Last updated: 2026-03-04
2025 Subaru Crosstrek Reliability Score & Common Problems
The 2025 Subaru Crosstrek scores 83/100 ("Excellent"). However, its complaint rate is above the 2025 SUV segment average (19.8 vs 4.1 per 10k).
Recalls
0
Complaints
25
Complaint Rate
19.8
per 10k sold
Above avgEst. Annual Cost
$492
Below avgMajor Repair Risk
7%
NHTSA Rating
5/5
Score Breakdown
Component-weighted complaints normalized by sales volume
Independent repair cost ratings
Recall count weighted by severity
Breadth of reported problem categories
Strong reliability record — a solid choice for buyers.
Top Issues
Should You Buy the 2025 Subaru Crosstrek?
The 2025 Subaru Crosstrek earns an Excellent 83/100 reliability score.
However, its complaint rate (19.8 per 10k sold) exceeds the SUV segment average of 4.1, driven largely by unknown or other (5) reports.
If buying used, confirm recall repairs are completed and pay particular attention to unknown or other (5) during inspection and test drive.
Compared to the 2026 Subaru Crosstrek. See also the 2024 Subaru Crosstrek for an earlier comparison.
Pros
- Strong reliability score
- $29 cheaper to maintain than avg compact SUVs
- Infrequent unscheduled repairs
- Low major repair risk (7%)
- No recalls issued
Cons
- Above-average complaint rate for SUV
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER issues reported (5 complaints)
Compare 2025 Subaru Crosstrek With
Common Problem Categories
Other
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER (5)
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (5)
- VISIBILITY (5)
- LANE DEPARTURE (2)
- VISIBILITY/WIPER (2)
- AIR BAGS (2)
- FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE (1)
- SEATS (1)
- FUEL SYSTEM (1)
- EXTERIOR LIGHTING (1)
Recall Overview
0
recalls on record
The 2025 Subaru Crosstrek has no recalls on record, which is uncommon and a positive indicator of manufacturing quality.
NHTSA.gov →Complaint Breakdown
19.8
per 10k soldSegment avg: 4.1
Safety Incidents
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
0
Data sourced from NHTSA complaint filings and manufacturer recall notices. Complaint narratives are owner-reported.
2025 Subaru Crosstrek NHTSA Safety Ratings
Overall Safety Rating
Crash Test Results by Configuration (expand)
Gas Powertrain
Rollover risk: 16.4%
Safety Technologies
Subaru Crosstrek Repair Costs & Maintenance
Maintenance Rating
4.5Maintenance rating: 4.5 out of 5Based on NHTSA complaint patterns, recall severity, and publicly available cost benchmarks.
Est. Annual Maintenance
$492
vs $521 avg for compact SUVs
vs $652 avg for all vehicles
Repair Frequency
0.1
unscheduled repair visits per year
Severe Repair Probability
7%
chance of a major repair
Annual Cost Comparison
Category-level averages derived from publicly available industry reports (AAA, CarMD). Model-level estimates produced by Auto Reliability Index.
When Buying a Used 2025 Subaru Crosstrek
Key things to inspect or verify before purchasing, based on the most common reported issues.
- Test infotainment system for pop-up ads interrupting navigation
- Check driver side mirror for vibration at highway speeds
- Verify lane departure and blind spot detection systems function properly
- Inspect passenger airbag activation with lighter passengers
- Ensure sunroof integrity and check for any signs of damage
Check Any 2025 Subaru Crosstrek's History Before You Buy
Reliability scores tell you what to expect from the 2025 Crosstrek in general — but every car has its own story. Uncover past accidents, title issues, odometer rollbacks, and service records for a specific Subaru Crosstrek with a free VIN lookup.
Powered by VINExposed.com — free vehicle history reports using public title and safety data.
2025 Subaru Crosstrek Common Problems by Component
25 owner complaints grouped by vehicle system.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
5 complaintsOwners of the 2025 Subaru Crosstrek frequently report issues with the infotainment system displaying unsolicited advertisements for SiriusXM, which interrupt navigation and other functions. These ads appear unexpectedly during both parked and driving conditions, causing distractions that could potentially impact driving safety. Additionally, some owners mention a vibrating driver’s side mirror that persists despite attempted repairs, affecting visibility. There are also reports of a mysterious rolling noise under the driver’s floorboard, particularly after service visits, which coincides with shaking side mirrors. These issues emerge in new vehicles, suggesting they may not be related to vehicle age or mileage.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
5 complaintsOwners report frequent issues with the 2025 Subaru Crosstrek's infotainment system, particularly related to intrusive advertisements that obscure the screen. These pop-ups, often for SiriusXM, require driver interaction to clear, potentially distracting from navigation and safety features. Complaints indicate that these issues occur while driving, with one owner noting a mileage of approximately 11,000. Another reported problem involves the lane departure warning system, which inconsistently responds to road markings and may deactivate in adverse weather conditions. These issues highlight potential safety implications due to driver distraction and unreliable safety features.
