Compare the2023 Chevrolet BoltVS 2023 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid

The Chevrolet Bolt has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Crosstrek Hybrid doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The Bolt offers an optional Surround Vision to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Crosstrek Hybrid only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

Both the Bolt and the Crosstrek Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Chevrolet Bolt is safer than the Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Chevrolet Bolt is safer than the Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The Bolt’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Crosstrek Hybrid’s (6 vs. 5 years).

There are almost 5 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are Subaru dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Bolt’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 44 more problems per 100 vehicles, Subaru is ranked 20th, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet above average in long-term dependability. With 21 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Subaru is rated below average.

The Bolt’s standard electric motor produces 52 more horsepower (200 vs. 148) than the Crosstrek Hybrid’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Chevrolet Bolt is faster than the Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid:

On the EPA test cycle the Bolt gets better mileage than the Crosstrek Hybrid running on electricity (131 city/109 hwy vs. 99 city/80 hwy MPGe).

On the EPA test cycle the Bolt gets better mileage than the Crosstrek Hybrid running its gasoline engine (131 city/109 hwy MPGe vs. 36 city/35 hwy).

The Bolt can travel with zero emissions on a full charge for 259 miles. The Crosstrek Hybrid has to start its internal combustion engine after only 17 miles.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Chevrolet Bolt higher (10 out of 10) than the Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid (6 to 7). This means the Bolt produces up to 12.9 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Crosstrek Hybrid every 15,000 miles.

The Bolt’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Crosstrek Hybrid’s standard 55 series tires.

The Bolt has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Crosstrek Hybrid doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Having a flat tire is dangerous, inconvenient and expensive. The self-sealing tires standard on the Bolt can automatically seal most punctures up to 3/16 of an inch, effectively preventing most flat tires. The Crosstrek Hybrid doesn’t offer self-sealing tires.

The Bolt has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Crosstrek Hybrid doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For better maneuverability, the Bolt’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the Crosstrek Hybrid’s (34.8 feet vs. 35.4 feet).

The Bolt is 1 foot, 1.3 inches shorter than the Crosstrek Hybrid, making the Bolt easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Bolt has .3 inches more front headroom, 1.2 inches more front legroom and .2 inches more rear headroom than the Crosstrek Hybrid.

The Bolt has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Crosstrek Hybrid with its rear seat up (16.6 vs. 15.9 cubic feet). The Bolt has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Crosstrek Hybrid with its rear seat folded (57 vs. 43.1 cubic feet).

The Bolt’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Crosstrek Hybrid has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

The Bolt’s front and rear power windows all lower with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Crosstrek Hybrid’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open them fully.

Consumer Reports rated the Bolt’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Crosstrek Hybrid’s headlights, which were rated “Poor.”

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Chevrolet Bolt offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Crosstrek Hybrid doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Insurance will cost less for the Bolt owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Bolt will cost $420 to $560 less than the Crosstrek Hybrid over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Chevrolet Bolt will be $43 to $2742 less than for the Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid.

The Bolt was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2017. The Crosstrek Hybrid has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Bolt as the 2017 North American Car of the Year. The Crosstrek Hybrid has never been chosen.