Used 2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek SUV Consumer Reviews
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Never thought I'd buy a Subaru
katethegreat84, 08/09/2014
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
27 of 27 people found this review helpful
When I first started looking at cars I never even thought to look at the Crosstrek or Subaru. As a real estate agent I wanted something nice but didn't want to go the standard issue luxury car everyone seems to drive. When a family member recommended the forester, I wasn't thrilled but went to test drive it anyway. While at the dealership I saw this little beauty and fell in love. I can cart around my clients and all my signs/lockboxes/excess Realtor stuff. But its also very comfortable and safe feeling. Being able to sit up high is a plus when you drive 20k miles a year. I highly recommend the GPS option, with it you get an upgraded sound system and a back up camera. I love my Crosstrek!
Fun and reliable
Renee, 04/14/2016
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
21 of 21 people found this review helpful
Owned my car 2 years now. It's a fun car to drive, great handling, superior in bad weather and snow! Comfy interior, smooth drive, have not had any problems. Cargo space is great for a compact SUV. Only drawbacks is that the paint seems to scratch and chip easily, a few bad blind spots because of the slope of the car, and the car is a little loud once you get over 80 miles an hour. These are slight things in my opinion, but might annoy others.
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Just what I was looking for
antiquity, 10/26/2013
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
59 of 62 people found this review helpful
Lots of "compact" SUVs out there, and almost all of them are boring and bland. While no drag racer, this car is fun to drive, has exciting styling, and is just the right size. Also, it has a unique look and size that isn't quite an SUV, more like a sports wagon/SUV cross. You get a lot for the money - heated leather seats, Navigation, moonroof, backup camera - compared to other cars. Plus, the raised clearance, cool wheels, and great gas mileage (at at 27 MPG mostly on short trips and city driving). The drive feels very secure, and the shift paddles are fun to use. The engine does rev high and won't get you 0 - 60 in a record time, but the car feels punchy, spry, and turns on a dime.
Better than expected
subiedriver6, 02/19/2014
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
20 of 21 people found this review helpful
I have been sold on Subaru for many years, but this is a change from my usual purchase of a Forester. The engine is just average in regard to performance, but exceptional in gas mileage, averaging 29 in rural back road driving. The seats are very comfortable and the cabin seems much more roomy compared to the Foresters I have had in the past. The doors are large and provide easy in/out access. The exterior styling is aggressive and has received a lot of compliments, while the interior is more just utilitarian and the radio readout is disappointing. Overall, the more I drive it, the better I like it.
Defective Steering/Chassis
nass2, 08/27/2014
updated 09/06/2022
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
19 of 20 people found this review helpful
We returned a new 2014 XV Crosstek 2 days after purchase for a full refund due to unrepairable steering and/or chassis problem. The car had strong steering pull to the RIGHT. The dealership attempted to fix the car, but was unable to do so. The service adviser and technician told us that they have been having frequent steering problems with this model car. They wanted to have a Subaru engineer come out, so I requested the alignment specs. The alignment was intentionally set to cause the car to pull LEFT to "correct" the problem, but it still pulled RIGHT. The dealer offered us a different Crosstek, which had the same problem after test driving it.
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2014 XV CrossTrek Premium Review
Charles Marcino, 02/25/2015
updated 02/27/2019
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
19 of 20 people found this review helpful
5 years and 91000 miles later my 2014 crosstrek is still running strong. In fact, we just added a 2019 forester sport to the fleet as well. The winter weather in NJ over the past 5 years has been no match for the all wheel drive of the crosstrek as it continues to impress in all weather conditions. No mechanical issues whatsoever and its proven to be a very solid and reliable vehicle.
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Cold Feet
Carol Pastushok, 03/05/2015
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
16 of 17 people found this review helpful
I bought my 2014 subaru a little over a year ago. This past winter I really noticed how poorly the heat works. My feet and legs get so cold I'm tempted to put in a heating blanket. The service dept said..."Can't do anything...the heating system is weak" Also very noisy at highway speeds...can't listen easily to my audio books. Finally, some of these problems might be tolerable if the MPG was better than 23 using 87 octane. The service person said the computer says 26 MPG ??and it's winter.
