2025 Subaru Crosstrek

Pros

• Four-wheel drive as usual.
• Very good fuel economy.
• The inside is simple and has a lot of space.
• Off-road, it does better than most competitors.

Cons

• Slow movement from the base engine.
• When you’re on the highway, the inside gets pretty loud.
• Need more room for storage and cargo.
• Barely acceptable technological features.

How does the Crosstrek get moved? The Crosstrek is slow, even in a class of slow cars. We put the Crosstrek Premium’s base 2.0-liter engine through its paces. It took 9.9 seconds to go from 0 to 60 miles per hour on our test track. To pass in the first 2.0-liter Crosstrek, you need to be very patient. That’s why we suggest switching to the 2.5-liter engine.

The Crosstrek could be a better car to drive. When you brake or turn, the body rolls a little, and the handling is a little fuzzy. But even so, it’s a smooth car, and it’s easy to live with and use for daily tasks. Even better, its all-wheel-drive system gives you even more trust in bad weather, and it even feels safe and sure-footed in mud. Feel free to take it on more relaxed roads.

In what ways does the Crosstrek feel good? One great thing about the Crosstrek is how comfortable the ride is. The raised height and thick sidewalls of these tiny SUV’s tires make them good at absorbing road hits. This Subie has few maintenance hole covers or dips, which makes it easy to get lost. The ride itself is very comfortable, though the seats could be better. The padding is too soft, and there isn’t much support on the sides. Chairs with more materials and higher trim levels will offer more support.

On our trips across state lines, the windshield and door mirrors always made noise from the wind. When going faster than or equal to 65 mph, the Crosstrek gets very noisy, and it’s hard to keep in touch. Also, the air conditioning fans are only very strong if you turn them all the way up. Once they begin to blast, you’ll have to keep them going to keep the house at the right temperature.

How is the state of the inside? Plain is the best word to use to describe the inside of the Crosstrek. Not many knobs, switches, or buttons are there, but the ones that are there are big and easy to use without having to focus too much. The haptic buttons on the steering wheel make it easy to get to the different settings on the instruments. The infotainment screen gives you access to most of the car’s important features. It’s easy to use, even though the buttons and icons are big and the quality is low.

With its long cabin and tall roof, the Crosstrek definitely leans more toward crossover classification than hatchback classification. The inside of the car also looks roomy. The back seat has plenty of room, and you can see very well from the sides and back. This, along with bigger doorways and higher seats, makes the inside very user-friendly and simple to get in and out of.

What’s wrong with the tech? Subaru has never been known for being technologically advanced, and the Crosstrek only strengthens that reputation. Our test car has Premium options and a base trim level with an infotainment screen that is 11.4 inches and looks like a tablet. We like how big the symbols are on the screen, but the system can be slow to respond to what you do.

The Crosstrek also has a problem with its radio. The Limited type, which is the top-of-the-line, has an upgraded version, but most Crosstreks only have six speakers. Because of this, the sound is weak, no matter how loud it is. The system also doesn’t have enough bass to make up for the bad sound in the bedroom. People who like to listen to music in their cars may decide to stick with the new method.

The Crosstrek comes with a number of standard Subaru driving aids. However, they could make their business better. The forward collision warning system sends out a shocking message when it thinks a trash can on the road is a car or a person. Also, it often gives you lane-keeping assistance warnings, no matter how hard you try to keep the car in its line. During our tests, the adaptive cruise control kept a safe space between the Crosstrek and other cars in traffic. However, the Crosstrek’s acceleration can be slow at times, letting other cars go by as it tries to catch the car that pulled ahead.

What’s going on with storage? Some of the Crosstrek’s main rivals have more cargo space than it does. There is 19.9 cubic feet less room behind the back seats than in the Volkswagen Taos and the Chevy Trailblazer. The bedroom has a limited amount of space for small things. The door pockets aren’t very big, and none of the cupholders can hold big bottles. If your center panel is small, your different things will fill it up quickly.

On the other hand, fitting car seats is easy. The large door openings, LATCH mounting points in handy places, and high ride height of the Crosstrek all make installation easy. The space behind the seats is also pretty big, so it’s easy to fit even a big seat that faces backward.

How much fuel does it use? The EPA says that the 2.0-liter Crosstrek engine we tried should get 29 mpg on the highway and in the city together. For an extra-small SUV with all-wheel drive, that’s the norm. The fact that we got an average of 33.4 mpg on our real-world test route means that the EPA’s estimate should be easy to meet in real life.

Is the Crosstrek really worth it? It’s boring when so many of the Crosstrek’s rivals have made their cars better in terms of quality, features, and handling on the road. We didn’t like the feel of the different colored and textured walls inside our test Crosstrek. This market has been ruled by cars like the Mazda CX-30 and Kia Seltos, which aren’t much more expensive than the Crosstrek. The Crosstrek has fewer basic features than the Subaru, but the Subaru is better because it can go off-road.

Subaru cars have a bad guarantee. The basic warranty and roadside help are only covered for three years or 36,000 miles. The powertrain, on the other hand, is covered for five years or 60,000 miles. In contrast to some competitors, Subaru does not offer free maintenance.

It’s easy to see why people take the less traveled road, like the Crosstrek. It’s not fun to drive on concrete, but the looser surfaces go well with its simple look and Subaru’s racing history. Additionally, going camping would be a wonderful thing to do. But these will be spread out, and if you get a Crosstrek, you will have to give up your name for sure.

As of this writing, Subaru hasn’t said anything public about the 2025 Crosstrek. If anything changes, we’ll let you know, but based on last year’s Crosstrek, we suggest the Limited trim. The Limited has a better 2.5-liter engine and many driving assistance technologies. It also has 18-inch wheels and a leather interior. You are also suggested to buy the extra Harman Kardon sound system.

Different kinds of Subaru Crosstrek

Subaru Crosstrek has five different trim levels: base, premium, sport, limited, and wilderness. Base and Premium models have a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 152 hp and 145 lb-ft of torque. Sport, Limited, and Wilderness models have a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 182 hp and 178 lb-ft of torque. Both engines have a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and basic all-wheel drive.