VISIBILITY
5 complaintsOwners report that the 2025 Subaru Crosstrek frequently experiences issues with the driver side mirror vibrating at higher speeds, particularly above 60 mph, which results in blurry images and difficulty in judging the distance of other vehicles. This problem is noted by several owners immediately after purchase and persists even after attempted repairs, including those guided by a technical service bulletin. Additionally, one owner mentions a malfunctioning windshield strip that fails to prevent glare from oncoming headlights, affecting night-time visibility. Complaints highlight safety concerns due to impaired visibility, with some owners noting that the mirror issue could lead to unsafe driving conditions. Most reports occur around 6,000 miles of vehicle use, suggesting the issues may become apparent early in the vehicle's lifecycle.
LANE DEPARTURE (2 complaints)
LANE DEPARTURE
2 complaintsOwners report issues with the lane departure system in the 2025 Subaru Crosstrek, primarily involving the right blind spot detection and lane-keep assist functions. The blind spot detection reportedly fails to operate correctly 96% of the time, nearly resulting in collisions, with the dealership unable to provide a resolution due to intermittent functionality. Additionally, the lane-keep assist is said to malfunction, with the vehicle drifting over lane lines before correcting, or not correcting at all, despite multiple repair attempts. These issues are noted without specific mileage ranges, but they pose potential safety risks due to the possibility of unintended lane departures and lack of timely corrective actions.
VISIBILITY/WIPER (2 complaints)
VISIBILITY/WIPER
2 complaintsOwners report two distinct issues related to visibility in the 2025 Subaru Crosstrek. The first issue involves the driver's side mirror, which wobbles and vibrates at highway speeds, leading to blurred images and LED light trails despite a service attempt using Subaru's Service Bulletin #12-268-25. This problem is noted immediately after purchase, suggesting it occurs in new vehicles. The second issue involves the sunroof, which has reportedly exploded spontaneously while driving at 65 mph, causing shattered glass to fall inside the vehicle. This poses a potential safety risk due to falling debris. Both issues are reported in vehicles with low mileage shortly after purchase, indicating early onset.
AIR BAGS (2 complaints)
AIR BAGS
2 complaintsSafety-relatedOwners report two primary issues with the airbag system in the 2025 Subaru Crosstrek. The first issue involves the front passenger airbag not activating for occupants weighing around 95 lbs, despite expectations that it should engage at weights above 80 lbs. The second issue is a failure of the side airbags to deploy during a side-impact collision at over 35 mph, which resulted in the vehicle's doors buckling and requiring emergency personnel to extract the occupant. Both complaints highlight significant safety implications, with one involving a crash, suggesting potential risks for passengers in certain weight ranges and side-impact scenarios. These issues are reported in vehicles that are new, with no specific mileage mentioned.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE (1 complaints)
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
1 complaintAutomatic Emergency Braking engaged unnecessarily. It was triggered by a plastic trash bag being blown in front of the vehicle. I was driving about 70 mph and was fortunate to avoid being rear-ended by another vehicle.
SEATS (1 complaints)
SEATS
1 complaintI buy the car couple weeks ago. The car is beautiful and works fine. The driver seat is notoriously uncomfortable. It just unbelievable painful. It is some drivable because of the pain and discomfort. I want resolution I want the seat to be upgrade with electric one. I am absolutely fit and I don't care if any medical condition. The seat makes the car undrivable
FUEL SYSTEM (1 complaints)
FUEL SYSTEM
1 complaintThe contact owns a 2025 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated that while stopped at a gas station, the gas lid failed to open unless the vehicle was unlocked. The contact stated that the vehicle could not be refueled unless it was unlocked, which the contact considered to be a safety concern. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was provided with training on how to operate the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the issue and informed that the vehicle needed to be unlocked while refueling the tank, per the owner's manual. The failure mileage was approximately 250.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING (1 complaints)
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
1 complaintRecently bought this car. Headlights are problematic and dangerous. For one, there are unusual dark spots in the SRH headlights. Even if you turn off SRH, they are still there. Very distracting and feel unsafe driving at night. Also, headlights are dim and do not sufficiently illuminate road. . When driving at night with low beams, I get a distinct demarcation line which I have to look under to see the road. The upper half of the windshield is completely dark while the lower half is clear. This is also very distracting and feels unsafe driving. The lights are too low on the road and those 2 black spots catch your attention and at times can look like something darting in front of your car. I live in a rural area and with few street lights it is difficult driving at night. Everyone that has driven with me cannot believe how bad these headlights are. Please research the comments and videos online, as this is a major complaint and problem. I would like to see these headlights recalled and replaced. Dealer is telling me I can’t change to an aftermarket headlight so I can’t even try to remedy the situation myself.
