Summary
The Subaru Crosstrek is a small-medium crossover vehicle, which arrived in the UK in early 2024. It replaces the previous Subaru XV model.
The Crosstrek is based on the latest Subaru Impreza hatchback, which is not sold in the UK. It’s only available with one powertrain, a 2.0-litre petrol engine with hybrid assistance. Although Subaru talks up the ‘hybrid’ element of the Crosstrek, in reality it can’t move more than a few metres on electrical power during stop-start driving. The electric motor’s main job is to support the petrol engine.
Being a more rugged version of a hatchback, rather than an SUV-style vehicle, the Crosstrek doesn’t have many direct rivals. The Ford Focus Active and Kia XCeed have a similar go-anywhere style, but the Subaru is far more capable than them if you actually want to go any further off-road than a gravel car park. As Carwow describes it, “If your idea of a twisting road is a rutted farm track, the Crosstrek is brilliant.”
Like most models in the Subaru family, the focus is on functionality rather than avant-garde design. The cabin is quite roomy, but looks a generation behind the latest crossovers from other brands. Auto Express describesthe dashboard as “old-fashioned”, with “buttons are scattered in hard-to-find places”. The boot size is also disappointing, with What Car? saying “you’ll be hard-pressed to find a family SUV with less boot space”.
For most car buyers, ultimately, the Crosstrek’s off-roading capabilities are less important than on-road comfort, low running costs and urban practicality. In these areas, the new Subaru struggles to score many points.
As of November 2024, the Subaru Crosstrek holds a New Car Expert Rating of B, with a score of 65%. It scores top marks for its excellent safety rating, but its CO2 emissions are only average, running costs are higher than comparable cars and media review scores have been poor. Being a new model, we won’t have any reliability data for some time to come.
Crosstrek highlights
- Far more capable off-road than rivals
- Excellent safety rating
- Decent cabin space
- Comfortable ride
- Subaru customer experience is historically good
Crosstrek lowlights
- Fuel consumption is poor
- ‘Hybrid’ branding is overhyped
- Only one engine and gearbox combination
- Interior ambience not as good as rivals
- Engine is noisy at speed
Key specifications
Body style: Small-medium crossover
Engines: petrol, mild hybrid assistance
Price: From £34,995
Launched: Winter 2023/24
Last updated: N/A
Replacement due: TBA
Image gallery
Reviews, road tests and comparisons from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 6.4 / 10
“The Subaru Crosstrek retains the rugged styling of its siblings but struggles with an identity crisis in this category.”
Author: Trinity Francis
Read review
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 6 / 10
“The new Subaru Crosstrek is an oddball that sits somewhere between a hatch and small SUV, but it’s hard to recommend it over the best in either class.”
Author: Richard Ingram
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Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“Japanese brand’s jacked-up Impreza brings off-road capability to a hatchback canvas.”
Author: Matt Saunders
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Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 6 / 10
“The Subaru Crosstrek is pretty good to drive and amazing off-road, but a poor engine, rubbish economy and high price tag consign it to niche status.”
Author: Tom Wiltshire
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Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 4.4 / 10
“The Subaru Crosstrek is an improvement over the XV – but it doesn’t go far enough.“
Author: Luke Wilkinson
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Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“It might be worth weighing up the importance of four-wheel drive when considering the Subaru Crosstrek. Yes, there are plenty of similarly-styled SUVs out there that boast better driving dynamics and cost less, but they would leave you stranded if faced with tougher terrain. The Crosstrek most definitely wouldn’t.”
Author: Maxine Ashford
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Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 6 / 10
“An old-fashioned feel might be a disadvantage against more modern rivals, but when rugged 4×4 ability is essential, this is a hidden gem.”
Author: Alex Robbins
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Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 6 / 10
“The Crosstrek is a proper old school, rufty-tufy, go anywhere small SUV that is sure to appease the Subaru faithful.”
Author: Peter Rawlins
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Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 4 / 10
“The Subaru Crosstrek is strong off road but can’t match rival family SUVs in other areas.”
Author: Dan Jones
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Safety rating
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
Adult protection: 83%
Child protection: 90%
Vulnerable road users: 85%
Safety assist: 72%
Eco rating
Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP
No eco rating
As of November 2024, the Subaru Crosstrek has not been lab tested by Green NCAP.
Reliability rating
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
No reliability rating
As of November 2024, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Subaru Crosstrek to generate a reliability rating.
The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusively to us using workshop and extended warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy, sourced from both official dealerships and independent workshops.
As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the Crosstrek, we’ll publish the results here.
Running cost rating
Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data
| Fuel consumption | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| Hybrid models | 37 mpg | D | 37 – 37 mpg | D – D |
| CO₂ output | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| Hybrid models | 174 g/km | C | 174 – 174 g/km | C – C |
| Insurance group | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| All models | 20 | A | 20 – 20 | A – A |
| Service and maintenance | Cost | Score |
| Year 1 | £247 | B |
| Year 2 | £597 | B |
| Year 3 | £1,023 | B |
| Year 4 | £1,207 | B |
| Year 5 | £1,667 | B |
| Overall | £4,741 | B |
The Subaru Crosstrek is not as cheap as you might hope to own and run, according to whole-life cost numbers provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our data partner, Clear Vehicle Data.
Fuel consumption is poor, especially since the petrol engine does have a level of electrical hybrid support (although it’s a long way short of a full hybrid, so it can’t run for miles on electricity alone).
The good news is that insurance premiums should be very competitive, while servicing and maintenance bills for the first five years should also be good.
Similar cars
If you’re looking at the Subaru Crosstrek, you might also be interested in these alternatives.
Citroën C5 Aircross | Ford Kuga | Honda CR-V | Hyundai Tucson | Jeep Compass | KGM Korando | Kia Sportage | Mazda CX-5 | MG HS | Mini Countryman | Nissan Qashqai | Peugeot 3008 | Renault Austral | SEAT Ateca | Skoda Karoq | Suzuki S-Cross | Toyota C-HR | Vauxhall Grandland | Volkswagen Tiguan
More information
More news, reviews and information about the Subaru Crosstrek and XV models at The Car Expert
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