Is the Subaru Crosstrek more reliable than the Honda HR-V?

No. The HR-V leads by a large margin. It rates excellent against good for the Crosstrek, costs less to repair each year, and has a lower chance of a major repair. The Crosstrek also draws far more owner complaints for every car sold.

Which has more recalls, the Crosstrek or the HR-V?

The HR-V has more. Federal recall records show 27 across model years 2018 to 2026, against 19 for the Crosstrek. More recalls do not make a car less reliable by themselves, and the HR-V still rates higher on reliability.

Which costs less to repair, the Crosstrek or the HR-V?

The HR-V. Independent repair-cost data estimates $301 a year for it and $492 for the Crosstrek. That adds up to about $955 over five years. Both average 0.1 unscheduled shop visits a year, so the gap comes from the repair bills.

Do Crosstrek windshields really crack easily?

Owner complaints say so. It is the Crosstrek's biggest problem area. Owners describe a small chip spreading into a long crack, often within the first 19,000 miles, and some are on a second or third windshield. One owner was quoted $2500 because of the EyeSight cameras.

What goes wrong most often on the Honda HR-V?

Windshield cracks lead the complaints, followed by the electrical system. Owners describe a right-side instrument cluster that flickers or goes dark in cold or damp weather, and dealers quote $1800 or more to replace it. Steering, stalling, and no-start reports also carry crash-linked complaints.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Honda HR-V vs Subaru Crosstrek: Reliability Compared

More Reliable

Honda HR-V

Excellent

Subaru Crosstrek

Good

The Honda HR-V beats the Subaru Crosstrek on reliability by a large margin. Repairs cost less each year. The Crosstrek still rates good, but its owners file far more complaints for every car sold, and a repair on it is more likely to be major.

How Do the Honda HR-V and Subaru Crosstrek Generations Compare?

Most used Crosstrek shopping lands in the second generation, which ran from 2018 to 2023 and got a facelift in 2021. Its weakest years, 2018 and 2019, were the first two of that run. A third generation began in 2024. The HR-V's second generation ran from 2016 to 2022 and was refreshed in 2019, which is also one of its weakest years. The third generation arrived in 2023, and 2023 is the other weak year. For both cars, 2025 and 2026 rank strongest only because they are new and have had little time to collect complaints.

Verdict

The Honda HR-V is more reliable than the Subaru Crosstrek, scoring 83/100 vs 73/100.

The more reliable pick is the Honda HR-V, and the gap is large. Independent repair-cost data puts its yearly repair bill well below the Crosstrek's, and a repair on it is less likely to be major. Its standing is excellent, against good for the Subaru. The HR-V does have more federal recalls, and its instrument cluster and steering complaints are real. Even so, the Crosstrek draws far more owner complaints for every car sold.

Key Differences

1Honda HR-V costs $191 less per year to repair
2Honda HR-V has 61.2 fewer complaints per 10k sold
3Honda HR-V scores 10 points higher in reliability

Category Scoreboard

4Honda HR-V

—

1Subaru Crosstrek

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostRepair FrequencyMajor Repair Risk

Honda HR-V vs Subaru Crosstrek: Which Is More Reliable?

Honda HR-V vs Subaru Crosstrek at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Honda HR-V	Subaru Crosstrek
Reliability Score	83/100	73/100
Years Tracked	9	9
Total Recalls	27	19
Complaints per 10k Sold	11.3	72.5
Annual Repair Cost	$301/yr	$492/yr
Repair Frequency	0.1/yr	0.1/yr
Major Repair Risk	5%	7%
Year Wins	8	1

What Are the Common Problems With the Honda HR-V and Subaru Crosstrek?

Windshield cracking shows up on both cars, but the Crosstrek's is the heavier story: cracks that spread from a tiny chip, repeat replacements, and a high bill because of the EyeSight cameras. Its other trouble is dead batteries, CVT failures, and ignition coil faults that cut power. Eight powertrain complaints are crash-linked. The HR-V's weak spots are a flickering instrument cluster, liftgate glass that breaks on its own, and stalling or no-start problems. Its steering area carries 13 crash-linked complaints, and the Crosstrek has no steering category in its top five.

