Subaru

Subaru 2025 Subaru Crosstrek

The 2025 Subaru Crosstrek is a compact SUV built around standard all-wheel drive, sitting at the practical, outdoors-oriented end of its segment.

### Overview

The 2025 Crosstrek is one of the most versatile vehicles in the compact SUV segment, with generous ground clearance and standard Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive that delivers both capability and everyday practicality in a single package. The most meaningful change for 2025 is the addition of the 2.5-liter engine to the Premium trim, expanding the more powerful engine to all but the base trim. Once considered a sidekick to the Outback, the Crosstrek is now a top seller in the Subaru lineup, traditionally appealing to active owners who want off-road capability without going too far off the beaten path.

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### Pros

- **Proven All-Weather Capability:** Every trim ships with Subaru Symmetrical AWD, X-MODE with Hill Descent Control, and at least 8.7 inches of ground clearance — meaning you don't have to pay up for a higher trim to get genuinely capable snow and gravel performance. - **Wilderness Trim for Serious Off-Roaders:** The Wilderness includes all-terrain Yokohama Geolander tires, re-tuned transmission gearing for better low-speed climbing, 9.3 inches of ground clearance, a front skid plate, and a 3,500-pound towing capacity — a meaningful step up for buyers who actually venture off pavement. - **Strong Safety Suite Standard:** All trims come with automatic emergency braking with pedestrian, bicyclist, and motorcycle detection, lane centering assistance, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams — reassuring for families and commuters alike. The Crosstrek also earned a 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score from NHTSA. - **Impressive Resale Value:** The Crosstrek is a resale value standout and could return $6,000 more to your pocket when you sell compared to subcompact SUVs at the bottom of the resale value charts — a real financial advantage over the ownership period.

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### Cons

- **Base Engine Is Underwhelming:** The base 2.0-liter engine needed 10.1 seconds to reach 60 mph, and becomes unpleasantly boomy when pushed — buyers who do any highway driving should budget for at least the Premium trim to get the 2.5-liter engine. - **Cabin Noise at Speed:** At highway speeds, road noise becomes intrusive enough that some owners report difficulty enjoying music — a consistent trade-off in this class, but worth knowing if long highway trips are common. - **Infotainment Responsiveness:** Some owners report occasional touchscreen lag, and multiple reviewers note the infotainment GPS does not always recalculate properly, which appears to be a known Subaru issue. - **Blind-Spot Monitoring Not Standard:** Blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic warning are only available on higher trims, rather than standard across the board — a notable omission for safety-focused buyers shopping the Base or Premium without the option package.

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### Who It's For

The Crosstrek is ideal for adventurous people in four-season climates with an outdoor lifestyle who want all-weather capability in a compact package. It's also a strong choice for reliability-minded buyers — 97% of Crosstreks sold over the last decade are still on the road. Those who want genuine off-road readiness without stepping into a full-size SUV will find the Wilderness trim a particularly compelling option.

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### Not Right For

Buyers who prioritize a quiet, refined highway cruiser or need strong passing power for mountain driving — the base engine's noise and modest output make it a poor fit, and even the 2.5-liter won't satisfy those coming from a turbocharged competitor.

Key features

• Compact SUV; standard AWD; rugged Wilderness trim; excellent in snow; CarPlay support

Few compact SUVs match the Crosstrek's combination of standard AWD and genuine off-road credibility at this price point.