Subaru
Subaru Crosstrek years to avoid
Years to avoid: 2018, 2019 and 2024. Best years: 2022.
The 2018, 2019 and 2024 Subaru Crosstrek draw the most owner complaints for their age: 2018 has 194 complaints (22 for each year on the road), 2019 has 284 complaints (36 for each year on the road) and 2024 has 118 complaints (39 for each year on the road), against a median of 10 a year across the 11 model years old enough to judge. The most reported problem on the 2024 is infotainment (22 reports).
- 846complaints
- 13recall campaigns
- 5model years with a page
Newest report Sep 29, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
Pick your model year
Owner complaints on file for each year.
Years to avoid
2018
Most reported: windshield (69 reports, median 21,700 miles) and stalling (18 reports, median 16,000 miles).
2019
Most reported: windshield (120 reports, median 13,000 miles) and stalling (28 reports, median 10,000 miles).
2024
Most reported: infotainment (22 reports) and windshield (14 reports).
Best years
2022
Too few complaints for a page of its own.
Complaints for each year on the road
Each model year's NHTSA complaints divided by the calendar years it has been on sale, counting this one (a 2018 model has had 9). Older cars have had longer to collect complaints, so raw totals flatter the new ones. Blue bars are the years to avoid. Too new to judge: 2025.
Within one model, sales change less from year to year than they do between models, so a jump here is mostly a jump in problems. The call: the years to avoid are the (up to three) highest at 1.5 times the model's median rate or more, and the best are the (up to three) lowest at two thirds of it or less, from 2016 on.
Guide How much should a years-to-avoid list decide? What these lists get wrong
At a glance
- Where the complaints sit
- The 2019 has the most complaints of any Subaru Crosstrek year here: 284 of 846 (34%).
- Problem across the years
- The top problem changes over time: stalling in 2016; windshield from 2018 to 2021; infotainment in 2024. Pooled across the years, half of the 155 owners who gave a mileage for windshield were under about 14,000 miles.
- Crash, fire and injury reports
- 6% of Subaru Crosstrek complaints report a crash, a fire or an injury, against 6% for the typical vehicle on this site. The highest share is on the 2024, 11 of its 118 complaints.
- Recalls on the top problem
- 1 of the 5 model years where owners report windshield have a recall on the same system: 2019. A recall on the same system doesn't always cover the failure owners describe, so compare its summary with the complaints.
- When owners filed
- Filings peaked in 2020 at 162 (full calendar years only). In 2025 there were 85. So far in 2026, 64 more have come in.
Photo: Cutlass, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: Cutlass, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: Elise240SX, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Model years with too few complaints for a page of their own: 2014 (92), 2015 (95), 2017 (97), 2020 (69), 2022 (31), 2023 (34), 2025 (43).
Year by year
2024 Subaru Crosstrek avoid
118 owner complaints, 39 for each year on the road (4.0 times the model median). Most reported: infotainment (22 reports), windshield (14 reports) and headlights (13 reports). 10 reports involved a crash and 3 people were hurt. 2 recalls, including 23V-551 on the electrical system and 23V-754 on the transmission and drivetrain.
2021 Subaru Crosstrek
115 owner complaints, 19 for each year on the road (1.9 times the model median). Most reported: windshield (30 reports) and stalling (10 reports). 8 reports involved a crash and 6 people were hurt. 1 recall: 23V-755 on the transmission and drivetrain.
2019 Subaru Crosstrek avoid
284 owner complaints, 36 for each year on the road (3.6 times the model median). Most reported: windshield (120 reports, median 13,000 miles), stalling (28 reports, median 10,000 miles) and dead battery (25 reports, median 19,100 miles). 6 reports involved a crash and 5 people were hurt. 7 recalls, including 19V-404 on the visibility and 21V-263 on the suspension system.
2018 Subaru Crosstrek avoid
194 owner complaints, 22 for each year on the road (2.2 times the model median). Most reported: windshield (69 reports, median 21,700 miles), stalling (18 reports, median 16,000 miles) and infotainment (13 reports). 10 reports involved a crash and 1 person was hurt. 5 recalls, including 21V-263 on the suspension system and 21V-264 on the electrical system.
2016 Subaru Crosstrek
135 owner complaints, 12 for each year on the road (1.2 times the model median). Most reported: stalling (14 reports, median 43,000 miles) and dead battery (10 reports). 4 reports involved a crash and 1 person was hurt. 1 recall: 19V-149 on the exterior lighting.
Recalls that cover several model years
The rear stabilizer bracket bolts may loosen and detach.
The Engine Control Module (ECM) may continue to power the ignition coil after the engine is shut off, causing a short circuit.
The Engine Control Module (ECM) may continue to power the ignition coil after the engine is shut off, which could result in a short circuit and blown fuse.
Compare the Crosstrek with its rivals
Side by side over the model years both have on file: what owners complain about, the mileage problems start at, recalls, investigations and crash reports.
- Crosstrek vs Subaru Forester2016 to 2021
- Crosstrek vs Subaru Outback2016 to 2024
- Crosstrek vs Honda HR-V2016 to 2024
- Crosstrek vs Hyundai Kona2019 to 2021
- Crosstrek vs Ford Bronco Sport2021 to 2024
Questions
What Subaru Crosstrek years should you avoid?
The 2018, 2019 and 2024 Subaru Crosstrek draw the most owner complaints for their age: 2018 has 194 complaints (22 for each year on the road), 2019 has 284 complaints (36 for each year on the road) and 2024 has 118 complaints (39 for each year on the road), against a median of 10 a year across the 11 model years old enough to judge. The most reported problem on the 2024 is infotainment (22 reports).
What are the best years for the Subaru Crosstrek?
The 2022 draws the fewest complaints for its age: 31, or 6 for each year on the road. Model years before 2016 aren't called best, because complaints filed before 2015 aren't in the files this site reads and their counts run short.
What is the most common problem on the Subaru Crosstrek?
Windshield, with 242 reports across the 5 model years that have a page here. It's the single most reported problem on the 2018, 2019 and 2021.
How many recalls does the Subaru Crosstrek have?
13 recall campaigns cover the Subaru Crosstrek model years 2016 to 2024 on this site. The widest, 19V-743 on the electrical system, covers 2 model years.
How many Subaru Crosstrek complaints involve a crash, fire or injury?
6% of them, against 6% for the typical vehicle on this site. The 2024 has the highest share.
Is there a recall for windshield on the Subaru Crosstrek?
On 1 of the 5 model years where owners report it: 2019.