I traded this in due a problem never fixed
tradedcmax, 04/06/2014
updated 04/07/2016
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
28 of 31 people found this review helpful
UPDATE: We really loved our Crosstrek, in bright orange, but after driving it for a little bit, I noticed my arm was sore. I didn't really understand why. But I figure it out. It was pulling to the right, constantly, upon any acceleration. As a car guy, I remember torque steer; it was just like torque steer but obvious at all levels of acceleration. The dealer could not fix it. The techs of course denied it happening. But I went and tried a brand new one (this was new too) and no torque steer. So the dealer basically traded it in for this one and put this broken one on the lot as a non-certified pre owned. I was happy but I felt bad for whomever bought it after me. Anyway, the replacement was fine, until someone stole the wheels and tires off of it while it sat in front of my house.....those are some nice wheels. And after that, I started driving it at I95 rush hour traffic and found it could not handle the speed of I95 with as much grace as it should; it felt wonky. So, I traded it in on a a competitor's SUV. I am so happy I did this, despite losing some cash along the way. The other problems that surfaced were on the 2nd one, if you had the heater in the bi-level mode, the engine would run rough like it was going to stall. All other modes were okay. The engine is a 60K tune up interval. When cold it had a very fast idle. Reminded me of something from the 80's, fast idle. Those things said, I also had major problems with my feet hurting after driving for awhile......at 5' 11", I could not stretch out my legs as I would on other cars. That turned out to be a bigger problem that anticipated. And also, the cargo area was smaller than I first realized. My fault for not renting one for a week first, but they are hard to find as rentals. So, it turns out that these weren't as good as originally anticipated, but probably for many, it would be fine.
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Traded a turbo monster, and haven't looked back
mike_in_nepa, 03/19/2014
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
38 of 44 people found this review helpful
For the last 10 years, I've had various turbocharged vehicles, some of which were modded. I grew tired of temperamental turbos, having too much power in slow traffic, and spending ungodly sums of cash fueling them up. I just needed a reliable AWD vehicle that can get me around in the mountains throughout the winter months, ground clearance, get good fuel economy, and can stand up to my outdoorsy lifestyle. So far, I have 1000 miles and have been very impressed with this vehicle. I find it very peppy, and find the 145 hp rating deceiving. This climbs up mountain roads feeling sprightly, and never gives even a hint of losing steam. At 75 mph, I get about 30-32 mpg. Love it.
Turns out looks really aren't everything
t krause, 04/17/2016
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
16 of 18 people found this review helpful
I was sold on the look of this car and Subaru's reputation. My experience was rather poor. The battery died every few months. Subaru couldn't find anything wrong. If they'd told me that they put in a low-quality battery and it was a common problem then maybe I'd have believed them and kept the car. They then suspected a faulty remote start - that they had installed when I bought it. It was at the dealership for about 2 weeks - when I finally just asked them what they'd give me for it is when they really started trying to fix it (mind you I had it for 2 years and it only had about 7600 miles on it). The other cons are minor: the radio quality was noticeably poor when the heat or air conditioner was running because the noise from the blower was so loud. A great sound system wasn't something I really cared about, but the noise from the blower was so loud you couldn't hear any sound from the radio at all when the heat/air was on. You had to put the heat/air at full blast in order to get a comfortable temperature inside the car. The most distressing problem was when you would shift from reverse into drive. There was a strange delay that I've never experienced in another car. When it was ready it would "pop" and the acceleration was faster than you were expecting. It just had a weird feeling to it, not smooth.
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Things that make yoy say, Hmm
Scott, 12/21/2016
updated 07/06/2018
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
I have put some 60k miles on her and this is a review , I have owned 4x Subarus and some 40 cars in my life. I do alot of outdoors activity and bring along the dogs as much as possible, so for that that it is pretty good, the MPG is about 24 City and 34 Highway, which is really good when compared to the SUVs in the area, the car handles well in braking, corner and such in the mountains, I travel to Smokey Mnt., about 3 times a year and I am also a Kayaker, which I have to get in and out of some tough places with the SUV, the ground clearance really come in, alot of mud holes, muddy and general soft ground she does well in. I have disappointed in alot of things about the SUV, items that are stock on others in this area are not in the Crosstrek, example, turning blinkers on the side on the car or mirros, none, with a company that prides itself on safety this should be on there, as to avoid a wreck, is best to see the other car and what its intentions are. The interior is really cheap, no lights on the mirrors overhead on the sun visor, chair material seems to stain very easy, carpet is like a felt, very thin, hard to clean, everything sticks to it, I would suggest seat covers, the radio only hold 1 Bluetooth link,( one cellphone), so if my wife wants to drive it, she has to delete my settings and put hers in, she as a Legency which this is not an issue with. Know the Engine and transmission, I will say that it is very lacking, even in the small mountians of the Smokeys there is a real issue, the car has a hard time going uphill with the automatic transmission, even when using the paddle shifters, there is just so little pickup, that you have to allow more time for passing, or if you need power in an emergency, it is not there. I have checked on performance upgrades for the engine, there are none to this date. My brother is looking at a Subaru now, I would him Forester XT, it has the WRX engine, so when you need power it is there. CVT takes a few minutes to warm up and you can not go over 4k rpm, so either you have to let it idel until ready of drive less than 4k rpms. I would not buy another CrossTrek with the CVT and 2.0i engine, I am looking at selling it this spring, will go with Forester XT.
