Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 34 complaints with NHTSA about the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek, and it carries no recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown or other | 7 | 21% |
| Visibility/wiper | 4 | 12% |
| Engine | 3 | 9% |
| Service brakes | 2 | 6% |
| Unknown or other | 2 | 6% |
| Electrical system | 1 | 3% |
| Electrical system | 1 | 3% |
| Electrical system | 1 | 3% |
| Forward collision avoidance | 1 | 3% |
| Suspension | 1 | 3% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
Often the brakes are squishy. They require me to push almost all the way down on the brake pedal to engage. This has happened several times of the last year.
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
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
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
Purchased vehicle 8/27/2025 within 1 day and 1 month of 2 separate class action lawsuits. Purchased from CarMax Wilmington. Car produced electrical shock to my hand first time I attempted to pair the vehicle. Parkway sta
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
Replaced battery 3 times. Believe this car has the parasitic battery issue. Attached on of the bills. Looking for the other 2.
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
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 [XXX] area (where my son attended college), said it was an is
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
Passenger side valve cover gasket and spark plug seal failure.
NHTSA complaint: Engine
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. Lucki
NHTSA complaint: Forward collision avoidance
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 th
NHTSA complaint: Suspension
| Reliability raw | 86 | excellent |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 84 | excellent |
| Maintenance | 84 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 76 | good |
| Performance | 60 | average |
| Efficiency | 50 | average |
| Safety | 93 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other SUVs in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 34 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and unknown or other is the most reported area with 7 of them (21%). No recalls are on record for it.
AVOIR scores its reliability 86/100 (excellent) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 84/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2023 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 79/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.