Compare the2025 Honda CR-VVS 2023 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid

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 Hybrid 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 Hybrid 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 Hybrid’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

The CR-V EX-L/Sport L/Sport Touring has standard Parking Sensors to help warn the driver about vehicles, pedestrians or other obstacles behind or in front of their vehicle. The Crosstrek Hybrid doesn’t offer a front parking aid.

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 Hybrid has a metal gas tank.

Both the CR-V and the Crosstrek Hybrid 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, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

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 Hybrid:

The Honda CR-V 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 Hybrid is not a “Top Safety Pick” for 2024.

Honda pays for scheduled maintenance on the CR-V for 1 year or 12,000 miles. Honda 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 Hybrid.

There are over 67 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.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Subaru vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 1 place higher in reliability than Subaru.

The CR-V’s standard 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 42 more horsepower (190 vs. 148) than the Crosstrek Hybrid’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid. The CR-V Hybrid’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 56 more horsepower (204 vs. 148) than the Crosstrek Hybrid’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Honda CR-V is faster than the Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid:

On the EPA test cycle the CR-V gets better mileage than the Crosstrek Hybrid running its gasoline engine:

Both the CR-V and Crosstrek Hybrid have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. The CR-V (except CR-V Hybrid) has a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

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 Hybrid doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

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

For better traction, the CR-V has larger tires than the Crosstrek Hybrid (235/60R18 vs. 225/55R18).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the CR-V Sport Touring Hybrid has standard 19-inch wheels. The Crosstrek Hybrid’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

The CR-V has a standard space-saver spare (not available on Hybrid) so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Crosstrek Hybrid; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

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

The Honda CR-V may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 250 pounds less than the Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid.

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 Hybrid doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The CR-V has 5.2 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Crosstrek Hybrid (106 vs. 100.8).

The CR-V has .2 inches more front headroom, .5 inches more front hip room, 1.2 inches more front shoulder room, .5 inches more rear headroom, 4.3 inches more rear legroom and .3 inches more rear shoulder room than the Crosstrek Hybrid.

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

The CR-V has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Crosstrek Hybrid with its rear seat up (39.3 vs. 15.9 cubic feet). The CR-V has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Crosstrek Hybrid with its rear seat folded (76.5 vs. 43.1 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 28 inches, while the Crosstrek Hybrid’s liftover is 30.7 inches.

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

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the CR-V EX-L/Sport-L/Sport Touring has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button, or on the CR-V Sport Touring, by just kicking your foot under the back bumper, completely leaving your hands free. The Crosstrek Hybrid doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

Maximum trailer towing in the Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid is limited to 1000 pounds. The CR-V offers up to a 1500 lbs. towing capacity.

The CR-V uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Crosstrek Hybrid 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.

When two different drivers share the CR-V EX-L/Sport-L/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 Hybrid doesn’t offer memory seats.

The CR-V EX-L/Sport-L/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 Hybrid 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 Hybrid 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/Sport L/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 Hybrid’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 Hybrid can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The CR-V’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 Hybrid’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted. The CR-V Sport Touring’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield.

Consumer Reports rated the CR-V’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Crosstrek Hybrid’s headlights, which were rated “Poor.”

The CR-V EX/Sport’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 Hybrid doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Both the CR-V and the Crosstrek Hybrid 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 Hybrid 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/Sport L/Sport Touring has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the front center console. The Crosstrek Hybrid doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

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

Insurance will cost less for the CR-V owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the CR-V will cost $485 to $700 less than the Crosstrek Hybrid over a five-year period.

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

The CR-V was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “5Best Trucks/10Best” for 2024 and 4 more times in the last 23 years. The Crosstrek Hybrid has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

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

The Honda CR-V outsold the Subaru Crosstrek by over two to one during 2023.