Subaru Crosstrek: Unlikely Huge Success Gets Makeover

CHICAGO – Subaru of America is introducing a new Crosstrek, a key horse in the Japanese automaker’s stable and a vehicle even Subaru insiders doubted would be much of a contributor when it was conceived.

The Crosstrek has been produced since 2012 and is in its third generation, a successor to the Outback Sport in North America and the Impreza XV globally. Like those vehicles, the Crosstrek is a lifted version of the Impreza hatchback. The ’ 23 version is actually lifted 8.7 ins. (22 cm) off the ground, the same as the outgoing model but taller than some SUVs.

While Subaru execs originally thought the vehicle would do maybe 25,000 sales a year in the U.S., the franchise climbed to 155,142 by 2022, per Subaru, in the U.S. to be the brand’s No.1 seller, outselling the flagship Outback by about 8,000 units. Subaru is maintaining the Crosstrek’s starting price at $24,995.

One of the perennial complaints about the Crosstrek has been that it is underpowered. The outgoing model is powered by a 152 hp, 2.0L 4-cyl. engine, and the base engine is a carryover. The new Crosstrek, though, also comes in Sport and Limited trim with an upgrade to a 2.5L engine delivering 182 hp and 178 lb.-ft. (241 Nm) of torque. All trims are mated to a Lineartronic CVT.

24MY_Crosstrek_Sport interior

The exterior design of the Crosstrek has evolved to a more sculptural body style distinguished by broader shoulders, with black wheel arches and rocker panels that contrast with the car’s body color.

Other highlights of the new Crosstrek:

“The success of the Crosstrek is in its versatility,” says Subaru of American CEO Tom Doll, speaking on the sidelines of the Chicago Auto Show where the redesigned crossover was revealed this week.“It’s like a Swiss Army knife, and the appeal is multi-generational with younger people, older retirees and every buyer in between.”

Just as Subaru stumbled into the enormous success of the Outback when it put a simple trim package on a Legacy wagon, it stumbled into as big a success with Crosstrek. Executives at the time did not think it would generate volume anything like today’s level because of its smaller size. But as prices of the Outback trims got more expensive, people found the Crosstrek a less expensive and quite worthy alternative for who like the rugged look and marketing positioning of the Crosstrek and Subaru overall.

Working on Quality and BEVs

Subaru has a reputation among its brand-faithful for superior safety and crashworthiness over the years, as well as long-term durability and its rugged all-wheel-drive capability. It is the number-one car brand ranked by Consumer Reports. But long-term quality as witnessed by owners, Subaru ranks below average on J.D. Power’s Vehicle Dependability Study, which tracks quality over three years of ownership. The brand is also below industry average in J.D. Power’s Initial Quality Study.

The company also lags rivals on battery-electric-vehicle plans. The Crosstrek has had a Hybrid version since 2016. And it markets the Solterra BEV, which is built by Toyota (which has a 20% stake in Subaru parent Fuji Heavy Industries). Subaru says it will dedicate an in-house BEV assembly line in Japan starting around 2027 for a car fully developed by Subaru.

Subaru management has stated that it plans to have BEVs and hybrids account for 40% of its global sales by 2030, though Doll says he would not be surprised if the total industry penetration of BEVs will be lower, closer to 25%-33% by that time.