Reliable Auto DB

2021 Subaru Crosstrek reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 115 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek over 6 years — 24 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Crosstrek years here — over the median of the other years, which is 13. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Park/neutral start switch.

2016 Subaru Crosstrek
Photo by Alexander-93, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

115

Per year

24

Recalls

1

Years on the road

6

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Visibility and wipers (29 of 115), then Electrical system (16) and Engine (16). Those filings include 8 that report a crash, 2 that report a fire, and 4 that report an injury.

Next to 2020 and 2022

The 2020 Crosstrek has 69 complaints, 15 per year, and the 2022 has 31 complaints, 6 per year. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2020. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2022.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2021 Subaru Crosstrek. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (1)

Recall powertrain, automatic transmission, park/neutral start switch 2023-11-09 · NHTSA campaign 23V755000
Summary Subaru of America, Inc. is recalling certain model year 2021 Crosstrek, 2022 Forester, 2021-2023 Legacy, and Outback vehicles. An insufficient weld may allow water to enter the inhibitor switch, causing it to fail.
Remedy Dealers will replace the inhibitor switch, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 8, 2024. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WRQ-23.

Complaints by component (115 total)

Visibility and wipers
29
Electrical system
16
Engine
16
Forward collision avoidance
14
Powertrain
14
Lane departure
5
Fuel and propulsion system
4
Service brakes
4
Visibility
4
Back-over prevention
3
Seats
3
Speed control
3
Steering
3
Structure
3
Suspension
3
Air bags
2
Exterior lighting
1
Seat belts
1
Suspected counterfeit car seat
1
Show 11 more Show less
Crash-flagged

8

Fire-flagged

2

Injury reports

4

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

22020252021252022202023152024102025182026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "Drivers side door, interior automatic door lock switch spins and makes a clicking sound when you just start go forward."
    Unknown or other · filed 2026-09-05
  • "There have been multiple instances where my car has failed to “restart” if the auto-start-stop feature is on. I immediately turn that setting off every time I get into my car because if I pause for too long at a…"
    Electrical system · filed 2026-08-24
  • "We brought the vehicle in for routine maintenance. They reported that all brake hoses were bulging and at risk of failing at any time. They said that there was a related recall for a similar issue on other CrossTrek's…"
    Service brakes · filed 2026-08-21
  • "Was driving on highway when all of the lights on my dash illuminated. Eventually I got a warning for oil at temp alarm. Was giving code P2757 and P0700. Looks like this a common issue in Subarus but doesn’t look like it…"
    Powertrain, Electrical system, Forward collision avoidance · filed 2026-07-31
  • "- Rod #4 failure of unknown cause, although there is speculation that current failure may be related to a major repair in oil system a year ago. - My safety along with my unborn child’s, husband’s and brother in law’s…"
    Engine · filed 2026-07-16

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2021 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid SW AWD Not rated Not rated Not rated Not rated
2021 Subaru Crosstrek SW AWD 5 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Crosstrek all-wheel drive 2.5L, 4-cyl Automatic (AV-S8) All-wheel drive 27 34 29 MPG $2250
Crosstrek all-wheel drive 2L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed All-wheel drive 22 29 25 MPG $2600
Crosstrek all-wheel drive 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (AV-S8) All-wheel drive 28 33 30 MPG $2150
Crosstrek hybrid all-wheel drive 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (variable gear ratios) All-wheel drive 36 35 35 MPG / 480 mi range $1850

Specs and fitment

1st generation, 2016–2022
Body styles SUV
Oil 0W-20 synthetic (2.5L; 5W-30 if 0W-20 unavailable) , 5.1 qt capacity
Tire size 225/60R17, 225/55R18 (trim dependent)
Towing capacity 2,700 lbs

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA safety recall 19V404000 covers affected vehicles after the agency found that subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Crosstrek vehicles. The driver's side rear-door window glass may be improperly tempered. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 205, "Glazing Materials.". Improperly tempered glass can shatter into large pieces, increasing the risk of injury. Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's side rear-door window glass, free of charge. The recall began June 11, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUG-92. When NHTSA lists multiple Subaru nameplates in one campaign, the published unit count is shared across them.

Compare

Previous year 2020 Subaru Crosstrek Next year 2022 Subaru Crosstrek See every Subaru Crosstrek model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek reliable?

Owners have filed 115 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek over 6 years — 24 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Crosstrek years here — over the median of the other years, which is 13. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Park/neutral start switch.

What are common problems with a 2021 Subaru Crosstrek?

The complaints owners file most often name Visibility and wipers (29 of 115), then Electrical system (16) and Engine (16). Those filings include 8 that report a crash, 2 that report a fire, and 4 that report an injury.

Is the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2020 Crosstrek has 69 complaints, 15 per year, and the 2022 has 31 complaints, 6 per year. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2020. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2022.

Has the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek been recalled?

The 2021 Subaru Crosstrek has 1 recall on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek?

Owners have filed 115 complaints about the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2021 Subaru Crosstrek get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek is 29.8 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What engine oil does a Subaru Crosstrek use?

Recent US Crosstrek manuals specify 0W-20 synthetic for the FB 2.5L, with temporary 5W-30 only when 0W-20 is unavailable.

What generation is the 2024 Subaru Crosstrek?

2nd generation (2023-on) on this site's Crosstrek record.

What tire sizes does a Subaru Crosstrek use?

Common US sizes include 225/60R17 and 225/55R18 depending on trim.