We hit the mud – on standard tyres – to test our SUV’s off-road credentials
ALASTAIR CLEMENTS
MILEAGE 3286
WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT
To see if this capable new crossover can be more than just a niche product
Living on the outskirts of London doesn’t give a huge amount of opportunity to test the Crosstrek’s ability off the beaten track. I’ve tackled the occasional chalky South Downs car park when out walking the dog a little further afield, and that’s been about it so far. But the company’s symmetrical four-wheel drive system has long been one of Subaru’s main selling points – and, it reckons, one of most buyers’ key criteria – so when I discovered that the brand had organised an event to introduce its current range to a group of assembled journos, complete with a proper off-road course, I jumped at the chance to take my car along and have a go.
The 250-mile motorway hack north to the Harrogate venue was dispatched in a comfortable afternoon enjoying my favourite podcasts. Once the car is up to speed, the continuously variable transmission settles, the drone of the flat-four engine fades away and the supple ride, courtesy of the long-travel suspension, makes it a relaxing drive.
I don’t have a huge amount of off-road experience, so I was pleased to have all-terrain instructor Ben Hume alongside me in the mud – particularly because it had been raining for much of the previous week and, while most of the assembled group of vehicles were wearing more aggressive rubber, my Crosstrek has standard 225/55 R18 Falken Ziex all-season tyres.
I needn’t have worried, because the Subaru tackled the course like a little goat. The 220mm ground clearance is usefully tall compared with a conventional hatchback and the all-wheel drive helped it to scuttle up loose-surfaced inclines with remarkably little wheelspin – plus it’s able to tackle surprisingly steep approach angles considering its long nose. It would definitely benefit from more torque – I can’t help feeling the Forester’s 150lb ft version of this engine would be a good addition – but the CVT ’box really makes sense in these conditions, holding the revs at just the level you want for consistency.
Operating below 20mph, the Crosstrek’s X-Mode offers two off-road options. The first is Snow/Dirt, which activates hill descent control, alerts the traction control, limits the torque and increases throttle travel to prevent wheelspin. The second is a new addition over the old XV model: Deep Snow/Mud, which is design
