Compare the2023 Honda CR-V HybridVS 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 Hybrid 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 Hybrid 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 Hybrid 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 Hybrid’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 Hybrid 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 Hybrid has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Rear cross-path warning costs extra on the Crosstrek and isn't available on the not available.

Compared to metal, the CR-V Hybrid’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 Hybrid 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.

The Honda CR-V Hybrid weighs 454 to 809 pounds more than the Subaru Crosstrek. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

Warranty

Honda pays for scheduled maintenance on the CR-V Hybrid 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 Hybrid’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 2021 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Subaru vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 3 places higher in reliability than Subaru.

Engine

The CR-V Hybrid’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 52 more horsepower (204 vs. 152) and 102 lbs.-ft. more torque (247 vs. 145) than the Crosstrek’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder. The CR-V Hybrid’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 22 more horsepower (204 vs. 182) and 71 lbs.-ft. more torque (247 vs. 176) than the Crosstrek Sport/Limited’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Honda CR-V Hybrid is faster than the Subaru Crosstrek (automatics tested):

	CR-V Hybrid	Crosstrek 2.0	Crosstrek Sport/Limited
Zero to 30 MPH	2.7 sec	3.4 sec	n/a
Zero to 60 MPH	7.6 sec	9 sec	7.8 sec
Passing 45 to 65 MPH	4 sec	4.4 sec	n/a
Quarter Mile	16.2 sec	16.9 sec	16 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	81.5 MPH	80.8 MPH	87.7 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the CR-V Hybrid gets better mileage than the Crosstrek:

			MPG
CR-V Hybrid
FWD	Auto	2.0 4-cyl. Hybrid	43 city/36 hwy
AWD	Auto	2.0 4-cyl. Hybrid	40 city/34 hwy
Crosstrek
AWD	Manual	2.0 DOHC flat-4	22 city/29 hwy
AWD	Auto	2.0 DOHC flat-4	28 city/33 hwy
		2.5 DOHC flat-4	27 city/34 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the CR-V Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The CR-V Hybrid 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 Hybrid 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 Hybrid’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Crosstrek:

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

The CR-V Hybrid stops shorter than the Crosstrek:

	CR-V Hybrid	Crosstrek
60 to 0 MPH	123 feet	131 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

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

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the CR-V Hybrid has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Crosstrek. The CR-V Hybrid Sport Touring’s 19-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Crosstrek Limited.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the CR-V Hybrid’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 Hybrid is 2.3 inches wider in the front and 2.8 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Crosstrek.

Chassis

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

The CR-V Hybrid 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 Hybrid’s rear seats recline. The Crosstrek’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The CR-V Hybrid 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 Hybrid 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 Hybrid easier. The CR-V Hybrid’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 26 inches, while the Crosstrek’s liftover is 30.9 inches.

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

	CR-V Hybrid	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 when your hands are full, the CR-V Hybrid Sport Touring’s power liftgate can be opened or closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening liftgate.

Servicing Ease

The CR-V Hybrid 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 Hybrid Sport Touring, 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 Hybrid Sport Touring’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 Hybrid’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 Hybrid Sport Touring’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 Hybrid’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 Hybrid’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 Hybrid’s standard 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 Hybrid Sport Touring’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield.

The CR-V Hybrid’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 Hybrid 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 Hybrid’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.

On extremely cold winter days, the CR-V Hybrid Sport Touring’s standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The CR-V Hybrid’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 Hybrid and the Crosstrek offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the CR-V Hybrid 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 Hybrid Sport Touring 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 Hybrid is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Recommendations

The CR-V was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Five/10Best Trucks” for 3 of the last 21 years. The Crosstrek has never been a Car and Driver “Top Five/10Best Truck” pick.

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 76% during the 2022 model year.