Subaru Bids Farewell to the Crosstrek Hybrid

Subaru launched its compact Crosstrek in 2015, and since then it’s been a massive hit. In its second model year, Subaru added a hybrid model that saw a 4 mpg increase in city fuel economy and a 12-horsepower gain. Recently, Subaru unveiled the 2017 Crosstrek line, but the hybrid model was missing. A quick call to our friendly Subaru rep and we learned the Crosstrek Hybrid will not be a part of the 2017 lineup.

While this may come as a shock that Subaru would eliminate the hybrid version of its popular crossover after just one model year, there could be one very likely explanation. The price gap seems the most logical reason, as the Crosstrek Hybrid was an eye-watering $4,800 more than its non-hybrid counterpart in their respective base levels. Moving into the Limited trims, this gap grew by $100.

While a significant price increase for a hybrid model is no shock, it was likely quite difficult for Subaru to tangle with the RAV4 Hybrid, which has a price gap as small as $800 between its hybrid and non-hybrid variants. Even the larger $1,600 gap between the RAV4 Hybrid LE and the RAV4 LE AWD makes the Crosstrek’s gap look like the Grand Canyon.

Other than the elimination of the hybrid, the only other change of note for the 2017 Crosstrek lineup is the addition of a new Premium Special Edition model that will top the range at $26,670 (destination fees included).

For those who still need their hybrid crossover fix, the 2016 RAV4 Hybrid XLE has an attractive 36-month lease deal that runs $269 per month with just $1,999 due at signing. Alternatively, shoppers can take 0% APR financing for 48 months or a $750 cash rebate. Time is running out, however— the model is becoming harder to find now that the 2017 RAV4 Hybrid has arrived.