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The Subaru Crosstrek plug-in hybrid is shown at AutoMobility LA

Barely Anyone Complains About the Subaru Crosstrek

It seems there are a lot of vehicles out there that have tons of complaints against them. Whether the problems are major, or they’re just minor issues, each automaker has their fair share of dealing with irate consumers that aren’t pleased with the products. Subaru is one of a few automakers that have one vehicle …

It seems there are a lot of vehicles out there that have tons of complaints against them. Whether the problems are major, or they’re just minor issues, each automaker has their fair share of dealing with irate consumers that aren’t pleased with the products. Subaru is one of a few automakers that have one vehicle that doesn’t get that many complaints. The Subaru Crosstrek, a compact crossover SUV, has only had a handful of displeased owners on CarComplaints.com. Here, we’ll look at a few of the complaints does it have.

Minor concerns with the Subaru Crosstrek

The Subaru Crosstrek plug-in hybrid is shown at AutoMobility LA
The Subaru Crosstrek | David McNew/Getty Images

The 2018 and 2019 models have a few complaints about the factory radio device in the vehicle. They report that the radio freezes up, turns on and off by itself, and the volume fades in and out with no explanation. The presets people have on the radio also disappear suddenly and mysteriously. One owner reported that they had the radio replaced three times and it still happens. The others didn’t report if their situations found a resolution or not.

Another minor issue reported was the body paint quality. A few owners were mad about the paint job their vehicle had. After only a few thousand miles, the body showed chipped paint in several areas. None of these drivers got any help from the dealerships for the paint job. They were told that the paint wasn’t covered under warranty and that they would be responsible for the cost of repainting if they really wanted it resolved. One dealer gave an owner a free tube of touch-up paint for their Subaru Crosstrek.

Major problems with the Subaru Crosstrek

Owners of the 2019 Subaru Crosstrek reported a couple of instances where their windshield cracked easily from small stones. While this is normal with a lot of cars, this one has to be replaced because of the new Eyesight technology Subaru has. In order for the Eyesight feature to monitor traffic, it can’t have anything marring the camera’s view of the road. Replacing the windshield is very expensive unless it’s covered by insurance.

Another major problem with the Subaru Crosstrek has to do with the ability the vehicle has to handle the road. One owner reported that no matter what the weather conditions are, their vehicle sometimes fishtails when making turns. The same owner reported the same problem from five different incidences where the problem occurred, but the dealership can’t figure out what’s going on with the way it handles. It’s only been reported for the 2018 model and only by one owner at this time.

The history of the Crosstrek

The Subaru Crosstrek actually rolled off the production line for the 2013 model year. However, it was known as the Subaru XV Crosstrek at that time. Over the three years it was produced, there were also very few complaints reported. They had a few problems noted on Car Complaints. Four people had excessive oil consumption problems, ranging for 1-2 quarts of oil low between scheduled oil changes.

For the 2016 model year, Subaru renamed it to the Crosstrek and made a few changes. The new subcompact crossover SUV seats up to five passengers, has an AWD drivetrain, and gets a decent 33 highway mpg. It sports a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine running 152 hp, which seems underpowered but could be enough for those who don’t care about the speed. With their excellent results in safety from the NHTSA, the Crosstrek is making a name for itself.

The Subaru Crosstrek hasn’t had all that many complaints over the years it’s been around. The few that have been reported were either minor issues or major ones that only a handful of people experienced. Overall, the Crosstrek proves to be a pretty reliable vehicle in the compact crossover market.