Subaru Crosstrek Vs Toyota Corolla Cross Vs Honda HRV
Subaru Cross Trek, Honda HRV and Toyota Corolla Cross, which small crossover should you buy? That’s what we’re going to find out.
If you wanna buy a small, reliable crossover, SUV, that’s affordably priced, the cross trek, the HRV and the Corolla cross are three of your best choices.
There are other choices that you could consider, but if you wanna have the best reliability, top-notch, resale value, and the lowest cost of ownership, these are three of the safest picks that you should be focusing on.
I’ve also chosen these three because they’re very close in terms of overall size and interior space, and they have very similar pricing.
So let’s find out which of the three is the best one to buy.
Drivetrains Options
Subaru CrossTrek: Engine Choices and Performance
Now let’s see how they compare Starting off with the drivetrains, with the Crosstrek, you have a choice of either a two liter engine producing 152 horsepower or a 2.5 liter engine producing 182 horsepower.
Both are naturally aspirated boxer, four cylinder engines that come matched to CVT and Subaru symmetrical full-time. All-wheel drive as standard.
Now I can tell you right off the bat that the two liter engine on the lower trims of the cross trek is easily the worst option in this comparison.
Not only is it the slowest and the most underpowered, but it’s also a bit on the crude and rough side. So overall, just not a very nice engine.
In this case, it is well worth it to spend the extra money if you can afford it and go for the 2.5 liter engine for the extra 30 horsepower that it gives you, the extra power that you get is really noticeable and makes this a much more comfortable vehicle to drive.
Now even with this engine, there are some downsides. Again, it is a little bit on the crude and noisy side.
It is a boxer engine that’s kind of just the way they are. It also doesn’t have a very smooth engine start stop system when you come to a stop sign or a light and it shuts the engine off.
It is a little bit on the jerky side, which I do find a bit annoying.
It’s also disappointing how you can get the Crosstrek with a hybrid option like you can in some other markets, which offer the choice of the Crosstrek with Subaru’s e-boxer hybrid engine.
Another small issue with this engine is that it is direct injection only, which means that carbon buildup could potentially become an issue with time.
Although to be fair, the Crosstrek does have a terrific track record when it comes to its reliability.
It’s one of the highest rated vehicles in the segment in that area.
So if you want a very reliable vehicle that’s going to last you a long time, the Crosstrek is going to be a really safe choice.
Toyota Corolla Cross: Gas vs. Hybrid Options
And that brings us to the Corolla cross. Now, like the Crosstrek, you get a choice of two different drive trains.
The regular gas version comes with a two liter four cylinder engine that comes with a CVT and a choice of either front wheel or all wheel drive, or you have the option of a hybrid engine, which comes with a lot of great benefits that I’ll get into in just a little bit.
Now as for the regular two liter engine, it produces 169 horsepower.
It is naturally aspirated and does have a combination of both direct and port fuel injection as opposed to the Crosstrek, which is direct injection only, which means that carbon buildup should not be an issue with the Toyota.
Now, much like the cross trek, the four cylinder engine in the Corolla cross doesn’t really have a whole lot of power, and it does feel a little bit on the gravelly side and can get a bit noisy when you’re pushing it hard.
It’s perfectly fine when you’re driving it normally, but really nothing all that special.
On the bright side though, like the Crosstrek, it does have an excellent reputation for reliability.
This is the same basic drivetrain that’s found in the Corolla sedan and hatchback, which are known to be some of the most reliable vehicles, but there’s no question about it.
If you’re willing to spend the extra money, the hybrid option on the Corolla cross is absolutely well worth it.
The Corolla cross hybrid is a win-win in almost every single way. It produces more power with an extra 25 horsepower for a total of 194.
It’s quieter, it’s a lot smoother, and of course it has much better fuel economy aside from a slightly higher price and tougher availability, there are absolutely no drawbacks to considering the hybrid.
It’s an absolute no-brainer in almost every single way.
