We get it people, needs more horsepower blah blah blah. You want horsepower or do you want to save money on gas? You can’t have both. 2018 Crosstrek is awesome. I’ve got no regrets about buying this car. Love it!
The people who complain about power/towing/cargo capacity and performance are really admitting they bought the wrong car. If you need more power there are plenty of other options (both Subaru and non-subaru). If you buy a small commuter car, don't expect it to be able to carry four people and 800lbs of gear without noticing the performance drop.
Yet the upcoming Forester has more power in a bigger vehicle and still manages similar MPG. The lack of power in the Crosstrek is a legitimate concern. I like the Crosstrek, but on the test drive, passing on the highway going up a hill was not a pleasant experience. This is a common scenario, not something that rarely happens. I think it is a little under-powered, and adding about 20-30 more hp would likely IMPROVE mileage for those of us who need to drive up hills. If I lived in a flat area, I probably wouldn't complain either.
Have a 2018 Subaru Crosstrek Limited love this vehicle. This vehicle has given me everything I was looking for and it does everything right. For all of you that are complaining about the lack of power all I can say is you have two choices. The first choice don't buy one and then the second choice buy a sports car.
Loving my 2018 Crosstrek, I have not found a highway entrance ramp yet, that I have not been able to get up to the speed limit to merge. Most people make the mistake of going slow on the on ramp, then try to get on the gas at the end to merge, I on the other hand, get on it right from the start, because it is quicker to go from 75 to 65 braking, than go 55 to 65 with the gas pedal.
It has enough horsepower for me and does everything right also. If you clown want more power buy a buy a muscle car. It beats anything in it's class. That's why I bought a Subaru Crosstrek Limited.
Yea, I would love more power to my 2018 crosstrek as it would make driving a little more fun and sporty. However, being able to drive from Denver, CO to Jackson, WY on $35 worth of gas, and not have to worry about getting the thing stuck or sliding off the road is a trade-off I would take ANY DAY. If you live near mountains and spend a good amount of time driving to national parks and wilderness areas, these are great vehicles. I wanted to buy a Cherokee Trailhawk for a bit more capability and room, but 1) the Crosstrek is much cheaper 2) gas mileage is better, therefore cheaper 3) driving the Crosstrek on highways is far more comfortable than a Jeep, and 4) subarus are very reliable vehicles. With all of that being said, I would love to at least see Subaru put out the option to upgrade to a more powerful engine so people have a choice.
I recently bought a 2018 Crosstrek and I like it. It serves it's purpose. I wanted a vehicle that is AWD and will get about 30 mpg. I knew I wasn't going to break any records for speed and that's fine. That's what my RAM 1500 with the HEMI is for. The one thing I am not happy with is the Starlink entertainment system. I know it got an upgrade for 2018 but it's still slow and glichy. The U Connect works way better. Subaru has to do a better job with voice recognition, bluetooth connection, and the way it indexes mp3. An example is if you wanted to play a full album from a thumbdrive and commanded the Starlink system to play it, Starlink will not play the album in track order like it should, but will play the songs in alphabetical order. Since Subaru Technical Support was no help at all, I found a solution on the web and that was to create playlists for the albums using Microsoft Media Player. Starlink didn't recognize playlists from I-Tunes. That's not good when you got over 800 albums! And as I said before, the voice recognition although alright, could be a little better. Final complaint is just recently the Starlink system did not recognize the command to make a cellphone call. The system kept asking me "what type of music I wanted it to play", are you kidding me? It took a complete shutdown of my car for 5 minutes to solve the issue. Some might say that you should not expect everything out of a $30000 vehicle, but there are other manufacturers that are doing a better job in the entertainment field. Subaru markets it's product to a young tech savvy crowd and with that, they should cross there "t's" and dot their "i's" on everything
Yeah its not. Fortunately, the crosstrek has an "x-mode" which provides very similar function to 4WD if you need it. For general driving, having AWD is much better.
Kevin Hitchcock do you experience situations where you really need to put the pedal to the floor when merging? Or can you get to highway speeds without stressing the powertrain?
