What It Has Been Like To Own a Hybrid Subaru Crosstrek for 120k Miles 

Fyi our 2020 gas only is getting nearly the same mpg as the hybrid 2016 we had

really?

Thanks for the kind words! Be sure to check out more of my content!

Glad it helped!

Replace that CVT fluid every 50k and it will last 2x longer.

Trade it in, our 2014 at 120k has had tons of repairs

Low mileage may not be a good thing: my 2014 have very low mileage because I mostly only drive short distance on local streets. My car has been mostly trouble free. The right front struct went bad making clunking noise and was replaced under warranty. I only change oils and filter when the maintenance light comes on. I have only needed to replace tires, batteries. My car does light up all the yellow error lights on the dash. Reading the error code would show a few error codes. The clear the errors and restart the car and all errors are clear. When all errors light up, the only real problem is the hybrid battery indicator on the front lcd display show empty. Clearing the error codes restart the car and all back to normal. This would happen once a month.

I hope it will continue surviving.

We got rid of it as soon as possible.

I have a friend who told me the same. After my pain with owning this Subaru, I think he tried to hide his issue as I would have said......TOLD YOU SO! lol

This guy knows the problems I have had.

He's right our 2014 hybrid has cost a lot in repairs

@@acebrigade9586Did you experience any overheating?

What kind of problems?

What about the newer Hybrid systems? 2021-2023

thanks for sharing your story. any other things gong on with it?

Yeah 100k has seemed to be the marker for things to go wrong on Subarus.

Interesting about the rubber seals. For me, no rubber seals have EVER gone bad on any of my Honda and Toyota cars, and I usually buy them at 60-90K miles and then drive them over 200K miles (I've bought a few new ones too). There's a few issues here and there like a timing chain tensioner and starter in an old Corolla that was over 220K miles, and also a power steering module at 140K miles in a 2013 Honda Accord (replaced with junkyard unit). I've recently moved to a hilly location in a place with a wintry climate and am looking for a Subaru, but I'm not wanting the problems that appear to come with them at 100K+ miles.

What kind of drive terrain? I only drive my 2014 on street and freeway. No off road. Only front right struct went bad and replaced under warranty. No other mechanical problems.

Glad it was helpful!

I will say that the hybrid mentioned in the video was discontinued and then Subaru brought it back in a plug in hybrid version (this one is not plug in). No tax savings as it isn't a full on green vehicle, it is as green as a car is a performance car by adding a sport button. Fuel savings, this got a mpg or two over the standard one, but the best part was I might misquote the amount off the top of my head but the hybrid system added 20 hp more and 40 lb-ft of torque over standard.

Be sure to report back

@@DannyDrives Danny, do you notice a difference in take off / acceleration when you go into Sport mode? From reading, the 2nd gen hybrid has two motors, one to help charge the battery and the 2nd is for traction, the traction motor has an output of 118 hp (120 PS; 88 kW) and 149 lb⋅ft (202 N⋅m; 21 kg⋅m). The manual states that putting the car in SI-DRIVE Sport (S) Mode delivers more power faster. I wonder if it's obvious or not in the Hybrid. I also found someone who did a teardown video of the hybrid's mechanics/engine/motor and the eCVT is different from the regular CVT in that it doesn't have the chain-like belt; so it seems stronger, more reliable and longer lasting since has something less to wear down. It's super interesting how it engages. Said to be based of the Toyota Prius (2nd gen). 1st gen was something more unique to Subaru.

long way ahead of you my friend!

You can’t save enough money on fuel to pay for new batteries which after removal are another problem.

Yeah it becomes a pain!

Mine had 3. Two in the front and the big in the back

@@DannyDrives mine is the same. And after almost 10 years, the health of the big battery in the back is 47% according to odb2 reading.

Not so strict, I mean no car needs its oil changed every 3k miles except for the first one.

Guess it is all why I don't own a Subaru anymore nor will

If I recall it added 1 mpg for an over complicated system. If anything the performance gain was better than the mpg gain.

@@DannyDrives there was no economy gain or hp gain.

It was 1mpg and 40 horsepower for about 40 lbs of weight if I recall.

It won't leave you on the road. All the Hybrid wonky things I have had go wrong just limit power, still get you home.

Thank you.

My 2014 have not had any real hybrid problem. The check hybrid system light comes on because the 12V batteries were old and needed replacement. Once replaced, everything back the normal.

thanks for the info

Not just that, but ebay has them for $300-700

I think the 2nd gen have a Prius type of Hybrid; first gen was something more custom to Subaru. I think 2nd gen starts at 2019

The spare I bought was Duracell DUR-9A51P

@@DannyDrives ahhh ok. A Group 51 battery is the main option for a 4 cylinder Honda as well.

I will never buy again

well half my problems were from the hybrid components, but I still had standard problems

Thanks for sharing, good luck!

Hmm. You would have over spent my friend at $300 and $800. My stop/start battery blew itself leaking acid everywhere (look for a short video on my channel from a few months ago) I bought a replacement Duracell battery for $227 and then my AUX battery was cranking rough, so I swapped in a Optima Red Top for $182.

@@DannyDrives still over $400. We got way more than gtp price on our trade. And the 2020 is better in every way than our hybrid.

