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2020 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness
Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.
68 owner complaints · 0 recalls · data verified July 20, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Visibility & wipers problems dominate (50% of complaints, typically reported near 2k miles).
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Zero recalls, rare for a car this age.
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →#99 of 481Among the 2020 models with a matured record, the 2020 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness ranks #99, scoring higher than 77% of them. See the 2020 ranking →
Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
5/5 overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating · 2020 Subaru Crosstrek SW AWD
Rollover risk in a single-vehicle crash: 16%
No open NHTSA defect investigations on file.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2020 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Electrical system (10) · Engine (5)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Visibility & wipers
50%34 complaints · typically near 2k mi · 1 in the last 2 years
“The windshield has formed a crack in the top middle around the area of the rear view mirror with no incident to cause it. The problem is easily identifiable and may ca…”
Electrical system
15%10 complaints · 3 in the last 2 years
“My 2020 Subaru Crosstrek experienced a sudden loss of motive power and stalled due to a blown ignition fuse. Diagnostic code P1604 (Startability Malfunction) was store…”
Transmission & drivetrain
13%9 complaints · typically near 32k mi · 5 in the last 2 years
“My 2020 Subaru Crosstrek CVT Valve Body equipment failure and CVT Torque Converter failure. This appears to be a common failure for prior Subaru Crosstrek model - howe…”
Engine
7%5 complaints · 2 in the last 2 years
“The contact's significant other owns a 2020 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated while his significant other was driving from a complete stop, several unknown warning …”
Check it against this car’s mileage
Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.
We can place 2 of this model's commonly reported problem areas against a mileage. Nothing is stored.
Read all 68 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 6 crash/fire/injury reports →
Recalls (0)
No recall campaigns on file for this model year.
Questions to ask the seller
Questions worth asking the seller of this Subaru before you buy, drawn from its public record:
- Owners of this model report visibility & wipers problems more than anything else (owners tend to report it near 2k miles). Has this car shown any visibility & wipers symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Owners of this model report electrical system problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any electrical system symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
- How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
- Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?
Before you hand over money
Check the VIN for open recalls
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2020 Subaru CROSSTREK WILDERNESS beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2020? See how every Crosstrek Wilderness model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2020 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.