I shouldn’t like the Subaru Crosstrek. I’ve always gravitated towards driver-focused and performance cars — vehicles developed with the idea of setting a track record or being a split personality that can be fun on a backroad but also comfortable for a commute. That’s what I always thought was cool, and it’s why I own a 2023 Civic Type R now and previously had Miatas, a Lotus Esprit, and a 2003 330i ZHP. But a homely lifted hatchback with a CVT and basically no power made for taking hikers to the base of a trail with a dog, or more commonly, taking four people to the mall? That’s not in my Q zone. Or, at least, it shouldn’t be.
Thing is, I’m getting older and now I like things I never thought I’d enjoy — like Steely Dan, baking, and antiques. I’ve also found that I like being comfortable on the road. My desire to go fast off a race track has waned. Now, I’m fine being at (or near) the speed limit on a back road. I don’t need to get pulled over, I don’t need to risk anything, and I really don’t have anything to prove.
Still, when David and Matt asked me to review a Crosstrek, I can’t say I was excited. Some folks get amped by reviewing everyday cars, but that has rarely been me. It’s why I worked at Road & Track and not Consumer Reports. I see Crosstreks everywhere, and I felt like I knew enough without ever sitting in one. Turns out, I didn’t. Now the Crosstrek is another unexpected thing that I like a lot.
The Basics
Here are the specs, just so you have them up front:
Engine: 2.5-liter flat-four
Gearbox: CVT
Drivetrain: front-engine, all-wheel drive
Output: 182 hp @ 5,800 rpm, 178 lb-ft @ 3,700 rpm
Weight: 3,349 lbs
Fuel Economy: 27 city, 33 hwy, 29 combined
Base Price: $32,930
As Tested: $33,086
What’s It All About?
The Crosstrek started as a more rugged trim of the Impreza before splitting off into its own model. It’s never had a performance model, and still doesn’t, but it was available with a manual gearbox until this latest generation debuted in 2022. Most trims come with a 2.5 liter boxer four-cylinder linked to a CVT, and a hybrid version will come next year. Think of it like how the Outback came from the Legacy — a taller hatchback with some off-road ability. There is also a Wilderness version, Subaru’s most rugged trim meant for people who will actually use it off road, or at least think they will.
Most people, however, will not buy a Crosstrek to use off-road. You’ll see teens getting them as first cars. You’ll see them commuting into major cities and parallel parked in front of hot yoga studios. They’ll be sitting at a trailhead or transporting a bunch of dogs to a grooming appointment. How is that different from any economy crossover, you ask? It isn’t.
Subaru has built its reputation on all-wheel-drive, boxer engines, and safety. The Crosstrek delivers on all three. Rather than a turbocharged inline-four and an eight-speed auto, it has a flat-four and a CVT hooked to all-wheel drive. It also comes with Subaru’s entire suite of safety features, dubbed EyeSight. That includes adaptive cruise control, blind spot alerts, automatic emergency braking and steering, and a preposterous number of airbags. The car may as well be made of airbags.
Is It Nice?
Before I got in the Crosstrek, the two Subarus I’d driven most recently were the WRX and BRZ. Neither of those cars are known for a high end interior or really anything approaching luxury. They’re kind of basic, with decent seats and a nice wheel and not much else, but that’s what you get in a driver’s car. I expected the same ethos from the Crosstrek, = — something utilitarian and crunchy, something that can be hosed down and comes pre-covered in dog hair.
I was wrong. This Crosstrek, a Limited trim, came in at $33k, and it feels worth the price. Maybe even like a deal.
View this post on Instagram
The seats are lovely, supportive and heated. They’re even real leather, not a faux leatherette. That’s combined with a nicely sized steering wheel, soft touch materials, and easy-to-read analog gauges. There are some switches, like the ones for heated seats or the climate control, that feel cheap and look old, but otherwise it’s just a nice place to be.
There is one thing inside that stands out, and it’s the simply gigantic 11.6-inch portrait screen that houses the infotainment system. Big screens like this aren’t necessarily bad, as long as they add to the experience. I found the screen in the Crosstrek frustrating. The interface felt old fashioned and dated, with graphic icons for all the settings more similar to something you’d find in a PlayStation 2 game. It was also slower to react to touches than I’d like and didn’t go back to the screen I expected when setting a bunch of satellite radio presets. But it also has CarPlay and Android Auto, which most people will likely use instead of Subaru’s home-brew interface, and it worked well. So just plug in your phone, folks.
