How the 2020 compares
One of the better Crosstrek years
Owners filed about 38% fewer complaints than a typical Crosstrek year. The area owners reported most is the lights, wipers and visibility, which half of owners reported by about 5,000 miles.
Based on owner complaints to NHTSA, compared with other Crosstrek years from 2013 to 2024. A good year can still be a bad car, so check the one you are looking at.
Owners have filed 71 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Subaru Crosstrek. The most reported problem area is the lights, wipers and visibility (34, 48% of complaints), followed by the electrical system and the transmission and drivetrain. That ranks 10th of 12 Crosstrek years from 2013 to 2024 for complaints. It has 0 recalls.
Complaints71filed with NHTSA
Recalls0for this model year
Crashes63 injuries reported
Fires0reported in complaints
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Start my car searchMost reported problems
Problem areas ranked by how many complaints mention them. One complaint can name more than one area. Open an area to see what to check on a 2020 Subaru Crosstrek before you buy.
Lights, wipers and visibility
34 complaintsHeadlights that dim or fail, wiper and washer failures, and windshield cracks.What to check before you buy
Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 5,000 miles.
What to check before you buy
- Check every light: headlights on low and high, fog lights, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights.
- Run the wipers on every speed with washer fluid, and run the defroster front and back.
Tools that help
What owners said
6-8in windshield crack on passenger side, near the bottom just above defrost vents. No apparent trauma to the windshield in that area. No indication that there was a crack forming otherwise; appeared seemingly overnight. Have not yet reported to insurance, dealer, or mfg. I have seen that there was a class action settled recently…Owner complaint, filed 2025
The windshield has formed a crack in the top middle around the area of the rear view mirror with no incident to cause it. The problem is easily identifiable and may cause safety issues if the crack spreads. At this time insurance representatives and the manufacturer have not inspected the windshield. No warning lamps, messages or other…Owner complaint, filed 2023
Electrical system
11 complaintsDead batteries, warning lights, failed screens and cameras, and electrical shorts.What to check before you buy
What to check before you buy
- Test every switch: windows, locks, mirrors, seat heaters, the screen, the backup camera, Bluetooth and every USB port.
- Watch the dash at startup. Every warning light should come on briefly and then go out.
- Have the battery and charging system tested. A weak alternator or battery drain shows up here.
Tools that help
What owners said
I own a 2020 Subaru Crosstrek. While driving on the freeway in heavy traffic, I had to make a hard stop due to traffic ahead. When the vehicle came to a complete stop, the engine automatically shut off as part of the vehicle’s auto start-stop system. When I released the brake to proceed with traffic, the vehicle attempted to restart, but…Owner complaint, filed 2026
While driving 2020 Crosstrek Hybrid, the dashboard lights suddenly flashed and then engine stalled, leaving me with no brakes and no steering. I rolled through straight through an intersection with four stop signs and I could not stop. Luckily no one was driving or walking at the time. I couldn't start car, even with a jump start. I…Owner complaint, filed 2026
Transmission and drivetrain
11 complaintsHarsh or delayed shifts, slipping, shuddering, CVT whine, and drivetrain clunks.What to check before you buy
What to check before you buy
- Drive it from cold if you can. Shifts should be smooth in every gear, including reverse.
- Feel for slipping (revs rise without the car speeding up), shudder at low speed and a delay when you put it in gear.
- Listen for whining, which is a common CVT complaint, and clunks when you go from drive to reverse.
- If it has 4WD or AWD, engage it on the test drive and ask when the transmission and differential fluids were last changed.
Tools that help
What owners said
Transmission failed at 62,000 miles out of gear on freeway. No power to get into shoulder. . I took it to dealer, they said it needed new transmission. I then took it to a specialist which ran diagnostic and said valve body/solenoid need replacement so I had the work done. Now at 63,000 2 months later same issue happened on the freeway.…Owner complaint, filed 2026
Failing camshaft carrier seals causing oil leaks. This issue as a known issue to subaru engines in many models and no recalls have been made. This issue can cause a fire in the engine if not render over time. This vehicle has less than 60k miles with barely 5 years. Other models are failing with the same issue, if not with lower milage.Owner complaint, filed 2026
Engine and cooling
5 complaintsStalling, misfires, oil consumption, leaks, overheating and engine failure.What to check before you buy
What to check before you buy
- Ask the seller not to warm the car up, and start it cold. Listen for ticking, knocking or a rough idle in the first minute.