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We call it our Subaru Rattle
weflybye, 12/04/2014
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
16 of 19 people found this review helpful
We purchased our Crosstrek new in 2013 and from the moment we brought it home we have had issues with interior rattles. The dealership first put extra foam in the A Pillars. The rattles continued. Next they put extra foam in our speakers grills. The rattles continued. These were rattles that passengers in our back seat could hear and were extremely annoying. After taking the car in several times we had a technician find a bolt in the dash area was rattling against the car frame. More padding put in place. As of today (December 2014) we still have an annoying rattle in the dash. We enjoy this car for all other purposes but we would not purchase a Crosstrek again.
Finally at 81,000 miles issues.
Mr. Vic, 08/16/2015
updated 06/06/2022
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
9 of 10 people found this review helpful
I wanted something a little less expensive and easy at the pump, this car did not disappoint. The seats could have a bit more support and the stock tires aren't the best but after 25,000 miles those are my only complaints. I love the way it looks and it laughs at snow. I average around 26 around town and over 31 on the highway. No repairs as of yet. I'm over 30,000 miles now and I'm still very happy. The heated seats are awesome and my brakes are like new. I've reached 39,000 miles with no problems. The front brakes pads are large and still original. I replaced the back brakes about a thousand miles ago. Other than routine maintenance there have been no problems. I still really like this car. I'm now approaching 50,000 miles and this car is still great. Other than one set of brakes and two sets of tires this car has been flawless. My oldest learned to drive with this car and my second child will be driving this summer. It is a perfect car to teach a new driver. Not too powerful and great traction and visibility. I will say that my 3rd set of tires are very cheap Walmart Douglas tires. They are far better than the original tires, which is the only complaint I can think of with this car. I still get about 25 mpg in town and about 32 on the hwy. A few thousand more miles. The Douglas tires are awesome. Still running well. Child number two just started driving and this car has been extremely easy for him to learn on. Subaru extended the transmission warranty to 100,000 miles. That's what a real company does, stands behind the product. The car is now 6 years old and approaching 70,000 miles. Still no repairs. I replaced the rotors and brakes this year and it was a pretty simple job. There is a little rust on the front door sills that I'm going to get painted. Otherwise we have loved this car. Child one and two have learned to drive with this car and child three will this summer. I'm seriously thinking that this may be my current 8 year old's first car in 8 years. Update. Child three did indeed learn to drive on this car and it's still a great car to teach a young driver on. I have 3 wheel bearings and a ball joint that currently need to be replaced. The brake pedal is a bit soft as well. The dealer wants nearly $3,000 to replace the bearings, ball joint and a small exhaust piece. After 8 years I'm trading this car in on a Hyundai with a great warranty. It was a great car until now but the repair is expensive. The dealer is giving my $12,000 for the trade in so $6,000 for a new car is a great deal. Look up Crosstrek bearing issues before you buy one, it's a real issue.
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Great Little Crossover
AJ, 09/28/2017
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
My wife and I bought this new in 2014 and have put about 38,000 miles on the car. I've driven this car in the rain, snow and gravel roads and it has not let me down. We have the limited trim with leather seats which are comfortable. We have taken it on several road trips and have no gripes on comfort. Ours came with the six speakers sound system and the sound is great. Another plus is the cargo in the rear and there's lots of it with the seats down. MPG wise our Crosstrek has averaged around 27-28 MPG of mostly mixed driving. The car is very reliable, maintenance wise, costs are low and we have only taken it in for scheduled maintenance. The cons of this car would be the transmission and acceleration. The CVT is loud and noisy. The car feels slow and sounds like it's struggling when accelerating on the on ramp but I realize that this is not a performance car and therefore it does not bother me as much. Another con would have to be the noisy interior. You can hear a lot of road noise in the car. Overall though I love the car. Especially in bad weather, it will never let you down.
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Subaru Crosstrek - A must have with Eyesight!
