Compare the2024 Hyundai TucsonVS 2024 Subaru Crosstrek

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Hyundai Tucson have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Subaru Crosstrek doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Tucson Limited has a standard Around View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Crosstrek only offers a rear monitor.

The Tucson has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the Crosstrek’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Tucson has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Subaru charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Crosstrek and its not available on the Base and the Crosstrek’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert does not include automatic braking.

Both the Tucson and the Crosstrek have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors and available all wheel drive.

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 Hyundai Tucson is safer than the Crosstrek:

The Hyundai Tucson achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2024 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The Crosstrek last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2023.

The Tucson comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Crosstrek’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Tucson 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Subaru covers the Crosstrek. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Crosstrek ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Tucson’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Crosstrek’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Tucson for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Subaru doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Crosstrek.

There are over 31 percent more Hyundai dealers than there are Subaru dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Tucson’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 78 more problems per 100 vehicles, Subaru is ranked 22nd.

The Tucson’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 35 more horsepower (187 vs. 152) and 33 lbs.-ft. more torque (178 vs. 145) than the Crosstrek’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Tucson’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 5 more horsepower (187 vs. 182) than the Crosstrek Sport/Limited/Wilderness’ standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Hyundai Tucson is faster than the Subaru Crosstrek 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder:

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

The Tucson stops much shorter than the Crosstrek:

For better traction, the Tucson has larger tires than the Crosstrek (235/65R17 vs. 225/60R17).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Tucson offers optional 19-inch wheels. The Crosstrek’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Tucson’s wheelbase is 3.4 inches longer than on the Crosstrek (108.5 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Tucson is 2.7 inches wider in the front and 3 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Crosstrek.

The Tucson Limited AWD handles at .82 G’s, while the Crosstrek Wilderness pulls only .75 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Tucson Limited AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1 seconds quicker than the Crosstrek Limited (27.4 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

The Tucson has 7.7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Crosstrek (108.2 vs. 100.5).

The Tucson has .3 inches more front headroom, .8 inches more front shoulder room, 1.5 inches more rear headroom, 4.8 inches more rear legroom and .7 inches more rear shoulder room than the Crosstrek.

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

The Tucson has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Crosstrek with its rear seat up (38.7 vs. 19.9 cubic feet). The Tucson has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Crosstrek with its rear seat folded (74.8 vs. 54.7 cubic feet).

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the Tucson’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Tucson SEL/XRT/Limited’s power liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Tucson’s power liftgate can also be opened or closed by pressing a button. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening liftgate.

The Tucson’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Crosstrek’s (2000 vs. 1500 pounds).

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Tucson uses the Electronic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The Tucson has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

When two different drivers share the Tucson Limited, the memory seats make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer memory seats.

The Tucson Limited’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.

On a hot day the Tucson’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Crosstrek can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Tucson Limited’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Crosstrek’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Both the Tucson and the Crosstrek offer available heated front seats. The Tucson Limited also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Crosstrek.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Tucson Limited keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

On extremely cold winter days, the Tucson Limited’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.

Both the Tucson and the Crosstrek offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Tucson SEL/XRT/Limited 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.

The Tucson Limited’s Remote Smart Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Smart Park Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

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

The Hyundai Tucson outsold the Subaru Crosstrek by 32% during 2023.