Is the Subaru Crosstrek more reliable than the Jeep Renegade?

Not clearly. They are effectively tied, and both have a good standing. The Crosstrek makes fewer unscheduled shop visits and has a lower chance of a major repair. It also has more recalls and more complaints overall. Which one suits you depends on the problems you would rather face.

Which has more recalls, the Crosstrek or the Renegade?

The Crosstrek has more. Federal recall records show 19 recalls across 9 model years for it, against 15 across 6 model years for the Renegade. The Crosstrek has been sold for more model years in this data, so its count has had longer to build.

Which is cheaper to repair?

The Crosstrek, but barely. Independent repair-cost data estimates $492 a year for it and $498 for the Renegade, about $30 apart over five years. The Crosstrek also has the lower chance that a repair is major, at 7% against 9%.

What is the biggest problem with the Subaru Crosstrek?

Windshields that crack easily. Owners describe a small chip that spreads into a long crack, or glass that splits while parked. Some replaced the glass several times and were told it was not covered. Dead batteries are the second most common complaint. The most serious reports involve power cutting out and CVT replacement.

What goes wrong most often on the Jeep Renegade?

Electrical faults lead, followed by engine trouble. Owners report warning lights that flicker together, false automatic braking, and engine shutoff at idle. Engine reports center on oil loss and MultiAir actuator failures. The Renegade's airbag area has 21 crash-linked complaints, mostly owners waiting for recall parts.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Jeep Renegade vs Subaru Crosstrek: Reliability Compared

More Reliable

Jeep Renegade

Good

Subaru Crosstrek

Good

The Subaru Crosstrek and Jeep Renegade are effectively tied on reliability, with nearly identical repair costs. The Crosstrek has fewer shop visits, but cracking windshields and drained batteries trail it. The Renegade's oil loss, warning lights, and airbag recall delays pull it back level.

How Do the Jeep Renegade and Subaru Crosstrek Generations Compare?

Most used Crosstrek shoppers will be looking at second-generation cars. That generation (GT) ran from the 2018 to 2023 model years and received a facelift for 2021. A third generation (GU) began with the 2024 model year. The weakest years, 2018 and 2019, both belong to the second generation. The 2025 and 2026 cars stand out well, but they are new and have had little time to collect complaints. The Renegade stayed in a single generation (BU) that covered 2015 to 2023. It was updated for 2019, 2022, and 2023. Its best years, 2022 and 2023, came after those updates, and the 2023 model closed out the run.

Verdict

The Jeep Renegade is more reliable than the Subaru Crosstrek, scoring 74/100 vs 73/100.

Reliability is effectively tied. Both land at a good standing, and independent repair-cost data puts their yearly bills within a few dollars of each other. The Crosstrek has fewer unscheduled shop visits and a lower chance of a major repair, but it also has more recalls and more owner complaints in total. The deciding factor is what goes wrong. Crosstrek trouble is mostly cracked windshields and dead batteries. Renegade trouble is oil loss, electrical warnings, and an airbag recall wait. Pick by which problems you can tolerate.

Key Differences

1Jeep Renegade has 52.1 fewer complaints per 10k sold
2Subaru Crosstrek costs $6 less per year to repair
3Jeep Renegade has 4 fewer total recalls

Category Scoreboard

3Jeep Renegade

—

3Subaru Crosstrek

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostRepair FrequencyMajor Repair Risk

Jeep Renegade vs Subaru Crosstrek: Which Is More Reliable?

Jeep Renegade vs Subaru Crosstrek at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Jeep Renegade	Subaru Crosstrek
Reliability Score	74/100	73/100
Years Tracked	6	9
Total Recalls	15	19
Complaints per 10k Sold	20.4	72.5
Annual Repair Cost	$498/yr	$492/yr
Repair Frequency	0.2/yr	0.1/yr
Major Repair Risk	9%	7%
Year Wins	4	2

What Are the Common Problems With the Jeep Renegade and Subaru Crosstrek?

Windshields lead the Crosstrek complaints. Owners describe a small chip spreading into a long crack, sometimes on a parked car, and some replaced the glass two or three times. Batteries that drain overnight come next. Its power train area is the most serious: 8 crash-linked reports of power cutting out, CVT replacements, and a car rolling back on a hill. The Renegade leans toward oil burning, MultiAir actuator failures, warning lights that flicker, and rough shifting. Its airbag area has 21 crash-linked complaints, mostly owners waiting on recall parts. The Crosstrek has no airbag category among its main problems.

