Is the Subaru Crosstrek Reliable?willia walkerWe buy our cars with the expectation that they won't be troublesome to own. Outside of basic maintenance and consumable replacements, no one wants to deal with persistent issues or catastrophic and costly failures. Bearing that in mind, we wanted to find out what to expect reliability wise from the Subaru Crosstrek, which is both a MotorTrend favorite (it's presently our No. 1 rated subcompact SUV) and a hit with buyers.To help us get to the bottom of things, we consulted J.D. Power and its Dependability Studies. The Crosstrek's initial prognosis is very good: In the agency's 2026 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study, the subcompact SUV was named The Most Dependable Small SUV in America, beating out the likes of the Mini Countryman, Buick Encore GX, and Hyundai Venue. This is based on survey feedback collected from real owners over the course of their first three years of vehicle ownership.Within J.D. Power's overall Consumer Rating, which is out of a 100-point score, the 2026 Crosstrek scored 85 points in the Quality & Reliability category. This is where defects, malfunctions, design flaws, engines, and infotainment systems are all evaluated. The higher the score, the fewer the issues.willia walker - MotorTrendIt's still too early to say for 2026 owners, but the 2025 Crosstrek, which is the same generation as the 2026, was praised for the comfort of its driver's seat and how it handles itself in slippery conditions. Owners weren't as stoked, however, about the Crosstrek's fuel economy or how well the onboard voice assistant worked. This was all after 90 days of ownership.AdvertisementAdvertisementTo recap, the Crosstrek comes in gas-only or hybrid versions, the latter of which is new to this generation. Gas-powered Crosstreks make do with a 2.5-liter flat-four that produces 180 hp and 178 lb-ft of torque. Five grades are offered, and you can see which one we think is best here. Fuel economy is EPA-rated at 27/33 mpg city/highway.The Crosstrek Hybrid takes the Crosstrek's great packaging and makes getting around more efficient. Its fuel economy is an EPA-rated 36/36 mpg city/highway thanks to a 2.5-liter flat-four engine, an electric motor, and a 1.1-kWh battery. Output from that powertrain is 194 combined horsepower. Only two grades are offered, making the choice easier.All Crosstreks come with standard all-wheel drive, but they also still currently use Subaru's outgoing user interface and infotainment setup, which we're not particularly fond of. Prices for the gas-only version start at $28,445, and it's $35,445 for the hybrid.willia walker - MotorTrendOverall, J.D. Power gives the Crosstrek a Consumer-Verified score of 86 points out of 100. Its dealership experience is rated Best at 91 points, and resale value is Great at 89 points. The only Average rating is for the driving experience at 78 points, which we get. Despite the added low-end power, even the Crosstrek Hybrid is rather slow. Still, it did beat out the Hyundai Kona Limited 1.6T in this comparison test.AdvertisementAdvertisementAs with everything you buy, if you want your car to last, you'll need to stay on top of its maintenance schedule. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and all that. For Crosstreks specifically, be mindful of its official suggested maintenance schedules, especially concerning its continuously variable transmission. Otherwise, the Crosstrek is largely a very enjoyable and pleasant bite-sized SUV with enough trims and powertrain options to satisfy most prospective buyers.willia walker - MotorTrend
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