The Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness Review

The Subaru Crosstrek started as a gimmick for the brand, but quickly became one of its best sellers. Redesigned for the 2024 model year, it is every bit as capable during off-road excursions as the model it replaces. Here at Napleton News, we are all about getting dirty, so come along with us as we try out the Crosstrek Wilderness for 2024.

How to order the new Subaru Crosstrek?

Fans of the Subaru Crosstrek can have it five different ways. These range from Base to Wilderness with everything in between. These include:

• Subaru Crosstrek Base: Includes Subaru’s 152-horsepower 2.0-liter Boxer 4-cylinder engine and standard Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, standard EyeSight Driver Assistance technology, 8.7 inches of ground clearance and 17-inch dark gray alloy wheels. There’s also Subaru’s Starlink Multimedia with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

• The Crosstrek Premium: Adds roof rails, keyless access, Starlink Security and 11.6-inch multimedia screen, LED fog lamps and an optional power moonroof.

• Crosstrek Sport: The Crosstrek Sport steps up to the 2.5-liter Boxer engine, Symmetrical All-Wheel drive, 18-inch alloy wheels.

• Crosstrek Limited: Adds leather-trimmed seating, Blind-spot detection/Rear cross-traffic alert and reverse automatic braking. There is also a 10-way power adjustable driver’s seat and Harman Kardon premium audio system. The Crosstrek Limited, Sport, Premium and Base models are all limited to towing 1,500 pounds.

• Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness: This is what we drove! The Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness features the 2.5-liter engine, 17-inch matte black wheels with Yokohama all-terrain tires, StarTex water-repellent upholstery, copper-colored interior and exterior accents and a 3,500 pound towing capacity.

What moves our 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness?

Our steed was motivated by Subaru’s 2.5-liter Boxer four-cylinder engine. A reliable mill, it features a horizontally-opposed layout rather than a typical V8 or inline engine design. Here, it delivers 182 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 178 lb-ft of torque at 3,700 rpm.

The engine is mated to the Subaru Intelligent Drive (SI-Drive). It is a continuously variable transmission (CVT) but one that is adapted for more high performance driving than the CVT used with the base engine. A highlight of every Subaru is the Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, which is standard. It is accompanied by other extras including X-Mode, which uses sensors to adapt to the driving conditions you may encounter. With our Wilderness tester, it also includes an extra Mud and Snow mode, which unfortunately doesn’t do much good for those of us in Florida.

How does the Crosstrek Wilderness look?

Following its redesign, the new 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness is more angular than before. With a more pronounced and hexagonal grille, it makes a bolder appearance from the very start. Copper-colored “eyebrows” accent the below-bumper fog lamps, and a copper stripe sets off the rocker panels on the sides and finish at the rear.

The fender flares are more pronounced than before, and help keep the off-road Yokohama tires well behaved. Roof rails set the stage (and offer mounts) for carrying your surfboard or other extracurricular gear.

What about inside the Crosstrek?

The copper theme carries on in here, too. At the forefront is the 11.6 inch infotainment screen to operate Navigation, Audio, Climate and Cellular communications. The improved front seats are now more comfortable than before and feature copper accent trim on the bottoms and bolsters.

Speaking of those seats, the Crosstrek is better suited to four passengers rather than five. An extra person may fit in back but it will likely be for just a quick jaunt rather than a cross-country excursion.

Behind the Wheel of the Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness.

We’ve had a love-hate relationship with Subarus through the years. Perhaps that’s due to pricing vs performance and a feeling the steel isn’t as high-grade as it should be. Well, apparently someone in New Jersey, where Subaru USA is based was listening, because we have noticed a change.

Gone is the constant drone that would find its way into the cabin after an extended drive on the highway. Thanks to a liberal amount of insulation, much of the sound intrusion has been waylaid, allowing us to emerge from the cabin in a more refreshed manner.

Our Wilderness Crosstrek includes the more powerful 2.5-liter Boxer engine pumping out 182 horsepower. Powerful is a relative term though and honestly, we didn’t feel we were behind the wheel of a Subie WRX. Still, we welcomed the additional 30 horsepower that is missing from the base engine.

The one thing we did notice was how agile the new Crosstrek has become. We could weave through traffic almost effortlessly, thanks to the taut steering and handling that was naturally present. It was a welcome change from earlier versions of this car.

Dog tested, dog approved, indeed.

Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness Specifications