2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid Review | Twin Falls Subaru

People are excited for the return of the Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid, a vehicle that hasn’t been available since 2023. This time around, buyers are getting a more efficient and technologically advanced crossover from Subaru, with no compromises to its outdoor and off-road capabilities.

Subaru has priced the Crosstrek Hybrid from just $35,415 and offers it in two trim levels, Sport and Limited. Like nearly every other Crosstrek model, the hybrid starts with a 2.5-liter Subaru Boxer engine that produces 194 horsepower, assisted by an 88-kW three-phase AC synchronous electric motor, and is paired with an eCVT for optimal efficiency. However, the new hybrid wouldn’t be a Subaru without being equipped with Subaru Symmetrical all-wheel drive as standard.

In a review by U.S. News and World Report, Alex Kwanten found the new Crosstrek Hybrid to be the perfect blend of usability, adventurous nature, and efficiency saying, “The soft springs, excellent clearance and highly capable all-wheel-drive system make short work of casual off-roading, and if you go slow, the Crosstrek Hybrid can get you through real terrain in ways that very few other SUVs this size can. It rides on all-season tires, but it distributes its power to where it is needed like a pro and easily got through the unpaved roads I took it on, with a couple of light hills and deep ruts along the way. It also doesn’t beat you up on rough terrain, absorbing the bumps and shocks of dirt roads like a larger vehicle.”

The 2026 Crosstrek Hybrid offers 8.7 inches of ground clearance, which is the exact same as the standard non-hybrid model. This is higher than most modern crossovers and SUVs that claim to be built for driving off-road. Even with the extra height off the ground, the EPA still says the new hybrid achieves 36 mpg in both city and highway driving, with a combined 36 mpg between the two. That is an increase of 9-10 mpg in the city and 2-3 extra mpg on the highway compared to the standard 2.0- and 2.5-liter models.

What makes the Crosstrek an incredible value is its list of standard features that will cost you thousands to option on other vehicles in this category. This includes a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster with an 11.6-inch Subaru Multimedia Plus System with standard navigation. The award-winning Eyesight Driver Assist Technology adds pre-collision braking, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control with lane centering, emergency lane keep assist, blind-spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert, and automatic emergency steering.

In the conclusion of their first drive review, The Drive loved the fact that the Crosstrek Hybrid doesn’t feel like a hybrid. Instead, it just does everything really well, saying, “Better equipped than its rivals, the Crosstrek Hybrid comes standard with heated front seats, a 10-way power driver’s seat, 18-inch alloy wheels, a sunroof, a wireless phone charger, all the driver-assist systems, and a digital instrument cluster that feels like a tech leap for Subaru. It has three display settings, video game-like graphics, and a simple toggle to view vehicle info … The Crosstrek Hybrid is a better Crosstrek, and among other small crossovers, it encourages you to dream big.”