2024 Subaru Crosstrek

Wilderness models have raised bumpers for better approach and departure angles, even more body cladding somehow, a front metal skid plate, and LED fog lights; it looks almost insect-like. Sport models sport gold accents like a boomerang above the fog lights, a gold zipper down the rocker panels, and gold contrast stitching inside on the steering wheel and seats.

The interior is deliberately utilitarian, with cheerful cloth upholstery with contrast stitching and bottle-holders galore. This year’s most obvious interior update is the larger 11.6-inch touchscreen display on all but the base model. The hooded instrument cluster remains, and Subaru has kept hard knobs and switches for functions like volume and seat heaters. It offers not only USB-A and USB-C ports, but keeps an audio jack for traditionalists.

The Crosstrek’s steering wheel tends to wander over the road crown, but that’s helpful when it goes off-road. Deeper in the woods, the X-Mode off-road function with the CVT comes with hill descent control that manages speed so the driver can focus on obstacles. Under speeds of 18 mph, X-Mode cuts throttle response to deliver torque more evenly and lock the slipping wheel. The Sport grade adds a Deep Snow/Mud function that essentially shuts off the traction control to permit wheel slip in a lower gear ratio that modulates torque so it can grunt its way out of sticky situations. 

How capable is the Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness?

The Wilderness grade takes the path less traveled even more seriously, with the CVT tuned for better low-speed traction, more ground clearance, increased approach and departure angles, and longer coil springs with longer compression strokes. The approach angle increases from 18 to 20 degrees, the departure angle increases from 30.1 to 33 degrees, and the breakover angle moves up to 21.1 degrees from 19.7 degrees. The 17-inch wheels are wrapped in Geolandar all-terrain tires. A transmission cooler and more powerful radiator fan manage excess heat and boost the tow rating from 1,500 to 3,500 pounds. It’s overall more capable for more adventuresome off-roading, but the taller ride height and all-terrain tires can make it a little less refined on the road.

How fast is the Subaru Crosstrek?

The 152-horsepower, 2.0-liter flat-4 engine powering the base and Premium models is rated at 145 lb-ft of torque. Subaru says that while the (unspecified) acceleration figures remain about the same, the car feels subjectively less slow than the last model, but we still put it above nine seconds from 0 to 60 mph for the 2.0 model. It’s good enough for a 3,300-pound vehicle, but hardly a speed demon.

The 2.5-liter in Sport and Premium grades suits our tastes better. It makes 182 hp and 178 lb-ft, and gives the Crosstrek more guts. It won’t catch your breath off the line, with a 0-60 mph time in the mid-seven-second range, but passing power is plentiful and there’s none of the pokiness at speed as in the 2.0 liter. The added bonus is it’s equally as quiet as the 2.0-liter, which has been one of the Crosstrek’s bugaboos. 

Its continuously variable transmission (CVT) drives all four wheels. The engineers stiffened the case of the CVT, mounted seats directly to the floorpan, added carefully designed sound deadening under the roof and elsewhere, and took a variety of other steps to reduce the volume of sound under hard acceleration. The result is a Crosstrek that doesn’t feel as desperate and overstressed while accelerating not much faster than it used to. 

A stiffer chassis let engineers soften the spring rates of the 2024 Crosstrek, and the ride is indeed softer—almost to the edge of too soft for a Subaru, perhaps. On certain irregular road surfaces, we experienced a bit of “jiggle” as the springs softened wheel movements and the cabin moved gently as a result. It only cropped up on certain roads, though, and overall the new Crosstrek is far more refined than its predecessors.

While certain features are controlled through menus in the center display—the X-Mode off-road vehicle-control software and the engine start-stop off switch, for instance—Subaru has kept large buttons for others. It also notes door-handle openings are larger, so users can more easily use them while wearing gloves. Subaru’s efforts to reduce noise and vibration cut driver fatigue during long trips. 

Cargo volume is 19.9 cubic feet with the rear seat up, and 54.7 cu ft with it folded flat.. 

Among the console cupholders and cargo bin, four door pockets, the cargo area itself, and even the rear armrests, the company says 35 cups of liquid can be conveniently carried in the 2024 Crosstrek.

Subaru has long prided itself on good outward vision, and the Crosstrek is no exception. The nose slopes down to give good visibility of the road ahead, while thin windshield pillars and door-mounted side mirrors offer exceptional front-side vision. Over-the-shoulder vision is adequate in this era of thick roof pillars, and better than numerous other small SUVs we’ve reviewed. Subaru also provides a spare tire under the load deck.

The $26,220 base trim includes 17-inch wheels, dual-zone climate control, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay (via cable), and roof mounting points for crossbars (but no roof rails). The lower dash includes an auxiliary jack, a 2.4-amp USB-A connector, and a 3.0-amp USB-C connector, with the latter two repeated at the back of the console for use by rear-seat riders.  

Which Subaru Crosstrek should I buy?

The Premium trim we tested, from $27,370, adds wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, roof rails, and the 11.6-inch touchscreen display. An optional $2,245 package bundles together a power-adjustable driver’s seat, an all-weather package with heated seats and mirrors, automatic emergency steering, blind-spot monitors, and a power moonroof, taking the total cost of our test model to $29,615. 

Since the Sport and its larger engine are less than $700 more, that’s where we’d spend our Crosstrek money. Starting at $30,290, it upgrades to the 2.5-liter engine, 18-inch alloy wheels, the all-weather package, wireless phone charging, and a sport cloth interior. It also includes Dual X-Mode, with a second setting that allows limited wheelspin (for deep snow and mud). An optional $1,920 package for the Sport adds the same set of features as it does on the Premium, minus the all-weather package. 

How much is a fully loaded Subaru Crosstrek?

The top Limited model costs $32,120 and adds a power driver’s seat, blind-spot monitors, automatic rear braking, and leather trim for the seats. Its $1,795 option package adds the power moonroof and a Harmon Kardon audio system. Navigation is a standalone $650 option available only on the Limited trim. Skip it.

The manual gearbox is gone, so all models have CVTs now. The plug-in hybrid is also gone, and Subaru isn’t talking about its return. The Crosstrek’s 16.6-gallon gas tank gives an above-average total range of 480 to 500 miles depending on trim level.