Driven: 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness Is The Best Crosstrek Has To Offer

The 2024 Subaru Crosstrek is all-new this year, marking the third generation of this rugged crossover since it debuted 12 years ago. This is the smallest, most affordable SUV in the Subaru lineup, coming in below the Forester. The redesign includes a new look inside and out, along with a stiffer chassis to improve the overall ride quality. Engine options are still the same with only a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) as the manual is no longer available.

There are five trims, including the new Wilderness, which is a label Subaru gives only to the most off-road ready trims in its lineup. Technology also gets an upgrade with an available 11.6-inch infotainment touchscreen and the latest version of Subaru’s EyeSight driver assistance system. We spent some time in the Crosstrek Wilderness to experience just how much these changes have improved this little crossover.

Exterior: Still A Crosstrek, But With More Oomph

The Crosstrek has a distinctive design that gets even more eye-catching with this new generation. There’s additional lower body cladding that offers protection off-road and gives this crossover a bolder look. It looks bigger, but it’s actually the same size as the prior generation, which makes it well-suited to those who hit the trails on the weekend but navigate city streets during the week.

The exterior design changes aren’t dramatic, until you get to the new Wilderness trim. It has unique front and rear bumpers, a hexagonal grille, larger cladding on the wheel arches, hex-design LED foglights, and an anti-glare hood decal. There’s also a metal front skid plate that lets you know it means business off-road. Wilderness badges adorn the doors and liftgate with bright copper accents on the roof rails and bumper.

Seating: Improved Comfort With Plenty Of Room

One of the biggest changes to this year’s Crosstrek is its improved interior. Subaru redesigned the seats to make them more comfortable and the difference is noticeable. The front seats are supportive without being confining with good adjustability and plenty of head and legroom. Rear passengers, even those on the taller side, will have ample room to get comfortable. Kids will find it downright spacious.

Subaru makes vehicles for people with active lifestyles. That means there’s a good chance of muddy dog paws, dirty boots, and all manner of sporting equipment being tossed inside at some point. You won’t find delicate materials in the Crosstrek. Instead, there are mostly durable cloth surfaces with leather on the Limited and StarTex water-repellant upholstery for the Wilderness. This is an interior that’s comfortable, attractive, and ready to stand up to more rigorous daily use.

Infotainment: One Large Screen Or Two Small Screens

The base infotainment system on the Crosstrek includes dual seven-inch touchscreens that put audio controls up top and climate, safety, and drive mode functionality on the bottom. It also has wired Apple CarPlay and Android with a USB-A port up front and 4-speaker audio. We aren’t a fan of this setup as it looks and feels a bit dated.

The rest of the Crosstrek lineup gets an 11.6-inch touchscreen mounted vertically on the dashboard with 6-speaker audio, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and front and rear USB-A and USB-C charging ports. A 10-speaker Harman Kardon audio system is available on top trims. The bigger screen looks more premium with large icons and an intuitive system of menus. The difference is big enough that this alone could convince us to skip the Base trim and go right to the Premium.

Cargo: Room For Everything

The Crosstrek is a crossover, not an SUV, so it doesn’t have the expansive cargo room of larger models. It does, however, still have plenty of room for a family’s stuff. Inside, there’s up to 20.0 cubic feet behind the 60/40 split-folding rear seats with 54.9 cubic feet behind the front seats. That’s a solid amount of room with an interior that’s durable enough to handle mud and dirt.

There’s also a max tow rating of 1,500 pounds, while the Wilderness more than doubles that figure with a 3,500-pound max tow rating. A last bit of cargo room is available on the roof with a dynamic load rating of up to 176 pounds and a static rating of 700 pounds to accommodate a rooftop tent on all but the Base.

Performance: A Choice Of Two Gas Engines

While there was a Subaru Crosstrek hybrid for the 2023 model year, it’s no longer available in 2024. That leaves you with two gas engines from which to choose. The base engine is a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder with 152 horsepower and 145 lb-ft of torque, but an available 2.5-liter 4-cylinder that delivers 182 horsepower with 178 lb-ft of torque. Both are paired to a continuously variable automatic transmission. Last year’s manual transmission option was discontinued.

Enhancing the capability of the Crosstrek, which already has standard all-wheel drive, are various drive modes. The Base and Premium trims get X-Mode with hill descent control, while the Sport, Limited, and Wilderness add dual-function X-Mode with a deep snow/mud setting for more challenging conditions.

Drive Impressions: A Capable Crossover With A Smooth Ride

This year’s Crosstrek is far nicer to drive than the prior generation, making it a worthy road-trip contender. It’s quieter thanks to additional sound deadening materials, which makes it much easier to relax and take a nap on longer drives. Rough, pebbled pavement no longer rattles the cabin, and uneven surfaces are largely muted. Road and wind noise are also contained, which is especially nice off-road. The sounds of dirt and pebbles bouncing about outside no longer create a horrible racket inside the cabin.

We spent our time in the Wilderness with the more powerful engine. It easily gets the Crosstrek up to speed, but the transmission does sound like it’s working hard when you hit the gas for highway merges. Once you’re up to speed, there’s still enough power to pass slower vehicles and the Crosstrek has good handling. This isn’t a sporty crossover, and it’s not especially engaging, but it does the job. The Crosstrek isn’t out to impress you with fancy trims and blistering 0-60 times. Instead, it impresses with its capability and durability, making it a great option for messy family life.

Pricing and Verdict: A Versatile Choice For Active Families

The Crosstrek is a versatile crossover with a history of good reliability and the capability to go off-road. It’s not for hardcore off-roaders, but it does have what it takes to manage dirt roads and two-tracks, especially in the Wilderness trim with its 9.3 inches of ground clearance. The Crosstrek offers a best of both worlds scenario with a quiet, comfortable ride for managing everyday driving and the capability to take you off the beaten path on the weekend.

Where some may not approve is when it comes to the interior. Though it’s comfortable and quiet, it isn’t fancy. The materials are attractive and durable, but not upscale. If you want to be fancy, then the Mazda CX-30 has a more premium interior and more engaging driving dynamics. There’s also the Hyundai Kona, which has a fun, funky style.

*excluding $1,345 destination

The Crosstrek is priced to be easy on the family budget, starting at just over $25K while even the top trim stays under the $35K mark. This is an affordable crossover with good standard features including all-wheel drive. Whether you plan to go off-road or simply have to deal with winter weather, the Crosstrek will help you get there in comfort.