2023 Subaru Crosstrek problems, complaints & recalls
NHTSA has received 34 owner complaints about the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek, or 9.0 per year on the road — far fewer complaints than typical (complaint index 0.22, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 92 model-year 2023 vehicles we track, it ranks #24 of 92 by complaints per year (#1 = fewest). Against other Subaru models its rate is 75% lower; against other Subcompact SUVs it is 60% 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 2022-11-23 and 2026-09-01. Median delay from incident to filing: 8 days.
Analysis
The previous model year (2022) drew 6.5 complaints per year, fewer than this one. The following model year (2024) drew 43.0 per year, more than this one. In its first two years on the road the 2023 model collected 18 complaints, 78% lower than the average vehicle of the same model year.
The most common problem area is Body & structure (23.5% of complaints), followed by Unspecified or other (20.6%) and Engine (14.7%). Body & structure complaints are 2.6 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. 4 reports (11.8%) describe a crash or fire; owners mention 4 injuries and 0 deaths.
Half of the reported incidents happened within 20 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was the first year (32% of incidents). 9 complaints were filed in the last 12 months.
NHTSA lists no safety recalls for this model year.
Complaint index
- vs. all tracked vehicles0.22
- vs. other Subaru models0.25
- vs. other 2023 models0.21
- vs. other Subcompact SUVs0.4
- Complaints in first 2 years on the road · vs. same-year average (18)0.22
- #24 of 92 · 2023Rankings ›
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: 4
- Fires reported: 0
- Injuries: 4
- Deaths: 0
Vehicle age at incident
Median age at incident: 20 months
What owners report
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.
Driving down highway in center lane, at or under speed limit, rainy conditions. Unexpectedly hydroplaned when transitioning from asphalt to bridge. Collided head-on with guardrail on right-hand side of road.
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.
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.
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 issue and replaced parts in the brake system.
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Segment peers · 2023 · Subcompact SUVs
| Models | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 Mazda CX-30 | 25 | 6.6 | 0.16 |
| 2023 Subaru Crosstrek | 34 | 9.0 | 0.22 |
| 2023 Kia Seltos | 46 | 12.1 | 0.3 |
| 2023 Hyundai Kona | 75 | 19.8 | 0.49 |
| 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross | 176 | 46.4 | 1.15 |
| 2023 Honda HR-V | 687 | 181.3 | 4.49 |
Safety recalls (0)
No recalls on record for this model year.
Investigations
No NHTSA investigation covers the tracked model years.