Subaru Crosstrek vs Toyota RAV4: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (October 2026), the Subaru Crosstrek typically lists for $26,700 against $32,473 for the Toyota RAV4 (same model years — 2024–2026 — national medians from live listings). The Subaru Crosstrek takes fuel economy (29 MPG combined vs 25 MPG); the Subaru Crosstrek leads on NCAP safety (5.0★ vs 4.7★ average). Overall medians mix very different trims — at the cheapest common trims it's the BASE at $24,311 vs the LE at $30,454; see the trim-by-trim tables for a fair match. Every figure below is live market data, not book values.
Head to head
Trim-by-trim prices (last 4 model years)
A fair comparison matches equivalent trims, not overall medians. Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, the Subaru Crosstrek BASE ($24,311) faces the Toyota RAV4 LE ($30,454); the most common trims on the market are the PREMIUM (44.5% of Subaru Crosstrek listings) and the XLE (49.0% of Toyota RAV4 listings); at the top of the market, the WILDERNESS ($29,798) faces the XSE ($38,664). Share = portion of the model's trim-labeled used listings (a supply-side popularity signal: what the market actually stocks and sells most). “Cheapest”/“Priciest” mark the ends of the quotable trim range — trim ladders don't map one-to-one across brands, so this is not a factory base-model claim.
| Subaru Crosstrek | Toyota RAV4 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trim | Typical price | Share | Trim | Typical price | Share |
| BASECheapest | $24,311 | 8.6% | LECheapest | $30,454 | 24.8% |
| PREMIUMMost popular | $26,428 | 44.5% | ADVENTURE | $31,413 | 3.3% |
| SPORT | $27,292 | 14.5% | XLEMost popular | $31,990 | 49.0% |
| LIMITED | $28,249 | 23.4% | XLE PREMIUM | $34,789 | 14.2% |
| WILDERNESSPriciest | $29,798 | 9.0% | SE | $35,778 | 1.6% |
| — | TRD OFF ROAD | $36,968 | 0.2% | ||
| — | LIMITED | $37,857 | 3.5% | ||
| — | XSEPriciest | $38,664 | 3.3% | ||
Rows are aligned by price position (both sides sorted cheapest-first), not by equivalent equipment — trim names never map one-to-one across brands. Full per-trim detail (price ranges, mileage) is on each model's price page: Subaru Crosstrek prices · Toyota RAV4 prices.
Used price by model year
| Year | Subaru Crosstrek typical | Toyota RAV4 typical | Difference | Subaru Crosstrek MPG | Toyota RAV4 MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $31,703 | $42,320 | Toyota RAV4 +$10,617 | 26–29 MPG | 41–43 MPG |
| 2025 | $27,662 | $32,473 | Toyota RAV4 +$4,811 | 27–29 MPG | 28–38 MPG |
| 2024 | $26,700 | $31,547 | Toyota RAV4 +$4,847 | 27–29 MPG | 28–30 MPG |
| 2023 | $23,992 | $31,244 | Toyota RAV4 +$7,252 | 25–30 MPG | 28–30 MPG |
| 2022 | $22,249 | $28,547 | Toyota RAV4 +$6,298 | 25–30 MPG | 28–30 MPG |
| 2021 | $20,998 | $26,194 | Toyota RAV4 +$5,196 | 25–30 MPG | 28–30 MPG |
| 2020 | $19,558 | $24,803 | Toyota RAV4 +$5,245 | 25–30 MPG | 27–30 MPG |
| 2019 | $17,446 | $23,300 | Toyota RAV4 +$5,854 | 25–29 MPG | 28–30 MPG |
| 2018 | $15,900 | $19,495 | Toyota RAV4 +$3,595 | 25–29 MPG | 24–26 MPG |
| 2017 | $13,995 | $18,150 | Toyota RAV4 +$4,155 | 26–29 MPG | 24–26 MPG |
| 2016 | $12,950 | $16,396 | Toyota RAV4 +$3,446 | 26–29 MPG | 24–26 MPG |
Typical price = national median asking price of live listings for that model year (October 2026); MPG = EPA combined range across rated versions.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper to buy used — Subaru Crosstrek or Toyota RAV4?
Comparing the same model years (2024–2026), the Subaru Crosstrek is cheaper: it typically lists for $26,700 versus $32,473 for the Toyota RAV4 (national medians, October 2026).
Which gets better fuel economy — Subaru Crosstrek or Toyota RAV4?
The Subaru Crosstrek: its typical rated version returns 29 MPG combined versus 25 MPG for the Toyota RAV4 (median across EPA-rated versions of the compared years).
Which is safer — Subaru Crosstrek or Toyota RAV4?
By NCAP overall crash-test rating the Subaru Crosstrek averages 5.0 of 5 stars across rated years versus 4.7 for the Toyota RAV4. Always check the specific model year's rating in the table above.
Which is more reliable — Subaru Crosstrek or Toyota RAV4?
NHTSA lists an average of 1.5 recalls per model year for the Subaru Crosstrek and 5.2 for the Toyota RAV4 — an edge for the Subaru Crosstrek. Recall and complaint counts scale with sales volume, so treat them as context and check any specific car's VIN history.
Which trims should I actually compare?
Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, a Subaru Crosstrek BASE typically lists for $24,311 vs $30,454 for a Toyota RAV4 LE; the most common trims on the market are the PREMIUM ($26,428, 44.5% of Subaru Crosstrek listings) and the XLE ($31,990, 49.0% of Toyota RAV4 listings); at the top of the market, the WILDERNESS ($29,798) faces the XSE ($38,664). Overall medians hide this trim mix — use the trim tables above for a fair match. Trim names never map one-to-one across brands, so "cheapest" means the least expensive trim with a real market share, not the factory base.
https://vehisales.com/research/compare/subaru/crosstrek/vs/toyota/rav4.
Dig deeper
Subaru Crosstrek — live listings & specs Toyota RAV4 — live listings & specs Subaru Crosstrek prices by year Toyota RAV4 prices by year Subaru Crosstrek MPG by year Toyota RAV4 MPG by year
See also: All model comparisons · Best used cars by budget · Used car prices by model.