2024 Subaru Crosstrek: A baby ute adds more tricks

Subaru is sticking to a successful playbook in redesigning the third-generation Crosstrek for 2024. The subcompact crossover has been a bona fide success since its 2012 debut, racking up U.S. sales of more than 1 million.

The recipe is largely the same: All-wheel drive, plenty of ground clearance, a roof rack and storage packed into a tidy utility body. But there are plenty of new features and ingredients sprinkled throughout to make mountain getaways more comfortable and connected.

Base and Premium Crosstreks are powered by a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder direct-injection engine that produces 152 hp and 145 pound-feet of torque. Sport and Limited models are equipped with a 2.5-liter engine with 182 hp and 178 pound-feet of torque. Both are paired with a continuously variable transmission, On Premium, Sport and Limited models, a manual mode with steering wheel paddle shifters allows drivers to control the transmission via eight preset ratios.

The chassis is 10 percent stiffer to improve driving dynamics, handling and ride quality. Subaru's 11.6-inch center information display is available for the first time, and the company's suite of safety gear — EyeSight Driver Assist Technology — is standard across all models.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also available for the first time.

The seats have been redesigned to provide more support and reduce fatigue on long journeys.

One thing that didn't change: the starting price of $26,290, including shipping.

Subaru invited journalists last week to Palm Springs, Calif., to drive the latest Crosstrek in southern California's deserts and Joshua Tree National Park. We've collected some early reviews.

"On the road, the Crosstrek rolls into the corners and takes a second to power out of them. The 2.0-liter has never been a performance star, and with no change in horsepower and a slight bump in weight, it's unlikely the new Crosstrek will improve much on the 9.2-second 60-mph time we recorded with a 2018 model.

The new Crosstrek will, however, get there with much less cacophony than before. We've previously lamented the drone of the Crosstrek's CVT and the howl of the overworked boxer engine. The improvement for 2024 is noticeable. The faux shifts of the CVT are softer, both physically and aurally, and while the engine still uses all of its 152 horses and 145 pound-feet of torque to reach freeway speed, it's now possible to have a conversation inside while this is happening. Joshua Tree is notoriously windy — we once saw a raven suspended midair, wings a-flapping with no forward motion — but none of the desert maelstrom made its way into the cabin. And the broken, gravelly pavement was more apparent through the windshield than through the seats.

The softer ride comes from several changes. First, the seats themselves. Subaru added more bolstering and support to both the seat bottom and back, and the resulting chairs are plump and pleasant. Underneath the Crosstrek's new seats, you'll find the Subaru Global Platform. The new chassis uses more structural adhesive and additional weld points to increase crash safety and ride quality. Making the car's structure stiffer means the suspension can be softened to better absorb bumps. The result is a mixed bag for the Subie. The Crosstrek rides wonderfully on pavement and cushions vibration on dirt, but it's easy to reach full compression with an enthusiastic approach to even a small rise or pothole, resulting in the uninspiring thud and scrape of a tire at the top of a wheel well."

— Elena Scherr, Car and Driver

"Subaru did a great job at dampening external noise, vibration, and harshness inside the cabin and little is transmitted through the seats, steering wheel, or through the glass. You do begin to get some minor wind noise at 70 to 75 mph, though it's faint.

The electrically-assisted dual-pinion steering actually has pretty solid feedback when you begin driving livelier through twisty roads. Better yet, there's still a healthy amount of pressure on the wheel when you're just puttering straight down the interstate, which helps you stay more centered in your lane. This reduces wander from line to line and kills something I've taken issue with in my parent's current 2021 Subaru Forester.

Where Subaru needs to spend slightly more time is the low-speed lock-to-lock resistance.

Subaru touted that it retuned the steering system to make low-speed maneuvering easier and require less force. But I found that in situations like turning around in parking lots or turning onto a road from a stop sign or traffic light, the steering wheel wants to snap back to center after that initial decrease in resistance.

The switch between the loose low-speed turning and tighter on-center is slightly jarring, and I was never quite sure when it would occur. It's an odd quirk in an otherwise fine system."

— Jonathon Klein, The Drive

"Merging onto a highway or passing slower traffic with the base engine requires patience and planning. We floored the pedal to get up to speed and the CVT kept the engine from sounding overly taxed by simulating a few shifts. Otherwise, there was enough power for ascending moderately steep grades and typical city driving. Considering the Sport trim costs only a bit more and gets virtually the same fuel economy, we'd suggest waiting for summer to get the more powerful 2.5-liter.

When letting off the accelerator, the Crosstrek tends to freewheel for a while without decelerating much. The brake pedal has an appropriate amount of effort to instill confidence and is easy to modulate for smooth stops. Most shoppers wouldn't expect sporty handling from a lifted SUV like this, but the Crosstrek ably carves through curves with only a little body roll. Ride comfort is helped by somewhat soft suspension tuning and 17-inch wheels with compliant tire sidewalls. Road noise is well silenced by added sound insulation, and wind noise is barely there at highway speeds.

