Subaru Xv Crosstrek Reliability by Year

Based on 2M+ real complaints filed with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

362 NHTSA complaints (2013–2017).Complaint rate: 3203.5 per 1,000 vehicles.

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Should I buy a Subaru Xv Crosstrek?

Quick answer from 362 NHTSA complaints · 2013–2017

Most Subaru Xv Crosstrek years show comparable, moderate complaint volumes. No specific year stands out as dramatically worse than its siblings. The most commonly reported issue is engine problems. Any year within the data range should perform similarly — focus inspection on the individual VIN history rather than avoiding a specific year.

Best years to buy
Most common Subaru Xv Crosstrek problem: Engine Problems62 complaints (6.5% crash-involvement rate).

Keep scrolling for year-by-year complaint trends, recall campaigns, and component breakdowns — or click any year above for a full report.

Severity Score
54955.8
Complaints
362
Crash Rate
9.1%
Fire Rate
1.7%
Injuries
13
Fatalities

Which Years to Buy & Avoid

Years auto-clustered by complaint volume relative to this model's median.

Rankings based on raw NHTSA complaint counts. Sales volume data not yet available for this model.

Bottom line: The Subaru Xv Crosstrek has consistently lower complaint volume in 2016–2017 compared to other years.

Avoid These Years

No years with significant complaint spikes.

Average

2013–2015
~117/yr complaints

Better Years

2016–2017
~6/yr complaints
Looking at a specific Subaru Xv Crosstrek?

A model's reputation is just the start.

Even within the “good” years, individual cars can have hidden accidents, title issues, or odometer rollbacks. Check the actual VIN before you buy — full history report for $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).

Complaints by Model Year

NHTSA complaint count per model year

Common Subaru Xv Crosstrek Problems

Most reported component complaints to NHTSA. Bar length = volume; color = crash-involvement rate.

Show full table
ComponentComplaintsCrash %
Engine Problems626.5%
Transmission / Drivetrain510.0%
Electrical Faults480.0%
Brakes2227.3%
Steering Defects1915.8%
Airbags1735.3%
Unintended Acceleration1450.0%
Fuel System933.3%
Electronic Stability Control812.5%
Wheel Issues80.0%

When Each Problem Spiked

Year × component heatmap. Darker cells = more complaints that year. Reveals which model years a specific defect concentrated in — useful for spotting redesign-cycle quality dips.

Data Sources & Methodology

Complaints: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation consumer complaint database (362 records for this model). Public domain data, updated monthly.

Sales data: Not yet available for this model. Complaint counts are shown as raw numbers.

Rate calculation: Complaints per 10,000 vehicles sold = (complaint count / US annual sales) x 10,000. This normalizes for sales volume so high-volume models like Civic or Camry aren't unfairly penalized.

Year classifications: AVOID = 1.5x+ the model's median complaint count. GOOD = 0.6x or below. Years less than 3 years old are marked TOO NEW (insufficient data).

See also: Subaru Xv Crosstrekaccident & safety statistics from our vehicle history database.

Buying a Subaru Xv Crosstrek?

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