What is the Subaru Crosstrek? It’s not quite an SUV, but not quite a hatchback either. Built on Subaru’s Global Platform, the Subaru Crosstrek is essentially a lifted Impreza with black cladding on the bumpers and around the wheel wells. It’s designed to be a more practical, off-road usable version of the Impreza. It competes with other subcompact SUVs like the Honda HR-V and the Mazda CX-3. Even though the Subaru Crosstrek doesn’t sell as well as the HR-V or the CX-3, I still think it is one of the most enticing subcompact SUVs on the market. Below are some of my driving impressions.
Right away, you can tell why some people prefer these “in between” hatchback/SUVs. The Crosstrek gives you good cargo and interior room, as well as a nice seating position without having much of a compromise on the handling. Even though the Crosstrek doesn’t necessarily feel “small” on the road, it still moves quick on its feet. It rolls quickly, it coasts smoothly up to a red light, it maintains good momentum while driving down the road, and overall, this car feels lighter than you would think considering it’s somewhat bulbous exterior look.
The Crosstrek is powered by a 152 horsepower 2.0 liter boxer engine. Many have complained that the engine in the Crosstrek is underpowered. I am somewhat inclined to agree with that, however I think this engine feels perfectly adequate for normal, around town acceleration. It even feels a little peppy from stop light to stop light. The engine is quick to rev and will easily cross over 4,000 RPM without any hesitation. One minor complaint I have, is that it feels as though they made the throttle response really quick in order to compensate for the lack of power. I enjoy cars that have a quick throttle response, however it just feels a little obvious that they were trying to make the Crosstrek feel more peppy than it actually is. Overall though, the off the line power is average. I didn’t have any problems keeping up with traffic. There were even a few instances where I was able to beat the car stopped next to me while keeping the RPMs down low. In my opinion, the Crosstrek’s 2.0 liter is really not the wildly sluggish, underpowered engine that people say it is. Granted, the midrange pull feels pretty gutless, and that becomes very apparent on the highway when seeking passing power, but for the most part it’s a very quiet, smooth, manageable engine that would be easy to live with. I appreciate the boxer growl as well.
The Crosstrek’s CVT is very good. Occasionally there is a split second delay when you go to accelerate, but for the most part, the Crosstrek just kind of takes off from a dead stop without any hesitation. I liked the mimicking shifts most of the time as well. They feel very natural and intuitive, and they help get the Crosstrek up to speed in a quick and refined manner. The CVT is quite peppy in its response, and it gives the engine a very linear and refined feel while accelerating. One minor complaint I have is that sometimes the fake shifts bog the car down a little, especially when accelerating uphill. Most of the time, however, the CVT feels very smooth, refined, and there’s no rubber band sensation at all. Definitely one of the best CVTs in the business, and I would even say that I like this CVT a little better than the one in the current generation Civic.
Steering in the Crosstrek lighter than I was expecting, but decent heft on center, and it weights up nicely once you get up to speed. It’s a smaller diameter wheel that feels nice to the touch. The steering definitely feels electronic, but it feels connected to the front wheels and provides decent feel. You turn the wheel, and the Crosstrek turns very smoothly and serenely in the direction you want it to go. It’s a very refined steering rack. Return to center is where you notice some looseness in the steering, however the car points straight for long periods of time with minimal correction. The steering is overall very fluid and linear, and while the response could be a tad quicker off center, you still get a decently zippy and precise steering setup in the Crosstrek. The leather feels smooth to the touch, and the thicker bolsters feel nice as well.
Handling of the Crosstrek is about average for the segment. It’s obviously not as good as the Impreza, but it’s not bad either. The wheels break traction a little too easily, and there is some body lean and suspension flex. That said, the body lean is tailored back to respectable levels, and the Crosstrek never feels unsure of itself. It feels very linear and refined while cornering, and I was able to corner pretty hard in this thing without any issues. I wouldn’t want to drive the Crosstrek like I stole it, but for normal daily cruising, I think the handling is just fine. Definitely a little plain and middle of the pack, but at the same time the Crosstrek gives you a touch of that refined and confidence-inspiring Subaru feel. I think it does feel more like an Outback than an Impreza, but this car will do just fine being hustled around on your daily errand runs.
The ride quality in the Crosstrek is very smooth. It’s probably the most impressive part of the driving experience. The suspension absorbs the bumps and potholes very well, and this car gracefully rides over any road imperfections you’re likely to encounter. The body tends to get a little bouncy over rougher road surfaces, but overall it’s a very impressive ride. Great dampening and shock absorption, although the suspension could stand to feel a little more settled.
Road noise in the Crosstrek about average. The wind noise can be prevalent on the highway and you do hear some road noise when cruising around. The Crosstrek is decently quiet for the most part, but it doesn’t totally isolate you. That’s about normal for this segment, as the Honda HR-V and the Mazda CX-3 don’t necessarily have the quietest noise levels either.
As for the general response in the Crosstrek, the accelerator is very light in resistance and very quick to respond. As I mentioned above, it does feel as if they were trying to compensate for the lack of engine power by making the throttle quick, but it didn’t bother me. I very much enjoyed the throttle application in the Crosstrek. It’s nice and quick, while still being easy to modulate your speed and control the engine RPMs. There could be a little more stiffness in the throttle pedal, but it’s set up well.
The brakes in the Crosstrek feel a little mushy, but smooth and refined. I do think the Crosstrek’s weight becomes somewhat apparent when slowing down, as you do feel like you’re stopping a big vehicle. There were also times when I thought the brakes could feel slightly more assuring. However, the Crosstrek still stops with good smoothness and refinement.
Visibility in the Crosstrek is good. The dash is a little high, however you have good sight lines out the front, rear, and to the sides. The front hood is somewhat blocky but it slopes down and doesn’t intrude on your outward visibility. The back window is large as well. The side mirrors are positioned further back on the car than I would normally prefer. I tend to like the mirrors mounted on the A pillar rather than the door frame, as they tend to meet up with your line of sight better. However, the mirrors in the Crosstrek are very large and provide good sideward visibility. No blindspots when changing lanes or backing up either. The Crosstrek overall scores very well in visibility, in my opinion.
And that about covers it. The Crosstrek is a very refined vehicle to drive. Midrange pull and passing power from the engine could be better, but the Crosstrek does just fine accelerating from stop light to stop light. Handling is decent with a touch of those refined Subaru handling dynamics, although body roll could be a little less apparent. Steering feels very typical of a Subaru product, with a smooth, refined, decently quick steering response that feels connected to the road. Ride quality is very smooth and assuring, and although the brakes could inspire more confidence, the accelerator response makes the Crosstrek feel quicker and more zippy than it really is. Definitely check out the Crosstrek for yourself if you’re in the market for one of these smaller subcompact SUVs.