Robert Dorsey II, 02/12/2016
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
8 of 9 people found this review helpful
We were not in the market for a "new" vehicle. But we wound up with a 7500 mile Certified Pre-Owned 2015 Subaru XV Crosstrek with their amazing Eyesight package (and this was why), which is essentially new. The car was a former service fleet loaner, so it was in great shape with low mileage with an attractive price. It and the two others they had were the only used Subarus in the entire Metro area that had the Eyesight package. I looked at over 300 different vehicles listed online as well as contacted about seven Subaru dealers, and none of them had any pre-owned with Eyesight. To find this package in a pre-owned, you will probably have to buy new unless you wait until 2017. <br><br> The Crosstrek as a whole is a great vehicle (a little smaller than our former Kia Sportage), but I will focus this review on Eyesight, as there are a million generic reviews about the Crosstrek itself. So in short: It is all of the things you have heard about: good for small families, reliable, safe, and good for its symmetrical AWD. I can't speak about the electronics other than Eyesight (bluetooth, etc), because I don't really use them or care about them. The only minus is it lacks some acceleration, which I doubt will ever really matter to most drivers. <br><br> Subaru Eyesight is a technology that they install on vehicles ($1,250 retail value, I think) that uses two front-facing cameras to help the driver in emergency situations as well as control the vehicle's adaptive cruise control. Eyesight will help you both break and decelerate if you need it. It also will send audible alerts of various situations which are both convenient and a significant safety upgrade. Both my wife and I are new drivers and find this very reassuring, though I think anyone would appreciate it the same. I encourage anyone in the market for a new car to look into this technology: it is fantastic (and the 2016's have an upgraded version that includes blind-spot detection!)! <br><br> While we have not had the car long enough to thoroughly test everything, the adaptive cruise control was a major plus, and only comes with the Eyesight package. It will intelligently cruise for you at any predetermined maximum speed, and slow down if the traffic in front of you gets too close/slow. It keeps a distance of 2, 1.5, or 1 seconds behind the vehicle in front of you, and informs you with tones when it has "locked in" on a vehicle. Imagine how strange it is to feel your vehicle brake, decelerate, and come to a full halt without touching the pedals (if it comes to a full stop, you get a tone, and about a seconds warning before the cruise control shuts off and the car will idle forward). The future is here! <br><br> If you are looking for a relatively inexpensive SUV that will ride nicely, carry enough, and protect you, your family, and your dog, then the Crosstrek may be the right choice for you. The Special Edition that is coming out later in 2016 sounds very attractive with lane-change assist and some more advanced auto-driving technologies.
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Never going to buy a Subaru again
Anne, 06/28/2019
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
14 of 17 people found this review helpful
Never again will I buy from Subaru. Got the car because they're supposed to be reliable and easy to work on. At 65,000 miles, both front CV axles went out. Air conditioner went out at 55k and has a known defect, which Subaru won't recall or make right. The part alone costs upward of a grand. Brake light switch went bad the first year I had it, I paid to replace it myself. The recall didn't go out until 2019. Car absolutely eats oil. Great concept, absolutely dismal build quality. Subaru has long since left behind its reputation of selling reliable, well-built cars.
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Good car.. poor warrantee service from Subaru
Evelyn, 05/12/2016
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
10 of 12 people found this review helpful
Fun ride. After 2 years this car handles well in winter. Too small for 2 kids. Fits as much luggage as a midsize car. Subaru service departments fight hard to avoid covering anything that is covered under the extended Subaru Care warrantee. I am getting rid of it soon while mileage is low for that reason alone.
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A great hatchback SUV
Kelvin Leung, 08/28/2015
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
7 of 8 people found this review helpful
Had a Accura MDX for 10 years. Decided to switch to a car with better handling and better gas mileage. This is a great one. The Tangerine color is so eye catching! Everything is wondering from space, gas mileage, interior comfort. The only lack is the power train. But you'll get used to it. I have for a year and it's still running a champ!
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Don't Be Fooled by the Stylish Appearance
K White, 11/19/2015
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
19 of 25 people found this review helpful
I bought my 2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek with 25k on it in January. At first, it was a great little car. For someone who lives in Vermont, a Subaru was almost a way of life, which is what drove me to purchase my Crosstrek. About two weeks after purchasing it was when I noticed my first problem with it, it shook so uncontrollably bad on the interstate that I had to pull over, turn the vehicle off and restart it. It was not long after that when all of the problems started to occur. My car now decides when the radio plays and when it does not, the automatic drivers window does not work anymore, the car skips and shakes when going down the road. Not to mention, how loud the motor is. Overall, my car sounds and feels like it is going to blow up when I drive down the road. I have not even had my car for a year and I am already ready to get something new due to how bad my car is. Unfortunately for me, I put $9500 down on it between my trade-in and down payment and to trade it in, would result in me "taking a bath" in my car. So it looks like I am stuck with it for another two or three years. This is not a vehicle I would recommend purchasing, don't be fooled by the stylish appearance.
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Best car ever!
Julie Jones, 02/20/2017
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
This is my 14th car. My second Subaru. I just traded in my 2005 Forester for a Crosstrek. I don't understand the comment about the audio speakers. My Forester had a VERY upgraded Jensen system and the factory Crosstrek speakers beat that to infinity. I love everything about this car. I chose the Crosstrek because Subaru keeps making the models larger. The new Forester is the same size as the old Outback. The new Outback is a behemoth to me. Anyway . . .the interior is great, the ammenities are great, the styling is great. My only two downs are: the turning radius is a bit less and the visibility is a bit less (the Forester had virtually NO blind spots). I highly recomment this car. Highly.
