Used Subaru Crosstrek 1st Gen (2013-2017): Buyer's Guide

The first-generation Crosstrek's CVT ran without a filter in its valve body and used a torque converter bushing that wore prematurely, a design gap that lasted from 2013 through 2016. Subaru quietly corrected it for 2017, the final year of this generation. Same badge, same 2.0-liter boxer engine, meaningfully different transmission risk depending on which model year you buy. That single design change is the thread running through this whole generation, and it's the first thing to understand before you shop one.

Subaru launched the XV Crosstrek for 2013 as a lifted, cladded version of the Impreza hatchback, aimed at buyers who wanted Outback-style versatility in a smaller, cheaper package. It worked. The Crosstrek became one of Subaru's best-selling models almost immediately, and this first generation set the formula every version since has followed: standard symmetrical all-wheel drive, a naturally aspirated boxer engine, and 8.7 inches of ground clearance in a body that looks nothing like a traditional SUV.

This Generation at a Glance

Subaru sold this generation as the "XV Crosstrek" for 2013 through 2015, then dropped the XV prefix for 2016 and 2017. Under the trim badges, it's the same GP-platform vehicle for all five years, built on Subaru's Impreza chassis of that era. The 2.0-liter FB20 boxer-four (148 hp, 145 lb-ft) is the only engine offered on the gas model across the whole generation, no turbo, no larger displacement option. A 5-speed manual is standard; a CVT (marketed as Lineartronic) is available on Premium and Limited trims. Subaru also sold a mild-hybrid Crosstrek Hybrid for 2014-2016, its only electrified compact crossover of that era.

Mid-cycle, the 2015 model year brought a quicker steering ratio, a standard rearview camera, and Subaru's newer Starlink infotainment system. That's the closest thing this generation has to a refresh.

The GP-chassis Crosstrek shares its underlying platform, subframes, and much of its suspension hardware with the third-generation Impreza sold alongside it, but Subaru raised ride height by roughly 3.5 inches over the Impreza hatch and added the plastic body cladding that became the Crosstrek's visual signature. At the time, nothing else in the compact-crossover class combined standard all-wheel drive with a manual-transmission option and a starting price under $22,000, and that combination is a big part of why this generation sold as well as it did. It's also why used examples are plentiful today: Subaru moved a lot of these, and the used-car pool reflects it.

Current pricing and inventory: Subaru Crosstrek market data, with per-year pages for 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017.

Powertrain & Trim Breakdown

2.0L FB20 with 5-speed manual

This is the safest mechanical bet in the entire generation. The manual transmission sidesteps every CVT-related risk below entirely, and the FB20 boxer itself has no widespread engine-destroying failure mode. It's a naturally aspirated, timing-chain engine (not a belt), which means no interference-engine timing failure to worry about. Owners on clubcrosstrek.com and the Subaru Crosstrek and XV Forums report manual cars routinely passing 150,000-200,000 miles on nothing more than fluid changes, spark plugs, and normal wear items. The tradeoff is a smaller used-car pool. Most Crosstreks left the factory with the CVT, so a clean manual example takes longer to find and typically commands a small premium once you do.

2.0L FB20 with CVT (Lineartronic), 2013-2016 build

This is the generation's defining risk, and it's specific to the transmission, not the engine. Forum discussion on clubcrosstrek.com and the Subaru Crosstrek and XV Forums traces the failure to two design details in the early Lineartronic TR580 unit: no filter in the valve body, and a torque converter bushing that wears faster than it should. The result is hydraulic pressure valve failure inside the valve body, and because the unit isn't designed to have individual solenoids serviced, the fix is a full valve body or full CVT replacement rather than a targeted repair. Forum-documented costs run $4,000 to $7,000 for a full unit replacement, with reported failures anywhere from under 90,000 miles to well past 150,000 miles. One frequently cited clubcrosstrek.com thread describes a CVT failing at 87,500 miles on a 2016 model, covered only because Subaru had already extended CVT warranty coverage in response to the pattern (owners and forum posts describe the extension reaching 10 years or 100,000 miles on affected model years). Subaru corrected the valve body and torque converter bushing design for the 2017 model year, which forum consensus treats as the point where this specific failure mode stops being a live concern.

2.0L FB20 with CVT, 2017 build

Mechanically the same engine and the same Lineartronic CVT badge, but built to the corrected design. Owners and technical forum discussion treat the 2017 Crosstrek's CVT as meaningfully more durable than 2013-2016 units, since it lacks the valve body filter gap and worn-bushing pattern those years share. It's also the only model year in this generation that got a mid-cycle special trim: the 2.0i Premium Special Edition, which added blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, features that were otherwise unavailable anywhere in this generation.

