Subaru Crosstrek vs Subaru XV Crosstrek: which is more reliable?
The Subaru XV Crosstrek is ahead of the Subaru Crosstrek on the federal record, 87/100 against 77/100 — a real but narrow gap that a bad model year on either side closes.
The record, side by side
Subaru Crosstrek
- 6 model years scored
- 800 owner complaints on record
- about 25 complaints per year on the road
- 14 recall campaigns, 8 safety-critical
- best year 2020 (93/100) · worst 2019 (51/100)
Subaru XV Crosstrek
- 4 model years scored
- 304 owner complaints on record
- about 6 complaints per year on the road
- 3 recall campaigns, 1 safety-critical
- best year 2016 (94/100) · worst 2015 (84/100)
Mean score is the average across model years from 2013 on, where both records are comparable. How the score works.
Year by year: Crosstrek against XV Crosstrek
The comparison that decides the purchase. A nameplate is not one car — a redesign can move the record sixty points inside two years, and the two nameplates rarely move together.
What owners actually complain about
Subaru Crosstrek
- Visibility/Wiper — 263 complaints
- Unknown Or Other — 169 complaints
- Electrical System — 134 complaints
Subaru XV Crosstrek
- Engine — 67 complaints
- Power Train — 66 complaints
- Unknown Or Other — 64 complaints
They do not fail the same way: the Crosstrek's complaints concentrate in Visibility/Wiper, the XV Crosstrek's in Engine. That difference matters more to a buyer than the score gap, because it says which repair bill you are taking on.
Years to avoid on each
Subaru Crosstrek: no model year scores below 45; the strongest are 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2025.
Subaru XV Crosstrek: no model year scores below 45; the strongest are 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016.
A year scores below 45 on complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns. Every car’s years to avoid.
What each costs today
A recent used Subaru Crosstrek prices at about $32,900 and a Subaru XV Crosstrek at about $14,700 — the Subaru XV Crosstrek is roughly $18,200 less, and they return 29.0 against 29.0 MPG combined.
Class-level estimates re-priced to your country, not a valuation of one car. Method.
FAQ
Is the Subaru Crosstrek or the Subaru XV Crosstrek more reliable?
On the NHTSA record the Subaru XV Crosstrek scores 87/100 against the Subaru Crosstrek's 77/100, averaged across every model year we hold. The gap is small enough that the model year matters more than the badge.
Which Subaru Crosstrek and Subaru XV Crosstrek years should I avoid?
Subaru Crosstrek: no year scores below 45. Subaru XV Crosstrek: no year scores below 45. Each of those scores under 45 out of 100 on complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns.
What goes wrong on the Subaru Crosstrek and the Subaru XV Crosstrek?
The largest complaint group on the Subaru Crosstrek is Visibility/Wiper (263 complaints); on the Subaru XV Crosstrek it is Engine (67).
Is the Subaru Crosstrek or the Subaru XV Crosstrek cheaper to own?
A recent used Subaru Crosstrek prices at about $32,900 and a Subaru XV Crosstrek at about $14,700, before insurance and the maintenance band. Both pages carry the five-year running-cost figure.