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Oil Consumption Issues
TAM, 08/11/2019
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
After I purchased a 2014 Crosstrek from a local Subaru dealer, the Low Oil Indicator light came on every 2,500 miles. The dealer then informed me that the 2013 and 2014 Crosstreks have oil consumption issues during the break in period. When the car had 30k miles, the car would still be down 1 quart or more between changes, so I traded it for a way more reliable Toyota.
CVT Transmission problems
Mark Grafton, MA, 02/19/2024
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
We purchased a used 2014 Crosstrek trade in at a local Patrick Subaru dealer. We were told the vehicle was purchased there and all service was performed by this dealer. They claimed the car passed their rigorous multi-point inspection. Purchase rice was $13,500.00 The vehicle has lasted 9 months with approx 12K miles. We did 2 oil changes. Then, the car started making a howling noise. Took it to Patrick Subaru where we bought it. They told us that the transmission was shot and the repair would cost roughly $9500.00 and it was not worth repairing. This was a "Subaru Certified" trade in. It lasted less than 10 months and we still owe $8500.00 on this worthless paperweight. Stay away from any Subaru with the automatic CVT transmission. It WILL fail. Please search for "16-107-17r SERVICE BULLETIN".
Overpriced, unreliable underperformer. Awful car.
Justin Loyd, 04/24/2019
updated 10/26/2021
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
6 of 7 people found this review helpful
Edmunds sent a message for me to update this review. Yes, it was a terrible car. My parents had several subarus. They were good cars. This car is garbage and Subaru's customer service was even worse. This is the last subaru our family will ever own. Every other vehicle in the category is nicer, faster and all around more capable, but my wife thought it looked cool. Even with the 5 speed manual this car is SLOW. The interior is dated looking and low quality materials. With just over 40k miles, the buttons on the radio are worn, the boot on the e-brake is ripped and more. Despite the ads to the contrary, this vehicle has no off road ability. The all wheel drive system actually works against you most of the time and the traction control has to be turned off or you will be instantly stuck. The worst part of all is that it has been very unreliable. First the battery died, ok, no biggie. Next the horn quit working. Then the passenger seat belt started dinging all the time even with nobody sitting there. Next the AC died. At only 45k miles, the throw out bearing on the clutch froze up and destroyed much of the transmission. This is due to a known issue with the bearing and still Subaru has been unwilling to warranty any of this. This has honestly been the worst car we have ever owned. It will be traded in as soon as the transmission is repaired. Update, transmission repair cost us over $4000.
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Keeping my fingers crossed
Chris C, 03/29/2018
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
7 of 9 people found this review helpful
I purchased mine brand new in 2014. It has 8 miles on it out of the showroom. I live and work in NYC and have had to deal with every possible condition that you could encounter driving in new york. I have driven with ease and confidence in every blizzard we have had here since I purchased the car. Around town and at city speeds my XV is super quick and agile. that 0-25 mph range is key for city driving and where i think this car shines. On the highway, despite reviews I've read before and after buying this car, acceleration isn't terrible. I believe that for the average driver its just fine. Having said that, there have been less than a handful of times where I would be merging into highway traffic and the engine would just make a lot of noise but barely get the car up to speed. There have also been times where I would merge under the same circumstances and it would go like a bat out of hell. The engine/transmission in this car have a lot of character. I've had to learn to know what to expect from it under any given situation. it will not always act the same but if you pay attention you can use your familiarity with the vehicles' throttle response to get it to do what you need. It also helps having an understanding of this cars limitations. Understand this is not a race car and is not sporty by any sense of the word. The only issues I have had with my crosstrek is that I've replaced or patched every single one of my tires. Not necessarily Subarus fault. The cabin is loud at highway speeds but no more than similarly priced cars of the same year in my opinion. Gas mileage has been good considering its full time awd, but obviously below that of a equally spec'd FWD car. My warranty just expired so im hoping nothing starts to go wrong all of a sudden. This car has been nothing short of fantastically reliable and I hope it continues to be.
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Disappointed with the radio
mitch79, 12/18/2013
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
I bought my Subaru CrossTrek about a month ago. I fell in love with this car at first glance as I was already looking to buy a Subaru (possibly an Impreza). So when I saw an "Impreza on steroids", it was kind of a no-brainer. So far I like almost everything about the car. I'm not too impressed with the gas mileage. I average 25 MPG but I figure that's not too bad for an AWD. My major complaint is that the radio seems to be outdated in this car as it is not compatible with any of the I-Phones (even my already outdated 4S). I've rented 2012 and 2013 cars and have always been able to control my I-Phone through the USB port but it's not gonna' happen in this car. Very disappointed.
