Subaru Crosstreck vs. Honda CRV

[sp73]

I'm trying to help a family member decide between these two cars and wanted to know if there were any prevailing opinions here. I own a 2022 Crosstrek Sport and love it so I am biased.

This car will be used for a 40 minute work commute during the week, nothing off-road. Probably a used variant, +/- five years old. Virginia weather. Thanks!

 

[6.7 CTD]

I’d choose the Honda

 

[50yr Street Mech]

I vote a FWD Honda CRV. The AWD's get terrible MPG's, at least mine always did, since new -(......My Toyota beaters are FWD, get fantastic MPG's, are are good in the snow with the correct winter tires on the front.

 

[Cujet]

Honda, hands down. Unless you find a used Crosstrek with manual transmission. The Subaru CVT remains a reliability issue. You'll notice in my video that this Crosstrek did not even make 2500 miles before the CVT blew up. And no, I was not the proximate cause of the transmission failure.

 

[buster]

Engine - Subaru
Transmission - Honda

 

[DCDG]

I'm trying to help a family member decide between these two cars and wanted to know if there were any prevailing opinions here. I own a 2022 Crosstrek Sport and love it so I am biased.

This car will be used for a 40 minute work commute during the week, nothing off-road. Probably a used variant, +/- five years old. Virginia weather. Thanks!

Virginia can see snow covered roads? if the CR-V is AWD it is a harder toss-up both are great vehicles I would suggest the two but let the family member make the final decision. I would probably be a bit persuasive on the Subaru I was a Sube owner in the past and had no complaints or troubles with the vehicle.

 

[Nessism1]

The CRV is a larger vehicle. Both are decently reliable. Condition of the samples available would be a huge determinant on which way to go.

 

[Trav]

My first thought was the Subaru without a doubt but then you said used. The CVT is a problem with no warranty but the engine and AWD system is a winner, IMO the body structure is better also. If you can find the Subaru with a stick that is the winner.

 

[BobsArmory]

Virginia doesn't get enough snow to require AWD IMO. AWD just drives up cost, higher maintenance, higher insurance & more things to break. I'd go Honda if it were me.

 

[Nukeman7]

In most of VA, the FWD CR-V will be a better choice. AWD is not really necessary unless they reside in the SW or Northern regions of the state. Even there, you will typically only see a couple of inches of snowfall 2 or 3 times a year. East Coast VA will only get snow every 3 or 4 years. With a 40 minute commute, you want good mpg and reliability foremost. The FWD CR-V will be less costly to maintain.

 

[buster]

19 Impreza with the 2.0 is still going strong with regular yearly oil changes. Thing is an absolute tank....a very slow one. CVT failed though at year 4. Likely wouldn't have had the fluid been changed.

 

[Quattro Pete]

19 Impreza with the 2.0 is still going strong with regular yearly oil changes. Thing is an absolute tank....a very slow one. CVT failed though at year 4. Likely wouldn't have had the fluid been changed.

How many miles when it failed?

 

[buster]

How many miles when it failed?

22k. But, this car averaged like 5k miles a year. It was also poorly treated and in hindsight I would 100% have had the CVT fluid changed.

 

[ClutchDisc]

@sp73 What year Crosstrek are we talking about here? I ask because depending on year and mileage, the CVT might still be under warranty. The Subaru CVT is one of the best out there. I personally am not a CVT fan but if I had to own one, it would be the Subaru CVT. I have seen them go over 300k miles. Key is to make sure to get the CVT fluid changed periodically.

 

[Quattro Pete]

22k. But, this car averaged like 5k miles a year. It was also poorly treated and in hindsight I would 100% have had the CVT fluid changed.

Ugh... mine's 3 years old now, 19K miles. I wasn't planning on doing CVT fluid change until 30K. I average about 5-6K miles/year as well.

I'm guessing yours was covered under warranty?

 

[buster]

Ugh... mine's 3 years old now, 19K miles. I wasn't planning on doing CVT fluid change until 30K. I average about 5K miles/year as well.

I'm guessing yours was covered under warranty?

It was. We caught it 5k and a few months before powertrain warranty expired. Would have been a $9k-$11k bill.

She would start the car and accelerate fast in cold weather among other things. She's rough with cars. That plus no fluid change I think ruined it.

 

[zzyzzx]

How about a Chevy Trax, which has a normal automatic transmission or a Hyundai Venue which, while it has a CVT, it's warrantied for 100K miles?

 

[BobsArmory]

How about a Chevy Trax, which has a normal automatic transmission or a Hyundai Venue which, while it has a CVT, it's warrantied for 100K miles?

My oldest daughter LOVES her Trax.

 

[randomhero439]

I'd skip both and go to the Forester.

 

[bdc101]

Virginia doesn't get enough snow to require AWD IMO. AWD just drives up cost, higher maintenance, higher insurance & more things to break. I'd go Honda if it were me.

Remember people, AWD is a performance feature, not a safety feature! People seem to forget this around 100% of the time