Vero Tabares as it got no turbo, it will need to be revved to get the power out of it. And the CVT helps keep the rpm high at peak power and torque. Overall it is a good engine, smooth and economic, but wouldn't mind a bit more, maybe in the future :)
My Partner has a 2016 Crosstrek with the 5 speed stick. I used to have an Impreza with the CVT. Both vehicles are FINE for everyday driving. I have yet in ANY vehicle to demand maximum power in ordinary daily driving. People get too hung up on 0-60 numbers. Guess what people, you aren't going to get 3 quadrillion horsepower out of everything, get a billion MPG, and have .00000000000000000001 0 - 60 times.
Pricing is INSANE for a 152HP CVT !!!!! I luv the styling and room, seats, etc. I'd take the manual transmission, but the dealer wouldn't budge a dime or offer any special financing. I left! Went back to VW and got a loaded 2017 Passat (end of year clearance) with turbo, loads of room, features, etc for LESS than a base model Subaru!!! I actually wanted a Subara for a change, but they are greedy at this point, and the CVT and shit HP are deal breakers.
1vw4me and in 3 months when you take it in for servicing and the charge you nearly a grand, you'll see why VW discounts. When you're being towed to the dealer, I hope you remember the discount. Good luck, and invest in a AAA gold membership now with unlimited towing.
Wow that thing is slow to 60. Prius would win in a drag race. Would have been amazing if they gave this more powertrain options. Choice is a great thing. An option 2.0L turbo would be a great fit.
Look at it from Subaru's POV: A $33-35k turbo Crosstrek is going to do nothing but cannibalize Forester (turbo or not) sales. It might happen, but not for a few years (when the Forester will hopefully have something better than the troubled 2.5 available).
If Subaru offered EyeSight(TM) with either this, or Forester Premium, with MT6, I would've bought one already. I'm not even going to consider Subaru until they offer adaptive cruise + MT combination.
I clocked 8.5 in my '18 Crosstrek. Biggest difference between mine and the one in the video is I have the Manual (measured by an app connected to the ODBII port). I also question the 10s time stated here as that's between half a second to a full second slower than what other car publications are finding, even with the CVT.
You can honestly say that Subaru has two "Comapct SUV's" Crosstrek and Forester. Think about it; If the Crosstrek is built on the Impreza platform (which is a compact car) How can you call the Crosstrek a "subcompact"
10 seconds to 60. Yawn. They should have had an option for the 2.0L turbo from the Forester XT. With that engines' power and great torque available from just 2000rpm, it would have transformed the Crosstrek!!
Not sure which generation Forester you are talking about (JDM?), but the current one in NA is the 2.5 turbo.... this engine does not fit the current Impreza global platform. Also.... if you sell a Forester Turbo for $35k and then put the same engine in the CrossTrek and sell it for $33k or so, why would anyone buy the Forester? A 2.0t may come in time, but not so long as people are buying these in droves (which they appear to be).
So under powered!!!! It’s a great commuter car and great in any weather... but you have any weight in it and A/C it’s a dog !!! I’ve had mine for 3 yrs and I have a 100k mls on it .. yes I drive a lot 70 mls one way to work everyday (140 mls a day) plus traveling around 3 states testing and get K9s for work. with sometimes 2 K9s and K9 equipment/ training supplies.
had 7 Subarus and adding another crosstrex tomorrow all went well over 3 years and 36000 didn't have problems with oil consumption or head gaskets .. you get rid of Subarus at around 160 000 that's when cats go and problems could start but that's with most cars some can't even get over 100000.
EPA estimate: 27 city, 33 highway, 30 overall, for the CVT. The 6-speed manual (available in base and premium trims) gets an EPA-estimated 23 city, 29 highway, 25 combined.
