Subaru Crosstrek (2025) Review

THERE’S a £500,000 Ferrari in my bottom car park. It shouldn’t be there, it should be garaged, but I haven’t got a garage.

Never mind, I’ve the next best thing, a brand new Subaru Crosstrek, in the same colour spookily, and it’s now parked tactically blocking the way to the Italian exotica.

It’s what I love about Subarus. They are solid, dependable, like a loyal trooper, they’ll tackle anything with a cheery resolve asking nothing in return.

And so it is with the latest model, the Crosstrek, as it stands vigil, a veritable centurion at the gate.

It’s also a welcome dose of sanity compared to the antics of the prancing horse. It’s not only great to drive in such exalted company but it is so much easier to manage.

Crosstrek is a smart new addition to the range replacing the old XV but very much carrying on its lineage.

With a nose and grille like that it couldn’t be anything other than a Subaru and its smart profile is catching to the eye being both characteristically SUV but with a hint of coupe. It looks solid with a sheen of quality anyone familiar with the brand comes to expect.

Powered by Subaru’s smooth and willing 2.0 litre e-boxer petrol engine, this hybrid also features the totally brilliant permanent symmetrical all-wheel drive, with hill descent control, to tackle the most arduous conditions off the road and on.

Packed with advanced safety technologies, including the next-generation EyeSight driver assist feature, autonomous emergency steering, lane centring function, traffic sign recognition and intelligent speed limiter, the Crosstrek also offers a driver-monitoring system that is triggered if any signs of fatigue are detected.

In the current climate Crosstrek offers levels of confidence seldom seen in the world of motoring. Its impressive 220mm of ground clearance makes it much more than a car even though the compact proportions could have you feeling that this is a vehicle for town and city.

It is perfectly at home in an urban environment as the engine is tractable and the CVT automatic gearbox is uber smooth.

It’s the same on the motorways and fast A roads. The boxer engine is turbine smooth with economy of up to 44mpg easily achievable while cruising. The flat four cylinder petrol motor, with hybrid electrical support, feels less than torquey but revs so willingly that Crosstrek is surprisingly quick.

Where it shines, of course, is in the handling stakes. The permanent, all-thinking all-wheel-drive is utterly superb and with decent tyres makes the Crosstrek remarkably grippy in the most horrendous conditions. Water, mud, gravel, ice and snow are dispensed with such consummate ease that you feel you are driving in snuff-dry conditions.

It simply never puts a foot wrong. Add super-sharp steering, strong brakes and brilliantly damped suspension and you have an exceptional car to drive.

Venture off road, or along roads that have failed to be cleared, and the X-MODE 4WD and hill descent control help you negotiate steep inclines and descents in an effortless fashion.

Hill descent control, at the push of a button, takes command of the engine, transmission, symmetrical AWD, brakes and other components to help navigate the car across even the most challenging terrain with utmost and utter confidence.

Crosstrek is so accomplished that it allows driver and passenger to sit back and enjoy an excellent interior blessed by space, high quality fittings and superb specification.

Everything you need falls easily to hand and the 11.5in portrait infotainment centre is one of the easiest to use I have come across. It looks neat and tidy too and responds to the lightest of touches. It’s fab.

Subarus are always the most endearing of cars and the Crosstrek is no exception. It’s so good in fact that there are times when I choose to take it rather than the Ferrari over which it stands guard – enough said.

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