatchback. Sticking with a tried-and-true formula, Subaru made incremental changes instead of significant revisions to the third-generation Crosstrek.
However, the automaker expanded the lineup to include a new Crosstrek Wilderness model with improved off-roading capability and styling to match. The Crosstrek Wilderness adds extra dark grey body cladding and underbody protection, a further raised suspension with an impressive 23.5 centimetres of ground clearance, all-terrain tyres wrapped around exclusive alloy wheels, and a dual-function version of Subaru’s X-Mode traction system. Those upgrades, plus hill descent control, allowed the Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness to go places other Crosstrek models could not. (Note that, at the time of writing, a Crosstrek Wilderness model will not be available for 2026 due to the ongoing tariff situation.)
Speaking of other Crosstreks, the Canadian lineup also includes Convenience, Touring, Onyx, and Limited trim levels. In 2024 and 2025, the Convenience and Touring had a 152-horsepower 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, while the Crosstrek Onyx, Limited, and Wilderness came with a larger 182 hp 2.5-litre four-cylinder unit. The larger unit will be the default for all trims for 2026 except the hybrid, which is detailed below. All versions have a continuously variable transmission (CVT) with paddle shifters on Touring trim and upwards, plus standard AWD. Unlike with previous generations, a manual transmission is unavailable.
With all but the Convenience trim—which has the likes of heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, push-button start, a USB-A socket, and cloth upholstery—the redesign brought a next-generation 11.6-inch Subaru Starlink touchscreen infotainment multimedia system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. (The Crosstrek Convenience has a dual seven-inch display screen setup with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.) Subaru also improved the Crosstrek’s available navigation system and Starlink connected services and added a standard wireless smartphone charger and power driver’s seat for the upper trim levels.
On the safety front, a next-generation Subaru EyeSight driver assist technology package debuted. New cameras offer a wider field of view for improved system performance. On trim levels equipped with blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, a new Automatic Emergency Steering system works at speeds below 80 km/h to help prevent collisions.
For the 2026 model year, the Crosstrek lineup expands with a new hybrid powertrain. Based on a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine, it supplies a combined 194 horsepower and improved fuel economy, while retaining nearly all the available cargo space. In Canada, the new 2026 Crosstrek Hybrid comes exclusively in a fully equipped Limited trim.
Because third-generation Crosstreks are relatively new, prices remain high. Used examples with fewer than 50,000 kilometres start at roughly $28,000, with low-kilometre Limited and Wilderness variants commanding top dollar. At the time of writing, that’s not much of a discount from the MSRP of a brand-new Crosstrek, so you might want to pursue one nobody else has already owned.
Second generation (2018 to 2023)
Wisely, Subaru did not mess with success when it introduced the second-generation Crosstrek. Still, the small crossover SUV was much more different under its familiar skin than you might guess.
Built on an all-new platform with significantly improved structural rigidity, equipped with a new direct-injected 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, and featuring a new active torque vectoring AWD system, the 2018 Crosstrek was substantially different from the vehicle it replaced. The engine made 152 horsepower, but the slight increase in output wasn’t noticeable. Subaru continued to offer both a manual gearbox and a CVT.
Safety improved with the second-gen Crosstrek thanks to the automaker’s latest ring-shaped reinforcement frame safety architecture and new EyeSight technologies. The infotainment systems offered a 6.5-inch or an eight-inch touchscreen display, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity became available for the first time. The Starlink connected services platform continued to offer features such as automatic collision notification and SOS emergency assistance.
The second-generation Crosstrek was also larger than the SUV it replaced. The interior offered more room, particularly rear-seat legroom. Cargo space expanded from 589 litres to 1,571 litres with the rear seats folded down.
In 2018, the Crosstrek trim levels were Convenience, Touring, Sport, and Limited. Those continued in 2019 when Subaru added improved infotainment software to the crossover. A Crosstrek Hybrid debuted in Canada in 2020, this time as a plug-in hybrid offering 27 kilometres of electric-only driving and 6.7 litres per 100 kilometres in combined driving when using the gasoline engine.
Although the Crosstrek Hybrid’s total system output measured only 148 hp, Subaru claimed that when using the gas engine and electric propulsion motor simultaneously, it accelerated faster than a standard Crosstrek to 100 km/h. When cruising, it could travel at speeds up to 105 km/h on electricity, and if you left home with a full battery and gas tank, the Crosstrek Hybrid could cover an estimated 747 kilometres.
