replacing my 1996 toyota 4runner(307,000 and still a daily commuter of 100mls daily)with better gass milage and as much utilty. Considering the Subies, Outback, Forester or Crosstrack. Used (2011 or newer) or possibly new?

How much do you need to tow? Any off-road driving, and if so how severe?

Any of the Subarus should be good for light towing and light off-roading.

In general the current cars have been very reliable. But owners of cars with the latest engine (2011+ Forester, 2012+ Impreza, 2013+ Outback) often report excessive oil consumption. Subaru has been replacing the piston rings in some of these engines. The problem might be less common the newer the model year.

Previous generations of Subarus have tended to become more troublesome once over 100k miles. It's too soon to tell how the current ones will hold up with a lot of miles.

Other reliable compact crossovers include the Mazda CX-5, Honda CR-V, and Toyota RAV4. Not sure about towing or off-roading with these, though, and the Mazda hasn't been around long enough to know how it'll hold up past 100k miles.