LOOKS

A whole new look comes to the Subaru Crosstrek for 2024. It’s a more sporty and rugged design that fits the Subaru brand well.
I loved the new headlight and grille design, plus the extra ground clearance will be appreciated. And the roof rails up top will come in handy for adventurers.
It also features a sharp wheel design, and the moonroof is a nice touch. Wheels come in 17 or 18 inches, depending on the trim level you choose. 

The Crosstrek is 176.4 inches long, has a wheelbase of 105.1 inches, and a curb weight of 3,296 pounds.

Moving inside the Crosstrek, lower trim levels like the one I tested feature a bare-bones, sparse, no-frills design compared to most vehicles out today. It’s mostly plastic materials, and cloth seating that’s not overly comfortable. If you want to get the leather seating experience in a Crosstrek, you’ll have to choose the Crosstrek’s Limited trim level.

The Crosstrek’s rear seats fold down to improve storage versatility, and there’s a respectable amount of room in the vehicle. You’ll get about 55 cubic feet of space with the rear seats down, but that number shrinks to 20 cubic feet with the seats up. It’s set up for easy loading and unloading of cargo, and roof rails will add to your cargo capabilities as you head on your adventures.

The Crosstrek feels quite roomly for a small crossover, and the rear cupholders can be hidden away.

HOW’S THE RIDE? 

The 2024 Crosstrek provides an overall smooth ride for daily driving and handles itself well on the roadways. And it’s excellent in all weather due to standard all-wheel drive and high ground clearance. For fans of camping and trips off the beaten path, the Crosstrek can handle basic off-roading better than most vehicles, especially the Wilderness version.

But it’s important to note that this isn’t an overly powerful vehicle. I tested a Crosstrek with the base engine, a 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder offering with 152 horsepower and 145 pound-feet of torque, which was paired with a CVT transmission.

This base engine comes on the lowest two trims (Base and Premium), while the remaining three trims (Sport, Limited and Wilderness) get a slightly more powerful 2.5-liter four-cylinder offering featuring 182 horsepower and 178 pound-feet.

There is no longer a manual option for the Crosstrek, but vehicles with the larger engine also come with paddle shifters.

The 0-to-60 times on the Crosstrek clock in at roughly 8 seconds with the better engine, and over 9 seconds with the base offering. So you won’t win any drag races.

The driving experience in the Crosstrek is mostly quiet, but occasional road and engine noise will intrude into the vehicle.

Towing on base models is limited to 1,500 pounds, but choosing the Wilderness trim will get you up to 3,500 pounds of towing capacity, impressive for a vehicle this size.

The Crosstrek also features something called X-Mode, which will help you regain traction in difficult driving conditions.

Off-roading chops are in the Crosstrek’s DNA, as it tops many rivals by featuring at least 8.7 inches of ground clearance (9.3 inches on the Wilderness model), hill-descent control and hill-start assist. 

The adventure-friendly Wilderness model also features a more rugged exterior design, extra protective body panels, all-terrain tires, upgraded powertrain for improved off-road capability, and water-resistant upholstery. For the most dedicated adventure seekers, the Wilderness is the option to choose.

TECHNOLOGY, SAFETY

Matching with the simple overall interior design in the Crosstrek is a simple design for the tech setup. While it may not look fancy, the system works very effectively and is user-friendly. The graphics need an upgrade, but it functions as well as most competitors’ systems for controlling radio, phone calls, climate and more.

Touch controls are responsive, and well laid-out. Voice commands also work as expected, understanding vocal inputs well. It just won't look as pretty as some rival systems.

Two screen sizes are offered, and the 11.6-inch screen is a better option than the 7-inch setup. You can mirror your phone via Android Auto and Apple CarPlay on both versions.

One disappointment on the Crosstrek is the six-speaker stereo system, which sounded unimpressive and could use an upgrade. Unfortunately that upgrade is only offered on higher trim levels.

Other tech features include Bluetooth connectivity for streaming music and phone calls, satellite radio, USB ports in both rows, and a 12-volt power outlet.

Moving on to safety features, Subaru does an excellent job as usual in this department. The brand’s innovative EyeSight Driver Assist Technology is standard across the model, and the Crosstrek is a top overall safety pick.

As an example of how EyeSight has been improved, the latest version can identify both pedestrians and bicyclists more quickly, then alert the driver and even self-apply brakes to avoid a collision.

The Crosstrek alerts you when the vehicle exits its lane, can handle basic self-driving duties impressively to help the driver out on longer trips, and features a tire pressure monitoring system, as well as a Rear Seat Reminder feature. There’s also a Rear Vision Camera to help you in parking and other situations, and you can opt for Blind-Spot Detection with Lane Change Assist, and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert.

Other features include SOS Emergency Assistance, Automatic Collision Notification, Maintenance Notifications and Diagnostic Alerts, Alarm Notification, Remote Lock/Unlock, Remote Horn and Lights and Remote Vehicle Locator.

MPG

The official fuel mileage listed on the Crosstrek Premium that I tested was 27 city/34 highway/29 combined.

Wilderness models are listed at 25 city/29 highway/27 combined, and the Sport and Limited models come in at 26 city/33 highway/29 combined.

My real-world testing was below those numbers, as I averaged 26 mpg in the car. A slight disappointment, but likely not a deal-breaker for most people, as it’s pretty respectable for an all-wheel-drive SUV.


PRICE

The 2024 Subaru Crosstrek is competitively priced for its segment, with the base model starting around $26K. 

The five trim levels offered are Base, Premium, Sport, Limited and Wilderness, with the Wilderness starting out around $33K.

I would recommend choosing a trim level at Sport or above, as you’ll get the more powerful 2.5-liter engine and a boost of 30 horsepower over the base engine. And of course the Wilderness is the best choice for the adventurous crowd.

And across the lineup, the Crosstrek competes well pricewise with rivals, especially considering its off-road credentials that most rivals lack.

In terms of warranty coverage, Subaru offers an overall warranty covering three years or 36,000 miles, as well as a powertrain warranty for five years or 60,000 miles.

BOTTOM LINE

The 2024 Subaru Crosstrek is an affordable, off-road friendly SUV for families and adventurers, and also works very well as a daily driver in all weather conditions.

Aimed at buyers who are more focused on utility and less concerned about performance, the Crosstrek fills a unique niche in the compact crossover market in true Subaru fashion. 

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