Item: 2023 Subaru Crosstrek
Rating: 3.2
Author: Neil Cumins

Overview

What's New

The 2023 Subaru Crosstrek gains a Special Edition design package for the mid-level Premium trim but is otherwise unchanged. The current Crosstrek debuted in 2018 and received a refresh for 2021.

Choosing Your Subaru Crosstrek

The Crosstrek continues in five trim levels: Base, Premium, Sport, Limited, and Hybrid. Pricing starts at $24,870 including destination and climbs to $38,070 for the Hybrid.

Engine Choices

The Base and Premium trims run with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, paired with a six-speed manual transmission or optional ($1,350) continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). The Sport and Limited get a more powerful 2.5-liter and the CVT as standard.

The Crosstrek Hybrid combines the 2.0-liter engine with two electric motors and plug-in technology. On a full charge, the Hybrid can travel up to 17 miles on electricity alone. The CVT is standard here as well.

Every Crosstrek comes with all-wheel drive and 8.7 inches of ground clearance for moderate off-road capability.

Engine Type	Horsepower	Torque	Fuel Economy (Combined)
2.0L 4-Cylinder	152 hp	145 lb-ft	30 mpg
2.5L 4-Cylinder	182 hp	176 lb-ft	29 mpg
2.0L 4-Cylinder Plug-in Hybrid	148 hp	134 lb-ft	35 mpg

Passenger and Cargo Capacity

The Crosstrek is a compact crossover with seating for five. Gas models offer 20.8 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 55.3 cubic feet with it folded. These figures meet our expectations for crossovers of this size.

The Hybrid can't carry as much due to the intrusion of the battery pack. Capacity dips to 15.9 cubic feet, or 43.1 cubic feet with the rear seat down.

Safety Features

All models equipped with the CVT carry automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with lane-centering, and lane-keeping assist. Blind-spot monitoring is available on the Premium and Sport bundled with other equipment. It's standard on the Limited and Hybrid, along with automatic high beams, reverse automatic braking, and adaptive headlights. Note none of these items are available with the manual transmission.

Connectivity

The Base trim carries a 6.5-inch infotainment touchscreen screen, four speakers, a USB port, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. Moving up to the Premium brings a second USB port, six speakers, and HD and satellite radio. An 8-inch system with over-the-air update capability is included in option packages for the Premium and Sport. All of these items are standard on the Limited and Hybrid, which can also get navigation and an eight-speaker Harman Kardon sound system in their respective option packages.

2023 Subaru Crosstrek Base – MSRP From $24,870

The entry-level Crosstrek offers basics like cloth upholstery, automatic climate control, roof rails, and 17-inch alloy wheels. Models equipped with the CVT feature a 4.2-inch color driver info display and the aforementioned safety technology.

2023 Subaru Crosstrek Premium – MSRP From $26,020

The Premium receives numerous interior upgrades, including heated front seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, orange stitching throughout, a cargo tray and cover, and an acoustic windshield for a quieter ride. Outside are heated body-color side mirrors, wiper de-icers, and fog lights. The major option package for the Premium adds a sunroof, blind-spot monitoring, keyless access with push-button start, and a six-way power driver seat for $1,995. Buyers can also select the new Special Edition Package ($600) with the 8-inch infotainment system, a black interior with red stitching, dark-finish wheels with matching exterior accents, and exclusive Desert Khaki exterior paint.

2023 Subaru Crosstrek Sport — MSRP From $29,220

The Sport picks up the 2.5-liter engine, a terrain selector, and the CVT as standard. The interior features StarTex water-repellent upholstery with yellow stitching. Keyless access is standard, but the power driver seat isn't offered. Unique dark wheels and a sport steering wheel complete the look. For $1,600, buyers can add the sunroof, blind-spot monitoring, and the 8-inch infotainment system.

2023 Subaru Crosstrek Limited — MSRP From $30,720

The Limited offers a genuine leather interior with orange stitching, chrome door handles, 18-inch machined-finish wheels, and LED headlights and fog lights. Everything available on the lower trims is standard except the sunroof, which is available by itself for $1,000. Buyers who want it all can bundle the sunroof, navigation, and the Harman Kardon system for $2,395.

2023 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid — MSRP From $38,070

The Crosstrek Hybrid gets the plug-in hybrid powertrain for superior efficiency. Standard equipment is shared with the Limited, except the Hybrid's seats are navy leather with blue stitching. The sunroof, navigation, and Harman Kardon bundle picks up a heated steering wheel for a total cost of $2,500.

Compare Crosstrek Trims Side-By-Side

CarsDirect Tip

The 2023 Subaru Crosstrek in Base trim comes off as too austere for today's market. We consider the Premium to be the real starting point for most buyers. With their more powerful engine and standard CVT, the Sport and Limited are worth the extra money if your budget allows.

