If you’re in the market for a Subaru, then you’ve got a hard decision to make. The Japanese automaker has an impeccable reputation for designing and building vehicles that last many owners for years to come. Not only are Subarus some of the safest vehicles on the market, but they also make great affordable used vehicles for growing families.

The Crosstrek is part of Subaru’s lineup, but it sometimes gets overshadowed by more popular models like the Subaru Outback. So is the Crosstrek worth giving a chance or is it considered unreliable? Let’s take a look at the facts.

Consumer Reports was impressed by the Subaru Crosstrek

As a subcompact SUV, you aren’t going to get the same room in the Crosstrek as you would with a larger SUV, but that’s alright. Not everyone goes with the ‘bigger is better’ mantra. If smaller is what you want, then the Crosstrek is definitely one of the better options out there. In fact, Consumer Reports ranks the Crosstrek as number one in the subcompact sport-utility division.

Consumer Reports stated, “It delivers good fuel economy and impressive ride comfort, and feels substantial compared with its peers. Its handling is competent and enjoyable.”

Other points that the product review site likes are the 29 mpg fuel economy, the 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, and the continuous variable transmission.   

As far as the scores went, the Crosstrek received a 5 out of 5 in reliability. It earned an 87 out of 100 during the road test and has a predicted owner satisfaction score of 4 out of 5. Consumer Reports wasn’t exactly impressed with the cargo/trunk area and gave the Crosstrek a 2 out of 5. Still, that was the lowest score the subcompact SUV earned.

The Subaru Crosstrek hybrid

While some drivers love a great hybrid vehicle, Consumer Reports wasn’t exactly crazy about this one. According to the product review site,

“Subaru also offers a plug-in hybrid version, which contributes to the Crosstrek’s appeal, but doesn’t deliver enough of a mileage improvement to make it a good value.”

If you’re curious about how much mileage the Crosstrek hybrid does get, here’s the lowdown. It has a 17-mile electric range. If you’re someone who likes to drive like you’re trying out for NASCAR, the gas engine will be activated.

As a hybrid, you can expect 33 mpg. This may sound like a great deal, but Consumer Reports doesn’t think so. The hybrid costs $35,145, while the regular Crosstrek costs $23,780. That’s a price difference of $11,365. While you may be drawn to the appeal of having a hybrid vehicle, is four extra mpg really worth that much more?

Does everyone agree?

When making the decision to buy a vehicle, whether it’s new or used, it’s highly advisable to check several different sources for reviews. One critic may hate the vehicle while another fell in love with it. So what do other review sites think?

U.S. News ranked the Subaru Crosstrek as number 5 in the subcompact SUV division. That’s a big difference from the score of one that it received from Consumer Reports.

This might imply that U.S. News thinks the Crosstrek isn’t that great of a vehicle, but that’s not quite the case. The news agency actually likes the Crosstrek, but had a few areas of contention regarding it.

For example, U.S. News thinks that the engine is weak. Another area that was found to be lackluster was the Crosstrek’s agility. U.S. News does like how roomy the cargo area is, and the infotainment system.

Car and Driver tends to run somewhere in the middle of the debate. They actually liked the hybrid, unlike Consumer Reports, but hate the lackluster interior. Car and Driver also thinks the cargo area is cramped, which just goes to show that not everyone agrees. So what do you think? Will you give the Crosstrek a shot, or move on to another sub-compact SUV?