2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid: I Get Why Everyone Buys These Things

Here at InsideEVs, a lot of my job involves covering what’s next. Voice-activated AI assistants. Autonomous driving. Ultra-fast electric-vehicle charging. Next-generation smartphone app integration. New and improved EV batteries. Over-the-air software updates and subscription-based tech features.

Yet I often stop to wonder: “Who’s asking for any of this stuff?” Sure, plenty of drivers are clamoring for some of those things, and to borrow an old Steve Jobs-ism, sometimes people don’t know what they want until you show it to them.

2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid

Photo by: Patrick George

But the average car on American roads is now a record 14 years old, so leaps in technology made by the auto industry even recently can be lost on a lot of people. And new cars are now more expensive than ever. Put more simply: it’s hard to know, or care, about in-car AI systems when you just need to get the kids to school on time. 

This was on my mind recently when I got some seat time with the new 2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid. It is the furthest thing from cutting-edge. But the damn thing just works, and that’s why it’s so popular. It also says a lot about the growing appeal of hybrid powertrains in ordinary, everyday cars.

(Full Disclosure: Subaru loaned me a Crosstrek Hybrid for a few days of testing.) 

While we don’t often review non-plug-in hybrids here at InsideEVs, we do try to check out the important ones. And I ended up in the Crosstrek Hybrid a bit unexpectedly, in between tests of other EVs. I can’t say I fell in love with the car, but I certainly understand its appeal now.

2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid

Base Price $33,995 (Sport Hybrid)

As-Tested Price $38,015

Engine 2.5-liter Subaru Boxer flat-four

Battery 1.1 kWh lithium-ion hybrid battery

Drive Type All-wheel-drive

Efficiency 36 combined MPG

Output 162 horsepower and 154 lb-ft; total hybrid system 194 hp

Speed 0-60 MPH 7.5 seconds (est.)

2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid: Specs And Features

As a pro-plug publication, the old Crosstrek Hybrid might’ve been a bit more up our alley, as it was a plug-in hybrid. Candidly, I am not really a fan of PHEVs. Plenty of drivers swear by them, but I would rather charge a car or put gas in it; I don’t love being forced to do both.

2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid

Photo by: Patrick George

If anyone feels the same way, they’ll like this new Crosstrek Hybrid. It is the electrified version of the latest third-generation Crosstrek that first arrived in the United States in 2024. The plug is gone now, replaced by a 1.1-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack located under the cargo floor that backs up the 2.5-liter flat-four Subaru Boxer engine. 

The engine makes 162 horsepower and 154 pound-feet of torque, and the hybrid system gets you to a combined 194 hp. At least on paper, the gains from the hybrid system aren’t mind-blowing. It’s rated at a curious 36 MPG in the city and 36 MPG on the highway, which is good for approximately 600 miles of range. 

2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid

Photo by: Patrick George

The Crosstrek’s fuel economy rating is a far cry from other modern hybrids. The latest Toyota Prius will get you MPGs in the 50s every day and twice on Sunday, and so will the criminally underrated Hyundai Elantra Hybrid, which I enjoy driving more than both. 

But the Crosstrek Hybrid promises things those cars can’t do: all-wheel-drive hyper-competence, mini-SUV capability, and proven, all-weather toughness. Like any variant of the Crosstrek, it’s just a do-everything sort of car. 

2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid

Photo by: Patrick George

2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid: Driving Experience

There are certain parts of the country where you just see Crosstreks everywhere. Upstate New York, where I live, is one of them. I could go to any town in my area, pick up a rock, throw it in any direction, and the odds are decent that I’d be apologizing to a Crosstrek owner for chipping their paint. It’s now Subaru’s best-selling model by far, moving thousands more than even the venerable Forester. 

2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid

Photo by: Patrick George

Let’s be real about what you’re getting: it ain’t fancy, and it ain’t fast. In my younger, pre-EV days, I was a Subaru WRX owner, racking up speeding tickets and blowing all my money on STI parts. The Crosstrek Hybrid, with less than 200 hp on tap, has none of that sporting character. Around-town power is fine, but highway passing power is anemic. I often found myself staring at EV drivers with envy as I begged the Crosstrek to move with any sense of urgency. Subaru’s Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) offers no gears, and it doesn’t offer much help with speed, either. 

Case in point: I had to quickly move to the right lane before I got dusted by a Toyota RAV4 with a Minions sticker on the back windshield. I’ll be sore over that one for a while.

2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid

Photo by: Patrick George

But it is a lot like my old 2008 WRX on the inside. I swear, this thing still has a lot of the same switchgear. Hard plastics abound, while the whole interior vibe is a drab gray-black. The seats aren’t especially comfortable, but they are heated. It’s a car for getting places, not for drives you look forward to.

Yet the hybrid system is very impressive for how utterly seamless it is. The Crosstrek Hybrid is, essentially, an EV at lower speeds. Around town, a little light clicks on the dashboard to show that it’s not moving under gas power. This is a good, emissions-reducing use of this technology and you may never even realize when it’s happening. The small hybrid battery recharges through regenerative braking and from the engine’s power. It also has a “Battery Charge Mode,” which instructs the engine to prioritize battery charging in ordinary driving.

2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid

Photo by: Patrick George

I like this application of hybrid technology: just a normal part of a normal car, boosting your fuel economy and cutting pollution without you realizing it’s even doing so. If more gas cars just become hybrid over time, as Toyota is doing with its lineup, it’s a positive thing. 

Plus, even though it’s small, you cannot discount the Crosstrek Hybrid’s practicality. With 54.7 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded down, it actually beats my own Kia EV6 for total space, and that’s a bigger car in every way. 

2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid

Photo by: Patrick George

2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid: Tech And More

Like some other Subarus, the Crosstrek can feel like its engineers and designers looked at the other improvements made to in-vehicle software and tech over the last 10 years and said, “Nah, we’re good without any of that.” Fire up that Chainsmokers remix here, because you’re going back to the 2010s.

2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid

Photo by: Patrick George

The central 12.3-inch touchscreen is laggy, slow and devoid of many features you can get on modern cars from Hyundai, General Motors, Ford and more. I’d describe the overall tech experience as “Just use Apple CarPlay,” because the navigation system isn’t really on par with modern stuff. 

2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid

Photo by: Patrick George

On the other hand, the Crosstrek Hybrid comes standard with the latest Subaru EyeSight Driver Assist Technology, which includes features like adaptive cruise control with lane centering, pre-collision braking, and lane departure warnings. It’s a hands-on driving assistance system, but it navigates heavy traffic remarkably well. 

2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid: Verdict

So no, it’s not fancy or high-tech. But wanna know the real reason Subaru sells so many Crosstreks? Because it’s affordable. The 2026 Crosstrek starts at $26,995, and for electrified power, you can get a Sport Hybrid model for $33,995. 

2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid

Photo by: Patrick George

My tester, the range-topping Limited Hybrid, starts at $34,995. With a few options, the bill came to $38,015, including $1,420 in destination fees. That’s on the higher side for what you get, in my estimation, but any Crosstrek Hybrid below $35,000 is a solid deal for the right buyer. 

And that buyer may not want, or need, what the auto industry says is the latest and greatest. They need something that’s easy to operate, tough, dependable enough to last more than a decade, and that they don’t have to think about all that much. In that regard, the Crosstrek Hybrid delivers. 

There is something to be said for simplicity, after all. And this hot-selling hatchback may offer a few lessons its competitors should take to heart.

2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid

Photo by: Patrick George

Contact the author: patrick.george@insideevs.com

More Subaru News

Click here to see all articles with lists of the best EVs