Subaru Crosstrek years to avoid
Across the 2015–2021 Subaru Crosstrek, the 2019 model year drew the most owner complaints to NHTSA: 284, about 2.6× the 107.5 median of the other six model years with enough complaints to compare. The most-reported components that year were the windshield wipers and the electrical system. The 2020 drew the fewest of the years with enough complaints to compare, at 68. NHTSA holds fewer than 40 complaints for 2022, too few to read as a quiet year rather than a gap in the records. Separately, the 2019 carries the most recall campaigns, 7. Complaint volume and recall campaign counts also reflect how long a model year has been on the road and how many were sold, so they rank years within this model rather than measuring build quality.
The 2019 Crosstrek is the outlier of the 2015–2021 Subaru Crosstrek, with 284 complaints against the model's 116 median.
Every Crosstrek model year, ranked
Every Crosstrek model year NHTSA holds records for, most complaints first. Counts are NHTSA records as of 2026-09-15; recall campaigns and complaints are counted separately because a recall is the manufacturer acting and a complaint is an owner reporting. Years with enough on record have a page of their own.
| Model year | Owner complaints | vs the 116 median | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 Crosstrek | 284 | 2.4× | 7 | the windshield wipers |
| 2018 Crosstrek | 194 | 1.7× | 5 | the windshield wipers |
| 2016 Crosstrek | 134 | 1.2× | 1 | the electrical system |
| 2021 Crosstrek | 116 | 1× | 2 | the windshield wipers |
| 2015 Crosstrek | 99 | 0.9× | 2 | the powertrain |
| 2017 Crosstrek | 97 | 0.8× | 1 | the windshield wipers |
| 2020 Crosstrek | 68 | 0.6× | 0 | the windshield wipers |
| 2022 Crosstrek | 31 — too few to compare | — | 0 | — |
Buying a Subaru Crosstrek? Check its VIN.
Model-year complaint totals do not describe one car. Confirm its identity free, then decide whether to review its reported title, mileage and auction history before you buy.
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See what the paid report includes →How to read these numbers
- A higher count is not proof of a worse car. Complaint volume rises with sales volume and with years on the road.
- The comparison is between years of the Crosstrek only. It says nothing about how the Crosstrek compares with other models.
- NHTSA publishes owner reports without verifying them. A complaint is an allegation, not a defect finding.
- Recall campaigns cover production ranges. Only a VIN lookup shows whether one vehicle is included and whether the work was done.
Primary sources behind this page
Open the underlying public source and verify that its scope matches the question you are asking.
Subaru Crosstrek year-by-year questions
Which Subaru Crosstrek year should I avoid?
Across the 2015–2021 Subaru Crosstrek, the 2019 model year drew the most owner complaints to NHTSA: 284, about 2.6× the 107.5 median of the other six model years with enough complaints to compare. The most-reported components that year were the windshield wipers and the electrical system. The 2020 drew the fewest of the years with enough complaints to compare, at 68. NHTSA holds fewer than 40 complaints for 2022, too few to read as a quiet year rather than a gap in the records. Separately, the 2019 carries the most recall campaigns, 7. Complaint volume and recall campaign counts also reflect how long a model year has been on the road and how many were sold, so they rank years within this model rather than measuring build quality.
Which Subaru Crosstrek year is the safest bet?
Of the 2015–2021 Subaru Crosstrek, the 2020 drew the fewest owner complaints to NHTSA — 68, against the model's 116 median. Years NHTSA holds fewer than 40 complaints for (2022) are left out: too few reports is a gap in the records, not a quiet year. Newer years have had less time on the road, which lowers their count on its own, so treat this as a starting point and check the individual VIN.
Do complaint counts mean the Subaru Crosstrek is unreliable?
No. NHTSA complaints are unverified owner reports, and the count rises with how many vehicles were sold and how long they have been on the road. They are useful for comparing years of the same model — which is what this page does — not for ranking one model against another.
How do I check a specific Crosstrek?
Take the 17-character VIN from the windshield or driver-door label and run it through NHTSA's free recall lookup. That reports open campaigns for that exact vehicle, including whether the repair is still outstanding. A model-year page cannot tell you that.