Outside, I think this gen of Crosstrek is actually handsome. No, it doesn’t evoke the hawkeye WRX, which I still think was the brand’s highpoint, but this Limited trim takes the semi-rugged Crosstrek, smooths it out, keeps some cladding, and gives it some presence. It’s not going to win a beauty contest, but it’s also not going to be the subject of derision every time someone looks at it.
Driving? Driving!
I didn’t take the Crosstrek off-road. In fact, I spent most of the time on the highway and driving around Philadelphia. In this trim, it’s the sort of driving the Crosstrek is built for. It’s not fast or exciting, but it is comfortable and fuel efficient.
It’s also refreshing to drive a small car with a different engine than a small-displacement turbo inline-four. Subaru has made boxer engines its thing for ages, and while its most iconic versions are turbocharged, the Crosstrek has a naturally aspirated 2.5 liter flat-four with 182 hp and 178 lb-ft. These aren’t wild numbers, but they are enough to cruise on the highway at 80 mph for two hours without an issue. And while it maintains that distinct Subaru boxer-four thrum, it’s not unrefined or agricultural. If it were turbocharged, it could make more power and torque, but that instant response of an NA engine is wonderful, and a rarity today as everything seems to have a turbo attached to it.
That’s linked to a CVT, the sort of gearbox people like to slag on without any experience using one. These gearboxes have come a long way over the years, and the Subarus is actually very good. At speed, it’s quick to react and keeps revs as low as they need to maintain speed, limiting any droning. It also has an eight-speed simulated manual mode, but I didn’t try it because I saw literally no point whatsoever.
The issue I did find with the CVT was on throttle tip in. Automatics all have a bit of creep built in to get you moving. The CVT reacts a little differently, and while it does creep, as you transition to throttle, it revs up and then the gearbox seems to catch, meaning there’s more forward momentum than I expect. Not an issue on an open highway, but in traffic and around Philadelphia, it took some getting used to. The last excuse that I think would be accepted for rear-ending someone would be that you weren’t used to the transmission in your car. After some time acclimating, I got used to it, but it never felt natural. I guess chock that up to years of driving manuals or regular automatics.
Once I hit Philly, the Crosstrek won me over. This is a wonderful city car. Sure, the lifted suspension and smaller wheels are supposed to make it more comfortable on gravel and dirt roads, but it has the same effect on potholed city streets. For years, I’ve driven cars that need me to be overly vigilant for any appearance of a pothole or other massive road imperfection to avoid bent wheels, flat tires, or a back injury.
The Subaru soaked it all up thanks to a suspension that was most definitely not turned with lap times in mind. Whenever I came to road plates or construction or a road that looked like the DPW forgot it existed, I didn’t have to panic and think about how I’m going to get around it. I just went over whatever the obstacle was and went on with my day. What a delight.
Now, many of you are probably just saying that a Civic or Corolla could do the same, and you’re probably right. But if you don’t want to worry, then that extra lift is nice insurance. And if it keeps someone from buying an SUV that they don’t really need to drive around the city, then the Crosstrek has done its job.
A Surprise
My entire loan of the Crosstrek was spent being pleasantly surprised by how nice it was to drive and spend time in. How it could take car seats and kids to swim class and be a capable highway and city car. I didn’t expect much from it on a back road. It’s tall, on small, hard tires, and has never been claimed to have any sporting pretension whatsoever. I don’t think Subaru took it near a race track or worried that someone was going to want to chuck it into a corner far above the speed limit to see how it stuck.
On my way to take photos, I was on some of my favorite roads in my area. Turns out, it was unexpectedly fun. I talk a lot about how limits for modern cars are just too damn high, that to have any fun in a new performance car, you need to be going so fast on the road that you’re going to lose your license. The trick is to try it in a car like this. No, I didn’t find some magic connection or realize that this has the most feelsome steering of any car out there today, but I did find myself laughing as it leaned and dove through some quick corners, feeling like it was floating. It wasn’t built for anything resembling speed, but it’s a willing partner when some is thrown at it.