Sold after 19k miles
Joseph Robeson, 11/04/2016
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
4 of 5 people found this review helpful
I bought a Crosstrek after moving to Montana from California. I had never driven in heavy snow before, and I wanted to make sure I would get around ok. I decided on the Crosstrek after reviewing all other AWD vehicles in the same price range. What I liked most about this vehicle was its ground clearance and drivability in the snow. I got around without any issues with the OEM all terrain tires. I'm sure it would have been amazing with a set of good snow tires. Being that this was the sole purpose of purchase I was happy with it. I also enjoyed its relatively roomy interior, and good size trunk space. The seats were comfortable and ultimately once up to speed the drive was fairly smooth and quiet. When summer came around that's when I discovered it wasn't for me. What I absolutely hated about the vehicle was its lack of power and piss poor mpg. This is ultimately why I decided to sell the car. It was very slow and seemed to shift far too late. I consistently got a combined 23mpg with mostly freeway commuting. The cruise control was also poorly controlled in my opinion. I'm used to a smooth consistent acceleration going up hills. This car would just floor it out of no where. The rev limiter would go crazy high, make a bunch of noise, and still the car hardly moved. I also feel like it should have included HID lighting. Overall the Crosstrek is a decent budget AWD multi-terrain vehicle, but needs more power and better lights.
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Rugged reliability
charlesdrive, 11/11/2014
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
5 of 7 people found this review helpful
I have owned many previous Subaru cars in the past (most recently Impreza and Legacy) so I am used to the usual knocks against Subarus. Engine noise is a bit loud, pickup is not great but this car is safe, rugged and I like how it has a higher ground clearance which is helpful if you live in an area that gets measurable snowfall. While my Legacy handled well in snow storms it had low ground clearance which caused problems. The Limited trim with the navigation and XM radio are definitely worth the extra expense. This car is fun to drive and has a slightly different appearance from other Subaru cars. I have not gotten to drive in snow yet but it has handled well in wet weather.
Fun and outdoorsie
Justin Robertson, 05/16/2018
updated 05/20/2019
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
6 of 9 people found this review helpful
Small, quick, and great on gas. The Tech is really great; the audio can play from an SD card, AUX jack, Bluetooth, and even from a USB slot hidden in the console. I literally just copied 20+ gigs of music to a (low profile) USB stick, and i have ALL the music i own with me all the time without having to use my phone while driving. AWD means i can take it camping and hiking. Exactly what i wanted.
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Sporty in Tangerine
Mike, 09/25/2016
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
What a great small sporty SUV! Great handling and plenty of power in the 2.0 liter. The hill assist is great.
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Love it, but lots of issues
ls, 10/11/2022
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Love driving the car, bought out the lease, but...this model has 3 recalls (fix only when that particular repair is needed); also had to repace the radio (no warrenty) 3 years old, then at 66,000 miles had to replace the front CV joint and then the bearings in both back wheels which was very expensive. (could hear the "roaring" from the rear end of the car..all better now) This car is kept garaged, rarely driven on dirt roads. Worried about what's next? Never had these problems with 2 Toyotas I owned and dorve over 150,000 miles
two year anniversary
Thomas Polich, 03/19/2016
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
3 of 4 people found this review helpful
The interface with the electronics is not very good. The car handles well,, but the CVT transmission in conjunction with the hybrid makes the car baulk from start.
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Love it
Beth, 01/20/2016
updated 07/23/2021
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
4 of 6 people found this review helpful
I really love my car, sharp looking, great in the snow, 31 mpg. Lots of room to haul stuff (hay, riding gear, etc). What is don't like is acceleration from a stop but the engine is not really that big for all wheel drive. Don't like the seat heaters. They don't work well, they run off ambient temperature which is annoying. The seats are not made for bigger butts. I wish I had a beeper warning with the back up camera. Other than those things I'm very pleased with the car. I would definitely buy another one. I had to buy new tires, I got Coopers. Disappointed that I've lost 4 mpg, but if they last longer than the factory tires I'll be happy. Still very happy with my car after 26 months. Cooper tires were a big waste of hundreds of dollars. I’ve had them 14 months. Totally useless to in snow, no traction. I still love Crosstreks so much that I’m getting a new one today, 2019.
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Be warned
Linda C., 09/15/2018
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
4 of 7 people found this review helpful
I bought this car to go to Chicago every day because of it's safety and small size. I have two big problems with this car and they are: 1. comfort of the seats- I needed to use a back cushion in order to be comfortable and 2. cabin noise is awful. You can not use the voice control because the cabin is too noisy. I had to use my ear jacks to hear on my cell phone. I would have kept this car forever if it was quite. The other problem is the outdated navigation system. I tried to use it but it wasn't worth the frustration. I just used my cell phone. If you are using it to run around town or you live in a snow belt this may be the car for you. If you are looking for a quite comfortable car look elsewhere.
