What Is The Cheapest Subaru SUV? (And Can You Get It As A Hybrid?)
There are a lot of different SUVs available from Subaru in 2025, from the compact Crosstrek all the way up to the family-hauling, three-row Ascent. But if you’re looking for an affordable SUV with a Subaru badge, your best bet is the Crosstrek. The Crosstrek is the least-expensive SUV Subaru currently sells, with an MSRP of $27,980 (including $1,420 destination fee). While the price is going up in 2026, it will likely remain the least-expensive model in their lineup next year too. The Crosstrek isn’t currently available as a hybrid, but Subaru has announced a new 2026 hybrid model that will be arriving in fall 2025, and it has a lot of potential.
The current Crosstrek comes with a decent amount of features and equipment for the price, and it’s relatively efficient, so you might not have to wait for the hybrid model to arrive. Standard equipment for the base Crosstrek includes dual-zone automatic climate control, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, LED headlights, and dual 7-inch touchscreens. As you’d probably expect from a Subaru SUV, the Crosstrek has off-road capability covered thanks to its 8.7 inches of ground clearance, standard all-wheel drive, and driver aids like hill-descent control. And that efficiency mentioned earlier? With its base engine, the EPA rates the Crosstrek at 29 mpg combined (27 city/34 highway) — good numbers for its class.
Specs and features of the current Crosstrek
There are two engines available for the 2025 Crosstrek. The standard engine is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that makes a relatively modest 152 hp and 145 lb-ft of torque. There’s an optional engine available, which is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 182 hp and 172 lb-ft of torque. Like the base engine, the optional 2.5-liter powerplant has a strong EPA-estimated fuel efficiency of 29 mpg combined (27 city/33 highway).
With lots of ground clearance, robust underbody protection, and standard all-wheel drive, the Crosstrek is pretty capable off-road as well. Rugged versions like the Wilderness trim level should be where the adventurous types start their shopping search, but they do see a drop in fuel economy to 27 mpg combined, according to EPA estimates.
While the Crosstrek is technically classified as an SUV, it’s quite small compared to other vehicles in the class. From nose to tail, the Crosstrek only measures 176.4 inches, 4.5 inches shorter than the 2025 Toyota RAV4. That means it has limited cargo space at just 19.9 cubic feet of storage behind the rear seats. Compare that to 24.4 cubic feet in something like the compact and affordable Honda HR-V, or 37.6 cubic feet in the slightly larger RAV4, and it’s clear that the Crosstrek isn’t super spacious. Its exterior dimensions, though, are small enough to fit in tight spaces, and its diminutive stature doesn’t stop it from being capable enough to trek up your local off-road trail.
What will the upcoming 2026 Crosstrek be like?
For 2026, Subaru is getting rid of the base 2.0-liter engine, with the 2.5-liter engine becoming the standard. Power drops slightly to 180 hp, but torque goes up to 178 lb-ft. The real big change, however, is the hybrid model. It uses the 2.5-liter engine and a hybrid system for a total output of 194 hp. Subaru hasn’t released torque info yet, but hybrids tend to get a chunk of extra torque and some off-the-line push from the battery, so our hopes are high for the Crosstrek. Fuel economy is also undisclosed at this time, but it’s likely to beat out the standard model’s 29 mpg combined. Subaru says there will be a 33% increase in city fuel economy over the old standard model; by our math, that’s about 35 mpg in the city.
What Subaru has announced, however, is the pricing. Base trim levels for 2026 start at $28,415. The hybrid is more expensive, starting at $35,415 for the least-expensive hybrid model. The Limited trim level comes with more features and creature comforts, and it comes in at $36,415 (all prices include $1,420 destination fee). Whether or not either version of the hybrid will be worth the extra cash will likely come down to factors like the difference in real-world fuel economy and how the hybrid system changes the driving experience.