That’s what I found the entire time with the car — that it’s surprising. There’s a reason so many of them are sold. This trim makes the Crosstrek the perfect city car. I’m sure the Wilderness is excellent off-road, but if it were my money, the Limited is what I’d go for. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to convince myself that my Type R is still the perfect car for everything I need.
Subaru has come a long way with their suspension tuning. My wife has a 2024 Outback Limited and it rides well above its class if you ask me. We live on a dirt road and it just glides over the rough surfaces with so much composure and comfort, especially in comparison to my stock suspension mk6 GTI.
Thanks for your review Travis… I enjoyed it. 🙂
I’ve only driven the first gen of the Crosstrek… my pal’s wife’s prior car (she just got a new Forester). I thought that it was fine for all of the reasons you cited, but try as I might, I couldn’t get myself to enjoy, or even just calmly accept, the CVT. It just felt unnatural, and made the car seem noiser and less responsive that it’d have been with a manual or traditional automatic.
Her babied (now tennish years old?) Crosstrek, in that nice light khaki color, will be up for sale soon. If it was a manual I might have seriously considered buying it and giving up on my daily-a-vintage-car kick for a while, just in the name of comfort, quiet, and safety. But sadly, it’s not.
PS: the 36-year-old Volvo 240 wagon that I just bought a couple weeks ago has a ‘hot’ cam put in by a prior owner. It gives the car a very lumpy idle that to my middle-aged ear seems unecessary. It also has a newish stainless exhaust system, so that lumpy idle has lots of bass. As I was sitting at a light in Hollywood yesterday, a 30-something white guy was gawking at my car while he walked in the crosswalk in front of me. I met his stare and he came over to the window to ask if my car had an LS swap, which is (I think) the first time that’s ever happened with any of the many cars I’ve owned over the past 40+ years. I smiled and said “No, I wish… it’s just a cam” and he seemed suprised (and I assume a bit disappointed). I gather that an LS motor is a popular swap for 240s (as they are for so many cars) and while it’d be fun to have the acceleration to back up the sound, I’m fine w/the very modest push of the stock ‘red block’ 2.3 liter naturally aspirated engine in the car. At some point, when I’ve managed to replace all the missing interior and exterior trim on the car, I’d like to put a stock cam back in just for some relative peace and quiet. 🙂
The first gen with 5 spd was my first car and it by far the best iteration. My sister liked it so much when she was learning how to drive that she got the second gen with the 6 spd. She was initially pissed that I kind of forced her to learn to drive stick by making the choice on the car that the family knew she was going to have to learn on, but ended up liking it enough to get the manual. Proud big brother moment.
The styling on this latest 3rd Gen is goppingly horrendous. The surfacing is tortured and there is absolutely no rhyme or reason to a single line on the damn thing. The way the reflections move across the front door panel and the cutout in plastic cladding for the fuel door make we want to vomit everytime.
For all that talk about the Crosstrek’s ability to pass, I’m curious….what speed are you going where this is an issue? 90mph? 80mph? I’ve had the last 2 gens (Crosstrek and Impreza before) and had zero issue at highway speeds. Sure, if I was already going 80 and jump in the hammer lane it isn’t going to strap a rocket on its back, but at speeds up to about 70-75, all good. I can pass all day without issue.
Also, bonus points for the Crosstrek in that I’ve driven around stuck Jeeps in the mountains during winter. Is it an offroad trail monster? No. Will it way outperform what you expect so long as you know your limits and don’t drive into anything you don’t expect to drive out of? Absolutely.
Also, had no idea the Premium got the 2.5 engine now. Thought it still had the 2.0…..which makes me question the Sport. It is basically a sticker package with some different wheels now, right? Virtually no differentiation from the Premium.
I have tried to like Sun Blaze Pearl but it reminds me too much of Sad Campbells Tomato Soup. Not orange enough.
I had a 2024 Crosstrek for about a year before I traded it for my Mazda3. A lot of the things you pointed out in the review were true in my experience — I thought the handling was great; the car was super comfortable; and since it rains a ton where I live, I loved how it handled wet pavement. I always felt very secure.
