Compare the2023 Subaru CrosstrekVS 2023 Honda CR-V

The Crosstrek has standard Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The CR-V doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Crosstrek Limited has standard Reverse Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The CR-V doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Crosstrek. But it costs extra on the CR-V.

The Crosstrek CVT’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The CR-V doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

The Crosstrek Premium/Sport/Limited has standard STARLINK Safety and Security, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The CR-V doesn’t offer a GPS response system, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

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

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, with its optional vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, with its optional vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Crosstrek the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 164 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The CR-V has not been tested, yet.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Honda With 4 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Subaru higher than Honda.

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Crosstrek lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability without compromising ground clearance. The CR-V doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

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

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Subaru Crosstrek uses regular unleaded gasoline. The CR-V requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Crosstrek has 2.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the CR-V (16.6 vs. 14 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Subaru Crosstrek higher (7 out of 10) than the Honda CR-V (6). This means the Crosstrek produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the CR-V every 15,000 miles.

The Crosstrek Limited’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the CR-V’s 60 series tires.

For better maneuverability, the Crosstrek’s turning circle is 1.9 feet tighter than the CR-V’s (35.4 feet vs. 37.3 feet).

The Subaru Crosstrek may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 to 400 pounds less than the Honda CR-V.

The Crosstrek is 8.3 inches shorter than the CR-V, making the Crosstrek easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Crosstrek has 1.6 inches more front headroom, 1.8 inches more front legroom and 5.7 inches more rear hip room than the CR-V.

The engine in the Crosstrek is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the CR-V. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

The power windows standard on both the Crosstrek and the CR-V have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Crosstrek is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The CR-V prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Crosstrek’s available exterior PIN entry system (not available on Crosstrek Base). The CR-V doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Crosstrek Limited has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The CR-V doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Crosstrek’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The CR-V offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

To direct the driver from any location to a given street address, a GPS navigation system is available on the Crosstrek Limited. The Crosstrek’s navigation system also has a real-time traffic update feature that offers alternative routes to automatically bypass traffic problems. (Service not available in all areas.) The CR-V doesn’t offer a navigation system.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Subaru Crosstrek, based on reliability, safety and performance.