2020 Subaru Crosstrek problems, complaints & recalls
NHTSA has received 69 owner complaints about the 2020 Subaru Crosstrek, or 10.2 per year on the road — far fewer complaints than typical (complaint index 0.25, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 83 model-year 2020 vehicles we track, it ranks #21 of 83 by complaints per year (#1 = fewest). Against other Subaru models its rate is 72% lower; against other Subcompact SUVs it is 55% lower.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Complaints filed between 2020-01-17 and 2026-09-12. Median delay from incident to filing: 10 days.
Analysis
The previous model year (2019) drew 36.6 complaints per year, more than this one. The following model year (2021) drew 20.0 per year, more than this one. In its first two years on the road the 2020 model collected 33 complaints, 41% lower than the average vehicle of the same model year.
The most common problem area is Body & structure (50.7% of complaints), followed by Transmission / powertrain (11.6%) and Electrical (11.6%). Body & structure complaints are 5.6 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. 6 reports (8.7%) describe a crash or fire; owners mention 3 injuries and 0 deaths.
Half of the reported incidents happened within 21 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was the second year (30% of incidents). 7 complaints were filed in the last 12 months.
NHTSA lists no safety recalls for this model year. 1 NHTSA investigation covers this model year; the most recent is “Pedestrian alert sounds” (defect petition, opened 2023-01-27, closed 2023-08-07).
Complaint index
- vs. all tracked vehicles0.25
- vs. other Subaru models0.28
- vs. other 2020 models0.27
- vs. other Subcompact SUVs0.45
- Complaints in first 2 years on the road · vs. same-year average (33)0.59
- #21 of 83 · 2020Rankings ›
1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road.
What owners complain about
vs. all vehicles: 1.00 = All-vehicle average
Problem areas: Body & structure · Unspecified or other · Electrical · Engine · Transmission / powertrain
When complaints were filed
- Crashes reported: 6
- Fires reported: 0
- Injuries: 3
- Deaths: 0
Vehicle age at incident
Median age at incident: 21 months
What owners report
At Miami Airport, with ample space behind the vehicle in front, a pickup truck with a very long sloping ramp trailer to carry several cars pulled into the stated space.
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated while pulling into a parking spot and depressing the brake pedal to come to a complete stop, the vehicle failed to respond.
I own a 2020 Subaru Crosstrek. While driving on the freeway in heavy traffic, I had to make a hard stop due to traffic ahead. When the vehicle came to a complete stop, the engine automatically shut off as part of the vehicle’s auto start-stop system.
DEFECT DESCRIPTION My 2020 Subaru Crosstrek has been diagnosed with diagnostic trouble code P2757 (Torque Converter Clutch Pressure Control Solenoid Control Circuit Performance), which my authorized Subaru 802 Subaru retailer in Vermont has confirmed is…
My 2020 Subaru Crosstrek CVT Valve Body equipment failure and CVT Torque Converter failure. This appears to be a common failure for prior Subaru Crosstrek model - however was not extended for coverage to 2020 and beyond models - appears the issue still…
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Segment peers · 2020 · Subcompact SUVs
| Models | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Mazda CX-30 | 34 | 5.0 | 0.12 |
| 2020 Subaru Crosstrek | 69 | 10.2 | 0.25 |
| 2020 Honda HR-V | 84 | 12.4 | 0.31 |
| 2020 Hyundai Kona | 187 | 27.5 | 0.68 |
Safety recalls (0)
No recalls on record for this model year.
Investigations
- Pedestrian alert sounds Closed
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and ele…