2.0L FB20 Hybrid (2014-2016)

Subaru's first electrified Crosstrek paired the same 148-hp FB20 with a small electric motor integrated into the CVT housing and a nickel-metal-hydride battery pack mounted behind the rear seat. It's rare on the used market both because Subaru sold relatively few and because early sales were concentrated in CARB emissions states before wider availability. Forum threads on the Subaru Crosstrek and XV Forums and owner questions logged on JustAnswer describe a specific failure pattern: "check hybrid system" warnings, the EV-only mode stopping working, and hybrid battery or inverter-cooling faults that eventually point to the traction battery needing replacement. Because so few were sold, parts and specialist knowledge are thinner than for the gas model. If you're considering a Hybrid specifically for the mpg bump, know you're buying into a smaller, less-supported ownership pool for roughly 2 mpg combined over the standard CVT car. Early sales were also concentrated in California and other CARB-emissions states, so a Hybrid you find in a non-CARB state today has often been relocated at least once, which is worth asking about since climate and road-salt exposure history matters more for a car with an underbody-mounted battery pack.

Oil consumption, all engines, 2013 model year specifically

Subaru settled a class-action lawsuit (Yaegar v. Subaru of America, Inc., case 1:14-cv-04490, U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey) covering excessive oil consumption on a range of Subaru models with FB and EJ engines, with the 2013 XV Crosstrek's 2.0-liter engine named specifically in the settlement class. The court granted final settlement approval in August 2016, and the remedy included warranty extensions and reimbursement for oil purchased to top off between changes, with Subaru replacing the short block assembly in confirmed cases. Owner discussion on clubcrosstrek.com about oil consumption continues into 2014 and 2015 model years informally, though those years aren't part of the formal settlement class. If you're looking at a 2013, ask for oil change records and check whether the settlement claim window (long since closed) was ever used on that specific car, since a short block replacement resets a lot of the risk.

Steering and brake complaints, 2016 specifically

CarScout's NHTSA-sourced complaint data for the 2016 model year breaks down to 131 total complaints, and steering accounts for 7 of them, a small slice on its own but enough to show up as a distinct category rather than noise. Electrical system complaints are the largest single bucket at 23. None of this rises to a recall, and no NHTSA campaign covers steering or electrical faults for this generation. Owner-reported data on TrueDelta for the same era lists brake and suspension complaints alongside the steering pattern, consistent with the kind of wear-item feedback you'd expect on a car that was 3-4 years old by the time most of these complaints were filed. Treat this as a reason to pay closer attention during a test drive on a 2016, not as evidence of a defect: pull hard left and right at low speed and listen for clunks, and brake firmly from highway speed checking for pull or vibration.

Rodent-damaged wiring, all years

Not a defect exactly, but a well-documented pattern worth budgeting for regardless of model year. Subaru, along with Honda, Toyota, and Hyundai, uses soy-based coating on some wiring insulation, and rodents find it appealing enough to nest in engine bays and chew through harnesses. Multiple threads on the Subaru Crosstrek and XV Forums describe owners finding nests and chewed wiring, with repair costs reported at $1,200 to $1,500 or more depending on how much harness needs replacing. It's more common in cars that sit for stretches (garages, driveways near vegetation) than in daily drivers.

Trim Levels

There's no base 2.0i trim for 2013 or 2014. Subaru sold only Premium and Limited those two years, so entry-level pricing on an early Crosstrek starts higher than the badge alone suggests. The mechanical story is identical across Premium, Limited, and Special Edition: same engine, same transmission choices, same all-wheel-drive system. You're paying for interior materials and infotainment, not durability. The one trim-driven decision that actually matters for safety equipment is the 2017 Special Edition, since it's the only way to get blind-spot monitoring anywhere in this generation.

Most listicle-style buying guides for this generation stop at "Premium is the sweet spot" without explaining why, and without separating trim from powertrain risk. They're not wrong that Premium is the volume trim and the easiest to resell, but the more useful framing for a buyer is this: pick your transmission first (manual for lowest risk, CVT for convenience with a fluid-change commitment), then pick your trim based on features you actually want. A Limited with a bad CVT history is a worse buy than a base 2.0i with clean records, regardless of the leather seats.

Which Model Years to Target Within This Gen

Only one NHTSA safety recall touches this generation across all five model years: campaign 19V149000, a brake light switch that can fail from contaminant exposure, which also prevents keyless-ignition cars from starting and can trap a CVT in Park. It applies to the full 2013-2017 Crosstrek range plus several other Subaru models built on related platforms. Outside of that one recall, this generation has a clean NHTSA safety-recall record, which makes the CVT valve body issue and the oil consumption settlement more relevant to your buying decision than anything in the recall database.

CarScout's NHTSA-sourced complaint data shows 2016 with the highest total complaint count in this generation (131, including 4 crash reports and 3 fire reports), against 2013's lowest count (25, with 1 crash and 2 fire reports). Complaint volume alone doesn't isolate a single cause, and CarScout's snapshot didn't return complaint totals for 2014 or 2015, so treat those counts as informative rather than a definitive ranking. Combined with the documented CVT design fix, the case for 2017 rests on the technical correction plus the added Special Edition safety tech, not on complaint counts alone.

If you want the lowest mechanical risk regardless of year, prioritize a manual transmission car first. It sidesteps the generation's single biggest documented risk entirely.

Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

If it has a CVT (any year 2013-2016): Start the car cold. Accelerate gently from a stop and feel for shudder, hesitation, or a flare in RPM that doesn't match road speed. That's the classic early symptom forum owners report before a valve body starts failing outright. Ask for CVT fluid change records. Subaru's own service intervals and forum consensus both treat periodic CVT fluid changes as the single best thing an owner can do to extend the transmission's life, and a car with zero CVT service history on 80,000+ miles is a bigger risk than the same car with documented changes.

If it has a manual transmission: Check clutch engagement point and listen for grinding on 2-3 and 3-4 shifts. Manual Crosstreks are otherwise low-risk, so a clean clutch feel and no unusual noise is most of what you need to confirm here.

Any year, before you buy: Pop the hood and look for chewed wiring insulation, especially around the engine bay harness and near the air filter box, the classic entry points for rodent nesting. A car that's sat for long stretches (check the odometer against the car's age) is higher risk here regardless of model year.

If it's a 2013: Ask specifically whether the oil-consumption settlement claim (Yaegar v. Subaru of America) was ever used on this VIN, and check for a documented short block replacement. If neither happened, do an oil consumption test yourself: check the level, drive 1,000 miles, check again.

If it's a Hybrid (2014-2016): Confirm the hybrid system warning light isn't on, and ask the seller directly whether EV-only mode still functions. Given how few of these Subaru sold, get a dealer or hybrid specialist to check hybrid battery state of health before you commit, since parts lead times can be long if the pack needs replacement.

If it's a 2016: Test steering at low speed for clunks or looseness, and brake hard from highway speed checking for pull or vibration, given the component-level complaint pattern CarScout's data shows for this specific model year.

Any year, AWD system: Ask for differential and transfer case fluid change records. It's a small, cheap service that's easy for a previous owner to have skipped, and neglecting it is invisible on a test drive but expensive later.

Run every VIN through a recall check regardless of which year or trim you're considering.

Running Costs

All-wheel drive adds a maintenance item non-AWD compact cars don't have: front and rear differential fluid. It's a cheap service (typically under $100) but an easy one for a previous owner to skip, and neglected AWD fluid service is the kind of thing a pre-purchase inspection catches that a test drive won't. Fuel costs sit in line with the rest of the compact crossover class; the Hybrid's real-world mpg advantage over the standard CVT car is modest enough that it rarely pays back its price premium and rarity through fuel savings alone.

Tire wear is worth budgeting for separately from routine maintenance. Symmetrical AWD requires all four tires to be replaced together and matched in tread depth, since mismatched tires can stress the drivetrain over time, and this generation's 17 or 18-inch wheel sizes put it in a mid-range tire price bracket, not the cheapest in its class. Insurance costs for a compact AWD crossover with a modest 148-hp engine tend to run below average for the segment, one of the quieter cost advantages of this generation that rarely gets mentioned alongside the CVT discussion.

FAQ

Is the 2013-2017 Subaru Crosstrek reliable? The FB20 engine itself is reliable and doesn't share the older EJ25 engine's head gasket reputation. The generation's real risk is the CVT: cars built 2013-2016 used a valve body without a filter and a torque converter bushing prone to wear, a design Subaru corrected for 2017.

What year Crosstrek should I avoid? No single year is unsafe to drive, but 2013 falls inside the formal oil-consumption settlement class, and CVT-equipped cars from 2013-2016 carry the pre-fix transmission design. A manual-transmission car from any year sidesteps the CVT risk entirely.

How many miles does a 1st-gen Crosstrek last? Manual-transmission cars with routine maintenance regularly reach 150,000-200,000 miles on forum owner reports. CVT cars can reach similar mileage too, but only with disciplined fluid-change intervals; without them, failure has been reported as early as under 90,000 miles.

Is the Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid worth buying used? Only if you specifically want the drivetrain. It's rare, offers a modest real-world mpg gain over the standard CVT car, and comes with a smaller pool of parts and specialists if the hybrid battery or inverter needs service.

Does the 1st-gen Crosstrek have a lot of recalls? No. CarScout's NHTSA-sourced data shows just one recall campaign (19V149000, a brake light switch) touching this entire generation across all five model years. The generation's real risks are wear items, not safety recalls.

Bottom Line

A manual-transmission 2015-2017 Crosstrek is the sweet spot: quicker steering and a backup camera from 2015 on, the corrected CVT design if you do go automatic in 2017, and none of the oil-consumption settlement baggage tied specifically to 2013. Before you buy any year, confirm CVT fluid-change history if it's an automatic, and pop the hood to check for rodent damage regardless of transmission. Run the VIN through a recall check either way. CarScout members can set up a scout to track price drops on specific trims and model years at usecarscout.com.

Data sourced from NHTSA recalls and complaints via CarScout's market data, EPA fuel economy records, and owner experiences from the Subaru Crosstrek and XV Forums, clubcrosstrek.com, and TrueDelta. See the full Subaru Crosstrek market data for pricing and inventory.