Noseefood In the UK, rule 259 of the highway code, merging onto a motorway, easy in any car no matter what its power is, and ive owned allsorts of cheap crap slow cars, never had a problem with safety. Its all about judging the speed of traffic and slotting yourself in to the traffic flow. Why do people think you need Ferrari pace to be safe on the road? The same as 0-60 times are pointless in real world driving. This XV has more than enough power to drive comfortably within the speed limit.
Simon George maybe that's true in UK, but here is US, freeway merge is unnerving especially if your car can not accelerate from 30-->65mph quickly as an 18 wheeler barrels down behind you.
I don't know where you live, but I have yet to find an on ramp that cannot accommodate any vehicle making it to highway speed anywhere I've driven, and I've been in all 50 states. Put the phone down and drive, and you won't find yourself having semi's on the verge of running you over.
Less horsepower than a 90s 4 cylinder car, double the weight. And to put the cherry on top this shit sundae, a CVT transmission. Why even bother building this?
Haven you ever drive one? Yes it is gutless. Especially at altitude. Desperately needs a turbo. But it’s fun to drive. Comfortable. Highly capable off road and on snow/ice. And it’s not very expensive for what it does offer. Yes my wife’s car has grown on me. I drive a 400hp sub-3000lb GTI so I get my power fix from that. The crosstrek would be awesome with the stock GTI engine and a proper auto or manual.
TheBluehornz01 lots of people also think the best part of a car is how many things the touchscreen can do now, if that gives you any idea of their IQ level. There is no reason to buy, rent, or drive one of these. Just go buy an older subie and save thousands.
We get it people, needs more horsepower blah blah blah. You want horsepower or do you want to save money on gas? You can’t have both. 2018 Crosstrek is awesome. I’ve got no regrets about buying this car. Love it!
The people who complain about power/towing/cargo capacity and performance are really admitting they bought the wrong car. If you need more power there are plenty of other options (both Subaru and non-subaru).
If you buy a small commuter car, don't expect it to be able to carry four people and 800lbs of gear without noticing the performance drop.
Yet the upcoming Forester has more power in a bigger vehicle and still manages similar MPG. The lack of power in the Crosstrek is a legitimate concern. I like the Crosstrek, but on the test drive, passing on the highway going up a hill was not a pleasant experience. This is a common scenario, not something that rarely happens. I think it is a little under-powered, and adding about 20-30 more hp would likely IMPROVE mileage for those of us who need to drive up hills. If I lived in a flat area, I probably wouldn't complain either.
@pleased to meet you... Not at the same price point... And I dare you to take your tesla (3, P, X) down moderate fire roads and through streams...
I 100% agree with you !
Nathaniel Pratt you can easily have both. It’s 2020 ffs. 10 second 0-60 is outright dangerous
John Davis still going strong as Motorweek host - 37 years!
Have a 2018 Subaru Crosstrek Limited love this vehicle. This vehicle has given me everything I was looking for and it does everything right. For all of you that are complaining about the lack of power all I can say is you have two choices. The first choice don't buy one and then the second choice buy a sports car.
Loving my 2018 Crosstrek, I have not found a highway entrance ramp yet, that I have not been able to get up to the speed limit to merge. Most people make the mistake of going slow on the on ramp, then try to get on the gas at the end to merge, I on the other hand, get on it right from the start, because it is quicker to go from 75 to 65 braking, than go 55 to 65 with the gas pedal.
It has enough horsepower for me and does everything right also. If you clown want more power buy a buy a muscle car. It beats anything in it's class. That's why I bought a Subaru Crosstrek Limited.
only show that still has the 90´s tv look and feel
Yea, I would love more power to my 2018 crosstrek as it would make driving a little more fun and sporty. However, being able to drive from Denver, CO to Jackson, WY on $35 worth of gas, and not have to worry about getting the thing stuck or sliding off the road is a trade-off I would take ANY DAY. If you live near mountains and spend a good amount of time driving to national parks and wilderness areas, these are great vehicles. I wanted to buy a Cherokee Trailhawk for a bit more capability and room, but 1) the Crosstrek is much cheaper 2) gas mileage is better, therefore cheaper 3) driving the Crosstrek on highways is far more comfortable than a Jeep, and 4) subarus are very reliable vehicles. With all of that being said, I would love to at least see Subaru put out the option to upgrade to a more powerful engine so people have a choice.
