[Ashasx]

I think the Crosstrek is the best subcompact right now. Having just gone through the process of looking at new vehicles for my partner, the Crosstrek had the best build/impression of quality, ride comfort, and cost relative to the competition.

It's funny because although I've had a positive impression of Subaru, I've always known them to be absolute rattle boxes with a ton of road and engine noise in the cabin. Now after having owned this vehicle for a few months, it's been unbelievably comfortable to drive, soft suspension without being floaty, and a quiet, rattle-free interior.

We looked at a lot of other vehicles, including the CX30, Trailblazer, HRV, Corolla Cross, Taos, among others. The quality of the fabrics and touchpoints in those vehicles did not compare to the Crosstrek.

I currently own a 2021 Mazda 3 which I've had for almost 3 years now and all you have to do is look at it and the thing rattles. I've diagnosed and corrected many of the problems myself but almost every month I find a new one and it's gotten tiresome. My impression of Mazda's fit and finish has taken a big hit since I've taken ownership, which is surprising. A lot of people of the Mazda forums have similar issues.

The biggest weakness of the Crosstrek is the transmission, but most of the competition also has CVTs. Subaru has tuned it pretty well and you don't notice it 99% of the time if you are going to drive the Crosstrek like a Crosstrek. At the same time, the worst part of my Mazda 3 (besides the rattles) is the 6 speed - and the CX30 is essentially a lifted Mazda 3 with 10 inches of black cladding.

I would test drive them all in person because after having driven them all, the choice was pretty clear. The engine in the CX30 is great and is the primary reason to own the vehicle. If that's not important to you, I don't think there's really much else to consider.