Subcompact SUVs Subcompact SUVs MODEL VEHICLE RATINGS

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OVERALL SCORE New Cars 1 2 3 4 5 ! WORSE BETTER CR Recommended (as of November 2020) HIGHS Overall Road Test Survey 2021 Crosstrek • Ride Make & Model Highs Lows 84 Score Results Results • Fuel economy CR MPG Overall 29/ City 20/ Hwy 39 mpg • Easy to use controls #1 of 15 Subcompact Sport-Utility Vehicles • Braking ROAD TEST

87/100 84 LOWS PREDICTED RELIABILITY • Engine noise CR Recommended score Road-test mpg Overall Predicted reliability Owner satisfaction 4/5 • Seat short on lower-back support 31 84 Engine noise, seat short on lower-back support, Ride, fuel economy, easy-to-use controls, • Plug-in hybrid only provides brief ! 2021 Subaru Crosstrek 85 87 29 4 4 plug-in hybrid only provides brief electric PREDICTED OWNER SATISFACTION RANGE OF TESTED SUBCOMPACT SPORT-UTILITY VEHICLES 84 braking. electric propulsion and battery propulsion and battery robs cargo space. 4/5 robs cargo space ! 2021 Hyundai Kona 7778 71 26 5 3 Agility, braking, controls. Ride, noise, acceleration.

! 2021 Mazda CX-30 75In Test 64 27 5 4 Fit and finish, fuel economy. Controls, engine noise, tight quarters, visibility.

Agile handling makes it fun to drive, very fuel efficient, small footprint makes it easy Very snug cabin with tight rear seat and narrow Road Test Results to park, standard forward collision warning ! 2021 Mazda CX-3 7373 64 28 5 2 driving position, it is loud. and automatic emergency braking with Comfort/Convenience pedestrian detection. Performance Stiff ride, loud inside, tinny feel, seats are Practical, with roomy seating and plenty of insubstantial and short on support, feels ! 2021 Honda HR-V 7166 66 29 5 2 cargo space; very fuel efficient. Acceleration 3/5 Ride 4/5 underpowered. Ride, noise, base trim lacks advanced safety 0 to 60 mph 10.2 sec 2021 Kia Seltos 63In Test 72 28 3 3 Fuel economy, braking, controls, visibility. Noise 4/5 features. Practical with a modest footprint, 4/5 relatively quiet for the class, fuel economy, Slow acceleration, tight rear seat. Front Seat Comfort 3/5 2020 Nissan Rogue Sport 5978 72 26 2 2 straightforward controls, standard advanced safety features. Fuel Economy 4/5 Rear Seat Comfort 4/5 55 Interior room, mis-range torque, fuel Rear and side visibility, agility, front-seat 2021 Chevrolet TrailBlazer 78 66 27 2 3 economy, controls. comfort. CR's Overall Mileage 29 mpg It's underpowered, 25 mpg not competitive Interior Fit & Finish 3/5 among peers, uncomfortable ride, minimal cabin CR's City Mileage 20 mpg Compact size makes it easy to park, decent amenities with a short options list, hampered 2021 Chevrolet Trax 4853 55 25 3 1 rear seat room for its tiny dimensions. CR's Highway Mileage 39 mpg visibility, unsupportive front seats, infuriating Trunk/Cargo Area 2/5 touch-screen infotainment system. Annual Fuel Cost $990 Ride, noise, acceleration, cargo space, 2021 Ford EcoSport 4568 61 24 2 1 Handling agility, easy to use controls, access. transmission, neither forward collision warning Braking 5/5 nor automatic emergency braking are available. Anemic engine and excessive idle vibration; Jeep's esteemed brand image, lots of upscale nine-speed automatic is neither smooth nor options available, Trailhawk version can Emergency Handling 4/5 responsive; stiff, jittery ride; restricted view out; 2021 Jeep Renegade 3748 56 24 1 1 tackle some off-roading, standard safety uncomfortable front seats; unimpressive fuel features. economy.

Reminds you of Luigi from the movie "Cars," Stiff ride, transmission is neither smooth nor 31 tight turning circle and compact dimensions responsive, noisy, unsupportive front seats, 2020 Fiat 500X 35 50 23 1 1 make it easy to maneuver, upscale feature hampered visibility, touchy brake pedal, idle Survey Results availability. vibration. 2022 Volkswagen Taos Not Tested NA NA 2 4 Reliability History Owner Satisfaction 2021 Ford Bronco Sport Not Tested NA NA 2 4 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander Not Tested NA NA 3 2 Sport X X X 3 4 5 5 3 X X X 3 3 4 4 5

