Subaru Crosstrek Review (2024)

Introduction

Picture the scene. A farmer somewhere in the Scottish borders puts their shoulder to the wind, rain lashing at their face, and walks briskly across the muddy field to where they’ve parked the Subaru Crosstrek.

Another Crosstrek owner wipes their chalk-encrusted hands on their trousers before loading up the car after a day spent rock climbing on the gritstone crags of the Peak District.

And then there’s the horse rider who lobs the tack into the back of the boot before driving up the track to the stables.

This is the sort of people Subaru is pitching the Crosstrek at. The sort of folks who don’t just need a 4x4 so they can show off to their mates at the school gate, but rural-dwellers prone to getting snowed-in during the winter and who need a sturdy steed just to make it off their driveway.

The Crosstrek reflects its target demographic. It’s not particularly quick, but it gets the job done. It’s not the best-looking car on the lease market, but like a hard-working farm dog, there’s a charm that’s undeniable.

And while the cabin isn’t as plush as competitors, no Subaru Crosstrek owner wants to risk accidentally smearing dirt across pristine white, quilted fabric anyway.

That’s the mindset you need when you’re talking about the Crosstrek. If you find fault with it, it’s probably not the car for you in the first place.

At a Glance

We’ve seen the Subaru Crosstrek before. Well, sort of. The Crosstrek is the reinvention of the outgoing Subaru XV. The two vehicles share a lot in common, not least the styling, off-road capabilities and bullet-proof Subaru build quality.

But the Crosstrek has taken the XV and improved things considerably, with better efficiency eked-out from the 2.0-litre boxer petrol engine with mild-hybrid wizardry.

You might also consider the Crosstrek to be a baby version of the competent Subaru Outback.

Our test car arrives in range-topping Touring trim, which comes complete with goodies like 18-inch alloys and a tilting and sliding panoramic glass roof. The colour - Oasis Blue - is an instant winner and sure to turn the heads of neighbours.

The rest of the Crosstrek screams its intent. There are raised roof rails, rough ‘n’ tough plastic cladding at the front and rear as well as the wheel arches.

The Crosstrek rides high with approach and departure angles that’ll see it cope with some pretty serious off-roading.

Subaru’s ‘X-MODE’ drive system - accessible via the touchscreen - also lets you select ‘Snow/Dirt’ or ‘Deep Snow/Mud’ driving modes to really help you dial-in the 4x4 performance.

Key Features

We’ve got the keys to a Subaru Crosstrek in ‘Touring’ trim, which is the highest grade of the two that are offered. But the entry-level ‘Limited’ model comes fully loaded as standard and is also well worth a look.

Permanent all-wheel drive is a given (of course it is, it’s a Subaru), while you also get an 11.6-inch infotainment system, wireless Apple CarPlay and an absolute battery of driver safety and assistant systems.

That standard-issue tech includes adaptive cruise control, pre-collision braking, autonomous emergency steering, lane departure prevention, rear vehicle detection and a rear-view camera.

That’s a lot of kit for a vehicle that sits at the gateway to Subaru leasing.

And, crucially, the safety tech does its job without ever being overly-intrusive, which can’t be said of other vehicles in the class. The infotainment system is intuitive enough and there’s little in the way of lag. It’s a solid effort all round.

Performance & Drive

At the heart of every Subaru Crosstrek is a 2.0-litre horizontally opposed ‘e-Boxer’ petrol engine. It’s a unit that’s quintessentially Subaru, with boxers having been the order of the day for the Japanese firm since the 1960s.

The engine is supported by mild-hybrid tech which means it’ll return around 36 miles to the gallon - which isn’t bad for a boxer, and certainly not too shabby for a 4x4 boxer.

Performance is moderate - a Subaru Impreza WRX the Crosstrek ain’t.

You can expect power of 136 PS and 182 Nm of torque. The official acceleration stats say the Crosstrek will get from 0-62mph in 10.8 seconds. It’s a car for making headway, then, rather than trying to win the traffic light grand prix. Put your right foot to the floor and you’ll hear the automatic CVT gearbox doing its thing while you make gentle forward progress.

But pace isn’t what the Crosstrek is about, and the Crossover’s gearing means it’s much more at home on green lanes and gravel driveways than it is at the Nurburgring.

Instead you get the assurance of all-wheel drive, a compliant suspension set-up that’s more than welcome on our potholed roads, and little in the way of body roll through corners.

While we didn’t get a chance to put the Crosstrek through its paces off-road, it certainly handled the steep gravel tracks we pointed it at with aplomb.

It’s composed and relaxed on the motorway, too, and the adaptive cruise control works with minimum fuss - just punch a button on the steering wheel and the car’s brains do the rest.

Running Costs & Emissions

The Subaru Crosstrek isn’t a particularly economical vehicle, but nor is it ruinously expensive to run.

You can get around 40 mpg on a good run while CO2 emissions stand at 174 g/km.

That latter figure means the Crosstrek doesn’t make a lot of sense as a company car due to the Benefit in Kind (BIK) tax burden it attracts, so you’re potentially better off looking at study plug-in hybrids like the Toyota RAV4 or Suzuki Across.

When it comes to reliability, Subarus tend to be built for the tough stuff so you should have

little in the way of problems there.

Interior & Technology

Think hard-wearing as opposed to limo-like. It’s not that the Crosstrek isn’t comfortable, because it is, and our test vehicle featured heated leather seats that you’d be happy to park your posterior in for a long journey.