When Do 2025 Subaru Crosstrek Problems Start?
Based on owner complaint patterns, here's when common issues tend to appear.
Best & Worst Subaru Crosstrek Years
Best Subaru Crosstrek Years to Buy
The best Subaru Crosstrek year is 2025 with a reliability score of 83/100, rated excellent. Other strong picks include 2023 (81/100) and 2022 (78/100).
2025(this page)
0 recalls · 25 complaints
2023
0 recalls · 28 complaints
2022
1 recall · 28 complaints
Subaru Crosstrek Years to Avoid
The worst Subaru Crosstrek year is 2019 with a score of 56/100, primarily due to visibility wiper (108) issues.
See full Subaru Crosstrek years-to-avoid analysis →Subaru Crosstrek Reliability Score Trend
Subaru Crosstrek reliability has improved in recent years, with newer models scoring an average of 78/100 compared to 64/100 for older years.
Scores 0–100. Higher is better. Current year highlighted.
| Year | Score | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 60/100 | Good |
| 2019 | 56/100 | Mixed |
| 2020 | 72/100 | Good |
| 2021 | 67/100 | Good |
| 2022 | 78/100 | Good |
| 2023 | 81/100 | Excellent |
| 2024 | 69/100 | Good |
| 2025 | 83/100 | Excellent |
Subaru Crosstrek Reliability Compared to Other Years
| Year | Score | vs Prior Year | Rating | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 78/100 (predicted) | — | Predicted | 0 | 1 |
| 2025(selected) | 83/100 | +14 | Excellent | 0 | 25 |
| 2024 | 69/100 | -12 | Good | 2 | 95 |
| 2023 | 81/100 | +3 | Excellent | 0 | 28 |
| 2022 | 78/100 | +11 | Good | 1 | 28 |
| 2021 | 67/100 | -5 | Good | 2 | 97 |
| 2020 | 72/100 | +16 | Good | 1 | 62 |
| 2019 | 56/100 | -4 | Mixed | 8 | 272 |
| 2018 | 60/100 | — | Good | 5 | 186 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the 2025 Subaru Crosstrek reliable?
What are the most common problems with the 2025 Subaru Crosstrek?
How many recalls does the 2025 Subaru Crosstrek have?
Is the 2025 Subaru Crosstrek expensive to maintain?
How We Calculate Reliability Scores
Auto Reliability Index scores are calculated on a 0–100 scale using a weighted formula that combines multiple public data sources. Each factor is weighted based on its predictive value for real-world ownership experience.
Key Ranking Factors
Complaint Severity
NHTSA owner complaints weighted by component category (e.g., powertrain, safety systems, electronics, cosmetic) — safety-critical issues carry more weight than cosmetic ones. Adjusted for sales volume so high-volume models aren't unfairly penalized.
Repair Costs
Independent reliability ratings based on repair frequency, average repair costs, and severity of typical repairs for each model.
Recall Impact
Number of NHTSA recalls weighted by severity. “Stop driving” and fire-risk recalls are penalized more heavily than minor software or labeling recalls.
Issue Diversity
Measures how many major vehicle systems (engine, transmission, electrical, braking, etc.) have recorded complaints. A vehicle with issues spread across many systems may indicate systemic quality issues.
Scores are grouped into four tiers:
- 80–100: Excellent — Top-tier reliability, minimal issues
- 60–79: Good — Reliable with some minor concerns
- 40–59: Mixed — Notable issues, research before buying
- 0–39: Risky — Significant problems, proceed with caution
Data is sourced from NHTSA recall records, owner complaint filings, and independent repair databases. Scores are recalculated as new data becomes available. While the weighting model is proprietary, all underlying data sources are public and traceable.
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