1 2 3 4 5 HOW TO READ THE Survey Results reflect findings from Road-Test Results include CR’s test findings Why Some Vehicles Are Not Rated WORSE BETTER CR’s Annual Auto Surveys, completed by that we feel are the most relevant. We buy Certain models have been redesigned or RATINGS Consumer Reports members. and test between 50 and 60 ­vehicles each extensively freshened since our last test, year, driving them for thousands of miles and or are new. All are scheduled to be included Recommended vehicles, indicated with Predicted reliability is our determination of putting them through more than 50 tests and in future road tests. Models include the a check mark (!), are the models with how well a model will hold up, based on the evaluations. The results of these tests make Volkswagen Taos, Ford Bronco Sport, and CR Road Test Results the highest Overall Scores that meet the problems that members reported in CR’s up our road-test score. Some tests, such Mitsubishi Outlander Sport. threshold in their category. Annual Auto Surveys, which include data on as those for braking and fuel economy, are The Crosstrek is Subaru’s pseudo-SUV; it’s essentially an Impreza whining becomes annoying. It takes a little more than two hours to around 420,000 vehicles. measured with instruments; categories such What Our Ratings Symbols Mean Make + Model reflect the vehicle we tested as seat and ride comfort, noise, and fit and hatchback with a raised ride height and some rugged visual cues. Since charge the hybrid on a 240-volt charger and 5.5 hours on a regular and its engine displacement. Owner satisfaction is based on the finish are graded by our experts. The Usability it’s based on the already-good Impreza, it has that model’s smooth ride, household 110-volt charger. percentage of surveyed owners who rating is a combination of our testers’ 1 2 3 4 5 Overall Score reflects a vehicle’s said they would definitely buy the same assessments of the ease of performing WORSE BETTER good fuel mileage, easy-to-use controls, and roomy rear seat. As a result, The cabin has simple controls, easy-to-read gauges, and a user- performance in our road tests; the latest car again. We use a model’s latest everyday driving tasks, as well as cockpit it’s ranked at the top of our subcompact SUV standings. Subaru also offers friendly touch-screen infotainment system. and Apple results from the reliability and owner three years of data to determine the ergonomics and interface design. The energy a plug-in hybrid version, which contributes to the Crosstrek’s appeal, but CarPlay are standard. The Hybrid has standard leather-covered power satisfaction sections of CR’s exclusive prediction, provided it hasn’t been consumption of electric vehicles is expressed Go to CR.org/ Annual Auto Surveys; the availability of redesigned or significantly updated. In in a miles-per-gallon equivalent rating (MPGe). newcarbuyingguide doesn’t deliver enough of a mileage improvement to make it a good value. seats, which are comfortable but lack lumbar adjustments. Similarly, frontal crash prevention systems with cases where we have insufficient survey Energy consumption for plug-in hybrids is for advice on whether Both versions have a comfortable and controlled ride that stands the standard cloth front seats in the non-hybrid Crosstrek are short on forward collision warning, automatic responses, or when a model is all-new or listed in electric and gas modes. LEARN you should buy or lease emergency braking, and pedestrian redesigned, we use our expert judgment your next new car, and head and shoulders above the competition. Its handling is responsive, lower-back support and also lack adjustable lumbar support. detection, along with blind spot warning; based on brand track record and similar Highs and Lows give a quick summary of a other car shopping tips. though it isn't as frisky when driving through sharp turns as the Mazda The popular Premium-trim Crosstrek has standard heated front seats, and, if available, results from government models to predict reliability and owner- model’s notable strengths and weaknesses. CX-3, for example. Subaru’s standard full-time all-wheel-drive system is but add automatic climate control and a push-button start and you'll and insurance-industry crash tests. satisfaction ratings. appealing and, combined with the Crosstrek’s ample ground clearance, spend close to $30,000. These features are all standard on the Hybrid. gives the SUV the ability to easily handle slippery pavement, a muddy We like that automatic emergency braking (AEB), forward collision trail, or rough dirt roads. warning (FCW), lane departure warning (LDW), lane keeping assistance The standard 152-hp, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine has just enough (LKA) and adaptive cruise control are available as part of the Subaru power for most situations, which is on par with its rivals. But it sounds EyeSight suite of safety features.The system is standard on all models strained and raspy when hard acceleration is needed. Uplevel versions that have the automatic transmission, as well as all Hybrid models. get a more powerful 2.5-liter engine. The continuously variable (The system isn’t available on trims that are equipped with the (CVT) mostly avoids suddenly revving the engine by transmission.) Blind spot warning (BSW) is standard on the Hybrid mimicking the shifts that a traditional automatic transmission would and the top-trim of the regular Crosstrek, it’s optional on the Premium make. But there are still times when engine drone can be intrusive. We trim, and not available on the base trim. Note that this camera-based measured 29 mpg overall in our tests, which is commendable for an system has its limitations in certain weather conditions, such as in all-wheel-drive vehicle. heavy rain or snow. The plug-in hybrid version can cover only about 17 miles on electric The Crosstrek is a viable alternative for those who don't need the power but even then, it’s a challenge to drive solely with the . Forester's extra roominess, but we don’t think the Hybrid is worth the Any moderate pressure on the accelerator and the gas engine kicks in. nearly $8,000 added cost over a comparable non-hybrid Crosstrek. Once past that semi-electric portion, we got 33 mpg overall in Even with available tax credits and incentives, its short electric-only regular hybrid mode, but that’s just 4 mpg better than the conventional range, and how the battery and gas tank cut into cargo room diminish Crosstrek. The engine drones when pushed and the electric drive’s the Hybrid’s appeal.

Best Version to Get

For the best value, we think the 2.0i Premium is the right choice for Notable changes: most buyers. EyeSight is a worthwhile option which can be had on all For 2021, Subaru added a new Sport trim line, and a more powerful trims except for those equipped with the manual transmission. 2.5-liter engine on high-end versions. The uplevel engine comes on the The plug-in hybrid version is based on the Limited trim and comes heels of 2020 updates which brought an available rear-seat reminder more richly equipped with a power driver's seat, leather seats, a color system, standard automatic door locks, and standard automatic climate display on top of the , and keyless access. control. To read the full road test, visit www.consumerreports.org/cars/subaru/ crosstrek/2021/road-test

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