I recently bought a 2018 Crosstrek and I like it. It serves it's purpose. I wanted a vehicle that is AWD and will get about 30 mpg. I knew I wasn't going to break any records for speed and that's fine. That's what my RAM 1500 with the HEMI is for. The one thing I am not happy with is the Starlink entertainment system. I know it got an upgrade for 2018 but it's still slow and glichy. The U Connect works way better. Subaru has to do a better job with voice recognition, bluetooth connection, and the way it indexes mp3. An example is if you wanted to play a full album from a thumbdrive and commanded the Starlink system to play it, Starlink will not play the album in track order like it should, but will play the songs in alphabetical order. Since Subaru Technical Support was no help at all, I found a solution on the web and that was to create playlists for the albums using Microsoft Media Player. Starlink didn't recognize playlists from I-Tunes. That's not good when you got over 800 albums! And as I said before, the voice recognition although alright, could be a little better. Final complaint is just recently the Starlink system did not recognize the command to make a cellphone call. The system kept asking me "what type of music I wanted it to play", are you kidding me? It took a complete shutdown of my car for 5 minutes to solve the issue. Some might say that you should not expect everything out of a $30000 vehicle, but there are other manufacturers that are doing a better job in the entertainment field. Subaru markets it's product to a young tech savvy crowd and with that, they should cross there "t's" and dot their "i's" on everything
Its pretty affordable, so I guess it’s got that going for it!
It’s this review that convinced me to buy it
It's ground clearance and 4WD system make it more of an SUV than all of its competitors
Vlad Saghin exactly, actually it's got higher clearance than most of the SUVs in the market, and better AWD system.
ITS NOT 4WD.
VLAD THE IMPALER than what it is ;) ALL WHEEL = 4 WHEEL SQUIRREL
it's not the same look it up on youtube to have it explained for you.
Yeah its not. Fortunately, the crosstrek has an "x-mode" which provides very similar function to 4WD if you need it. For general driving, having AWD is much better.
This could be a Rick & Morty interdimensional TV show
Please do a road test on the manual crosstrek. That’s what I have great vehicle.
Very helpful review.
I have a 2018 Limited with EyeSight and I love it! I do wish it had a bit more power but that's it.
Kevin Hitchcock do you experience situations where you really need to put the pedal to the floor when merging? Or can you get to highway speeds without stressing the powertrain?
Vero Tabares as it got no turbo, it will need to be revved to get the power out of it. And the CVT helps keep the rpm high at peak power and torque.
Overall it is a good engine, smooth and economic, but wouldn't mind a bit more, maybe in the future :)
I've never really had to floor it to merge but would definitely need to if I was trying to pass someone on a two-lane road.
Kevin Hitchcock Get a performance chip . Easy and safe
My Partner has a 2016 Crosstrek with the 5 speed stick. I used to have an Impreza with the CVT. Both vehicles are FINE for everyday driving. I have yet in ANY vehicle to demand maximum power in ordinary daily driving. People get too hung up on 0-60 numbers. Guess what people, you aren't going to get 3 quadrillion horsepower out of everything, get a billion MPG, and have .00000000000000000001 0 - 60 times.
Pricing is INSANE for a 152HP CVT !!!!! I luv the styling and room, seats, etc. I'd take the manual transmission, but the dealer wouldn't budge a dime or offer any special financing. I left! Went back to VW and got a loaded 2017 Passat (end of year clearance) with turbo, loads of room, features, etc for LESS than a base model Subaru!!! I actually wanted a Subara for a change, but they are greedy at this point, and the CVT and shit HP are deal breakers.
Cool story, changed my life.
1vw4me and in 3 months when you take it in for servicing and the charge you nearly a grand, you'll see why VW discounts. When you're being towed to the dealer, I hope you remember the discount. Good luck, and invest in a AAA gold membership now with unlimited towing.
