Crosstrek or XV?
The third-generation car is the first to carry the Crosstrek name worldwide. Earlier generations were sold here as the XV, and plenty are still on the road. An XV has its own handbook, so don't assume the Crosstrek schedule below applies to it. Mention which badge is on the boot when you tell us about the car.
Subaru Crosstrek service schedule
Subaru's handbook puts the MY24-on Crosstrek on 12 months or 15,000 km, whichever comes first, and the sequence repeats after the eighth service at 120,000 km.
Oil and filter are replaced every service. Brake fluid and the cabin ventilation filter are replaced every second service. Front and rear diff oils come up at 60,000 km and 120,000 km, and coolant at 120,000 km. Subaru says to use only its Longlife coolant and never mix coolants, which is worth repeating to whoever tops it up.
The handbook's automatic transmission fluid line is marked for the BRZ only, so there's no scheduled change listed for the Crosstrek's CVT. Ask the mechanic how they check it, and read the Owner's Manual, because Subaru says its handbook schedule may vary from the one printed there.
The Crosstrek hybrid's yearly check
A Crosstrek hybrid has a Hybrid System Health Check at each annual service. Subaru says it's done with special Subaru diagnostic equipment, to confirm the health of the high-voltage battery and systems. Ask any mechanic you're considering whether they can do this check, and how they'll record it.
The high-voltage battery has its own warranty of 8 years or 160,000 km, whichever comes first. The 12-volt battery gets 2 years, so that's the one more likely to need replacing at your own expense. The high-voltage side can hurt people. It's work for a mechanic trained on it, never a home job.
Subaru also recommends driving a hybrid once a month for at least 30 minutes to charge the big battery. If yours sits in a garage for weeks at a time, that's a simple habit to pick up.
Your warranty, and gravel roads
The new car warranty runs five years with unlimited kilometres for private use. Having a qualified independent mechanic service your Crosstrek to Subaru's schedule and specifications doesn't by itself void it.
Crosstreks get used on gravel and fire trails, and Subaru counts dusty or rough roads as severe conditions that need extra maintenance. CarsGuide's advice is that warranty cover generally continues after off-road use, though a claim could be affected if the car's been abused. Keep your receipts and tell the mechanic where the car goes. A local mechanic who specialises in your car.
If it were our Crosstrek
We'd keep it on the 12-month rhythm even in a low-kilometre year, because time counts as much as distance. On a hybrid, we'd make the yearly health check the first question for any mechanic, ahead of anything else. And we'd check vehiclerecalls.gov.au once a year, since a car this new can still pick up a recall after any list you've read was written.