But rather than focusing on fineries, the cabin has been built to shrug off unwanted rain drips and muck with a focus on lasting the test of time rather than offering Mercedes-Benz-like extravagance.

And that’s fine - the Crosstrek is, after all, aimed at a specific group of people who don’t want to have to get the stain remover out every time they set foot in it. It’s also good news for lease customers who need a car that’s going to stand up to a bit of rigorous everyday use.

The 11.6-inch infotainment system is positioned vertically and simple enough to use. It connected with our phone with ease and there are physical buttons to grab to control the dual-zone heating, volume control and radio dial. Again, those physical buttons are absent in some rival cars and it’s becoming a big deal for customers who crave a bit of the old skool.

You can also punch the ‘Sport’ mode button directly from the steering wheel - rather than having that function buried in a screen - which is another welcome touch.

Boot Space & Practicality

With a relatively high, SUV-like driving position, it’s easy to feel safe and secure in the Subaru Crossover.

There’s also ample amounts of room in the back for rear passengers alongside a pair of charging ports (with the Touring model) to keep iPads functioning and kids entertained.

Meanwhile a cavernous storage bin between the seats will swallow phones, wallets and drinks bottles with ease.

A potential fly in the ointment is the size of the boot, which weighs in at 315 litres with the rear seats in place. That’s down on some competitors, including the Skoda Kamiq which has 400 litres of luggage space.

The Crosstrek gets a useful max braked towing capacity of 1,270 kg, which should be ample for when you’re hauling a trailer full of kayaks to the nearest bit of white water.

A reversing camera is fitted as standard, as is keyless entry and a push-button start, both of which add to the Crosstrek’s ease of use.

Safety

The Subaru Crosstrek hasn’t yet received an official rating from safety assessors Euro NCAP. But the old Subaru XV was crash-tested in 2017, when it was awarded the full five stars.

The Euro NCAP tests have become stricter since then but we’d still expect the Crosstrek to pass with flying colours, particularly when you consider all of the safety tech that’s fitted as standard.

That list includes adaptive cruise, pre-collision braking, lane centering and lane change assist, emergency lane keep assist, intelligent speed limiter, a rear-view camera, driver monitoring system, child-proof rear door locking, and a Thatcham alarm.

It’s a comprehensive list and Subaru has long placed a great emphasis on driver and passenger protection.

Options

When it comes to building your Subaru Crosstrek lease, the first thing to note is that the no cost paint option is ‘Pearl - Crystal white’. The other paint schemes - of which there are many, from solid blues to metallic reds - begin at around £13 extra per month.

Other than that, there are no other leasing options of note - which perhaps isn’t surprising given how well the Crosstrek is equipped in the first place.

There also isn’t much difference in lease price between the two trim levels - standard Limited and top-end Touring.

The Touring model adds extras like a black synthetic leather interior, larger 18-inch alloys, high beam assist, an 8-way power adjustable passenger seat, sat nav, USB-A and USC-C charging ports in the back, an additional option in the ‘X-MODE’ off-road terrain menu, and paddle shifters for the automatic gearbox.

Rival Cars

The Subaru Crosstrek isn’t afraid to stray from the beaten both, in all senses. And because the Crosstrek is so unique, it’s tricky to compare it against rivals.

If you’re looking for off-road dependability, the 4x4 version of the Dacia Duster is worth looking at.

The Suzuki Across is larger than the Subaru Crosstrek but again comes with 'E-Four' all-wheel drive and has fared well in off-road tests. It’s also a plug-in hybrid that offers around 46 miles of range using electricity alone.

The Toyota RAV4 is, again, another contender that’s slightly bigger than the Crosstrek but will appeal to those of an outdoorsy persuasion. We’d also consider the MINI Countryman (above). The latest facelifted model looks fantastic and you can also choose an all-wheel drive ‘ALL4’ model. MINI tested the Countryman’s off-road skills prior to release in the extreme depths of an Icelandic winter, so it should be able to cope with the worst conditions that Britain can throw at it.

Verdict & Next Steps

Sometimes it pays to be a little bit different. And having spent a week with the Subaru Crosstrek it’s a car that’s really hard not to form a bond with.

Sure, it won’t appeal to everyone. There are other vehicles in the class with more opulent interiors and there are quicker crossovers, too. But that’s not what the Crosstrek is here to provide anyway.

Instead the Crosstrek is here to be your faithful companion, a friend to join your weekend adventures or to help you ease the pressures of the working week.

It’s incredibly well-specced, even at the base level, and the safety features will offer reassurance to families.

So, get the roof rack on, strap on the mountain bikes, and get out there and enjoy yourself.

Where to next?

View latest Subaru Crosstrek lease deals - from £468 per month inc VAT**.

Call us on 0118 3048 688 or hit the green 'Enquire' button for more details.

Looking for a great leasing deal? Check out our incredible range of Special Offers and Lease Deals. 

New SUV? Read our latest Reviews and find the right model for you.

Want to know more about leasing? Take a look at our comprehensive Leasing Guides.

Interested in everything motoring? Why not catch up on all the latest Car Leasing News.

**Score based on Select’s unique meta score analysis, taking into account the UK’s top leading independent car website reviews of the Subaru Crosstrek.

**Correct as of 12/06/2024. Based on 9 months initial payment, 5,000 miles annually, over a 48 month lease. Initial payment equivalent to 9 monthly payments, or £4,211.55 (Plus admin fee) Ts and Cs apply. Credit is subject to status.