Subaru Crosstrek Best and Worst Years

Counting owner complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2019 Subaru Crosstrek drew the most (200; most-reported area: visibility/wiper) and the 2022 the fewest (19).

Data: US EPA and NHTSAUpdated Sep 27, 2026

Every model year since 2016 in one place: EPA fuel economy, NHTSA recalls, owner complaints and crash test ratings. The best fuel economy rating, 36 mpg combined, arrived in 2026. Includes the Crosstrek Hybrid, a plug-in hybrid from 2019 to 2023.

Best and worst years, by owner complaints

Model years ranked by owner complaints filed with NHTSA in their first three years (model year Y: filed by the end of Y+2), so every year is measured over the same time on the road. Years without three full years of data, and launch or final years with very few sold, are left out. Counts are not adjusted for how many were sold.

Model year	First 3 years	All complaints	Recalls
2019 Crosstrek Most reported: visibility/wiper	200	284	8
2018 Crosstrek Most reported: visibility/wiper	98	194	5
2021 Crosstrek Most reported: visibility/wiper	72	116	2
2020 Crosstrek Most reported: visibility/wiper	45	69	1
2017 Crosstrek Most reported: visibility/wiper	33	97	1
2016 Crosstrek Most reported: electrical system	27	134	1
2023 Crosstrek Most reported: electrical system	27	34	0
2022 Crosstrek Most reported: visibility/wiper	19	31	1

Year by year

Model year	Best rating	Recalls	Complaints
2026 MPG · Recalls and problems	36 mpg Hybrid	2	8
2025 MPG · Recalls and problems	29 mpg Gas	0	43
2024 MPG · Recalls and problems	29 mpg Gas	2	118
2023 MPG · Recalls and problems	30 mpg Gas	0	34
2022 MPG · Recalls and problems	30 mpg Gas	1	31
2021 MPG · Recalls and problems	30 mpg Gas	2	116
2020 MPG · Recalls and problems	30 mpg Gas	1	69
2019 MPG · Recalls and problems	29 mpg Gas	8	284
2018 MPG · Recalls and problems	29 mpg Gas	5	194
2017 MPG · Recalls and problems	29 mpg Gas	1	97
2016 MPG · Recalls and problems	31 mpg Hybrid	1	134

Owner complaints by model year

All complaints filed so far. Counts rise with sales volume and with time on the road, so recent years look better than they may turn out. The highlighted bar is the model year with the most complaints in its first three years.

2019: 284 complaints

Show as a table

Owner complaints by model year, Subaru Crosstrek
Model year	Complaints
2016	134
2017	97
2018	194
2019	284
2020	69
2021	116
2022	31
2023	34
2024	118
2025	43
2026	8

Best combined rating by model year

The best-rated version in each model year. Gas: 29 to 30 mpg (every year from 2016 to 2026); highest in 2020. Hybrid: 31 to 36 mpg (2016, 2026); highest in 2026.

Best gas version
Best hybrid version

2026: gas 29 mpg · hybrid 36 mpg

Show as a table

Subaru Crosstrek best combined mpg by model year
Model year	Best gas version	Best hybrid version
2016	29	31
2017	29	–
2018	29	–
2019	29	–
2020	30	–
2021	30	–
2022	30	–
2023	30	–
2024	29	–
2025	29	–
2026	29	36

Comparisons

Subaru Crosstrek vs Honda HR-VMPG, fuel cost, recalls and crash tests

Questions

Which Subaru Crosstrek years have the most problems?

Counting owner complaints filed with NHTSA in each model year's first three years, the 2019 (200) drew the most, then the 2018 (98). Most-reported area for the 2019: visibility/wiper.

Which Subaru Crosstrek years have the fewest problems?

The 2022 (19) drew the fewest complaints in its first three years. The 2024, 2025, and 2026 are not ranked yet: they have had fewer than three full years on the road.

Which Subaru Crosstrek years should you avoid?

Complaint counts can't tell you whether a particular car is sound, but they show where owners reported the most trouble: the 2019, against 39 complaints in a typical Subaru Crosstrek year. Whatever the year, check the car's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy. Safety recall repairs are free at Subaru dealers.

Which Subaru Crosstrek years have the most recalls?

The 2019 has the most safety recalls in NHTSA's file (8), then the 2018 (5). A recall can cover a problem that affects only a few cars, so open a year's page to see what each one covers. One recall tells owners not to drive the car or to park it outside until it is repaired: NHTSA 26V-106 (2026 models).

What are the most common Subaru Crosstrek problems?

Of the 1,128 owner complaints NHTSA lists for 2016 to 2026 models, the areas named most are visibility/wiper (26%), electrical system (17%), and engine (11%). One complaint can name more than one area. The recalls and problems page for each year breaks this down further.

Which Subaru Crosstrek year has the best MPG?

The best EPA fuel economy is 36 mpg combined, first reached by the 2026 hybrid version.

Sources and method

US EPA fuel economy data (fueleconomy.gov), file dated Sep 18, 2026.
NHTSA recall file dated Sep 27, 2026 and owner complaint file dated Sep 26, 2026; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings.

Complaint counts are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.