Is the Mazda CX-30 more reliable than the Subaru Crosstrek?

No. The Crosstrek has a clear edge. Both stand as good, but the Crosstrek has repair-cost data showing rare unscheduled visits. The CX-30 has fewer complaints, yet they include braking, airbag, and total power loss reports that raise safety concerns.

Which has more recalls, the CX-30 or the Crosstrek?

The Crosstrek. Federal recall records show 19 recalls across 9 model years for it, against 10 across 7 model years for the CX-30. The Crosstrek has been sold for more model years, so it has had longer to collect them.

Which costs less to repair?

Only the Crosstrek has repair-cost data here. It averages $492 a year, 0.1 unscheduled shop visits a year, and a 7% chance a repair is major. Over five years that comes to about $2,460. No comparable CX-30 figures are available.

Why do Crosstrek windshields crack so often?

The data does not give a cause. Owners report star cracks from tiny pebbles that spread within minutes or hours, and glass splitting while parked. Most appear early, under about 19,000 miles. Dealers often call it rock damage, and EyeSight cameras can raise replacement cost.

What is the main safety complaint on the CX-30?

Automatic emergency braking that stops the car with nothing ahead. Owners report it on busy multi-lane roads, one of them 11 times, and dealers often cannot reproduce it. Six brake complaints are linked to crashes. Airbags deploying without a crash are also reported.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Mazda CX-30 vs Subaru Crosstrek: Reliability Compared

Mazda CX-30

Good

More Reliable

Subaru Crosstrek

Good

On reliability, the Subaru Crosstrek beats the Mazda CX-30 by a clear margin. The CX-30 has crash-linked brake and airbag complaints the Crosstrek lacks. Cracked windshields lead the Crosstrek's complaints, but they are less serious than the CX-30's braking and airbag faults.

How Do the Mazda CX-30 and Subaru Crosstrek Generations Compare?

Most used Crosstrek shoppers will land in the second generation (GT), which covered 2018 through 2023 and received a facelift for 2021. The weakest years, 2018 and 2019, both fall before that facelift, so the facelift is the line to watch. The third generation (GU) began with the 2024 model year. For the CX-30, the first generation (DM) is listed for 2020 through 2024, so the early 2020 and 2021 cars, the weakest years, are the oldest design you will see on the used market.

Verdict

The Subaru Crosstrek is more reliable than the Mazda CX-30, scoring 73/100 vs 67/100.

A clear edge goes to the Subaru Crosstrek. Independent repair-cost data shows rare unscheduled shop visits and a small chance that any repair is major. Its largest complaint group is cracked windshields, which is a nuisance more than a mechanical failure. The CX-30 also stands well, but no repair-cost data backs that up, and its complaints include crash-linked brake and airbag faults that the Crosstrek does not share.

Key Differences

1Mazda CX-30 has 66.8 fewer complaints per 10k sold
2Mazda CX-30 has 9 fewer total recalls
3Subaru Crosstrek scores 6 points higher in reliability

Category Scoreboard

2Mazda CX-30

—

1Subaru Crosstrek

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint Rate

Mazda CX-30 vs Subaru Crosstrek: Which Is More Reliable?

Mazda CX-30 vs Subaru Crosstrek at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Mazda CX-30	Subaru Crosstrek
Reliability Score	67/100	73/100
Years Tracked	7	9
Total Recalls	10	19
Complaints per 10k Sold	5.7	72.5
Year Wins	0	7

What Are the Common Problems With the Mazda CX-30 and Subaru Crosstrek?

Windshields dominate the Crosstrek's record. Owners report star cracks from tiny pebbles and glass that split while parked. Its most serious reports sit in the power train: stuttering or late acceleration, CVT replacements, and a car that rolled back on a hill. Ignition coil trouble also continued after a recall. The CX-30 has far fewer complaints, but they lean toward safety. Automatic emergency braking stops the car with nothing ahead, airbags deploy without a crash, and the car can lose all power and fail to start. Crash-linked brake and airbag complaints appear for the CX-30 only.