@@DannyDrives so over a year later the 1mpg difference remains. We got a heckuva trade in price just as sales were slowing down, don't regret the upgrade at all, eyesight and Android auto as well as x mode were well worth it

*Axel issue not wheel bearing

Honestly no. This thing has been a pain in my butt so far, but I haven't spend $3300 in 5 years. Is your warranty for 100,000 miles you drive so you get a warranty until 186k? Might want to check some places give you time and mileage, but the mileage is of the vehicle, so your case your only covered for 14k more miles.

I figured you meant that.

Thanks for the reply! The warranty would be until I hit 186k.

Gotcha, then hmmm. I am coming to 150k now and still haven't spent $3300. I cannot imagine I will in 30k miles either, but I am just 1 example.

truth

I have not tested it that way. I am not sure the real world application to do that.

@@DannyDrives look up Prius camping!

Thanks, this was very early in my content creation

Nah I sold it to CarMax in 2021 for a Toyota 4Runner.

Oh it was through CarMax.

It held up horrendously. We sold it to CarMax in Nov 2021 when it was approaching 150k miles. It began throwing codes two days before we planned on selling it.

haha I agree, but not when it is a failure of something lol

Probably not lol

The new ones use a planetary CVT from Toyota and a lot of Toyota tech. It’s a much smarter design if you’re happier with the size of the car. And it plugs in so you can do city stuff under full EV mode. Personally I wish they’d have a Forester or Outback Hybrid.

your problem is?

Mainly needing the AC as I live in the south and want to be able to sleep at night with the AC on.

You would have to leave the car on.

You would have to leave the car on.

@@DannyDrives to clarify, when you say I’d need to leave the car on- are you saying the combustion engine needs to be running constantly to use the AC? Sorry, I’m not familiar with hybrids.

"They" didn't replace anything I did it all. It was warnings telling me the aux battery was eating itself. The vehicle has 3x batteries. Normal sized car battery, a secondary aux battery like 3/4ths the size of the normal car battery, and the hybrid battery in the back.

​@@DannyDrives I have a 2014 hybrid crosstrek and been trying to figure out what cause the hybrid light to come on … I have been reading Subaru Fourms and some say it’s the alternator and I thought so at first but I am beginning to suspect that it’s not the case because it has nothing to do with the hybrid system and alternator is giving out right voltage, and all three batteries appear to be fine. Then I read some other websites saying that it could be the inverter ??? The hybrid warning light tend to come on when the gas cut off at a stop or when car is slowing to a stop then when (EV) indicator pops up then the “hybrid warning light appears then the car barely move so it moved slowly on electric motor not at full power then it ask me to restart and it when back to normal again … so it starts problem when after that (EV) indicator appears on the dashboard …. I was wondering if you know any solutions if you had that similar problem ??? Or what I need to check and fix ???

@@DannyDrives I have a 2014 hybrid crosstrek and been trying to figure out what cause the hybrid light to come on … I have been reading Subaru Fourms and some say it’s the alternator and I thought so at first but I am beginning to suspect that it’s not the case because it has nothing to do with the hybrid system and alternator is giving out right voltage, and all three batteries appear to be fine. Then I read some other websites saying that it could be the inverter ??? The hybrid warning light tend to come on when the gas cut off at a stop or when car is slowing to a stop then when (EV) indicator pops up then the “hybrid warning light appears then the car barely move so it moved slowly on electric motor not at full power then it ask me to restart and it when back to normal again … so it starts problem when after that (EV) indicator appears on the dashboard and when it’s been driven for a bit (it didn’t happen when I first drive it for the first time for the day so the (EV) and start- stop was fine) …. I was wondering if you know any solutions if you had that similar problem ??? Or what I need to check and fix ???

5000 mile maintenance? What maintenance are you referring. There isn't anything that needs to be maintenance at 5k miles on a brand new vehicle with the exception of an oil change. Anyone that says otherwise is trying to rip you off.

1 hr to 1 hr 30 min. 50+ miles each way.

Wow no wonder why you blasted through that warranty

Demolished the warranty mileage

Concise version - Don't buy it.

2015

the mysteries of the Crosstrek! haha sometimes it works right sometimes it does not

No, anytime I ran the AC it kicked the gas on. It might have ran on the battery for a little, but any serious blowing it would kick gas on.

@@DannyDrives what about leaving it on ready mode and leaving ac on

I assume by helper you mean the AUX battery. I put a Duracell DUR-9A51P in it.

you got lucky!

@@DannyDrives well new york city hybrid escapes easily go 300-400 thousand miles......

I can never in good faith recommend this vehicle to anyone.

@@DannyDrives Thanks for the reply, but why is that and a good reason? Is it a bad vehicle?

Well in the video I tell you all the problems I had with it.

Thanks for the info, with that said I will stay with my 2013 Prius V. Any recommendation for an AWD hybrid?

At this point, I just am against hybrids. I don't want to recommend you any hybrid. Under warranty none of my problems matter, but after 30k miles, its all your problem.

what do you mean?

you are welcome!

Better than my face

@@DannyDrives Now that's funny! Thanks for the honest eval (of the car that is). I am trying to decide whether to skip the hybrid or not. I would be looking at a 2022 model. It sounds like I should just stay with the gasoline version.