New family SUV maintains the Japanese brand’s go-anywhere reputation. But is that enough? On sale Now Price from £34,290
Dan Jones dan.jones@haymarket.com
MANY SUVS LOOK like they are capable of driving off road but would actually struggle to pull themselves out of a muddy car park. Not the Subaru Crosstrek, though.
You see, like the XV that it replaces, the Crosstrek has the all-terrain tackle to properly fill its tough-looking trousers. All models come with permanent four-wheel drive as standard for maximum traction, along with a generous 220mm of ground clearance. You also get X-Mode – a driving mode that optimises traction over tricky surfaces at low speeds and which includes hill descent control. As a result, few family SUVs are as capable away from the beaten track.
But what if you want to stay on it? Well, every Crosstrek comes with a 2.0-litre mild hybrid petrol engine that produces 134bhp and a 0-62mph time of 10.8sec. On paper, that’s slower than the entry-level Kia Sportage and Nissan Qashqai, and while the Crosstrek has enough power for everyday driving, its turbocharged rivals are much more responsive, particularly at lower speeds. Matters aren’t helped by the Crosstrek’s CVT automatic gearbox, which causes the engine revs to soar and remain high during acceleration until you ease off.
Despite its engine’s mild hybrid technology, efficiency isn’t one of the Crosstrek’s strong suits, either. The electrical assistance is very gentle; it can keep the car moving in very slow traffic, such as urban congestion, but any meaningful acceleration involves petrol being used.
Official economy is 36.8mpg; that’s a long way short of the 44.0mpg promised by both the Qashqai DIG-T 140 Mild Hybrid and Sportage 1.6 T-GDi. In fact, for only slightly more than you’ll pay for the entry-level Crosstrek, you can buy a full hybrid Sportage, which returned 43.8mpg in our tests.
The Crosstrek does challenge the Sportage for driver appeal, though, and it’s more fun on a twisty road than a Qashqai. It resists body lean remarkably well, and the four-wheel drive system means there’s loads of traction on damp roads and loose surfaces, plus the steering has enough weight to inspire confidence. You’ll have a bigger grin behind the wheel of a Seat Ateca, though.
The Qashqai and Sportage regain the advantage when it comes to ride comfort. Even on smooth roads, the Crosstrek is less settled, jostling occupants in their seats. It stops short of being uncomfortabl