Mazda CX-30 vs Subaru Crosstrek common problem areas comparison
Component	Mazda CX-30	Subaru Crosstrek
VISIBILITY/WIPER	0.3Very Low	21.8High
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	0.7Very Low	12.8Above Avg
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	0.8Very Low	8.8Above Avg
POWER TRAIN	0.3Very Low	4.6Average
ENGINE	1.2Low	3.3Average
VISIBILITY	—None	3.6Average
STEERING	0.1Very Low	3Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.2Very Low	1.7Low
STRUCTURE	0.1Very Low	1.7Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	0.2Very Low	1.3Low
SERVICE BRAKES	0.4Very Low	0.8Very Low
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	—None	1.2Low
AIR BAGS	0.3Very Low	0.5Very Low
SEATS	0.1Very Low	0.4Very Low
LANE DEPARTURE	0.1Very Low	0.2Very Low
TIRES	—None	0.3Very Low
SEAT BELTS	—None	0.2Very Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	—None	0.2Very Low
SUSPENSION	0.1Very Low	—None
WHEELS	0.1Very Low	—None

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

How Does Mazda CX-30 vs Subaru Crosstrek Reliability Compare by Year?

Mazda CX-30 vs Subaru Crosstrek year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Mazda CX-30	Subaru Crosstrek	Edge
2026	72/1000R / 0C	94/1000R / 1C	Subaru Crosstrek
2025	68/1001R / 22C	83/1000R / 25C	Subaru Crosstrek
2024	68/1002R / 23C	69/1002R / 95C	Subaru Crosstrek
2023	68/1001R / 20C	81/1000R / 28C	Subaru Crosstrek
2022	67/1001R / 28C	78/1001R / 28C	Subaru Crosstrek
2021	60/1002R / 94C	67/1002R / 97C	Subaru Crosstrek
2020	64/1003R / 31C	72/1001R / 62C	Subaru Crosstrek

Best years to cross-shop: The 2024 Mazda CX-30 scored 68/100 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 Mazda CX-30 vs the Subaru Crosstrek?

Pick the Crosstrek if you want the better overall record and repair-cost data on file. It suits you if you can accept a cracked-windshield risk and will price glass first, since one owner was quoted $2500 because the EyeSight cameras add cost. Target the 2021 facelift or later, and skip 2018 and 2019, the weakest years. The 2019 model also drew battery drain complaints blamed on the Starlink module. Pick the CX-30 if you want a car with far fewer complaints per car sold and can accept a few unusual faults. Check that the emergency braking has never stopped the car for no reason, that no airbag warning is lit, and that the oil level holds steady between fills. Look at 2024 first. Avoid 2020 and 2021, the weakest years. Whichever you choose, confirm every open recall has been repaired before you pay.

Mazda CX-30 vs Subaru Crosstrek: Common Questions

Is the Mazda CX-30 more reliable than the Subaru Crosstrek?: No. The Crosstrek has a clear edge. Both stand as good, but the Crosstrek has repair-cost data showing rare unscheduled visits. The CX-30 has fewer complaints, yet they include braking, airbag, and total power loss reports that raise safety concerns.
Which has more recalls, the CX-30 or the Crosstrek?: The Crosstrek. Federal recall records show 19 recalls across 9 model years for it, against 10 across 7 model years for the CX-30. The Crosstrek has been sold for more model years, so it has had longer to collect them.
Which costs less to repair?: Only the Crosstrek has repair-cost data here. It averages $492 a year, 0.1 unscheduled shop visits a year, and a 7% chance a repair is major. Over five years that comes to about $2,460. No comparable CX-30 figures are available.
Why do Crosstrek windshields crack so often?: The data does not give a cause. Owners report star cracks from tiny pebbles that spread within minutes or hours, and glass splitting while parked. Most appear early, under about 19,000 miles. Dealers often call it rock damage, and EyeSight cameras can raise replacement cost.
What is the main safety complaint on the CX-30?: Automatic emergency braking that stops the car with nothing ahead. Owners report it on busy multi-lane roads, one of them 11 times, and dealers often cannot reproduce it. Six brake complaints are linked to crashes. Airbags deploying without a crash are also reported.

More Mazda CX-30 comparisons

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More Subaru Crosstrek comparisons

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How we score the Mazda CX-30 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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