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Superu
patrick bracken, 09/20/2016
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
3 of 5 people found this review helpful
Best of its class for resale and snow
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Poor Heat Ouptput
jagerhood, 03/27/2014
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
25 of 60 people found this review helpful
I'll start off my review with the cons, although I really do like my car. I'm not a car expert, but thought I could give my feedback to real world drivers. Bought the car early Dec and driving through a Cold NJ winter! That being said I have not ever been warm enough in this car!! The fan is Loud but there is not a whole heck of a lot of heat coming out especially on the floor!! I hate the Radio, but my iPod music sounds Great! I also think there could be more storage compartments as well as an armrest for the driver. Finallly, not lovin the black on black on black interior. You see every speck!! The "ivory" was not an option - that would have been black in a week.
New buyers disappointing experience
badsubi, 12/11/2014
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
14 of 38 people found this review helpful
After owning Toyotas for the last 28 years I decided to buy a 2014 Crosstrek. 3 months now and the Check Engine light is on !. Took the car to the dealer and the car needs an Oil Control Valve. Many cars have this but last at least 75k miles. My "New" Crosstrek in the the shop for days and I know this car will give problems in the future. I bought Subaru because of all the reliability hype. As I research the internet more and more, I find that they are not durable, unreliable past 50k miles. Mine broke at 7k miles, thats a smack in the face for Subaru. Don't buy it. Every make has its problems but you are better off with Toyota or Honda for reliability. Do your homework on the internet.
Dissapointingly unreliable oil burner
AdiosCrosstrek, 02/14/2022
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
After owning several Volkswagens, and hearing about Subaru's longevity, I bought a 2014 XV Crosstrek with a 5 Speed Manual brand new in 2014. I loved the car, I loved the performance in the snow and the AWD was fantastic. The boxer engine was fun with a stick shift, even if it wasn't the quickest. The MPG was decent. Sure, it was a little crude, but it was an honest, simple car, and rugged outwardly. That said, 7-1/2 years later, I will likely never own another Subaru, and I'm noticing that many people know someone whose Subaru has had major engine issues, ranging from burning oil, to various gasket failures, and in some cases, engine replacement. Subaru can't build a solid engine to save their lives - they had head gasket issues for decades, and while those mostly appear to be solved, their new FB series engines burn oil. I'm not alone in many of the issues below, and I think Subarus tend to age poorly. The 2013 XV Crosstrek is now on Consumer Reports' "Used Cars to Avoid" list and the 2014 (my year) has a below average rating. To start, I feel like the car was burning out bulbs, constantly. I've never had a car which goes through bulbs as often as this car. 20k miles - my oil light came on, letting me know the engine oil was low. This would continue to be an issue the entire time I owned the car. I let Subaru know at this point that the car burned oil, but apparently an oil consumption test passed (though I was suspicious it was even performed) Somewhere around 40k-50k miles, both the throw-out bearing in the transmission failed, AND not long after the AC Compressor failed. Both of these are major items to fail, and while they failed outside of warranty, Subaru did step up and replace them on a goodwill/free-of-charge basis, which I thought was wonderful. That said, these items shouldn't fail - I've driven a stick shift for years and never so much as worn out a clutch - apparently these are known failure items. Around 80k miles the rear shocks needed replacement, along with some bushings/suspension parts on the front end. Around 100k miles the PCV valve was replaced as an attempt to solve the oil burning, which was now around 1 quart every 1100 miles. This didn't fix the problem. I was also told that my cam carrier seals/gaskets were leaking, which is apparently a failure point - but another shop couldn't find this leak. Subaru wanted thousands for that repair. Around 116k miles I finally had another oil consumption test, and the car failed, and was told a new engine/short block would cost $5600 to solve the issue. I asked Subaru for help seeing as how the car was maintained with service records and oil changes at Subaru, and they offered $750 seeing as how the car was out of warranty. I accepted the oil burn and wanted to drive the car into the ground; I then now replaced the front shocks, and a failed passenger side CV axle, as the car clicked/made noises in turns. My check engine light had started coming on intermittently, and when the shop scanned this, I was told that the catalytic converter was starting to fail (which is no doubt due to all the burned oil going through it). The fix for the catalytic converter would also be several thousand dollars. That was the drop that broke the dam, and I'd had enough. I now drive a Toyota RAV4, I'm crossing my fingers that Toyota's reputation for reliability and legendary longevity is actually deserved, unlike Subaru's. It's a shame, because they really are fun, quirky, great performing cars, but the engineering and consistent quality control just isn't there in the long run.
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Subaru Bluetooth is garbage!