But the CVT drove me nuts. I found that it just didn’t have the passing power that I like to have. I think the phrase “can’t get out of its own way” applies here. Also it felt like driving a nanny state. I had to keep the seat belts in the back seat fastened at all times or my dog would set off the seat belt chime. And the wireless connection to CarPlay was very unreliable.
I’m much happier in my Mazda3, which is also a 2.5L NA engine. It’s got a bit more pep and is more responsive when I need it to be. And I don’t have a alarm bell going off every time I load my dog in the car.
Love the 2.5 naturally aspirated engine from Mazda, despite (or because of) it’s age and relative simplicity. The only ways it could be better is if it had port injection, and was of a non-interference design. I’m aware that properly maintained, timing belts don’t often break unexpectedly, but knowing that if it happens, your engine won’t be destroyed does provide a certain peace of mind for a guy like me, who always takes note of the worst possible scenario way back in my almost-subconscious, just as a matter of caution/realism.
I love how quiet and smooth it is and it has very good low end torque.
Plus, it’s powerful enough (for me, but I’m never in a rush). Sure, I’m sure the turbo feels more kick-ass off the line, but is it really sensible with all that extra plumbing? Especially when the car’s 20 years old and all the rubber and plastic gets crunchy? Not for me. 🙂
Interesting to read how much you enjoyed the Crosstrek. I have a co-worker that bought a new one at the end of 2024 and sold it about 2 months ago. Her complaints were the safety nannies interfering too much, often in a manner that scared her. The steering was vague and imprecise and the brakes were soft and didn’t inspire confidence she could stop in emergencies. Now she has a CX-5 Hybrid and loves it.
Hard not to love any CX-5. 🙂
Hah! Another unhappy Subaru to happy Mazda owner. My Crosstrek felt like driving a nanny state. And I had to keep the rear seat belts fastened because my dog set off the rear seat belt alarm. I went Crosstrek to Mazda3.
I’ve driven most recent gens of the Mazda 3 except for the present one, and they’ve all driven great. Unfortunately, I already had a hatchback at the time, or needed something bigger, so I’ve yet to actually own one myself. But it’s only a matter of time… both the 3 sedan and hatch are so appealing, and Mazda does such a good job with driving dynamics, interiors, and styling. Plus that good 2.5 NA motor they’ve got. 🙂
This is my second Mazda3. I had a first gen one (2006) and now a 4th gen (2025). They are just fantastic all around cars.
I’ve been driving cars with manual transmissions for more than 40 years. The ‘25 Forester my wife and I recently bought is the first automatic, and I swore I’d never have a car with a CVT. But it’s the best automatic transmission vehicle I’ve ever driven and an absolute pleasure. And supremely comfortable on a long trip. I’d love to buy another one and a Crosstrek would suit me just fine.
My daughter daily drives a 2020 Crosstrek, and this article is spot on. Her research takes her on long drives to eastern Arizona / western New Mexico, comprised of several hours of highway driving followed by an equal time on single-tracks or off-road each trip, and she had got 140,000 miles on it now, with an overall lifetime 33.1 MPG.
The Crosstrek has gotten into and out of numerous Alpine, high desert, and low desert off-road situations on its own that are generally the milieu for ATVs, so it is pretty capable for Subaru Situations, including hauling all the sampling gear in the back.
And the initial throttle ramp is still a little odd to me every time I drive it, but otherwise we change the filters and fluids, buy tires, replace the front plastic skid plate once in a while and it soldiers on. Just don’t examine the desert pin stripes on the paint any too closely.
Just being nosey Wilbur, but what kind of research does she do? The Crosstrek sounds like a perfect car for her needs. 🙂
Wildlife biology, which means any walk of more than 100 yards requires a good hour to complete, given the number of plants and animals that need to be inspected.
I was thinking maybe geology, but now I know. Thanks! 🙂
We have a 2023 CrossTrek. I don’t get the huge amount of hate these get here and on other sites. Everyone whines about how slow it is when in our experience its 100% totally fine. Its not a sports car nor is it pretending to be. We take it off roading a decent amount because we go camping a lot and I’ve taken it placed our other vehicles would get stuck. Its the real deal: It was made for off roading and unlike most of the other SUV-ish models out there its one of the few with actual AWD and none of the mushy crap everyone else uses to claim theirs is.
