Subaru Crosstrek maintenance costs. Full year-by-year breakdown, common problems, and which years to buy or avoid.
Last verified July 2026
$492
Annual maint.
9/10
Reliability
7%
Major repair risk (5yr)
$1,968
Avg. insurance / yr
Better than segment average
Worse than segment average
// RELIABILITY BY YEAR
Which year Crosstrek should you buy?
Green is safe, red means major known issues. Tap any year. Years scored against Crosstrek's own complaint record — not against other SUVs.
NA
NA
NA
Recommended
Neutral
Avoid
Not Enough Data
N/A
2013 Subaru Crosstrek
First generation (GP)
Engine: 2.0 L FB20B flat-4 (148 hp); 2.0 L FB20X flat-4 hybrid (2014–2016)
Transmission: 5-speed manual; Lineartronic CVT
Recommended
Low complaint volume relative to the model's own average. High NHTSA safety score.
1 recall on record. Affected systems:
Exterior Lighting
// COMMON PROBLEMS
What breaks on the Crosstrek
Top issues ranked by share of total NHTSA complaints.
Visibility/wiper
Common
Years affected: 2013, 2016–2025
Unknown or other
Moderate
Years affected: 2013, 2016–2026
Electrical system, exterior lighting, service brakes, engine
Moderate
Years affected: 2013, 2016–2025
Electrical system
Moderate
Years affected: 2013, 2016–2026
Vehicle speed control, unknown or other
Rare
Years affected: 2013, 2016–2026
Steering, power train, unknown or other
Rare
Years affected: 2016–2019, 2021, 2024–2025
Wheels
Rare
Years affected: 2016–2019, 2022–2024
Exterior lighting
Rare
Years affected: 2013, 2016–2019, 2021–2022, 2024–2025
Service brakes
Rare
Years affected: 2013, 2016–2021, 2023–2024
Air bags, seat belts
Rare
Years affected: 2013, 2016–2019, 2021, 2023–2025
// EXTENDED WARRANTY
Is a Crosstrek extended warranty worth it?
Probably not. The Subaru Crosstrek's 7% major repair probability over 5 years is below the segment average — 93 out of 100 owners won't hit a repair that exceeds the warranty cost. The most reliable years to buy are the 2013. The exception: if you're buying a 2016, 2018, and 2019, check the known issues before deciding.
// NEW VS USED
Buy new or save on a used Crosstrek?
The Crosstrek holds 91% of its value after 3 years — one of the best in its class. That strong resale narrows the used-car savings, but here's the real math.
91%
Value retained · 3 yr
71%
Value retained · 5 yr
60%
Value retained · 7 yr
Better than segment average
Worse than segment average
New Crosstrek
$27,600
MSRP including destination charge for base trim
Used Crosstrek
$21,100
KBB Fair Purchase Price, 2023, national average, good condition, ~36k miles
At $492/year the Crosstrek sits just $26 above the subcompact segment average of $466 — essentially at par on sticker cost. Where it distinguishes itself is frequency: a 13% repair rate versus the segment average of 20% means fewer unscheduled shop visits per year. Combined with a 7% major repair probability (below the 9% class average) and a 9/10 reliability score, it's a strong long-term ownership choice.
How we calculated this. Maintenance costs and reliability scores from RepairPal. Complaints and recalls from NHTSA. Fuel economy from the EPA. Insurance averages from CarEdge. Pricing from KBB. Depreciation from iSeeCars. Full methodology →