Subaru Crosstrek review

From the moment you open the door, it’s clear the Crosstrek was designed with durability in mind. On the one hand, that means the materials are sturdy and well screwed together, but on the other hand, it leaves a lot to be desired in terms of premium trimmings. This isn’t a cheap interior, per se, but the Crosstrek’s use-it-and-abuse-it mantra is obvious.

The Crosstrek Sport has neat cloth seats with yellow accent stitching, and they’re even heated, which is an absolute must. Leather is reserved for the Crosstrek Limited, though it kind of feels out of place in a car like this.

How’s the storage?

There are cup holders and cubbies everywhere, which is exactly what Crosstrek buyers want. You’ll find plenty of places to shove Clif bars and water bottles, including a large glove box and deep center console.

The Crosstrek is eager and willing to carry all sorts of gear, with about 20 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats, or roughly 55 cubic feet with the bench folded flat. Subaru also knows its owners are going to throw all sorts of dirty things back here, so the standard floor liner is a removable rubber mat that’ll be easy to hose down once it’s inevitably covered in mud, grass, snow, or pet barf.

Are there any fancy options?

Nothing out of the ordinary. There are the aforementioned heated seats, and some trim levels can be optioned with a sunroof, but this is not a car designed with luxury in mind. The base stereo sucks, and the Harman/Kardon option on the Limited is just okay. There’s no cool ambient lighting to speak of, and no digital gauge cluster, as well.

The base Crosstrek only gets a paltry 7-inch infotainment touchscreen, so you have to spec a Premium, Sport, or Limited if you want that 11.6-inch display. But again, the tech within could really stand to be updated, so don’t expect any impress-your-friends features. Just plug in your smartphone and run CarPlay or Android Auto.