Does anyone know the dimensions of the trunk area with the seats folded down,,is it big enough to sleep in the back of the Crosstrek for a 5'4"person
Motor Trend got 9.0 seconds 0 - 60 mph
The small engine and trunk space is a deal breaker. We shop at Costco and have a hard enough time with our 16 limited Crosstrek.
The amount of ignorance in this comment section is insane.
Waiting for 2019 forester👌
Wow that thing is slow to 60. Prius would win in a drag race. Would have been amazing if they gave this more powertrain options. Choice is a great thing. An option 2.0L turbo would be a great fit.
Look at it from Subaru's POV: A $33-35k turbo Crosstrek is going to do nothing but cannibalize Forester (turbo or not) sales. It might happen, but not for a few years (when the Forester will hopefully have something better than the troubled 2.5 available).
Only a loser would race a prius LMFAO
If Subaru offered EyeSight(TM) with either this, or Forester Premium, with MT6, I would've bought one already.
I'm not even going to consider Subaru until they offer adaptive cruise + MT combination.
The crosstrek interior is actually quite roomy!
Solid vehicle, but Subaru continues to underpower their vehicles. Needs a turbo.
Theodore Gibbons I think for Subaru it’s, “If the handling is great, why add more power?” That would just raise the price.
subaru did turbos in the 80s its one more thing to maintain the CVts give it better gas mileage which is what the base of Subaru customers want
I always say, "If it's slower than my 2004 jeep grand cherokee, I'm not buying it." This is one of those cars. My jeep has 265 hp.
In 1989 pontiac had a 4 cylinder called quad 4 190hp
2018 subaru got 152hp from 4 cylinders are you serious
Henry Ovalles emissions regulations plays a large role.
The Quad 4 was 150hp, not 190, unless you are talking about the LG0 engine which was 180hp
Did your '89 Pontiac also get 34mpg? And have AWD?
It is tuned this way for a reason... do not assume that this is all there is.
My '91 Olds Cutlass Calais with the Quad 4 got 32 mpg highway, real-world driving. But no, it did not have AWD. It was a good car though, for the day.
all it needs is a turbo and a bigger boot space that will be the best SUV ever practicality wise and race feel
The Honda HRV goes 0-60 in 8.6 seconds. So its faster than this Crosstrek. Neither of these cars are race cars, but they are fast enough.
The Crosstrek transmission and traction are better than the Honda
I didn't want AWD.
You did not want AWD until a heavy rain, ice storm, snow fall, steep muddy hill to climb, deep sand........:)
I clocked 8.5 in my '18 Crosstrek. Biggest difference between mine and the one in the video is I have the Manual (measured by an app connected to the ODBII port). I also question the 10s time stated here as that's between half a second to a full second slower than what other car publications are finding, even with the CVT.
If you say it’s underpowered, tell me what you’re comparing it to.
You can honestly say that Subaru has two "Comapct SUV's" Crosstrek and Forester. Think about it; If the Crosstrek is built on the Impreza platform (which is a compact car) How can you call the Crosstrek a "subcompact"
10 seconds to 60. Yawn. They should have had an option for the 2.0L turbo from the Forester XT. With that engines' power and great torque available from just 2000rpm, it would have transformed the Crosstrek!!
Not sure which generation Forester you are talking about (JDM?), but the current one in NA is the 2.5 turbo.... this engine does not fit the current Impreza global platform.
Also.... if you sell a Forester Turbo for $35k and then put the same engine in the CrossTrek and sell it for $33k or so, why would anyone buy the Forester? A 2.0t may come in time, but not so long as people are buying these in droves (which they appear to be).
ShmuelWeintraub incorrect. The NA Forester XT has a 2.0 turbo, not a 2.5.
So. Damn. Slow... Why Subaru can't give a 2.0 turbo option remains a real mystery...
Since it's smaller than a tank you guys call this a "little Subaru".
