2026 Subaru Crosstrek

There's a lot to like about the 2026 Subaru Crosstrek. It may be Subaru's smallest and least expensive SUV, but there's plenty of Subaru goodness baked in. It offers standard all-wheel drive, a fuel-efficient four-cylinder engine and a roomy interior. If you're an outdoorsy person or you live in an area with a lot of snowy, slippery winter weather, it's a compelling choice. For 2026, Subaru is also upgrading the Crosstrek in the engine bay. Last year's underpowered 2.0-liter engine has been discontinued, which means every regular Crosstrek now gets the formerly optional 182-hp engine as standard. But wait, there's more! Subaru has also added the new 2026 Crosstrek Hybrid to the lineup.

There are plenty of options for a small and reasonably priced SUV. Some of our top recommendations include the Chevrolet Trailblazer or Trax, Honda HR-V, Toyota Corolla Cross and Volkswagen Taos. But if you also want off-road capability like the Crosstrek can provide, you'll have to shop for a bigger model, such as the Ford Bronco Sport or Subaru's Forester. As for hybrids, the Kia Niro and Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid are viable options.

Subaru has a business relationship with Toyota, so it would've been easy for Subaru to just pop in one of Toyota's proven hybrid systems under the hood and call it a day. However, Subaru has developed a hybrid system that uses its own engine design. The hybrid powertrain produces 194 horsepower, which is more than what you get from the regular Crosstrek. As such, we're expecting it to be the quickest Crosstrek you can buy. It will certainly be the most fuel-efficient. The Crosstrek Hybrid gets an EPA-estimated 36 mpg combined (36 city/36 highway), a 38% increase over the non-hybrid Crosstrek.