2024 Subaru Crosstrek Review: First Drive

Believe it or not, the Subaru Crosstrek is beginning its third generation as 2024 models arrive at dealerships this spring.

Not only has it been around for longer than some might recall (2012), but Subaru’s littlest SUV is more popular than one might expect. In 2022, the Crosstrek was the bestselling Subaru in both the U.S. and Canada, accounting for 35 percent of brand sales for the latter. That is a truly impressive feat for a car so unassuming and lacking in flash or pretention. It is what it is, as the saying goes, and for Subaru that is indeed a good thing. SEE ALSO: Subaru Crosstrek vs Mazda CX-30 Comparison

For 2024, the third gen Crosstrek receives a thorough updating that covers almost all aspects of the car from design and powertrain to model lineup, standard and available features, safety, and more. AutoGuide got the chance to conduct a 2024 Subaru Crosstrek review to gain a better understanding of its many changes.

Look, the pictures don’t lie. It’s a Subaru redesign, so for those expecting a dramatic 10th to 11th gen Civic reimagining, you will not find it here. Subaru doesn’t treat its generations that way, but if one looks closely, changes come into clearer view.

Upfront, the Crosstrek receives a new frameless hexagonal grille, a new high-positioned hood with raised outside edges, and new LED headlights. Given its off-road capability, the Crosstrek’s cladding is different to make the car look shorter and higher with its up-swept application. The vehicle’s fenders bulge more at both ends, giving it a more planted stance. The cabin’s narrower rear end and lower roof line gives the Crosstrek a lighter feel and a greater sense of speed.

On the inside, the ’24 Crosstrek carries an updated look that features several diagonal and angled shapes in the dashboard and door panels to create a strong cockpit feel. The center console expands to provide more utility. There standard infotainment display is a vertical 11.6-inch panel, except for the base model which receives dual 7-inch screens.

Other interior design details include a textured trunk liftover panel with a mountain design, a pad with Subaru logo in the cargo area where luggage could hit, and a diamond patterned fabric designed for durability.

Seat fabrics are also reorganized according to the trim: cloth for Base, premium cloth for Premium, sport cloth with yellow accents and contrast stitching for Sport and leather with contrast orange stitching for Limited.

As the heading suggests, Subaru has shuffled the Crosstrek grade walk with the launch of the 2024 model. The car is now available in four trims. There’s Base, Premium, Sport and Limited – with the SE (special edition) being cut. Four grades are also available in Canada, except the base model is the Convenience and the Sport model is known as Onyx.

Of note, a Wilderness model will go on sale in the U.S. and Canada this fall, with similar design treatments as those available for the Forester and Outback.

For the 2024 model year, there is no more Plug-in Hybrid either. More on that further down.

All 2024 Crosstrek trims above Base (which has dual 7-inch screens) come standard with a 11.6-inch vertical multimedia touchscreen. It supports wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto. A wireless smartphone charger with 10-watt rapid charging is optional on Base and Premium, and standard on Sport and Limited.

Navigation for Crosstrek is also enhanced with the availability of What3words, a service that divides the entire world into three-meter squares and assigns three unique words to each square. Destinations can be set by looking up corresponding words through the what3words website, and those words can be entered into the car’s navigation system for a more precise location.

The 11.6-inch touchscreen tuning is better now for voice recognition, especially when it comes to the hands-free setting of controls such as air conditioning.

The 2024 Crosstrek comes loaded with passive and active safety features, several of them standard, including EyeSight. The latter is a windshield-mounted stereo camera that has now has both a wider recognition range and a wide-angle monocular camera that recognizes motorcycles and pedestrians over a broader area.

EyeSight also sports new tech including an electric brake booster designed to improve braking response and performance in dynamic situations, along with automatic emergency steering. Other features, such as pre-collision braking, lane departure prevention, lane centering assist and adaptive cruise control are all improved according to Subaru.

During the press drive, we are driving two Crosstreks with the 2.5-liter engine, a Sport (Onyx) and a Limited.

First up is the Limited, and while the 2.5 flat four didn’t blow our socks off with neck-snapping performance, it hustles the subcompact Crosstrek along adequately on highways, arterial roads and city streets. One must really mash the throttle to get the 2.5 moving. But once up to speed, it cruises along quite nicely. The CVT has an 8-speed manual mode for all models above Base, which helps to at least give the feeling of more dynamic driving. It’s a far cry from a gearbox with real cogs though.

Two off-road trails are on our drive route, and our Limited tester handles them both with ease. Subaru’s X-Mode, which is set to snow / dirt on the first run, and deep mud / snow for the second, makes short work of the muddy, rocky and hilly terrain our tester encounteres. The Crosstrek’s 8.7 inches (220 mm) of ground clearance also proves helpful for traversing the trails, as does hill descent control which, like X-Mode, is standard across the Crosstrek lineup.

As for ride quality and cabin dynamics, both test vehicles allowed moderate levels of wind and tire noise to penetrate the cabin, but they weren’t too obtrusive. Subaru says the new Crosstrek has slightly softer suspension damping on a chassis that has 10 percent stiffer torsional rigidity. For us this added up to a firm, yet comfortable ride that tracks responsively with a good amount of handling precision.

We’re also a fan of Subaru’s interior updating that adds subtle, but attractive design changes. There’s impressive new tech features and a good amount of standard kit. This includes dual-zone climate controls, front and rear USB-A and / or USB-C ports (no USB rear ports for Base), and push-button starter for all trims above Base.

To sum up our 2024 Subaru Crosstrek review, the vehicle offers a lot of improvements that, when taken together make for a compelling offering in the small SUV segment. It’s a tough market though with new entries from Honda, Mazda, Kia and Toyota, among others.

So, while the Crosstrek faces stiffer competition, its features, such as standard AWD, two engine choices, available 11.6-inch infotainment touchscreen, enhanced Eyesight, and an off-road specific model coming this fall with the Wilderness trim, give this Subaru a fighting chance for segment leadership.

Time will tell if the dropping of the PHEV grade will hurt Crosstrek’s prospects much. Some rivals offer electrification, and that figures to matter more moving forward. The Crosstrek’s base price has also jumped $1,350 in the U.S. and by $4,000 in Canada, which could dampen its appeal despite an improved content offering.