Subaru XV Crosstrek Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 258 consumer complaints across the 3 model years of the Subaru XV Crosstrek (2013–2015) that have at least 5 complaints. 2013 has the most, with 98. Across all years, the part named most often is engine (59 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
Best and worst XV Crosstrek years →
All XV Crosstrek model years
Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | TSBs | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 79 | 37,801 | 1 | 238 | 50 · Typical | Falling |
| 2014 | 81 | 50,000 | 0 | 260 | 35 · Fewer | Falling |
| 2013 | 98 | 66,000 | 2 | 300 | 57 · Typical | Falling |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Engine59 20%
- Other or unknown54 19%
- Transmission and drivetrain53 18%
- Electrical system49 17%
- Brakes24 8.3%
- Steering18 6.2%
- Air bags17 5.9%
- Vehicle speed control16 5.5%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
2013: “At approximately 64k miles our Xv Crosstrek began emitting a loud hum from the rear and our gas mileage decreased significantly (18 mpg). When we took it into our mechanic, he found that the rear hubs were dangerously degraded and that the rear differential was failing. In his opinion, failure of those systems at only 64k miles suggested a design or part defect.”
NHTSA complaint #11282056, filed 2019-11, 64,400 miles2014: “Around sept. 2019 my 2014 Subaru crosstrek started making a clicking noise when I made a left or right turn from a stop. My Subaru had 47,000 miles on it. The noise continued to get worse and it started having a vibration in it. Its now starting to catch when you make a left or right turn from a stop. I had it checked out and was told my cv axles are bad and that's causing the problem.”
NHTSA complaint #11292157, filed 2019-12, 47,000 miles2015: “At 37,801 miles, the brake switch component failed on my 2015 Subaru Xv Crosstrek. The hill assist, ABS, and traction control lights all came on. When I parked the vehicle and shut it off, it refused to come out of park, leaving the vehicle stranded. This appears to be a known issue with this part, however, there is no recall at this time.”
NHTSA complaint #11025480, filed 2017-09, 37,801 milesOther Subaru models
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2,649 complaintsSubaru Crosstrek
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969 complaintsSubaru SVX
279 complaints
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Methodology