REVIEW | Subaru Crosstrek feels tougher than your average urban crossover

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Opens in new windowOpens in new windowOpens in new windowOpens in new windowOpens in new windowOpens in new windowEnter fullscreen mode displaying this image.ExpandThe Crosstrek is not conventionally pretty, but that is par for the course in the Subaru-verse. Picture: Story audio is generated using AI

The definitive origin of the now ubiquitous crossover body format is debatable. But if you think about it, Subaru could lay claim to being one of the first to experiment with literal crossovers of differing ideas in one body style.

Just Google the 1978 BRAT (Bi-Drive Recreational All-Terrain Transporter). It was a quirky “light-duty, four-wheel-drive coupé utility truck” — if those attributes are not a real criss-cross, then what is?

The BRAT was never sold in South Africa. Our market’s encounter with Subaru began in 1992. Cars like the Forester still tied-together various ingredients: gravel-ready ride height, the utility of a wagon and the promise of sedan-like handling, thanks to the low centre of gravity afforded by a boxer motor.

Its stance is confident and plucky, with rugged cladding and a pumped-up physique. Picture: In the mid-2000s a more formalised template for the crossover genre emerged with cars that had C-segment hatchback dimensions and the taller impression of an off-road vehicle (but remained road-focused).

Subaru joined the party too with an XV version of the Impreza hatchback — gaining tougher cladding and a slightly raised suspension. This model became the standalone XV and then underwent another name change: Crosstrek.

The third-generation Crosstrek entered production in 2022. But only this year did we get a taste of the model, as Subaru SA opted to intensify efforts towards awareness around the brand. Like many legacy firms, it is feeling the heat amid increased Chinese competition and seeks to remind consumers of its unique offerings.

Boot capacity is on the shallow side. Picture: Earlier this year we took the Crosstrek, Forester and soon-to-be-replaced Outback on a day outing. It included some off-roading at the ADA facility in Hartbeespoort. The interaction was a reminder of Subaru’s distinctive brand identity, built on all-wheel drive technology and boxer engine designs.

Recently we spent a week with the Crosstrek. In a nutshell, the car made me think of a Toyota Corolla Cross but with a more adventurous persona. The parallel is not all that strange because Toyota is the single largest shareholder in Subaru.

Of course the Crosstrek has nothing to do with the Corolla Cross in terms of ingredients. But the average shopper may compare them given their closeness in size and positioning.

Some may like the simplicity of the analogue cluster. Picture: The Crosstrek is the least expensive way into Subaru ownership. Pricing starts at R609,000 for the 2.0i L while the better-equipped 2.0i S costs R699,000. This includes a five-year/150,000km warranty and maintenance plan.

It must be said that the standard car does not skimp where it matters. You still get eight airbags and driver aids like lane-keep assist.

In this tough economy, downscaling companies use the term “rightsize” as a euphemism for cutting costs. Allow me to reappropriate the word for cars that strike the sweet spot in terms of dimensions. The Crosstrek is “rightsize” — neither too big nor too small, with a length of 4,495mm, height of 1,600mm and width of 1,800mm.

Build quality cannot be faulted. Picture: Getting behind the wheel it just feels like an ideal fit (for an average-sized person like this author). Getting comfortable behind the wheel is done in little time and outward visibility, as is typical of Subaru, is good. The C-pillar quarter window helps offset some of the blind-spot compromises usually associated with cars of this type.

Quoted boot space is on the low side though, at 320l. A neighbour who drives the former XV noted that this was one of the reasons he is considering a Forester as his future upgrade as his family has simply outgrown the utility of what a Crosstrek offers.

So it strikes me as the Subaru for up-and-coming professionals, young couples or empty-nesters. The moment that horizontally-opposed 2.0l motor breathes into life, you are reminded that this is a little more interesting than the typical crossover.

There is a sense of athleticism to the side profile. Picture: Boxer engines have a charming acoustic rhythm. And from my perspective as a tester, it was a novel change of pace piloting something that was not Chinese and powered by a 1.5l for a change.

The engine is not a fire-breather by any means (115kW/195Nm). Bear in mind the added requirements of powering all four wheels as well as the characteristics of a continuously-variable transmission (CVT). Performance is hardly inspiring but it gets the job done.

It certainly feels like a durable mill and enjoys being wound-out, while the sticky all-wheel drive system and planted handling character makes it a confident steer. Truly, no other crossover handles in such a manner. Rivals (like the Corolla Cross) come across as top-heavy and much less dynamic. If you are the kind of motorist who still cares for a bit of engagement from your C-segment crossover in 2026, this is the one to have.

Now while the Crosstrek lacks the screen-intensive dazzle of certain contemporaries, its cabin evinces a high level of build quality and the overall integrity of the model comes across as being far deeper than surface-level.

2.0l boxer motor makes a charming sound even if it does not set tar alight. Picture: There are small details you might overlook. The rear doors, for example, have pins on the lower sills that physically brace them into the body structure, just like those on a Porsche 911’s doors. That makes for superior rigidity — and you realise just why the Crosstrek feels so much tauter than its peers.

In terms of infotainment, the offering is adequate but hardly best-in-class and the analogue cluster, while charming, is a bit old-fashioned.

But those shortcomings are likely to be insignificant to the customer who knows what Subaru’s approach is all about. This is a thoroughly well-engineered car that puts substance over superficial sizzle.

At the very least it deserves a drive — if only to see what all those Subaru die-hards mean when they punt the virtues of “symmetrical all-wheel drive” and the boxer motor’s lower centre of gravity.

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