Compact SUVs · 5 model years, 2016 to 2024
Subaru Outback vs Subaru Crosstrek: problems and reliability
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Outback and the Crosstrek split evenly (2 each, the rest too close to call).
Newest report Sep 24, 2026 · checked Sep 27, 2026
Scorecard
| Measure, 2016 to 2024 | Outback | Crosstrek |
|---|---|---|
| Complaints that report a crash | 3.0% | 4.5% |
| Complaints that report a fire | 0.4% | 1.3% |
| Complaints that report an injury | 1.2% | 1.5% |
| Median miles when problems are reported | 18,000 | 18,000 |
| Recall campaigns per model year | 2.6 | 2.6 |
| Do-not-drive recalls | 1 | 0 |
| NHTSA investigations | 1 | 0 |
The shaded side is lower (for miles, higher). Values within about a tenth of each other count as too close to call.
What owners complain about
The system Outback owners complain about most is electrical; for the Crosstrek it is windshield and wipers. Complaints citing electrical make up 36% of all Outback complaints, against 17% on the Crosstrek. The Crosstrek leans the other way on engine: 12% of its complaints, against 5.4% for the Outback.
Subaru OutbackSubaru Crosstrek
Share of each model's complaints that cite each system, from NHTSA's own component codes. One complaint can cite several systems, so the shares add up to more than 100%.
The most reported problems
The most reported problem on the Outback is windshield problems (30% of its complaints), and the Crosstrek shares it (29%).
| Problem | Outback | Crosstrek |
|---|---|---|
| Windshield cracks or distorts | 30% 856most in 2019 · 17k mi | 29% 242most in 2019 · 14k mi |
| Battery dies or the car will not start | 25% 734most in 2019 · 23k mi | 6.2% 52most in 2019 · 23k mi |
| Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails | 13% 362most in 2018 · 13k mi | 6.9% 5815k mi |
| Engine stalls or loses power while driving | 4.7% 137most in 2018 · 22k mi | 8.3% 70most in 2019 · 17k mi |
| Brakes grind, pulse or wear early | 2.3% 6611k mi | 2.5% 2123k mi |
| Multiple warning lights come on at once | 1.2% 3624k mi | 2.8% 2423k mi |
| Windshield wipers stop working | 2.0% 57most in 2019 · 13k mi | 2.0% 1716k mi |
| Forward collision warning goes off or the camera drops out | 1.7% 4819k mi | 1.5% 13 |
Share of each model's own complaints, with the count beside it. "Most in" links to the symptom sheet for the model year with the most reports of it, and the mileage is the median from reports that gave one.
When problems start
Problems show up at about the same mileage on both. Half the Outback complaints that give a mileage come before 18,000 miles, and half the Crosstrek complaints before 18,000. 85% of Outback reports and 84% of Crosstrek reports come before 50,000 miles. Older model years have had longer to reach high mileage, so a window that runs to recent years pulls both medians down.
Subaru OutbackSubaru Crosstrek
Share of the complaints that state a mileage: 1,461 for the Outback and 425 for the Crosstrek.
Worst and best years
The 2019 Outback draws 2.2 times the complaints of a typical Outback year for its age. The 2024 Crosstrek draws 4.0 times the complaints of a typical Crosstrek year for its age.
Subaru OutbackSubaru Crosstrek
Each bar is that model year's complaints for each year on the road, divided by the same figure for a typical year of the same model (the dashed line). Measuring each model against itself takes the sales gap between the two out of the picture, so they can share a scale. Years too new to judge are left out.
Recalls and investigations
The two draw recalls at about the same rate: 2.6 campaigns per model year for the Outback and 2.6 for the Crosstrek. A recall counts once however many cars it covers, so this figure does not grow with sales the way complaint totals do.
Subaru Outback
13 recall campaigns and 1 NHTSA investigation across these model years. Most recalled: transmission and drivetrain (5), airbags (2) and fuel system (2).
- Do not drive 16V-292 (steering), model years 2016
- 21V-587 (fuel system) covers 2 model years
Investigations
- EA21002: Desiccated air bag inflator rupture (open)
Subaru Crosstrek
13 recall campaigns and 0 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: electrical (3), engine and engine cooling (2) and transmission and drivetrain (2).
- 21V-263 (suspension) covers 2 model years
- 21V-264 (electrical) covers 2 model years
Whether a particular car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Crashes, fires and injuries
A larger share of Crosstrek complaints report a crash: 4.5%, against 3.0% for the Outback. Fire reports: 12 for the Outback and 11 for the Crosstrek.
Subaru OutbackSubaru Crosstrek
Share of each model's complaints in which the owner reported it. These are owners' own accounts as filed with NHTSA, and one report on its own doesn't prove a defect.
Questions
Is the Subaru Outback or the Subaru Crosstrek more reliable?
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Outback and the Crosstrek split evenly (2 each, the rest too close to call). NHTSA complaint totals cannot settle it alone: the Outback has 2,886 complaints and the Crosstrek 845 for the 5 model years from 2016 to 2024 that both have on file, and those totals follow how many of each were sold.
Which has more recalls, the Outback or the Crosstrek?
The Outback has 13 recall campaigns and the Crosstrek 13 across the 5 model years from 2016 to 2024 that both have on file. The two draw recalls at about the same rate: 2.6 campaigns per model year for the Outback and 2.6 for the Crosstrek.
What are the most common problems on the Outback and the Crosstrek?
The most reported problem on the Outback is windshield problems (30% of its complaints), and the Crosstrek shares it (29%).
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