Honda HRV: Singular Drivetrain
So where does that leave the Honda HRV? Well, unlike the other two, the HRV only has one drivetrain option.
It uses Honda’s K series, naturally aspirated two liter four cylinder engine that produces 158 horsepower and comes with a CVT and a choice of either front wheel or all wheel drive.
Now, what’s interesting about this engine is that even though it is the least powerful one on paper next to the base engine that’s in the Crosstrek, it’s actually the smoothest and the quietest engine in this comparison.
Unlike the engines in the crawl across and the Crosstrek, the engine in the HRV is absolutely smooth and has terrific refinement.
And despite not having a lot of power, And I also really appreciate the simplicity of this engine.
There are no turbos and no direct fuel injection, which means carbon buildup is not going to be a concern.
It’s just a very simple engine design and one that’s proven to be extremely reliable.
Fuel Economy
Now, in terms of fuel economy, all three SUVs are more or less in the same ballpark.
They should all be able to average between 25 to 35 miles per gallon or roughly seven to nine liters per 100 kilometers depending on how you drive them. Of course, the crawl across hybrid is the exception.
Standard Fuel Efficiency
It has an average fuel economy rating of around 42 miles per gallon or 5.6 liters per 100 kilometers, which is phenomenal fuel economy for an SUV.
I would say that all three are also fairly close in terms of the way they feel when you’re driving them.
Corolla Cross Hybrid: A Fuel Economy Game-Changer
The Corolla cross comes at the back of the pack when it comes to smoothness, ride quality and quietness, but only by just a little bit.
It’s still perfectly fine when you’re driving it normally every day, but there’s no question the HRV is noticeably smoother and quieter to drive.
And not only does it have better refinement, but it also has the best handling in this group.
On Road Experience
And as for the cross trek, well, it’s also a very smooth comfortable SUV to drive not as good handling as the HRV, but still a very nice driving vehicle.
And the Crosstrek is the standout if you’re looking for a vehicle that has a little bit more off-road capability.
And that’s especially true if you go for the wilderness trim.
The wilderness version comes with a lot of nice upgrades, including more ground clearance, 9.3 inches instead of 8.7.
You also get skid plates, lots of black body cladding and standard all terrain tires.
Comparative Driving Impressions
On the inside The wilderness also gets Subaru Star Tex synthetic leather seeds, which are made of a special durable all weather upholstery.
But perhaps most significantly, the wilderness also gets a larger cooling fan and a transmission oil cooler, which means that it’s now able to tow up to 3,500 pounds up from the regular 1500 pounds of the regular cross trek and the same rating on the HRV and crawl across.
Off-Road Capability
So, and not only can the cross trek wilderness handle a lot more off-roading when compared to the other two, but if you need to do any kind of towing on a regular basis, this is the one to have in this group.
I should also mention at this point that all three crossovers do come with a spare tire, which is nice to see.
The only exception is the hybrid version of the crawl across, which only comes with a temporary inflator kit.
Interior Features and Design
Now, as for the interiors of all three SUVs, I would say that all three have a very nice design to them.
They’re all very well made with good fit and finish, and they all have very usable, straightforward controls that are not too difficult to figure out.
Infotainment Systems
The one exception to that though is the Crosstrek, which does have the weakest touchscreen infotainment system in the group, although it does have the largest screen, it is noticeably laggy when you’re navigating through the windows.
And I also don’t like how all of the climate controls are buried at the bottom of the screen, which can make them a little bit frustrating to use while driving.
The same is true of the break hold feature, which again, you have to dig through the screen in order to use, as opposed to just pushing a simple button like you do on the other two compared to the Corolla cross and the HRV,
both of which have much more straightforward touchscreen infotainment systems that are easier to use a little bit faster and more straightforward, and both also have normal straightforward climate controls.
So when it comes to functionality, the HRV and the Corolla cross are the definite winners.
