2023 Subaru Crosstrek
The 2023 Subaru Crosstrek is sold in the U.S. as a plug-in hybrid and gas compact SUV with 4 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Crosstrek Hybrid AWD, is EPA-rated at 35 mpg combined. NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year so far (Safety Signal A). Owners have filed 35 complaints, most often about the visibility/wiper. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall. Manufacturer pricing runs from $23,645 to $36,845 across 8 trims.
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| Trim | Powertrain | Drive | MSRP | HP | Torque | MPG comb | Seats | Cargo (2nd row) | Wheels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base | Gas | AWD | $23,645 | 152 hp | 145 lb-ft | 25 mpg | 5 | 20.8 cu-ft | 17 in |
| Base CVT | Gas | AWD | $24,995 | 152 hp | 145 lb-ft | 30 mpg | 5 | 20.8 cu-ft | 17 in |
| Premium | Gas | AWD | $24,795 | 152 hp | 145 lb-ft | 25 mpg | 5 | 20.8 cu-ft | 17 in |
| Premium CVT | Gas | AWD | $26,145 | 152 hp | 145 lb-ft | 30 mpg | 5 | 20.8 cu-ft | 17 in |
| Special Edition | Gas | AWD | $26,745 | 152 hp | 145 lb-ft | 30 mpg | 5 | 20.8 cu-ft | 17 in |
| Sport | Gas | AWD | $27,995 | 182 hp | 176 lb-ft | 29 mpg | 5 | 20.8 cu-ft | 17 in |
| Limited | Gas | AWD | $29,495 | 182 hp | 176 lb-ft | 29 mpg | 5 | 20.8 cu-ft | 18 in |
| Hybrid | Plug-in hybrid | AWD | $36,845 | 148 hp | 134 lb-ft | 35 mpg | 5 | 15.9 cu-ft | 18 in |
MSRP excludes destination. Open a trim for the complete spec sheet and standard/optional equipment. Have the car in front of you? Decode its VIN to see which of these trims it is and what it was priced at.
Specs & fuel economy
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Range | kWh/100mi | Charge (240V) | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crosstrek Hybrid AWD | Plug-in hybrid | AWD | 2.0L 4-cyl + 88 kW DCPM | 36 | 35 | 35 (46 MPGe blended) | 17 mi electric | 38 | 2 h | $1,900 |
| Crosstrek AWD | Gas | AWD | 2.0L 4-cyl | 28 | 33 | 30 | — | — | — | $2,250 |
| Crosstrek AWD | Gas | AWD | 2.5L 4-cyl | 27 | 34 | 29 | — | — | — | $2,300 |
| Crosstrek AWD | Gas | AWD | 2.0L 4-cyl | 22 | 29 | 25 | — | — | — | $2,700 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 47227, 45340, 45342, 45341.
Emissions & certification
Source: EPA emission certificates| Configuration | Smog rating | Emission standard | Where it can be sold new | SmartWay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crosstrek Hybrid AWD | 6–7 / 10 | Federal Tier 3 Bin 50 / California LEV-III SULEV30 | All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards | SmartWay |
| Crosstrek AWD | 7 / 10 | Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 / California LEV-III SULEV30 | All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards | — |
| Crosstrek AWD | 7 / 10 | California LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 | All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards | — |
Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.
The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.
Factory warranty running out?
The 2023 Subaru Crosstrek is in the years where high-voltage electronics and module repairs land on the owner. What an extended plan does and does not cover is worth reading before a dealer quotes you one.
What to check before you buy →Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.
Recalls (0)
Source: NHTSA recall databaseNo NHTSA recall campaigns are on file for the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek. New campaigns appear here within a week of NHTSA posting them.
These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.
Hear about a recall before the letter does
The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.
Parts & accessories for the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek
Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.
Find parts for this Crosstrek →Owner complaints
Source: NHTSA complaint database4 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 4 injuries · 0 deaths reported
2.9 per 10,000 built · Subaru reported 119,777 Crosstrek built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)
Filed per year: 2022: 1 · 2023: 6 · 2024: 11 · 2025: 9 · 2026: 8
Most-cited components
In owners' own words
Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.
