As we ascend a series of loose, rutted forest trails and washboard-surfaced gravel backroads in the foothills of Washington State’s Mount Adams, the unmistakable thrum of Subaru’s flat-four engine cycled in and out of the soundtrack but never seemed to upset our momentum or traction.
In the 2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid, this drive feels like a litmus test – not just because it is in the Pacific Northwest, where Crosstreks, Foresters and Outbacks are everywhere, but because a hybrid version of Subaru’s smallest and most affordable crossover needs to hold up to more outdoorsy standards than other hybrid CUVs.
Nearly a quarter of Crosstrek owners actually use their vehicles off-road, Subaru says. So rather than adding a separate motor at the rear wheels – as in the Corolla Cross Hybrid – Subaru engineers adapted a version of alliance partner Toyota’s familiar planetary-gear hybrid system, with a larger electric drive motor, for its full-time all-wheel drive system to carry over intact from non-hybrids. The hybrid even has the same 8.7-in. (221-mm) ground clearance as its internal-combustion-engine-only sibling.
The Crosstrek Hybrid arrives in November, fresh on the heels of the 2025 Forester Hybrid that arrived a few months ago, and the two vehicles essentially have the same powertrain and drive system. The main motor-generator makes 118 hp and 199 lb.-ft. (270 Nm) of torque, while the other one serves mainly as a generator and starter. Subaru’s 2.5L flat-4 runs on the Atkinson/Miller cycles and in this instance makes 162 hp and 154 lb.-ft. (209 Nm), while the hybrid system produces 194 hp combined.
The Crosstrek Hybrid has a 36-mpg (6.5 L/100 km) combined EPA fuel economy rating. Because of drive loops that started and ended at different elevations, we don’t get a sense of real-world gas mileage, although on a 62-mile (100-km) mostly level highway run averaging 65 mph (105 km/h), we saw a trip-indicated 33 mpg (7.1 L/100 km).
One consequence of having the traditional AWD system deliver torque to the rear wheels, rather than adding a separate motor back there, is that you lose a few mpg, Subaru admits. But what you gain is consistent AWD performance across conditions – and the ability to climb slippery grades other hybrids might not be up to.
At low speeds, whether back in Portland or out on the mountain trail, the engine remains off up to 20 or 25 mph (32 to 40 km/h), and it intermittently cycles off nearing highway speeds when cruising or coasting.
Subaru says passing power improves 10% versus non-hybrid Crosstrek grades, but 0-60 mph (97 km/h) acceleration is going to land (unofficially, for now) in the same vicinity (roughly eight seconds) as non-hybrid versions – which, by the way, drop the base 2.0L engine in favor of the 2.5L.
Just as in Toyota hybrids, a light to moderate takeoff leads with electric motor torque and then starts the gasoline engine if you keep your right foot in it. The soundtrack from the engine isn’t always in sync with acceleration, but it accelerates evenly and confidently up to highway speeds, and with more smoothness than Subaru’s CVT models. Foot-to-the-floor acceleration is a little less impressive, with a quick whine and whir from motors followed by near-constant engine revs. Sport mode quickens accelerator response a bit, while EV mode prioritizes engine-off driving and X-Mode gives you several settings for varied terrain.
Brake blending between regen from the hybrid system and the friction pads is smooth and precise in the last few feet of a stop, something not always the case in hybrids. But for long grades and control on curvy roads, there’s no ‘B’ setting applying a lot more regen; instead, there are six simulated ratios that rev the engine a bit more to little effect.
The latest Crosstrek offers impressive ride quality and cabin quietness for what amounts to an entry model, but Subaru has added more sound deadening to the Crosstrek Hybrid – and it’s surprisingly quiet, even at 75 mph (121 km/h).
Subaru has given the Hybrid upgraded ball joints and longer-stroke dampers and retuned the suspension for its roughly 300 lbs. (136 kg) more than non-hybrid versions. Out on some challenging roads and surfaces, the Crosstrek Hybrid feels slightly softer and less nimble – and a little more bouncy – than the gasoline Crosstrek we drove a couple weeks earlier.
Inside, a new gauge cluster offers what hybrid drivers will probably want: a little more information, and a little more flexibility in how it’s laid out, including Apple Maps capability. What hasn’t changed is perhaps even more notable: The 1.1-kWh lithium-ion battery pack is packaged so that the cargo floor remains flat behind the rear seatbacks (which still fold).
The Crosstrek lineup is a great value, with base models starting at $28,425 (including the $1,420 destination charge). For now, the Crosstrek Hybrid is only offered in Sport and Limited versions, slotting above the non-hybrid Wilderness. The Crosstrek Sport Hybrid starts at $35,415 and includes fog lamps, steering-response headlights, heated front seats and mirrors, a power driver’s seat and roof rails with a 700-lb. (318 kg) static load good for roof tents and more. Subaru’s EyeSight safety suite also includes blindspot detection and rear cross-traffic alert. The Limited Hybrid adds a 10-speaker audio system, surround-view monitor and upgraded upholstery, summing to $38,015.
True to Subaru’s lineup, the Crosstrek Hybrid offers up more than enough toughness and traction to get out to the trailhead, the remote campsite or the launch point for your kayaks.
This isn’t the first time Subaru has tried a hybrid for America. Now it has its Solterra battery-electric vehicle, as well as upcoming Trailseeker and Uncharted models to test how soon its adventure-seeking buyers are willing to say goodbye to gasoline. But today’s reality is that hybrids are the fastest-growing powertrain segment on the market, and they got this one right to the core.