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John Diether

Automotive Editor - August 05, 2022

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Expert Review

Pros

Excellent off-road
Feels indestructible
Spacious and comfortable
CVT models are very safe

Cons

Hybrid is unnecessary
Base trims are too sparse
Smaller engine is gutless
Manual transmission best avoided

Expert Rating

3.2

Our expert ratings are based on seven comprehensive criteria: quality, safety, comfort, performance, fuel economy, reliability history and value.

You can interpret our ratings in the following way:

: Outstanding vehicle. Only the most exceptional vehicles achieve this rating.

: Very Good vehicle. Very good and close to being the best vehicle in its class.

: Good vehicle. Decent, but not quite the best. Often affordable, but lacking key features found in vehicles of the same class.

: Below average vehicle. Not recommended, and lacking attributes a car buyer would come to expect for the price.

: Poor vehicle. Simply does not deserve to be on the road.

Neil Cumins

Automotive Editor - August 01, 2022

The original – but no longer the best. Subarus are past masters of the tough-as-old-boots high-riding crossover, and their DNA has been cloned by most other manufacturers in the compact SUV sector. As a result, the Crosstrek looks unremarkable – dated, even – both inside and out. It’s not offensive, but your eyes almost seem to slide off the exterior, especially since many of its design elements have been seen on Subarus before.

Step inside, and there’s the same sense of utility without sparkle. The interior is so robustly assembled it makes a Toyota feel flimsy, but it’s monochrome to a fault and the monochrome information display strip above the touchscreen is a throwback to the Nineties. The same is true of the physical handbrake, which also obstructs access to the front USB ports. But who needs those when you’re going to party like it’s 1999?

It won’t let you down. Not only are Subarus legendarily reliable and durable, but the Crosstrek is also impressively safe. Effectively a high-riding sibling of the Impreza hatchback, it benefits from black body cladding and 8.7 inches of ground clearance. Permanent all-wheel drive gives superb off-road coverage, while well-tuned independent suspension ensures a comfortable ride on-road. CVT models are equipped with an off-road support system called X-Mode, whose hill descent control simplifies slippery surfaces; Sport trim also receives an additional mode for tacking thick snow or mud.

We’d skip the base 152 hp flat-4 engine, which makes a lot of noise but doesn’t really go anywhere. Far better to specify the lazy 2.5-liter engine fitted to Sport and Limited models, which is much faster and offers far superior in-gear acceleration. Speaking of which, Subaru might be synonymous with rally-spec manual transmissions, but we’d favor the more fuel-efficient CVT. Not only does it do a good job of mimicking eight conventional gears, it’s bundled with standard automatic emergency braking. This is optional on manual models – a big black mark. At least every Crosstrek has adaptive cruise and active lane control.

Subaru Crosstrek

Choose your trim carefully. We’ve already mentioned that lower trims come with a rather asthmatic engine. They’re also pretty spartan inside. You get a 6.5-inch touchscreen (which does at least have smartphone mirroring), but the seats are cloth and manually adjustable. Premium adds heated front seats and fog lights, but we’d move up to Sport. For less than $30,000, it brings the bigger engine as well as water-repellent upholstery with yellow accent stitching, keyless entry, and a superior off-road system.

We certainly wouldn’t bother with the Hybrid, which is only available in a handful of states anyway. It costs north of $40,000, weighs 500lb more than the standard model despite only offering 17 miles of electric-only range, and falls short compared to most other plug-in hybrids at this price point.

Room with a view. There’s plenty of room inside the Crosstrek’s cabin, which seats four in comfort or five at a pinch. The front seats are heavily bolstered and firm, but supportive and comfortable. There’s over 36 inches of rear legroom while dropping these seats increases cargo capacity from 20 to 55 cubic feet. Best of all, Subaru’s legendary build quality means nothing should snap or fall off, no matter how harshly you treat the cabin.

As you’d expect from a jacked-up Impreza, outward visibility is generally good in the Crosstrek. The only real exception is at oblique junctions, where the thick C-pillars and rear headrests get in the way.

Final thoughts. The Crosstrek range requires careful navigation to find a genuinely good model. The Crosstrek PHEV is rarely available and not particularly efficient anyway; base trims feel too much like a Nineties tribute act; the two-liter engine couldn’t pull the skin off a rice pudding and the manual transmission misses out on key safety features.

That basically leaves you with the Sport CVT, and that’s fine with us. If you’re going to buy a Crosstrek, this is by far the best option. It’s well priced and generously equipped, safe and faultlessly reliable. There’s a comfortable cabin and a generous cargo area, go-anywhere mechanicals and a reasonably sprightly engine. You’ll have fun driving it thanks to a supple ride and positive handling, and it’ll still return almost 30mpg combined. Our overall rating is for this model – knock between five and ten marks off for other configurations.