So under powered!!!! It’s a great commuter car and great in any weather... but you have any weight in it and A/C it’s a dog !!! I’ve had mine for 3 yrs and I have a 100k mls on it .. yes I drive a lot 70 mls one way to work everyday (140 mls a day) plus traveling around 3 states testing and get K9s for work. with sometimes 2 K9s and K9 equipment/ training supplies.
A 1.6 turbo with like 170hp would be nice. Id buy it
Luke Hoisington or a detuned 2.0t from the WRX/Forester XT with 200hp and 220lb ft. But I do like a 1.6 for better gas mileage
The Subaru is great just as long as you get rid of it within 3 years before the head gasket and excessive oil consumption catches up on ya.
had 7 Subarus and adding another crosstrex tomorrow all went well over 3 years and 36000 didn't have problems with oil consumption or head gaskets .. you get rid of Subarus at around 160 000 that's when cats go and problems could start but that's with most cars some can't even get over 100000.
I’m lookin for a suv to be fast and I know for sure Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 2019s won’t do it
My girlfriend wants one of these
Should she buy it
Sure
Just when you thought modern cars could not get any worse, manufacturers put in cvts
Gas mileage?
EPA estimate: 27 city, 33 highway, 30 overall, for the CVT. The 6-speed manual (available in base and premium trims) gets an EPA-estimated 23 city, 29 highway, 25 combined.
It should be close to 40 mpg with time to 60 mph.
10s to 60? holy shit that thing is dangerously slow.
It was probably done high above sea level. I'm in San Francisco and got down to 7.3
I would buy it if it has around 180 hp and 6 or 7 speed auto.....
Like the 2017 Tucson sport 1.6T?
All that horsepower gonna cause the head gasket to blow and the oil to burn
Srsly. Put the wrx engine in here and id be writing a check
Painfully sloooww.....
Seriously......
Subaru needs to step up to the plate and ursurp itS piss poor CVT with a REAL 7,8, OR 9 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION!!!@!
10 seconds? No way, I beat a 2017 GTI from a stop in the quarter. This thing flies.
those wheels are disgusting
freeway merge will be a life or death with this one.
Noseefood In the UK, rule 259 of the highway code, merging onto a motorway, easy in any car no matter what its power is, and ive owned allsorts of cheap crap slow cars, never had a problem with safety. Its all about judging the speed of traffic and slotting yourself in to the traffic flow. Why do people think you need Ferrari pace to be safe on the road? The same as 0-60 times are pointless in real world driving. This XV has more than enough power to drive comfortably within the speed limit.
Simon George
maybe that's true in UK, but here is US, freeway merge is unnerving especially if your car can not accelerate from 30-->65mph quickly as an 18 wheeler barrels down behind you.
Noseefood cheers for the reply
Yes - well written
I don't know where you live, but I have yet to find an on ramp that cannot accommodate any vehicle making it to highway speed anywhere I've driven, and I've been in all 50 states. Put the phone down and drive, and you won't find yourself having semi's on the verge of running you over.
nanny nanny boo boo keep your hands off my subaru
Literally addition fault key lecture humor dominant moderate
the title says 2018 but that intro monologue and suit says 1997
Less horsepower than a 90s 4 cylinder car, double the weight. And to put the cherry on top this shit sundae, a CVT transmission. Why even bother building this?
Probably because buyers flock to it because it really is a good vehicle for the money.
Theyve devolved a fan boy base that loves them for some reason.
They build them and they are literally everywhere now. Apparently lots of people do not share your opinion.
Haven you ever drive one? Yes it is gutless. Especially at altitude. Desperately needs a turbo. But it’s fun to drive. Comfortable. Highly capable off road and on snow/ice. And it’s not very expensive for what it does offer. Yes my wife’s car has grown on me. I drive a 400hp sub-3000lb GTI so I get my power fix from that. The crosstrek would be awesome with the stock GTI engine and a proper auto or manual.
TheBluehornz01 lots of people also think the best part of a car is how many things the touchscreen can do now, if that gives you any idea of their IQ level. There is no reason to buy, rent, or drive one of these. Just go buy an older subie and save thousands.