2024 Subaru Crosstrek 2.0i-L EyeSight

New Name, More Game?

Ahhhh, finally. I get to do a review of a Subaru, and it happens to be the XV. Okay, Crosstrek.

I have to admit that I was very curious (skeptical, even) towards this crossover that has been one of Subaru’s best-selling models. I’ve only read stories and reviews from my colleagues, but I’ve never really had a turn behind the wheel or even experienced riding the past two generations of the XV before. This is going to be a new experience for me.

Now known globally as the Crosstrek in its third-generation guise, it’s very easy to dismiss the all-new model as nothing more than a facelift. It hasn’t really changed much on the outside, the running gear is almost unchanged since 2012, and the entry-level model retails for just under PHP 2 million. Yet, when I picked up the lend-out unit from the Subaru dealership, it was the Crosstrek and its older generations that filled out the busy service bays for PMS.

So what gives? Well, it turns out a week with the all-new Crosstrek was all I needed to answer those questions.

First off, the third generation is not exactly new from the ground up as it is still underpinned by the Subaru Global Platform like the second-gen model. Even the dimensions are relatively unchanged over the previous generation. So think of the Crosstrek as the equivalent of Ford’s T6.2 Ranger. Instead of designing an entirely new platform from scratch, Subaru’s engineers, instead, made tweaks to the new model’s frame structure for better NVH performance – you’ll read more of this as we go on this review.

The styling is also evolutionary rather than revolutionary for the Crosstrek, much like what Subaru did in the blob-eye, peanut-eye, and hawk-eye Imprezas before, and even the VA and VB chassis WRX models that came after it. The front LED lights are slimmer, and a bar connects it to the larger grille with a new mesh pattern.

Given that it’s a high-riding crossover, I’d like to say Subaru’s love for cladding in its recent designs fits the look that the Crosstrek wants to exude. It gives off that rugged look without overdoing it. The Sun Blaze Pearl color of this unit also looks good on the crossover, but personally, I think the Crosstrek looks best in the Aqua Flask-esque Oasis Blue color. As this is the 2.0-iL variant, it comes with the smaller 17-inch wheels in a monotone finish.

The back has new C-shaped LED taillights with larger reflectors and thicker body cladding. It’s not going to win any beauty pageants, but it’s with this new model that I figured the Crosstrek’s signature design has aged rather well.

While you can get away with doing subtle changes to the exterior, the interior is where most vehicles need to be constantly updated. For the Crosstrek’s case, you’d know it’s bang up to date with the 11.6-inch tablet-like touchscreen welcoming you inside. It has wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and I’m pretty impressed with how nicely integrated it was as I had a seamless experience using it.

The buttons for cabin controls are largely gone as most of them are now on the big screen, including the A/C fan settings. Though I’d prefer physical buttons instead, the screen responds well to my inputs. Vehicle settings are also found on the screens, but luckily the car keeps your preferences so you don’t have to fiddle with it every time you start up the car. And given that there are no such critical functions on the screen, the car should still be driveable if a glitch occurs. But during my time, I didn’t encounter any.

The cabin materials also seem to be of good quality as the Crosstrek never made creaking noises as I was driving it. It’s no Lexus or BMW so it’s semi-premium at best since none of the materials feel cheap or too plasticky.

Space-wise, there’s ample leg and elbow room on the two rows, though headroom can be a bit marginal for taller individuals. As for trunk space, that’s where you’d find yourself wanting more out of the Crosstrek. In terms of length and width, it’s pretty okay at 31 inches (52 with the rear folded) and 42.5 inches, respectively, but the height only gives you up to 25.5 inches as the big spare tire hidden underneath the floorboard takes up the space.

However, there are some things I wish Subaru had done more to the Crosstrek. I still appreciate a nicely laid out set of analog gauges over a digital instrument cluster with information overload – the former is what the Crosstrek has, though most people might not be too amused, especially with its asking price.

What I also found rather odd was that the 2.0-iL comes with fabric seats, and it even has a three-pointed star pattern – that’s Mercedes-Benz; the Subaru logo has four-pointed stars. Other notable omissions to this variant are the wireless charging, USB charging ports at the back, the sunroof, and the rear armrests. So in terms of speccing, indeed Subaru has plenty of room for improvement.

Powering the Crosstrek is still the proven 2.0-liter, naturally-aspirated boxer engine and the Lineartronic CVT. The engine still produces the same 156 PS and 196 Nm of torque, sent to all four wheels via the symmetrical AWD system.

If you’re used to turbo levels of power and torque, you can easily dismiss the Crosstrek as underpowered. But for me who has an N/A for a daily driver, the naturally aspirated mill and the Lineartronic CVT combo is actually quite nice. The Crosstrek feels light on its feet and I didn’t quite feel the powertrain struggling as I drove it with four passengers and luggage for a weekend trip down South.

Since I can keep the revs low with the CVT while cruising on the expressways, I managed to do 15 km/l at an average of 75 km/h. With the help of Subaru’s EyeSight, expressway driving is a breeze with the adaptive cruise control and lane-centering functions that work seamlessly.

In the city, consumption is fairly decent for a 2.0-liter mill either. As long as you don’t find yourself in a gridlock where the 2.0-liter mill will start to drink gas instead of sipping, it can give you around 8 km/l at an average of 16 km/h. That’s basically what you’d also get in a typical 1.5-liter turbo crossover. In mixed conditions, the Crosstrek did 10.5 km/l so it’s not so much of a gas guzzler after all. I covered over 400 kilometers with about a quarter of a tank left after a week’s worth of driving.

The combination of the generous ground clearance and the all-wheel-drive system also gave me the confidence and reassurance I needed during my time with the Crosstrek, as I went to a remote place with bad roads combined with gloomy weather. On those conditions, the Crosstrek never even broke a sweat and cleared the roads where a 2WD crossover would normally struggle. That’s even without using the SI-drive into Sport and activating X-mode.

What really stood out to me with the Crosstrek is the ride refinement. That covers everything from the NVH, the transmission response, the steering feel, the handling, and the suspension’s behavior on our pockmarked roads. It's very quiet inside as the extra sound-absorbing materials, thick window glass, and stiffer shock towers absorb road vibrations brought by the improved Subaru Global Platform does its job. It’s nice how Subaru managed to give the Crosstrek the smoothness of a big crossover but with the playful handling that’s close to what a hatchback can do.

Simply put, you know when you’re asked to choose between comfort and sport, or engaging and boring? The Crosstrek is gobsmacked in the middle. That's not a bad thing; for an everyday use crossover, that’s what you’d want to get. Not to mention, there are not many crossovers out there that can give you the confidence to go over rough terrain quite like the Crosstrek. If there's any, it must be coming from Subaru as well.

However, that balance comes at a rather steep price tag. The Subaru Crosstrek in its base 2.0-iL variant retails for PHP 1.998 million. For that money, you can already get yourself a 4x4 pickup truck, a nice mid-spec 4x2 PPV, or even a hybrid crossover. If anything, the price difference between this and the top-spec 2.0-iS variant may drive you to shell out a bit more, as the 2.0i-S that comes with bigger wheels, leather seats, additional power features, and a sunroof will only cost you an extra PHP 20,000.

Nonetheless, if you’re not the budget-conscious type and want something enjoyable, something you’d confidently take to the outdoors, and well-refined for everyday use, it’s hard to pass up the experience you’d get with the new XV – sorry – Crosstrek.