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Specs & Features

Highlights

Overall Crash Safety Rating

Engine - Cylinders/Horsepower/Torque

2.0L H-4 / 152 HP / 145 ft.lbs.

Transmission

Standard: 6-spd man w/OD

Available: Lineartronic 8-spd CVT w/OD

Drive Type

Full-time All Wheel

Fuel Economy - City/Highway/Combined

22 / 29 / 26 Mpg

Passenger Capacity

Bumper to Bumper Warranty

36 Months / 36,000 Miles

Mechanical Specs

Engine - Cylinders/Horsepower/Torque	2.0L H-4 / 152 HP / 145 ft.lbs.
Drive Type	Full-time All Wheel
Fuel Economy - City/Hwy/Combined	22 / 29 / 26 Mpg
Brakes	4-wheel Disc
Front Suspension	Strut
Rear Suspension	Independent Double Wishbone
Spare Tire And Wheel	Compact Steel
Fuel Tank	16.6 Gal.
Recommended Fuel Type	Regular Unleaded
Average Cost To Fill Tank	$63

Dimensions & Capabilities

Maximum Cargo Volume	55.3 Cu.ft.
Passenger Volume	101 Cu.ft.
Exterior Length	176.5 "
Exterior Width	71.0 "
Exterior Height	63.6 "
Front Headroom	39.8 "
Rear Headroom	38.0 "
Front Legroom	43.1 "
Rear Legroom	36.5 "
Front Shoulder Room	56.7 "
Rear Shoulder Room	55.6 "
Front Hip Room
Rear Hip Room
Curb Weight	3,117 Lbs. / 3,188 Lbs.
Wheel Base	105 "
Turning Radius	17.7 '

Exterior Features

Door Count	4 Doors
Wheels	17.0 " Machined W/painted Accents Aluminum / 17.0 " Black Sti Aluminum
Paint	Clearcoat Monotone
Exterior Mirrors	Dual Power Remote
Bumpers	Body-colored / Front Body-colored With Metal-look Insert
Grille Moldings	Black W/metal-look Accents / Black
Rear Spoiler	Lip
Exhaust	Stainless Steel

Interior Features

Seating

Passenger Capacity	5
Seat Trim	Cloth
Front Seat Type	Bucket
Heated Front Seats
Front Driver Seat Direction Controls	6-way
Front Passenger Seat Direction Controls	4-way
Front Armrests	6-way
Rear Armrests
Rear Seats	60-40 Bench

Radio & Infotainment

Radio	Am/fm Stereo, Seek-scan
Speakers	4
Radio Steering Wheel Controls
Apple Car Play
Android Auto
Bluetooth w/ Hands-Free Connectivity

Convenience Features

Steering Wheel Type	Telescopic Tilt
Climate Control	Automatic Air Conditioning
Cruise Control	With Steering Wheel Controls
Sun Roof
Rearview Mirror	Day-night / Auto-dimming Day-night
One Touch Open Window	Driver And Passenger
Tinted Windows	Deep
Vanity Mirrors
Remote Keyless Entry	Keyfob (all Doors)
Power Outlets	2

Safety Features

Overall Crash Safety Rating
Overall Front Crash Safety Rating
Overall Side Crash Safety Rating
Rollover Crash Safety Rating
Front Impact Airbags	Driver And Passenger
Driver Side Impact Airbags	Seat Mounted
Knee Airbag	Driver
Passenger Side Impact Airbag	Seat Mounted
Rear Side Airbag
Seatbelt Pretensioners	Front
Anti-Lock Brakes	4-wheel Anti-lock Brakes (abs)
Forward Collision Warning	Eyesight Pre-collision Braking Forward Collision Mitigation
Blind Spot Sensor
Lane Departure Warning	Eyesight Lane Keep Assist Lane Departure
Autonomous Cruise Control
Pedestrian Detection	Eyesight Pre-collision Braking Front Pedestrian Detection Prevention
Driver Attention Alert	Eyesight Sway Warning Driver Attention
Daytime Running Lights
Auto High Beams
Adaptive Headlights
Parking Sensors
Security Systems	Security System
Panic Alarm
Ignition Disable	Immobilizer

Warranty

Bumper To Bumper Months Miles	36 Months / 36,000 Miles
Major Components Months	60 Months / 60,000 Miles
Included Maintenance Months
Roadside Assistance Months	36 Months / 36,000 Miles
Corrosion Perforation	60 Months / Unlimited Miles
Accessories Months	36 Months / 36,000 Miles

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2023 Subaru Crosstrek

Overview

What's New

Choosing Your Subaru Crosstrek

Engine Choices

Passenger and Cargo Capacity

Safety Features

Connectivity

Prices & Deals

Expert Review

Specs & Features

Recent Articles on Subaru Crosstrek

Find Your New Subaru Crosstrek

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Insider Information

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