Interior Space and Design
Now, When it comes to the actual features that you get, all three of these SUVs are quite similar, although when it comes to the top trims, the HRV is missing a few key features.
For example, it’s the only one that doesn’t have a power adjustable driver’s seat with lumbar support.
And it’s even missing a few little things like a rear seat center armrest and rear seat USB connectors.
But with that said, it does have the nicest interior in this group when it comes to the materials, the fit and finish, and the overall look and feel.
The HRV is also the obvious winner when it comes to the overall interior space that you get.
All three of these are very close when it comes to their cargo space with around 24 cubic feet of space, which does make all three of them among the most spacious in this segment.
Feature Comparison
But the HRV does have a bit more space than the other two, especially when you fold the back seats down.
And it does have the most passenger space, especially in the rear seats.
So if you are going to use the backseat often, or if you have a taller family, the HRV is likely going to be the most comfortable one in this group.
Safety Standards: All Three Earn Top Marks
What is great to see though, is that all three SUVs do come with a lot of great active safety features, and they all have top notch safety ratings from the IIHS rated top safety picks.
So in terms of safety, you are getting an excellent SUV regardless of which one you go for.
Pricing Insights
And with all that said, I think it’s now time to get into the pricing. Now, all three of these SUVs are comparably priced
US Pricing Ranges
in the us They all start around $26,000, and they can go as high as $32,000 for the higher trims, or in the case of the crawl across hybrid or the cross trek wilderness as high as $35,000.
Canadian Pricing
In Canada, the pricing range is roughly between 30 to 40,000. Again, depending on which trim you go for.
Conclusion: Narrowing Down the Choices
All three are very competitively priced when compared to their competition, which includes other small crossovers like the Kia Selto, the Hyundai Kona, and the Mazda CX 30.
So ultimately then between the Crosstrek, the Crolla across and the HRV, which of the three is it going to be? Well, it has to be said at the end of the day.
All three of these are excellent choices to go for.
Considering Crosstrek’s Drawbacks
All three of them are very well-designed vehicles with plenty of interior space, lots of great safety features, excellent reputations for reliability, and all of them offer very good value for your money.
You really can’t go wrong with any of them, but if I had to pick one to put in third place, it would be the Crosstrek.
The issue with it is that it just has the most frustrating controls with that laggy infotainment system.
The engine is a little bit on the noisier side, and again, with that annoying engine start, stop feature.
And even though it is nice that it has the most off-road capability and the most towing capability, if you go for the wilderness trim,
I’m not really sure whether those particular qualities are really a major priority for consumers That are shopping in this segment, which means that by a narrow margin, the corolla cross and the HRV would be my picks for second and first place. And the order would depend on which one you go for.
HRV vs. Corolla Cross: Making the Final Decision
If you’re comparing them with just the regular gas engines, there’s no question the HRV is the much nicer one of the two.
It’s smoother, it’s quieter, it’s more comfortable to drive. It has better handling a nicer quality interior, and it has more interior space and cargo space.
It’s such a nice, well-rounded SUV end. It’s a real shame that Honda doesn’t offer the hybrid version of the HRV in North America like they do in other countries.
But even so, if I were buying one of these SUVs with a regular gas engine, it’s the HRV would be the one that I would choose.
Hopefully Honda decides to add a hybrid version to the HRV in the future in North America, just like they’ve done for the Accord, the Civic and the CRV.
The Corolla Cross Hybrid: An Exceptional Choice
But since they don’t, and if you really wanna have a hybrid, the one to go for is the Corolla cross.
The Corolla cross hybrid just has so many benefits over the other two that it’s just too hard to ignore. It’s the most powerful SUV in this group.
It’s quiet, it’s smooth, and it has by far the best fuel economy, which is extremely important.
It’s also very reasonably priced, and it gives you all these amazing benefits without sacrificing anything.
So if I had to pick one particular version in this group as it stands, the Corolla cross hybrid would be the one. So there you have it.