Motor1.com Asks Which is the Best Crosstrek

Subaru of Rochester can confirm that the Crosstrek is a sales success. With 159,193 sold in 2023, the Crosstrek fell just 2621 units behind the Outback as the best-selling Subaru model. The Crosstrek fell just outside the top 20 best-selling passenger vehicles in the U.S. for 2023. Its good sales, combined with the fact that the Crosstrek is all new for the 2024 model year, prompted automotive enthusiast site Motor1.com to ask, which Crosstrek is the best Crosstrek? 

Motor1.com clearly likes the Crosstrek, as evidenced by the first sentence in their article: “If you’re in the market for a small crossover that ticks every box, look no further than the Subaru Crosstrek.” As they point out, unless you have the funds to purchase a small fleet of Crosstreks, you will have to choose among the five trim levels. To answer which trim level is best, they didn’t drive all five trim levels, but they did drive three: Premium, Sport, and Wilderness.

Crosstrek Premium

The Premium is one step above the base model Crosstrek. With an MSRP of $26,345, it is just $1,150 over the base model price. For that, it gains the STARLINK Multimedia system with the portrait-oriented 11.6-inch touch screen with wireless smartphone integration, as well as keyless access and start, raised roof rails, and LED fog lights. It shares the base model’s 2.0-liter naturally aspirated flat-4 engine, which produces 152 horsepower and 145 lb-ft. of torque. The engine is paired with Subaru’s Continuously Variable Transmission and sends power to all four wheels through the standard Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system. 

Unsurprisingly, the smaller engine gets the best mileage in the group, though only by a sliver, with an EPA estimated 34 Highway / 27 City / 29 Combined MPG. Though it has less power than the other two, Motor1.com states that “the base Crosstrek’s engine never feels underpowered. It still produces decent shove off the line and enough torque for easy passing at highway speeds.” They also liked the cabin’s cloth seats and found the ride quiet and refined. 

Crosstrek Sport

The Crosstrek Sport sits square in the model of the Crosstrek lineup. Its base MSRP of $29,195 is $2,850 over the Premium model trim level. The main upgrade you are getting for the money is the larger 2.5-liter engine that is good for 182 horsepower and 178 lb-ft of torque. That is about 20% more horses and 22% more pounds per foot. Its EPA estimated 33 / 26 / 29 mpg is just one mile down on the city and highway, while the combined figure remains unchanged. 

The engine isn’t the only difference. X-Mode upgrades to the dual-function version and gains Hill Descent Control. The steering wheel is wrapped in leather, and the front seats are heated. Outside, the wheels grow an inch in diameter to 18, and there are neon yellow trim accents for added detail. While Motor1.com described the Sport as “very good,” they didn’t find it to be the most compelling of the three models they looked at for the money. 

Crosstrek Wilderness

Following up on their opinion on the Crosstrek Sport, Motor1.com states: “If you’re going to pay for more power, you might as well spring for the Wilderness model.” The Wilderness also has a larger 2.5-liter engine with the same power output. Compared to the already generous 8.7 inches of ground clearance on the rest of the Crosstrek model line, the Wilderness is raised to 9.3 inches, which is just a half-inch short of the Jeep Wrangler Sport. This gives the Wilderness an approach angle of 20 degrees, a 33-degree departure angle, and a 21.1-degree break-over angle, which, as Motor1.com states, are “genuinely excellent numbers when you look at the Crosstrek’s competition.“ Skid plates are added underneath for when those angles aren’t quite enough.

The black-finish wheels drop to 17 inches again and are fitted with Yokohama GEOLANDAR® all-terrain tires. Significantly more lower cladding around the car protects the painted finish from underbrush scratches. Anodized Copper-finish interior accents also visually distinguish the Wilderness, and a more robust roof rack can handle 170 pounds on the road and 700 pounds when stationary. The latter figure pertains to a possible roof tent. The Wilderness also has a 3,500-pound towing capacity, which is more than double the 1500-pound capacity of the rest of the model line.

All the hardware on the Wilderness adds to the price, which starts at 

$32,195 and brings the EPA estimated mpg down to 29 Highway / 25 City / 27 Combined. Motor1.com felt the Wilderness was well worth the price over the Sport. Overall, however, they preferred the Premium model as the best Crosstrek for the money.  

It probably won’t surprise you to read that the Subaru of Rochester staff considers all of the Crosstrek grades to be winners in their own right. To determine which is best for you may require some multiple trim test drives and Subaru of Rochester has just the inventory of Crosstreks for you to do just that. See you soon.