Larry Belcastro, 09/03/2015
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
3 of 12 people found this review helpful
When we upgraded our cell phone to a Samsung S6, we lost the ability to automatically reconnect each time we use the car. This is time consuming and has to be done BEFORE we move the car, delaying our travel. We cannot connect the bluetooth when driving, even though the driver is not pushing the buttons. Subaru Customer Support says that they cannot keep up with all the new cell phones and carriers, and have a list available with the ones that work. GET MORE HELP THEN! This is a poor excuse why they cannot get the autoconnect feature to work, but as a consumer it's a good excuse to never buy another Subaru if they cannot keep current with technology.
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Don't buy one
923hon, 09/03/2014
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
17 of 103 people found this review helpful
This car is crap... it's so loud while driving, with the combonation of wind and road it literally sounds like you are sitting by the wing on a airplane, that i can barely hear bluetooth call even turned all the way up. have to have a/c full blast otherwise it barely blows. it's guttless on freeway, good luck on on-ramps. gas mileage is worse than i was getting with my 94 pathfinder that was sent to scrapyard. there is no way in heck that ppl are getting anything close to 20 even. we get about 13mpg. it is the worst car ever. please do not buy one. its so awful and we are stuck with 380$ payments for the next 8yrs.
Great Car/Value
ronv171, 11/30/2013
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
10 of 86 people found this review helpful
Great vehicle, roomy, plenty of power on highway, rides nice, CVT trans is good. Fun to drive. Great value and features. Not a lot of road noise. Cargo room is great. I have had 3 weeks and so far avg 26-28 mpg. Very happy so far. My wife bought one also.
AWD vs. MPG
Christopher Shawn, 07/16/2018
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I bought the car when I lived in Pennsylvania, and it was great for winter weather. When I moved to North Carolina, I no longer needed the AWD and wanted something with better MPG. I recommend this car to anyone who wants a reliable vehicle for winter driving and isnt concerned about fuel mileage.
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Starter Subaru
Sam, 02/05/2019
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
The only thing j don't like is the cvt transmission.
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Perfect for what I need
Pattymelt414, 12/01/2019
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I used to only buy American, after having several problems almost from the start with my "superior American" cars for years I finally decided to buy a Nakajima, so far the fit on everything is better "it's amazing how many panels on American cars don't line up exactly right), it has FAR more features for the price point than any American car I've seen, a chevy Cruze or Ford fusion would cost the same for two wheel drive, cloth, no heated seats etc. I've even gotten fond of the CVT transmission, it reacts different than American transmissions and the power band doesn't feel the same so it takes getting used to but it's actually a lot smoother than American automatics, and I still have the use of 5 speed manual in this. It's not a dragster like my constant headache mustang was, but it's not supposed to be and now that I'm a daddy I'm over my racing days... Though if I ever got back to it now I might instead opt for a WRX or EVO over a mustang
Love my Subaru!
Brandon, 04/04/2022
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I love my crosstrek, but I just had to replace the cvt valve body which I have read a few people having issues. 108,000 miles though so I can't expect perfection. Warranty covered it and I'm back on the road loving my Subaru. I love the way it feels and how it handles when I drive. I can't wait to find a little slippery trail to try out the AWD. I love the Bluetooth and to be honest, the sound system is not that bad for my liking. Overall a 4 out of 5 only because having the car in the shop was an inconvenience and the fact that so many people had the same problem. Still love my Subaru.
Been a great trouble free Toad! Our 5th Subaru!
Hanie , 07/22/2023
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Towed a 2003 Baja until we found this rare standard transmission 2014 Crosstrek. Has been the ideal car for towing behind a motor home! Bought new and will be selling when we get our new Toad rigged out! Has 65k miles, will be available with the invisible Roadmaster brake system, tow bar system and light kit!
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Great sports car
Al charron , 06/10/2025
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Great sports car, plenty of power, fun to drive
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Love my crosstrek
Emily’, 10/28/2017
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 3 people found this review helpful
Love this car
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xv crosstrex
cory fouts, 11/21/2016
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
I'd buy another one. Recommend buying if looking.
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Love of my life
John John, 12/04/2018
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
0 of 7 people found this review helpful
Always ask for carfax. Check the interior and exterior of the car you never know the car you might bought could be a salvage or flood accident. Check for color matching on the car if you spot even a little this could be a bad sign already, moist or unpleasant odor underneath the carpets is sign that a vehicle might be in flood accident. To good to be true price, if you see a price that is very attractive to your eyes be very careful. Example a 2014 BMW 328i with 30k miles for $10k price is so beautiful but what is wrong with this car? You never know until you own this and suddenly it stopped working. Some dealership will not say anything just to sell a vehicle. If they offer you a different one think it first you have to follow your instinct not them. The price they gave might be good but are you sure about that? So be prepare and be smart.
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