Jeep Renegade vs Subaru Crosstrek common problem areas comparison
Component	Jeep Renegade	Subaru Crosstrek
VISIBILITY/WIPER	0.1Very Low	21.8High
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	2.8Low	12.8Above Avg
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	5.5Average	8.8Above Avg
ENGINE	3.8Average	3.3Average
POWER TRAIN	2.5Low	4.6Average
VISIBILITY	—None	3.6Average
STEERING	0.4Very Low	3Low
STRUCTURE	0.2Very Low	1.7Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.1Very Low	1.7Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	0.1Very Low	1.3Low
AIR BAGS	0.9Very Low	0.5Very Low
SERVICE BRAKES	0.4Very Low	0.8Very Low
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	—None	1.2Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	0.9Very Low	0.2Very Low
TIRES	0.1Very Low	0.3Very Low
SEATS	—None	0.4Very Low
SEAT BELTS	0.1Very Low	0.2Very Low
LANE DEPARTURE	0.1Very Low	0.2Very Low
FUEL SYSTEM	0.3Very Low	—None
BACK OVER PREVENTION	0.1Very Low	—None

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

Which Is Cheaper to Maintain: Jeep Renegade or Subaru Crosstrek?

Independent repair-cost data puts the Crosstrek at $492 a year and the Renegade at $498. That $6 gap comes to about $30 over five years, which is too small to matter. Shop visits separate them more: 0.1 unscheduled visits a year for the Crosstrek against 0.2 for the Renegade. A repair is also less likely to be major on the Crosstrek, at 7% versus 9%. Neither figure includes windshield replacement, which Crosstrek owners complained about often.

How Does Jeep Renegade vs Subaru Crosstrek Reliability Compare by Year?

Jeep Renegade vs Subaru Crosstrek year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Jeep Renegade	Subaru Crosstrek	Edge
2023	77/1002R / 20C	81/1000R / 28C	Subaru Crosstrek
2022	76/1002R / 24C	78/1001R / 28C	Subaru Crosstrek
2021	75/1002R / 64C	67/1002R / 97C	Jeep Renegade
2020	75/1003R / 62C	72/1001R / 62C	Jeep Renegade
2019	75/1004R / 77C	56/1008R / 272C	Jeep Renegade
2018	65/1002R / 440C	60/1005R / 186C	Jeep Renegade

Best years to cross-shop: The 2023 Jeep Renegade scored 77/100 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 Jeep Renegade vs the Subaru Crosstrek?

Choose the Crosstrek if you want fewer trips to the shop and can live with glass risk. Its 0.1 unscheduled visits a year beats the Renegade's 0.2. Budget for windshield replacement, since EyeSight cameras raised one owner's quote to $2500. Avoid 2018 and 2019, the weakest years, and note that owners reported battery drain on the 2019. Treat 2025 and 2026 as unproven, because they have had little time to collect complaints. Cars between those groups are the safer middle ground. Choose the Renegade if windshields and battery drain worry you more than other faults. Ask for proof that a mechanic checked the oil level and that any airbag recall work is finished before you buy. Owners reported waiting for parts, and one dealer called the airbags inoperable. Target 2022 and 2023, its strongest years. Avoid 2018 and 2021, the weakest. Skip any Renegade with an airbag warning light on, a stalling history, or oil loss.

Jeep Renegade vs Subaru Crosstrek: Common Questions

Is the Subaru Crosstrek more reliable than the Jeep Renegade?: Not clearly. They are effectively tied, and both have a good standing. The Crosstrek makes fewer unscheduled shop visits and has a lower chance of a major repair. It also has more recalls and more complaints overall. Which one suits you depends on the problems you would rather face.
Which has more recalls, the Crosstrek or the Renegade?: The Crosstrek has more. Federal recall records show 19 recalls across 9 model years for it, against 15 across 6 model years for the Renegade. The Crosstrek has been sold for more model years in this data, so its count has had longer to build.
Which is cheaper to repair?: The Crosstrek, but barely. Independent repair-cost data estimates $492 a year for it and $498 for the Renegade, about $30 apart over five years. The Crosstrek also has the lower chance that a repair is major, at 7% against 9%.
What is the biggest problem with the Subaru Crosstrek?: Windshields that crack easily. Owners describe a small chip that spreads into a long crack, or glass that splits while parked. Some replaced the glass several times and were told it was not covered. Dead batteries are the second most common complaint. The most serious reports involve power cutting out and CVT replacement.
What goes wrong most often on the Jeep Renegade?: Electrical faults lead, followed by engine trouble. Owners report warning lights that flicker together, false automatic braking, and engine shutoff at idle. Engine reports center on oil loss and MultiAir actuator failures. The Renegade's airbag area has 21 crash-linked complaints, mostly owners waiting for recall parts.

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How we score the Jeep Renegade 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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