I’m not wild about the CVT. But apparently Subaru has been using them since the 80’s so they’re probably one of the better ones you can get. The engine is a DI unit so I assume it’ll get carbon deposits. That’s why I run Seafoam through the intake every 10,000 miles or so to slow it down.
I was skeptical of this car after reading about how bad they are. My wife really likes it and she’s NOT a car person. Its grown on me. Its a sort of no bullshit, get it done sort of vehicle.
I have a 2018 crosstrek that I bought new and got a good deal on. It was my first new car and I needed something that could get me to work in bad weather and easily handle some rutted logging and fire roads or maybe across an open field for when I wanted to go camping which is as close to off roading as I wanted to go. As a bonus it was available in a fun bright orange which I love.
Over 7 years and 60k miles I’ve never had an issue, I got promoted not far after and got a duty vehicle to take home so I didn’t need it for the commute but it still does great and has plenty of room for me my wife and the dog and luggage. It’s not fast but has no problem driving and meeting in DC traffic. It knows what it is a cheaper, smaller, off roadish enough in the way 99% of the users would ever use it for CUV that does all of those things well if not exceptionally.
I have a 2018 with 6spd Manual. I found it more useful than the SUV I traded in on it. Kind of a jack of all trades. Carry the kid, dump runs, grocery runs, good in snow, commuting, etc.
It is not the most exciting car yet better than most A to B cars.
You had me at ‘manual’.
I call it the American Anti-theft device.
Two of my three cars (three out of four if you count my little-used motorcycle) are manuals. I think of the transmission in the exact same way. 😉
If a manual Crosstrek had been available in 2024, I’d probably still have it. I’m just don’t think I can ever be happy with a CVT. It works great for some people (my husband is fine with them). It just doesn’t work great for me. When I got rid of my Crosstrek, I told people that it’s a great car; just not a great car for me.
I looked hard at getting a manual Crosstrek. Ended up with a WRX instead.
Practically the same vehicle, so no harm no foul.
Glad you like the car. Please ban the “word” “welp” from your vocabulary. It’s not actually a word; it’s a bastardization of “well”.
And under no circumstances should anyone write (or say) “walla” when they mean “voila”.
I bet you’re fun at parties.
It so happens I am. (But haha, I didn’t see that one coming! You really got me! Well done, sir!)
I also have standards for grammar. The two aren’t mutually exclusive.
“haha” isn’t a word. Please use correct grammar in all communications.
Matty, I am with you all the way. And yes, I do quite well at parties, if I may say so myself. Sadly, “off of” is even worse. I find all these terms to be the donald of the English language… they promise you’ll be better off using them, but we all know you’re actually being conned.
Interesting patterns in the review and the comments here.
Welp, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed…
And “walla”, another clever retort!
haw haw!
People use it and there is broad understanding of what it means, that makes it a word. Dictionaries aren’t the arbiters of language, they simply capture it.
The neighbour has a last gen Crosstrek that’s been nothing but headaches. Hopefully the current gen ironed some of that out.
It does have a little bit of motorsport pedigree though. They ran the top class in both the Canadian and Chinese national rally championships and were quite competitive.
It’s not Le Mans, but still.
What headaches have they had, I have an ‘18 that hasn’t caused any issues other than regular maintenance.
The latest is a steering rack replacement, and apparently it eats brakes at all 4 corners. Not sure of the mileage
I just hit 7 years/60k miles and am due to get the brakes done later this summer for the first time, back absolutely need it and the front are just behind. Not outstanding wear but typical to other cars I’ve had
Maybe my neighbour just got lucky then. Glad to hear it’s working for you
What is the general experience with brake life? I know I was fortunate to go 140,000 miles my 2009 CRV, and the OEM replacements are still going strong at 202,000.
Wife’s 2019 has had zero issues. Just changed the brakes @ 80k. Backs were paper thin and fronts not as bad. My wife is a heavy braker, so not bad.
Only annoying this is the CarPlay doesn’t aways connect, so have to turn off car, open/close door to completely to turn computer off, restart.
