The Subaru Crosstrek is a compact crossover produced since 2012 as a lifted version of the Impreza hatchback. For its first two generations it was sold outside North America as the XV, and the third generation of 2022 finally used the Crosstrek name worldwide.
Subaru Crosstrek at a glance
| Maker | Subaru, Japan |
|---|---|
| Production | since 2012 |
| Class | compact crossover SUV |
| Base | raised Impreza five-door hatchback |
| First generation | GP, from 2012 |
| Engine (US) | 2.0-litre FB20B flat-four, 148 hp |
| Gearbox | five-speed manual or Lineartronic CVT |
| Drive | symmetrical all-wheel drive on all versions |
| Hybrid | offered in North America for 2014–2016 |
| European engines | 1.6 and 2.0 petrol, 2.0 diesel |
| Name change | XV dropped in North America for the 2016 model year |
| Third generation | 2022, Crosstrek name used globally |
Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the Subaru Crosstrek.
History of the Subaru Crosstrek
Subaru showed the XV concept at Auto Shanghai in 2011, a raised Impreza five-door with 19-inch wheels, a 2.0-litre flat-four, Lineartronic CVT and the EyeSight driver-assistance system. The production version was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2011 and went on sale in Japan on 25 September 2012; in the United States it arrived at the 2012 New York auto show as the XV Crosstrek for the 2013 model year.
First generation
The American car used the 148 hp FB20B engine and shared its powertrain with the Impreza, with 17-inch wheels, roof rails and tinted glass. Every version had symmetrical all-wheel drive, and CVT cars could send all torque to the wheels with the most grip. The Limited trim added a 4.2-inch touchscreen, a reversing camera and heated seats.
A hybrid version was added for 2014 in North America, and for 2015 all cars gained reversing cameras, a 6.2-inch head unit and revised electric power steering, while the Limited received an acoustic windscreen and the new Starlink multimedia system. The 2016 model year brought the all-weather package as standard on the Premium, blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert on the Limited, and the dropping of the XV prefix in North America. A Platinum Special Edition closed the generation in 2017.
Other markets
In Malaysia assembly from complete knockdown kits began at Tan Chong Motor Assemblies in January 2013, with 5,000 cars a year for Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, while the Philippines imported the car from Japan. European versions offered 1.6 and 2.0 petrol engines and a 2.0 diesel, with five- and six-speed manuals or the Lineartronic CVT and idle stop on petrol models. The third generation arrived in 2022 and used the Crosstrek name globally for the first time.
The Crosstrek has sold far better in the United States than the Impreza hatchback it is based on, as American buyers moved away from conventional hatchbacks towards crossovers.
Design and features
- Raised Impreza: a taller ride height and tougher looks over the standard hatchback.
- Symmetrical all-wheel drive: standard on every version.
- Lineartronic CVT: with a manual mode and, later, torque vectoring by braking.
- EyeSight: stereo-camera driver assistance offered from the start.
- Hybrid option: a Crosstrek Hybrid was sold in North America from 2014.
Subaru Crosstrek versions
- XV (2012–2017): first generation, sold as the XV Crosstrek in North America.
- Crosstrek Hybrid (2014–2016): North American hybrid version.
- Platinum Special Edition (2017): end-of-series trim with extra equipment.
- Second generation: the XV continued outside North America while the US car was simply the Crosstrek.
- Third generation (2022): the first car to carry the Crosstrek name worldwide.
The Crosstrek is a raised Impreza and a smaller relation of the Forester. More Subarus are in the Subaru collection.
Video: Subaru XV test, ADAC Autotest 2012
Video by ADAC on YouTube.
Sources
- Subaru Crosstrek, English Wikipedia: concept, generations, engines, markets
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