Honda HR-V vs Subaru Crosstrek common problem areas comparison
Component	Honda HR-V	Subaru Crosstrek
VISIBILITY/WIPER	2.2Low	21.8High
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	2.2Low	12.8Above Avg
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	1.5Low	8.8Above Avg
POWER TRAIN	0.4Very Low	4.6Average
VISIBILITY	0.7Very Low	3.6Average
STEERING	1.2Low	3Low
ENGINE	0.1Very Low	3.3Average
STRUCTURE	0.4Very Low	1.7Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.2Very Low	1.7Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	0.2Very Low	1.3Low
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	—None	1.2Low
SERVICE BRAKES	0.3Very Low	0.8Very Low
AIR BAGS	0.3Very Low	0.5Very Low
FUEL SYSTEM	0.7Very Low	—None
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	0.3Very Low	0.2Very Low
SEATS	—None	0.4Very Low
SEAT BELTS	0.1Very Low	0.2Very Low
TIRES	—None	0.3Very Low
LANE DEPARTURE	—None	0.2Very Low

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

Which Is Cheaper to Maintain: Honda HR-V or Subaru Crosstrek?

Running costs favor the HR-V. Independent repair-cost data estimates $301 a year for it and $492 for the Crosstrek, a gap of $191 a year. Over five years, that is about $955 in the HR-V's favor. Both cars average the same 0.1 unscheduled shop visits a year, so the difference is in the size of the bill. A repair on the Crosstrek has a 7% chance of being major, against 5% for the HR-V.

How Does Honda HR-V vs Subaru Crosstrek Reliability Compare by Year?

Honda HR-V vs Subaru Crosstrek year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Honda HR-V	Subaru Crosstrek	Edge
2026	100/1000R / 5C	94/1000R / 1C	Honda HR-V
2025	88/1001R / 26C	83/1000R / 25C	Honda HR-V
2024	83/1004R / 94C	69/1002R / 95C	Honda HR-V
2023	73/1003R / 673C	81/1000R / 28C	Subaru Crosstrek
2022	83/1003R / 62C	78/1001R / 28C	Honda HR-V
2021	86/1003R / 52C	67/1002R / 97C	Honda HR-V
2020	80/1004R / 71C	72/1001R / 62C	Honda HR-V
2019	75/1006R / 185C	56/1008R / 272C	Honda HR-V
2018	78/1003R / 141C	60/1005R / 186C	Honda HR-V

Best years to cross-shop: The 2021 Honda HR-V scored 86/100 and the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek scored 81/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Honda HR-V vs the Subaru Crosstrek?

Pick the HR-V if you want the lower running cost and the better reliability record. Owner complaints and repair-cost data both favor it. Target the later years of the second generation, up to 2022, and skip 2019 and 2023, its two weakest years. Before you buy, check that the instrument cluster stays steady on a cold start, and ask whether the fuel pump recall work is finished. Some owners have waited a long time for parts. Pick the Crosstrek if you prefer it and can live with a higher repair bill. Avoid 2018 and 2019, its two weakest years. Look closely at the windshield, since cracks are the top complaint and replacement can be costly with the EyeSight cameras. Test the battery and watch for hesitation under power. The newest 2025 and 2026 cars look clean mostly because they have had little time to collect complaints, so do not treat them as proven.

Honda HR-V vs Subaru Crosstrek: Common Questions

Is the Subaru Crosstrek more reliable than the Honda HR-V?: No. The HR-V leads by a large margin. It rates excellent against good for the Crosstrek, costs less to repair each year, and has a lower chance of a major repair. The Crosstrek also draws far more owner complaints for every car sold.
Which has more recalls, the Crosstrek or the HR-V?: The HR-V has more. Federal recall records show 27 across model years 2018 to 2026, against 19 for the Crosstrek. More recalls do not make a car less reliable by themselves, and the HR-V still rates higher on reliability.
Which costs less to repair, the Crosstrek or the HR-V?: The HR-V. Independent repair-cost data estimates $301 a year for it and $492 for the Crosstrek. That adds up to about $955 over five years. Both average 0.1 unscheduled shop visits a year, so the gap comes from the repair bills.
Do Crosstrek windshields really crack easily?: Owner complaints say so. It is the Crosstrek's biggest problem area. Owners describe a small chip spreading into a long crack, often within the first 19,000 miles, and some are on a second or third windshield. One owner was quoted $2500 because of the EyeSight cameras.
What goes wrong most often on the Honda HR-V?: Windshield cracks lead the complaints, followed by the electrical system. Owners describe a right-side instrument cluster that flickers or goes dark in cold or damp weather, and dealers quote $1800 or more to replace it. Steering, stalling, and no-start reports also carry crash-linked complaints.

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How we score the Honda HR-V and Subaru Crosstrek

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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