Compare the2024 BMW X1VS 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
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The BMW X1 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.

The X1 has a standard PostCrash iBrake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The X1 offers an optional Surround View to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Crosstrek only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The X1 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 X1 has standard Cross Traffic Warning with braking function and automatically engage the brakes. Subaru charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Crosstrek and its not available on the Base/Manual and the Crosstrek’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert does not include automatic braking.

Both the X1 and the Crosstrek 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, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights and rearview cameras.

The BMW X1 weighs 492 to 673 pounds more than the Subaru Crosstrek. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

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 BMW X1 is much safer than the Crosstrek:

	X1	Crosstrek
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	POOR
Structure	GOOD	POOR
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	107	245
Head Peak Forces	48 G’s	55 G’s
Neck Tension	201 lbs.	290 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	MARGINAL
Shoulder Deflection	.94 in	1.89 in
Shoulder Force	245 lbs.	357 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.1 in	2.01 in
Torso Deflection Rate	7 MPH	10 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	692 lbs.	1116 lbs.
Head Protection	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	173	231
Torso	GOOD	MARGINAL
Shoulder Deflection	.59 in	2.09 in
Shoulder Force	245 lbs.	424 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.14 in	1.69 in
Torso Deflection Rate	5 MPH	13 MPH
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

The BMW X1 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 is not a “Top Safety Pick” for 2024.

Warranty

The X1 comes with a full 4-year/50,000-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 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The X1’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the Crosstrek’s (12 vs. 5 years).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the X1 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. BMW 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.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW above average in long-term dependability. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Subaru is rated below average.

Engine

The X1 xDrive28i’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 89 more horsepower (241 vs. 152) and 150 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 145) than the Crosstrek’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder. The X1 xDrive28i’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 59 more horsepower (241 vs. 182) and 119 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 176) than the Crosstrek Sport/Limited’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The X1 M35i xDrive’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 131 more horsepower (313 vs. 182) and 119 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 176) than the Crosstrek Sport/Limited’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the X1 xDrive28i is faster than the Subaru Crosstrek (automatics tested):

	X1	Crosstrek 2.0	Crosstrek Sport/Limited
Zero to 60 MPH	5.6 sec	9 sec	7.8 sec
Quarter Mile	14.3 sec	16.9 sec	16 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	97.8 MPH	80.8 MPH	87.7 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

Regenerative brakes improve the X1’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

Regardless of its engine, the X1’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. Subaru only offers an automatic engine start/stop system on the Crosstrek CVT.

Transmission

The BMW X1 comes standard with an automatic transmission, for driver comfort, especially in the city. Automatic costs extra on the Crosstrek.

The X1 offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is more internally efficient than a CVT but just as easy to drive. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer an SMG.

To facilitate fast shifting and allow the driver to focus on the road, the X1 has a standard up-shift light to indicate when the engine is approaching redline. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer an up-shift light.

The X1’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the X1’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Crosstrek:

	X1	X1 M35i xDrive	Crosstrek
Front Rotors	13.2 inches	15.2 inches	11.6 inches
Rear Rotors	11.8 inches	13 inches	10.8 inches

The X1’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Crosstrek are solid, not vented.

The X1 stops much shorter than the Crosstrek:

	X1	Crosstrek
70 to 0 MPH	167 feet	169 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	115 feet	131 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the X1’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Crosstrek (245/45R19 vs. 225/60R17).

The X1’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Crosstrek’s standard 60 series tires. The X1’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Crosstrek Limited’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the X1 has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Crosstrek. The X1’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Crosstrek Limited.

Suspension and Handling

The X1 offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Crosstrek’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The X1 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 doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the X1’s wheelbase is 1.1 inches longer than on the Crosstrek (106 inches vs. 104.9 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the X1 is 1.2 inches wider in the front and 1 inch wider in the rear than the track on the Crosstrek.

The X1 xDrive28i handles at .86 G’s, while the Crosstrek Limited pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The X1 xDrive28i executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.1 seconds quicker than the Crosstrek Limited (26.3 seconds @ .67 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

Chassis

The front grille of the X1 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.

Passenger Space

The X1 has 2.3 inches more front headroom, 1.3 inches more rear headroom and .5 inches more rear legroom than the Crosstrek.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the X1’s rear seats recline. The Crosstrek’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The X1 has a much larger cargo volume than the Crosstrek with its rear seat up (25.7 vs. 20.8 cubic feet).

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the X1 has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button, or optionally by just kicking your foot under the back bumper, completely leaving your hands free. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

Towing

The X1’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Crosstrek’s (3500 vs. 1500 pounds).

Standard Trailer Stabilization Control on the X1 uses the Dynamic 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.

Servicing Ease

The X1 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.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that BMW service is better than Subaru. J.D. Power ranks BMW 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 14% lower rating, Subaru is ranked 16th.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the X1, the memory system makes it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a memory system.

The X1 offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The X1’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.

If the windows are left open on the X1 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower 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 X1 has standard Comfort Go that allows you to start the engine without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Keyless Access and Start costs extra on the Crosstrek and isn’t available on the Crosstrek Base.

The X1’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 X1’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Crosstrek’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the X1 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

The X1’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 X1 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 X1’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Heated mirrors cost extra on the Crosstrek and aren’t offered on the Crosstrek Base.

When the X1 is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Crosstrek’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

On extremely cold winter days, the X1’s optional 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 X1’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 X1 and the Crosstrek offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the X1 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 BMW X1 offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The X1’s Parking Assistant can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling the transmission and speed with the brake pedal. With its available fully controlled system, the driver just activates it and it parks autonomously, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the BMW X1 and the Subaru Crosstrek, based on reliability, safety and performance.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the X1 third among small premium suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Crosstrek isn’t in the top three.

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