2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid Review: Family Road Trip

Our automotive expert takes a family road trip to the Pacific coast in the Crosstrek Hybrid.

Perry Stern | 

Jul 21, 2026 | 4 min read

Perry Stern

• Pros: The Crosstrek Hybrid features a surprisingly spacious cabin, excellent driving dynamics, and a fuel-efficient hybrid powertrain.
• Cons: A bit more power would be welcome, and the engine gets noisy when pushed hard.
• The Takeaway: It may be small, but the fuel-efficient Crosstrek Hybrid proved ideal for a family road trip.

When I think about a road trip car, I picture something large — a comfortable cruiser with plenty of room for people and stuff — but I'm happy to say that the 2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid managed a recent family trip beautifully with no complaints. That said, when given the opportunity to take the subcompact on my family trip to the Washington coast, I almost said no.

Look for our regular full-review on the 2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid here.

Perry Stern

Is the 2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid a Good Road Trip Car?

With three adults and a weekend's worth of luggage, I feared Subaru's smallest crossover would be cramped and uncomfortable, but it proved to be an excellent choice, especially with its fuel-efficient hybrid powertrain.

• The Subaru Crosstrek is small but surprisingly spacious
• The Crosstrek Hybrid is enjoyable to drive
• Plenty of advanced infotainment and safety tech
• The Crosstrek Hybrid gets more power and better fuel economy

For this review, Subaru provided me with a 2026 Crosstrek Limited Hybrid. It has a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine teamed with two electric motors to produce 194 horsepower, a continuously variable automatic transmission, and standard all-wheel drive (AWD). My Crosstrek featured the extra-cost Sand Dune Pearl paint, an optional power moonroof, and a surround-view monitor for a total manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of $38,410, including the $1,420 destination charge.

Perry Stern

The Subaru Crosstrek Is Small but Surprisingly Spacious Inside

While it took some Tetris skills, the Crosstrek's 18.6 cubic-foot cargo hold fit three suitcases and two small bags behind the rear seats. Not only did I close the hatch without crushing any of our gear, but the soft cargo cover fit over the bags and rear visibility remained unobstructed.

With my daughter in the front seat, my wife was surprised at how much room she had in the back. All of the seats proved comfortable and supportive, even after three hours of nonstop driving.

Perry Stern

The Crosstrek Hybrid Is Enjoyable to Drive Long Distances

Our trek started with a not-so-exciting cruise south on Interstate 5 from Seattle toward Olympia, Washington, but the drive became more enjoyable as we wound our way across the Olympic Peninsula toward the coast. The Crosstrek felt balanced and confident at highway speeds, and power was more than sufficient to get around slower vehicles.

One of my favorite things about the Washington coast is that you can drive on the ocean beaches, which are considered state highways. The Crosstrek's AWD system kept us moving through the soft sand, and with the Pacific Ocean as a backdrop, the little Subaru looked right at home.

Perry Stern

The Crosstrek Gets Plenty of Advanced Infotainment and Safety Tech

Every Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid comes with an 11.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system with embedded navigation, and I connected my Samsung Galaxy S23+ to use Google Maps via Android Auto. As expected, my 28-year-old daughter wanted to listen to music from this decade, and, riding up front, she got to be the DJ. Connecting her iPhone via USB, she streamed the music, with song titles appearing at the top of the display while Android Auto ran below.

When you're road-tripping with your family, safety is an obvious priority. Every Crosstrek Hybrid comes standard with EyeSight, Subaru's suite of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS). The adaptive cruise control with lane centering worked well on our journey — it's not a hands-free driving system, but it reduced fatigue on the long highway sections of the road trip.

Perry Stern

The Crosstrek Hybrid Gets More Power and Better Fuel Economy

Not only is the hybrid version the most fuel-efficient member of the Crosstrek lineup, but it's also the most powerful. With 194 horsepower on tap, the hybrid gets 14 more horsepower than the non-hybrid — enough to be noticeable.

But more importantly, the Crosstrek Hybrid gets an EPA-estimated 36 mpg in combined city and highway driving. After more than 300 miles, including city, highway, and beach driving, the trip computer showed 35.9 mpg, which equates to almost 600 miles between fill-ups.

With gas prices around $6 per gallon in the Seattle area, I was particularly pleased with my road trip car selection.

Subaru provided the vehicle for this 2026 Crosstrek Hybrid review.

Perry Stern

As a small child, Perry was constantly playing with toy cars and trucks, and that enthusiasm for anything motorized with wheels never faded. After college, he moved to Seattle and began his long automotive career working in an automotive consulting firm, helping customers choose the right vehicle for their needs. In the late 1990s, Perry joined Microsoft to work on CarPoint, part of the new Microsoft Network (MSN). He went on to become editor of the site, remaining on staff for 20 years before venturing out on his own. Today, in addition to his work on Capital One Auto Navigator, he still contributes to MSN, as well as J.D. Power, TrueCar.com, and U.S. News & World Report. Perry lives in the small town of Dexter, Michigan, with his wife and dog, and he still smiles when he sees his 2006 Mazda Miata in the garage.