Compare the2023 Honda CR-VVS 2023 Subaru Crosstrek

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Honda CR-V have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The Subaru Crosstrek doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Honda CR-V 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 doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the CR-V deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The CR-V’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Crosstrek’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

The CR-V has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Crosstrek’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the CR-V has standard Cross Traffic Monitor, helping the driver avoid collisions. Subaru charges extra for rear cross-path warning on the Crosstrek and its not available on the Base/Manual.

Compared to metal, the CR-V’s plastic fuel tank can withstand harder, more intrusive impacts without leaking; this decreases the possibility of fire. The Subaru Crosstrek has a metal gas tank.

Both the CR-V and the Crosstrek have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive and rear parking sensors.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Honda CR-V is much safer than the Crosstrek:

	CR-V	Crosstrek
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	POOR
Structure	GOOD	POOR
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	138	245
Head Peak Forces	no contact	55 G’s
Neck Tension	178 lbs.	290 lbs.
Torso	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
Shoulder Deflection	.91 in	1.89 in
Shoulder Force	201 lbs.	357 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.3 in	2.01 in
Torso Deflection Rate	7 MPH	10 MPH
Pelvis	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	1093 lbs.	1116 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	119	231
Neck Tension	45 lbs.	89 lbs.
Neck Compression	89 lbs.	178 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	MARGINAL
Shoulder Deflection	.94 in	2.09 in
Shoulder Force	223 lbs.	424 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.06 in	1.69 in
Torso Deflection Rate	7 MPH	13 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis Force	759 lbs.	825 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the CR-V its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Crosstrek was last a “Top Safety Pick Plus” in 2019 but no longer qualifies.

Warranty

Honda pays for scheduled maintenance on the CR-V for 2 years and 24,000 miles. Honda will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Subaru doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Crosstrek.

There are over 68 percent more Honda dealers than there are Subaru dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the CR-V’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than Subaru vehicles. With 8 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Honda higher than Subaru.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Subaru vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 2 places higher in reliability than Subaru.

Engine

The CR-V’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 38 more horsepower (190 vs. 152) and 34 lbs.-ft. more torque (179 vs. 145) than the Crosstrek’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder. The CR-V’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 8 more horsepower (190 vs. 182) and 3 lbs.-ft. more torque (179 vs. 176) than the Crosstrek Sport/Limited’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Honda CR-V is faster than the Subaru Crosstrek 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder (automatics tested):

	CR-V	Crosstrek
Zero to 30 MPH	3.7 sec	4 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	8.8 sec	10.2 sec
45 to 65 MPH Passing	5.5 sec	6.3 sec
Quarter Mile	17 sec	17.8 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	86 MPH	82 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the CR-V FWD gets better fuel mileage than the Crosstrek 2.0 DOHC flat-4 6-speed Manual (28 city/34 hwy vs. 22 city/29 hwy).

The CR-V has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Transmission

The Honda CR-V comes standard with an automatic transmission, for driver comfort, especially in the city. Automatic costs extra on the Crosstrek.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the CR-V’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Crosstrek:

	CR-V	Crosstrek
Front Rotors	12.3 inches	11.6 inches
Rear Rotors	12.2 inches	10.8 inches

The CR-V stops shorter than the Crosstrek:

	CR-V	Crosstrek
60 to 0 MPH	130 feet	131 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the CR-V has larger tires than the Crosstrek (235/60R18 vs. 225/60R17).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the CR-V has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Crosstrek.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the CR-V’s wheelbase is 1.4 inches longer than on the Crosstrek (106.3 inches vs. 104.9 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the CR-V is 2.3 inches wider in the front and 2.8 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Crosstrek.

The CR-V EX-L AWD handles at .82 G’s, while the Crosstrek Premium pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The CR-V EX-L AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Crosstrek Limited (28 seconds @ .59 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

Chassis

The front grille of the CR-V uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The CR-V uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The CR-V has 2.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Crosstrek (103.5 vs. 100.9).

The CR-V has .5 inches more front hip room, 1.2 inches more front shoulder room, .2 inches more rear headroom, 3.9 inches more rear legroom and .3 inches more rear shoulder room than the Crosstrek.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the CR-V’s rear seats recline. The Crosstrek’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The CR-V has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Crosstrek with its rear seat up (39.3 vs. 20.8 cubic feet). The CR-V has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Crosstrek with its rear seat folded (76.5 vs. 55.3 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the CR-V easier. The CR-V’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 26 inches, while the Crosstrek’s liftover is 30.9 inches.

The CR-V’s cargo area is larger than the Crosstrek’s in almost every dimension:

	CR-V	Crosstrek
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	37.5”/71”	32.3”/64.2”
Max Width	54”	53”
Min Width	41.5”	43”
Height	41”	30”

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the CR-V EX-L has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

Servicing Ease

The CR-V uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Crosstrek uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the CR-V EX-L, the memory seats make it convenient for both. Each keyless remote activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer memory seats.

The CR-V EX-L’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The CR-V’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Crosstrek 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 CR-V EX-L’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Crosstrek’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

On a hot day the CR-V’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance with the keyless remote or at the outside door handle. The driver of the Crosstrek can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The CR-V’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Crosstrek’s power window (except driver window) switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The CR-V’s speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Crosstrek’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The CR-V’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Crosstrek’s standard halogen headlights. LED lights also light instantly and last over twenty times longer than halogen.

The CR-V has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. When the ignition turns off, the headlights turn off after a delay timed to allow you to securely get to your front door. The Crosstrek has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the Premium/Sport/Limited.

The CR-V’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Subaru only offers heated mirrors on the Crosstrek Premium/Sport/Limited.

The CR-V’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Both the CR-V and the Crosstrek offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the CR-V has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Honda CR-V EX-L has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Model Availability

The CR-V is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Honda CR-V and the Subaru Crosstrek, based on reliability, safety and performance.

Motor Trend selected the CR-V as their 2018 Sport Utility of the Year. The Crosstrek has never been chosen.

The Honda CR-V outsold the Subaru Crosstrek by 54% during 2022.

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