The comfortable ride is impressive when you consider the Crosstrek's off-road abilities, as there's usually a compromise required. With 8.7 inches of ground clearance, the Crosstrek can tackle much more than just a dirt road. We clambered up a steep rocky trail with no drama once we engaged the X-Mode drive setting that maximizes available traction at all four corners. Dropping down the other side, hill-descent control ably kept speeds manageable.

We were concerned when we found ourselves on soft sand, but even without X-Mode activated, the Crosstrek prevented digging down or getting beached. X-Mode operates at speeds up to 22 mph, and unlike its predecessor, the system will re-engage if you exceed that speed and slow back down. The Sport trim will add Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Sand sub-settings for X-Mode, but again, we didn't get a chance to sample that version."

— Mark Takahashi, Autoblog

"The base engine does fine around town, but ask it to climb a big hill or merge onto a freeway and you'll soon learn the value of patience. Although the Crosstrek 2.0 isn't dangerously slow, it's not anything close to athletic either. At least the CVT goes about its business smoothly, with simulated gear changes and no tendency to drone.

If you're willing to avoid the interstate, you'll have a lot of fun in the Crosstrek, especially if those alternate routes turn to dirt and rocks. With 8.7 inches of ground clearance and excellent approach and departure angles, the Subaru is a natural on rough roads. Subaru representatives said the car isn't really intended for folks who love off-roading itself, instead serving as a tool to get them to their actual hobbies of hiking, camping, biking, etc. But in spite of that tepid vote of confidence, I came away very impressed with the Crosstrek's capabilities on a rough, tank-trapped stretch of dirt and loose rock.

The company's X-Mode off-road drive setting lives in the center touchscreen, and when it's active, the Crosstrek does an excellent job of routing torque to the wheels with grip. The system actively brakes a spinning wheel to imitate a limited-slip differential, which means there's some lag between encountering an obstacle and actually crossing it, but if you keep your foot on the accelerator, the system will sort out what to do and grapple its way over. It's simple, accessible off-road fun, and I can only imagine how entertaining the Crosstrek would be with some all-terrain tires and aftermarket underbody protection."

— Brett T. Evans, motor1.com

"The new 11.6-inch touchscreen is the most obvious tech update to the 2024 Subaru Crosstrek. It makes it easier to operate, as well as to see maps on vehicles equipped with onboard navigation. It's also got more features built into the automaker's Starlink infotainment system.

But buyers — especially parents — will likely appreciate the upgrades to Subaru's now-familiar EyeSight suite of advanced driver assistance systems. The third-generation Crossstrek gets a new stereo camera system with a broader field of view. That's useful in a variety of ways, notably spotting a vehicle that might run a red light as you enter an intersection.

On Crosstrek, the basic EyeSight package offers functions such as forward collision warning with auto-braking. You can upgrade with features such as rear cross-traffic alert, lane-change assist and blind-spot detection.

Crosstrek also offers several features to enhance driving, especially when off-roading. That includes the X-Mode system that enhances grip on rough and uneven road surfaces, as well as its Hill Descent Control feature.

The 2024 Subaru Crosstrek goes up against an expansive — and growing — list of competitors including the likes of the Honda HR-V, the Hyundai Kona, the Mazda CX-30, Nissan's Rogue Sport and the Jeep Compass. As I discovered during my daylong sojourn, it fares far more than adequately in the subcompact SUV segment.

I spent much of my time wandering through the Joshua Tree National Park. The new Crosstrek is well-suited for lengthy drives like that, the stiffer new body better equipped to soak up bumps and handle the occasional sharp curve. The new anti-sway seats are another clear plus.

Steering is precise, with a good on-center feel. You get a good feel for the road, with less vibration passed up through the steering wheel than with the outgoing Crosstrek."

— Paul Eisenstein, The Detroit Bureau

"The Crosstrek's generous ground clearance means it's pretty darn capable should you venture off the beaten path. Approach, departure and breakover angles of 18.0, 30.1 and 19.7 degrees, respectively, let the Subaru crest steep peaks and handle rutted sections of two-track road without scraping precious underbody hardware. The softer springs also help make trail work a little more gentle on passengers.

The standard X-Mode off-road system can shuffle power laterally at each axle to send torque to the wheels with the most grip, helping the Crosstrek climb steep rock-strewn hills.

Subaru says nearly one in four owners take their Crosstreks off-road, which might have you wondering: Why not build a Crosstrek Wilderness? Subaru's found great success with these more purpose-built variants of its Forester and Outback, and while the company won't officially comment on future product plans, it also knows a Crosstrek Wilderness would surely be a hit."

— Steven Ewing, Forbes

"The 2024 Subaru Crosstrek is not the most efficient compact crossover, nor is it the quickest or the cheapest. It is a vehicle that seems entirely unconcerned with what the other players in its segment are trying in an attempt to win over buyers. That kind of focus comes out of a deep understanding of your target customer. Subaru is not building a car it hopes people will choose over the Kia Seltos or Honda HRV. Those buyers were never going to be in a Crosstrek to begin with. Subaru builds this thing for the folks that care about getting out there and going places. This new example just so happens to be the most refined and comfortable example yet."

— Lucas Bell, Road & Track