- Pull the oil dipstick and the oil cap. Low oil, a gasoline smell or a milky film on the cap are reasons to walk away or get an inspection.
- Plug in an OBD2 scanner. Stored or pending codes matter, and so do readiness monitors that show "not ready", which usually means the codes were cleared right before the sale.
- Ask for oil change records. A gap in the records on a model known for engine complaints is a negotiating point at minimum.
Tools that help
What owners said
My 2020 Subaru Crosstrek CVT Valve Body equipment failure and CVT Torque Converter failure. This appears to be a common failure for prior Subaru Crosstrek model - however was not extended for coverage to 2020 and beyond models - appears the issue still persists and additional year models should be covered. My vehicle experience the same…Owner complaint, filed 2026
My 2020 Subaru Crosstrek experienced a sudden loss of motive power and stalled due to a blown ignition fuse. Diagnostic code P1604 (Startability Malfunction) was stored. Inspection by Wayne Subaru (Invoice #25340) confirmed the Cylinder 3 ignition coil had shorted and physically melted. This is the exact failure mode described in Subaru…Owner complaint, filed 2026
Fuel system
3 complaintsHesitation, stalling, fuel smell, fuel pump and injector failures.What to check before you buy
What to check before you buy
- Smell around the engine bay and under the rear of the car for raw fuel.
- On the test drive, accelerate firmly from a stop and up a grade. Stumbling, surging or a flashing check engine light are red flags.
- Fuel pump recalls are common. Check this exact VIN for open recalls before you buy.
Tools that help
What owners said
Stalls sometimes when in intersection or when making a turn from dead stop ,then goes along fine. Seems like it is fuel or computer problemOwner complaint, filed 2021
The 2019-2021 Crosstrek Hybrid has an issue with the fuel tank design. Subaru has finally released a TSB (Reference: 09-82-23R) that explains the issue in more detail and how the defective parts need to be replaced. In short, the fuel tank has a design flaw such that regular fuel corrodes the fuel tank and causes clogging in the vapor…Owner complaint, filed 2025
Seats and seat belts
3 complaintsBelts that will not latch or retract, seat adjusters and passenger occupancy sensors.What to check before you buy
What to check before you buy
- Pull out and latch every seat belt, and let each one retract on its own.
- Try every seat adjuster, and watch for a passenger air bag "off" light when an adult is in the seat.
Tools that help
What owners said
At Miami Airport, with ample space behind the vehicle in front, a pickup truck with a very long sloping ramp trailer to carry several cars pulled into the stated space. The lefthand side rear of the trailer being well below my line of vision hit my bumper on the passenger side. My insurance provided GPS confirmed I was driving at 16 mph…Owner complaint, filed 2025
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated that while she was sitting in the parked vehicle on the side of the road, another vehicle driving at approximately 60-65 MPH rear-ended her vehicle. The contact's vehicle was pushed into the highway's first lane. The front driver's side seat belt failed to restrain the contact…Owner complaint, filed 2023
Brakes and stability control
2 complaintsBrakes that feel soft or grab, grinding, ABS and stability control faults.What to check before you buy
What to check before you buy
- The pedal should feel firm and the car should stop straight without pulling, grinding or a pulsing pedal.
- The ABS and stability control lights should go out after startup and stay out.
- Look through the wheels at the rotors. A deep lip on the edge means brakes are due soon, which is a fair thing to negotiate on.
Tools that help
What owners said
Beginning one year after buying this used 2020 Subaru Crosstrek base trim the starter failed and battery fully died after failing to start from a stop. The engine was OFF due to the auto-stop system and failed upon lifting my foot from the brake on a slight incline, causing a constant warning beep and a starter system failure message on…Owner complaint, filed 2026
Car was thought to be placed in park, key was easily removed, and then the car became mobile and rolled downhill and could not be shifted back into park.Owner complaint, filed 2023
Driver assist systems
2 complaintsPhantom braking, false collision warnings, and lane keeping or backup sensors that act up.What to check before you buy
What to check before you buy
- Where it is safe, try the adaptive cruise and lane keeping on the test drive and watch for sudden braking or warnings with nothing there.
- Check the windshield in front of the camera and the bumper sensors for cracks, chips or poor repairs.
- Ask whether the windshield has been replaced. The camera has to be recalibrated afterward, and many shops skip it.