The battery and electrical system died while I was at a red light in traffic on my way to work. I was stuck on a major road with trucks and traffic behind me while I was stuck in the middle lane. I had to wait for help to be pushed out of traffic to the sidewalk and wait for a jump.
the rear brakes keep engaging while the car is driving. we purchased the car in November 2022. this happened in December 2024 & at the time a dealership in area (where my son attended college), said it was an issue and replaced parts in the brake system.
I was driving today January 30th 2026 on the road going 35 mph into the sunlight and all of the sudden my vehicle acted like I slammed on my brakes and I jerked forward almost hitting my chin in the steering wheel. Luckily no one was close behind me or I could have easily been hit.
I've never taken my 23 crosstrek off the pavement I'm driving down hyw and my rear struts break my crosstrek has 38 thousand miles on it and it's only 3 and 1/2 years old I've owned many cars were if drove hundreds of thousands mile and none of them broke there struts going down the hyw
The contact owns a 2023 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated that while her grandson was driving at an undisclosed speed, the front driver's side windshield cracked unexpectedly. The windshield had developed a crack without impact. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the front windshield needed to be replaced.
Oct 7 2025 when me and my 6 year old daughter. Was leaving after picking her up at mom i drove off then came to stop sign so i slowly hit breaks and car accelerated very dangerous im very concerned
Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.
Reported by Subaru itself: 23 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 1 killed, 24 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 19 per 100,000 built. Every Crosstrek model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.
Crash ratings
Source: NHTSA NCAP| Configuration | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SW AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 16% |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.
Service bulletins & campaigns
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications- 15 years or 150,000 miles, whichever comes first · Subaru bulletin 09-137-25In the interest of customer satisfaction, Subaru of America, Inc.
The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every Subaru warranty extension (4) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →
Most often about: Electrical System, Equipment, Engine, Unknown Or Other, Power Train.
- 11037943 Other2026-10-05 · Electrical System
- This announcement provides information on a new software update for the Midtronics Dss and DCA machines.
- 11037942 Other2026-09-28 · Electrical System
- This announcement provides information on an enhancement of the TechShare CVT diagnostic assitance application.
- 13-109-26 Service bulletin2026-09-18 · Unknown Or Other
- This bulletin provides paint code information for 2027 model year vehicles.
- 18-244-26 Service bulletin2026-09-18 · Electrical System
- "This Bulletin announces additional troubleshooting steps for the following DTCs: DTC C1956: RH Actuator Circuit DTC C1957: LH Actuator Circuit"
- 11037930 Other2026-09-15 · Unknown Or Other
- This announcement provides an update to all 2027 model year Subaru warranty coverages for wear items and adjustments.
- 15-333-25R Service bulletin2026-09-14 · Electrical System
- This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a description of the proper exchange procedure. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
- 15-322-25R Service bulletin2026-09-14 · Electrical System
- In the interest of customer satisfaction, Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) is extending the New Car Limited Warranty coverage for the CP1 & Gen 3.1 Head Unit used in the listed models and model years to (8) eight years / 150,000 miles to cover certain qualifying repairs to the infotainment audio system. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
- 15-304-22R Service bulletin2026-09-14 · Electrical System
- This bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during diagnosis of Infotainment concerns. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.
Diagnostic trouble codes on file
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaintsCodes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.
| Code | What it means | Most often filed under | Where it appears |
|---|---|---|---|
| B2A16 B2A16 on Subaru → | Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard. | Electrical System · Battery → | 17 bulletins |
| B2A20 | Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard. | Electrical System · Battery → | 6 bulletins |
| P0087 P0087 on Subaru → | Fuel rail pressure is below what the system commanded. | Fuel/Propulsion System · Fuel pump → | 6 bulletins |
| B2255 B2255 on Subaru → | Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard. | Equipment | 2 bulletins |
| C1956 | Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard. | Electrical System · Battery → | 2 bulletins |
| C1957 | Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard. | Electrical System · Battery → | 2 bulletins |
| P0011 | Camshaft timing on bank 1 is more advanced than commanded. | Engine | 2 bulletins |
| P0021 | Camshaft timing on bank 2 is more advanced than commanded. | Engine | 2 bulletins |
| P0137 P0137 on Subaru → | Downstream bank 1 oxygen sensor reading stuck low. | Electrical System · Oxygen sensor → | 2 bulletins |
| P0138 P0138 on Subaru → | Downstream bank 1 oxygen sensor reading stuck high. | Electrical System · Oxygen sensor → | 2 bulletins |
| P0420 P0420 on Subaru → | The catalytic converter on bank 1 is not cleaning up the exhaust as well as it should. | Equipment · Catalytic converter → | 2 bulletins |
| P0851 | Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard. | Electrical System · Battery → | 2 bulletins |
Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.
Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.
At the New York inspection station
Source: New York State DMVIn New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek failed the emissions check on 0.68% of first inspections — lower than the 1.6% for every 2023 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.5% (every 2023 vehicle: 1.1%).
failed emissions
7,206 initial inspections of 7,052 vehicles.
| Measure | The 2023 Crosstrek | Every 2023 vehicle | Behind it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Failed the emissions check | 0.68% | 1.6% | 7,191 |
| Failed the safety inspection | 1.5% | 1.1% | 7,206 |
| Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit | 0.12% | 0.16% | 7,206 |
| Miles driven a year | 11,157 | 10,038 | odometer at inspection |
| Average odometer | 35,875 | 32,673 | odometer at inspection |
New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2023 vehicle” is every 2023 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).
Crosstrek by model year
all years, side by side →Common questions about the 2023 Crosstrek
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsHow much does the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek cost?
Manufacturer pricing runs from $23,645 for the Base AWD to $36,845 for the Hybrid AWD, across 8 trims. Those are MSRPs from the manufacturer's own press material; they exclude destination, options, taxes and whatever the dealer adds. Every trim and price is listed above.
Does the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek have any recalls?
No NHTSA recall campaigns are on file for the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek. New campaigns appear here within a week of NHTSA posting them, and a clean sheet on a recent model year often just means the vehicle is new.
How safe is the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek?
NHTSA gave the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 4-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it A (100/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.
What is the fuel economy of the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek?
Across the 4 EPA-rated configurations of the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek, the best EPA combined figure is 35 mpg (MPGe on the electrified versions). Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.
What do owners complain about on the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek?
Owners have filed 35 complaints with NHTSA about the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek, most often about unspecified, visibility/wiper, forward collision avoidance. Of those, 4 involved a crash, 4 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.
How clean is the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek?
The EPA smog rating for the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek runs 6 to 7 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III SULEV30, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30, Federal Tier 3 Bin 50 — which the table above lists per configuration.
Are there service bulletins for the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek?
The manufacturer has filed 437 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek, most often covering electrical system, equipment, engine. The most recent is dated 2026-10-05. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.
How does the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek do at state inspection?
In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek failed the emissions check on 0.68% of first inspections — lower than the 1.6% for every 2023 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.5% (every 2023 vehicle: 1.1%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.
Which 2023 Subaru Crosstrek trim is the best value?
$13,200 separates the cheapest of the 8 trims from the most expensive, so the answer depends on which of the differences you would actually use. Every trim has its own page here with the manufacturer's full specification and equipment list, plus a short summary of exactly what it adds over the base trim — worth reading before a dealer frames the walk-up for you. The trim-by-trim ladder shows what every step up costs and what it makes standard.
What we hold, and what an empty row means
Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.
| Data | Held | Source | What it covers — or what empty means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel economy & configurations | 4 configurations | EPA certification records | Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures. |
| Emission certificates | 4 configurations | EPA emission certificates | Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new. |
| Recalls | none | NHTSA recall campaigns | No campaign has been filed. Because the register is complete, an empty row here means there is nothing to find — not that we are missing it. |
| Owner complaints | 35 | NHTSA complaint database | Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold. |
| Crash ratings | 1 tested | NHTSA NCAP | Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them. |
| Service bulletins | 437 | NHTSA manufacturer communications | Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall. |
| Investigations | none | NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation | No defect investigation has been opened. |
| Driver-assist crash reports | none | NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01 | No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like. |
| Specifications filed with NHTSA | none | NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns | We had no VIN pattern to decode for this model year, or the manufacturer filed nothing usable. |
| Trims, pricing & equipment | 8 trims | Manufacturer press kit | Transcribed from the manufacturer's own press material, every value carrying the document it came from. |
Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.
Sources & method
Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly. Trim-level specifications and pricing are transcribed from the manufacturer's official press kit; every value carries its source in the data file.