The compact SUV of the Subaru range has been rebadged from the XV to the Crosstrek. The changes go beyond the name though with the Crosstrek also benefitting from a new interior with the very latest in infotainment technology, intuitive safety systems, and a new exterior design.
The Subaru Crosstrek is available in both petrol-only and hybrid powertrain options paired with Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive and X-Mode as standard. X-Mode allows you to select between Normal for everyday driving, Snow/Dirt or Deep Mud/Snow if you intend to do some soft roading in the Crosstrek, which only has a 220mm ground clearance.
I recently drove the petrol-powered Crosstrek 2.0S, which has a 2.0-litre Boxer engine that produces 115kW of power at 6000rpm and 196Nm of torque at 4000rpm. The minimum fuel requirement is 91 RON, and the claimed combined fuel consumption is 7.2/100km for petrol-only variants and for my time with the Crosstrek I used 8.3L/100km.
The Crosstrek has an enhanced Lineartronic Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) with 8-speeds and has plastic wheel-mounted paddle shifters that I didn’t feel the need to use because overall I felt that the engine is lack lustre and the CVT was droney.
You access the Crosstrek 2.0S with smart keyless entry and it has keyless start as well. On the interior the Crosstrek has further enhancements including a new 11.6-inch infotainment touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, AM, FM and (DAB+) Digital Radio and for the first time in a Subaru vehicle, wireless smartphone charging. Other media sources include Bluetooth, USB, iPod/iPhone or AUX.
The new is mixed with the old in the Crosstrek as it still has an analogue taco and speedo with a small digital screen between the two. The wireless charger is located in a cubby at the front of the centre console, but cubby is lined with hard plastic so your phone can slide around in it. Above the cubby you also get one USB-C, one USB-A port and one AUX here. There is one 12V socket near the two rigid cup holders in the centre console.
Voice control can be used to access the infotainment system and is activated by pressing the button on the steering wheel with the masculine-looking silhouette on it. The voice control worked well for me when I used it for making calls, changing the radio station and setting a destination on the sat nav on my second attempt. On the first attempt the Crosstrek wanted to take me Nowhere Else, which is an actual town in northern Tasmania, in case you were wondering.
The seats are covered with leather accented trim and the driver’s seat gets power adjust for recline, forward/back, seat height front and rear, 2-way lumbar, but no memory positions. The passenger seat has manual adjustment for recline and forward/back only. The front seats are also heated, but do not get all that hot.
The rear seats had ample head and leg room for me and enough room for two car seats using the two ISOFix/three rear tether child seat restraint points. The centre seat folds down as an arm rest with two shallow cup holders in it and the drink bottle storage in the rear doors is for slim bottles only. You do get one USB-C and one USB-A port, but there are no rear air vents, the one thing I think should be standard in any vehicle that you would expect to have rear seat passengers, and the doors are covered with hard plastic trim. The other thing I think should be standard in all vehicles the Crosstrek does have, a mat over the transmission tunnel.
The Crosstrek 2.0S has a power assisted tailgate with a button to open it under the tailgate and on the key fob. The boot space is large enough for the weekly shop or a pram and a couple of shopping bags and if more space is required the rear seats have a 40:60 split fold mechanism with the release on the seat shoulders. There is only one light and no tie down points or hooks located in the boot and under the boot floor is a temporary use spare tyre.
The Subaru Crosstrek range has a 5-star ANCAP (2017) safety rating that is based on the Subaru XV. Dual frontal, side chest-protecting and side head-protecting airbags (curtains) and a driver knee airbag are standard and for convenience you also get auto lights and auto wipers and the 2.0S Crosstrek gets a standard rear view camera and rear parking sensors only.
The Crosstrek features the latest generation Subaru EyeSight Driver Assist and the functions include Pre-Collision Brake Assist, Lane Departure Prevention with Road Edge Lane Departure Prevention, Emergency Lane Keep Assist, Lane Centring Function, Autonomous Emergency Steering, Speed Sign Recognition with Intelligent Limiter, and basic blind spot monitoring. The Subaru Crosstrek also features the innovative Driver Monitoring System that will tell you to keep your eyes on the road. This Crosstrek also had adaptive cruise control for stress-free highway driving.
All new Subaru’s come standard with a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty period and 12-months complimentary Subaru Roadside Assistance. The service interval for the Crosstrek is 12 months or 15,000kms, whichever occurs first and a three-year service plan for the Crosstrek can be purchased upfront for $1240.32 or a five-year plan for $2373.19. The Service Plans also come with the benefit of complimentary 3 Year Roadside Assist and free service hire vehicles for your scheduled services covered under the Plan.
The Subaru Crosstrek AWD 2.0S is priced from $41,490 excluding on-road costs. You can Build your Own Subaru Crosstrek on-line or visit your preferred Subaru dealer for more information.
| Pros | Cons |
| Only requires 91 RON petrol | Lack lustre powertrain |
| Ample head and leg room in rear seats | No rear air vents |
| Voice control works well | No front parking sensors |
Photographs by Driven Women Magazine.