The 2020 Crosstrek Hybrid was the most expensive and fully loaded model in the lineup. It also had less cargo space than the gas-only Crosstreks, with only 450 litres behind the back seat and a maximum of 1,220 litres.
In 2020, a new taillight design debuted, and versions with a CVT gained Subaru SI-Drive driving modes and standard EyeSight safety features.
Subaru refreshed the Crosstrek lineup for the 2021 model year. In addition to minor styling enhancements, the 2021 Crosstrek lineup added a new Outdoor trim level equipped with a more powerful 182 hp 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine (also standard with Crosstrek Limited trim). The 2021 Subaru Crosstrek Outdoor also came with StarTex artificial leather upholstery and a dual-function X-Mode traction system for improved performance in dirt, mud, snow, and deep snow.
Additional changes for the 2021 Crosstreks included a new lane-centring assist system for the EyeSight package. When used with the standard adaptive cruise control, it provided hands-on semi-autonomous highway driving. Subaru also re-tuned the Crosstrek Hybrid’s suspension in 2021. Subaru made no further changes to the second-generation model.
CarComplaints.com indicates that the most common gripes about the second-gen Crosstrek pertain to its technology, mainly the Starlink infotainment systems. Subaru appeared to have resolved those issues by the 2020 model year, and the 2020 to 2023 versions of the SUV are remarkably trouble-free. Nevertheless, it remains a good idea to get a vehicle history report to root out any hidden issues.
Second-generation Crosstreks with fewer than 100,000 kilometres are easy to find, but the plug-in hybrids are scarce. Expect to pay anywhere from around $20,000 to about $34,000, depending on the trim level, odometer reading, and condition.
First generation (2013 to 2017)
Before 2013, Subaru offered its customers the Outback Sport, a more rugged version of the Impreza five-door hatchback equipped with different styling details and some extra ground clearance. It wasn’t broadly popular, but the 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek quickly became a hit.
Featuring a significant 7.5-centimetre increase in ground clearance over the Impreza, purposeful lower body cladding and wheel designs, and a sturdy pedestal-style roof rack, the XV Crosstrek shed its Outback Jr. status to appeal to new buyers seeking all-road, all-weather capability in a compact, utilitarian package.
Acceleration was not the XV Crosstrek’s strong suit due to an underwhelming 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine making 148 horsepower. Fans of manual transmissions found some joy in the car’s standard five-speed gearbox, while the available CVT created a lot more noise than forward momentum. Undeniably, though, the XV Crosstrek was fun to toss around on dirt roads and for tackling moderately challenging trails.
With seating for four (five if absolutely necessary) and between 631 and 1,469 litres of cargo space, the 2013 XV Crosstrek was small inside but exceptionally practical. In Canada, it came in three trim levels: Touring, Sport, and Limited.
In 2014, Subaru introduced the XV Crosstrek Hybrid, which featured an electric motor integrated into the CVT. The hybrid produced 160 horsepower, offered 7.7 L/100 km in combined driving, included AWD, and preserved the Crosstrek’s 22 centimetres of ground clearance. However, the battery reduced the available cargo space, lessening the SUV’s utility.
The 2015 XV Crosstrek lineup added a new Technology Package with Subaru’s EyeSight driving assistance technology, which was available for the Sport and Limited trims.
Subaru dropped the “XV” part of the name for 2016 and gave the Crosstrek a mid-cycle refresh with updated styling.
For the first-generation’s final model year, the 2017 Crosstrek was available as a Kazan special edition in red paint, and blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert became available. Subaru discontinued the Crosstrek Hybrid by 2017.
According to CarComplaints.com, the 2013 XV Crosstrek suffers from mechanical problems related to the drivetrain, the steering, and the wheels. Some of these issues also pertain to the 2014 model, though not at the same frequency. Hybrids are less problematic. Nevertheless, regardless of which first-generation Crosstrek you’re considering, get a vehicle history report and an inspection by a mechanic who knows their Subarus.
Finding a used first-generation Crosstrek with less than 160,000 kilometres on the odometer shouldn’t be too challenging in Canada. These range from $10,000 to $20,000, depending on the year, the trim level, the transmission, and the odometer reading. Crosstrek Hybrids of this generation are a rare breed.