I believe my buddy’s wife’s first-gen Crosstrek has had both the CVT and steering rack replaced. For whatever it’s anecdotally worth.
“The issue I did find with the CVT was on throttle tip in.”
I guess the downside of having infinite ratios is that it’s having to balance throttle demand as a combination of changing engine load and gear ratio.
I wonder if it would behave more normally if you locked it in a ratio?
“It also has an eight-speed simulated manual mode, but I didn’t try it because I saw literally no point whatsoever.”
Oh.
I’m not so sure it’s an issue with the CVT, it’s likely just Subaru’s effort to make the car responsive off the line. All the more recent NA Subaru’s I’ve driven have this characteristic. And, yeah, I’m not sure why a reviewer wouldn’t at least try all the major features… including manual mode.
I’m assuming it’s the old GM trick, have the throttle pick up quick and it will impress off the line in a test drive. Hesitation off the line is going to be way more noticeable than a lack of passing power (real or perceived).
Enter: GR86. The throttle calibration is terrible for, I believe, that very reason.
I’ve done that in rental cars, but never more than once in the rental. It’s definitely something Travis should get in the habit of being an “it’s not pointless if it’s your job” but he may well have gotten that in an email from David already.
Then again, DT is the guy who arranged the loan of a Lincoln Navigator for Jason to “relax” in…in LA traffic…and Jason’s reviewed big luxury SUVs before and revealed that he can be professional about reviewing them but he fundamentally doesn’t get them in the sense that he doesn’t see why so many people spend that much money on one. (Neither do I).
There doesn’t seem to be a reason, at least for the people I know with them: one or zero kid, not hauling, not carrying a load, etc. Just a huge gas-guzzler. “Feels safe”? Maybe it impresses a certain kind of person.
I get it if, maybe, you’re an Uber Driver or a Private Car operator. Other people want comfort when they pay for a ride.
And I get it if you want to be the driver to Vegas with six or seven friends in tow. That’s a pretty specific reason, though.
We had a Hyundai EV in for benchmarking and everyone said the simulated gear ratios were pointless.
Then we tried it, and it made learning the track easier (because we’re used to thinking in terms of “second gear hairpin”) and it was also fun. Silly yes, and probably slower, but more engaging.
That’s the key then imo. Most manuals are slower than modern autos, especially of the dual-clutch variety, but we drive them because they’re more engaging! The fun factor is key.
The manual mode is useful in both ice/snow conditions and driving downhill on long logging roads, places you don’t want to ride the brakes continuously to keep your speed down.
Previously had a 2007 Ford Freestyle w/ CVT. Used to joke they needed a dial on the dash to adjust the gear ratio while going down dirt/gravel roads. Subaru’s fake gears do exactly that.
Travis! Are we assembling the old Jalopnik gang here again?!
I, too, am overjoyed to see Travis show up here!
Everything you loved about Jalopnik, without the overwhelming politics. I love this site.
As the Outback gets larger (and now more SUV-ified than ever) the Crosstrek is slowly becoming the official car of our region. They’re absolutely everywhere. Subaru has their diehards up here, but also, the Crosstrek tends to be somewhat reasonably priced (for today) and gives the masses the sort of high seating/high ground clearance without a lot of the extra bulk that comes with going full RAV4. This is the case with most of the “subcompact” crossovers, but the Crosstrek has earned a reputation of being a solid commuter and weekend vehicle over the years, while other brands put out some hot garbage to compete against it before putting out better options.
My understanding is that now only the very base Crosstrek gets the god-awful 2.0L, do NOT buy that one. The 2.5L, while nothing to celebrate, is certainly enough juice for this car though, it moves the Forester well enough. The premium without any additional options can be had for 28k or so around here right now. You could do a lot worse in 2025.
The Premium and Sport are the best values, depending on which add-ons you want (heated seats, sunroof, etc.). I really wanted to like the Mazda CX-30 in comparison to this, but it really didn’t stand out in any way and is absolutely tiny inside.
The Crosstrek is certainly more practical.
I don’t really mind crossovers that bring a lot of practicality and such to the table. But I find the CX-30 and other coupe-ified crossovers to be a bizarre sort of “worst of both worlds” situation.