Tools that help
What owners said
The 2019-2021 Crosstrek Hybrid has an issue with the fuel tank design. Subaru has finally released a TSB (Reference: 09-82-23R) that explains the issue in more detail and how the defective parts need to be replaced. In short, the fuel tank has a design flaw such that regular fuel corrodes the fuel tank and causes clogging in the vapor…Owner complaint, filed 2025
The auto engine shut off was disengaged by the dealer while doing some repair. When we picked up the car, noticed engine trouble icons signifying this. We called the dealer and advised of this situation. We had asked if it could be disconnected and was told no, it is forbidden and a safety issue. So when I advised it was turned off, the…Owner complaint, filed 2024
Cruise control and acceleration
2 complaintsHesitation, loss of power, sudden acceleration and cruise control problems.What to check before you buy
What to check before you buy
- On the test drive, press the gas gently and firmly. The response should be smooth with no lag or surge.
- Set the cruise control, then use resume and cancel to make sure each one works.
Tools that help
What owners said
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated while pulling into a parking spot and depressing the brake pedal to come to a complete stop, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that upon depressing the brake pedal a second time, the vehicle jerked, unintendedly accelerated, drove up the curb, and crashed into…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 42,000 miles
The contact owned a 2020 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated that as attempted to park her vehicle at 5 MPH, the vehicle independently accelerated without warning and drove onto a boulder. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. Three of the contact’s front teeth were knocked out as a result of the failure. The police were called to…Owner complaint, filed 2022, at 5,104 miles
Body, doors and structure
2 complaintsRust, doors and liftgates that will not latch, leaks, and frame or structure concerns.What to check before you buy
What to check before you buy
- Look underneath with a flashlight. Utah road salt is hard on frames, brake lines and the bottoms of doors.
- Open and close every door, the hood and the liftgate, and lock and unlock each one.
- Use a paint thickness gauge and compare panels. A panel that reads very differently from the rest has likely been repaired.
Tools that help
What owners said
Windshield cracked for no reason. Crack formed underneath the edge of the rubber window seal and has spread a crack six inches in height.Owner complaint, filed 2021, at 12,200 miles
Driver side rear door window exploded while driving. Shattering was unexpected. No rocks were heading that way and car is only 1.5 years old.Owner complaint, filed 2021
Subaru Crosstrek complaints by year
Compare the 2020 with other years before you choose one. Tap a year to see its problems.
Compare with similar 2020 small SUVs
Each car is rated against its own other years, since popular models always get more complaints than rare ones.
| Car | Vs. its other years | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 Subaru Crosstrek | One of the better years | 0 |
| 2020 Honda HR-V | One of the better years | 5 |
| 2020 Kia Soul | About average | 1 |
| 2020 Jeep Compass | One of the better years | 1 |
2020 Subaru Crosstrek recalls
NHTSA has no recalls on file for this model year.
2020 Subaru Crosstrek questions
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Subaru Crosstrek?
The most reported problem areas on the 2020 Subaru Crosstrek are the lights, wipers and visibility (34 complaints), the electrical system (11 complaints) and the transmission and drivetrain (11 complaints).
Is the 2020 Subaru Crosstrek a good year to buy?
One of the better Crosstrek years. Owners filed about 38% fewer complaints than a typical Crosstrek year. The area owners reported most is the lights, wipers and visibility, which half of owners reported by about 5,000 miles. Based on owner complaints to NHTSA, compared with other Crosstrek years from 2013 to 2024. A good year can still be a bad car, so check the one you are looking at.
How many recalls does the 2020 Subaru Crosstrek have?
NHTSA has no recalls on file for the 2020 Subaru Crosstrek.
At what mileage do 2020 Subaru Crosstrek problems start?
Half of the owners who reported a problem with the lights, wipers and visibility gave a mileage of about 5,000 miles or less. Plenty of cars have these problems later or never, so ask for service records.
Which Subaru Crosstrek years should I avoid?
The Crosstrek years with the most complaints compared with the rest are 2019. Years with clearly fewer complaints are 2020. Years from 2022 on are too new to rate fairly yet.
Check the exact car
These problems are for the model year as a whole. Here is how to find out about the one you are looking at.
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Where these numbers come from. Complaints are reports that owners filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), counted from NHTSA’s complaint database as of November 5, 2026. Owners do not have to prove a problem to file one, so a complaint is a report, not a confirmed defect. Models that sell in big numbers get more complaints, and newer model years have had less time on the road, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Recalls come from NHTSA’s recall database and cover every vehicle of that model year, not one particular car. Quotes are trimmed, and anything that looks like a VIN is hidden.
- Check a specific car for open recalls at NHTSA
- Decode a VIN to see recalls, safety ratings and complaints for that exact year, make and model