Adventure-ready: Subaru Crosstrek

Subaru Philippines has launched the Crosstrek sometime last year, officially replacing the XV moniker. 

The crossover is aimed at adventure-seeking car buyers who want a vehicle that is up to the task of both traveling around the city and exploring its outskirts.

Giving us a glimpse of what the crossover can do, the exclusive distributor of Subaru cars in the country took Zigwheels Philippines — alongside other members of the motoring media — to Camp Well in Tanay, Rizal.

There, a fleet of Subaru sport utility vehicles (SUV) showed attendees that they are as much at home playing in dirt, mud, and water, as they are comfortable driving around the paved roads in the metro.

Here are our thoughts after crossing boundaries with the Subaru Crosstrek.

Subtly outdoorsy

The Subaru Crosstrek offers looks that are subtly outdoorsy.

At the fore of the crossover is a bold front grille with a honeycomb pattern. The openings of the latticework are large and wide, serving not only to give it an imposing character but also to help cool down the components that hide behind the radiator grille. To each of its sides are slim LED headlights with a “manual levelizer” and integrated daytime running lights.

Below the fascia is a rugged-looking black lower front bumper with claddings that extend to the cheeks of the Subaru Crosstrek — like a handlebar mustache. The said appointment houses the front fog lamps of the vehicle.

The flank of the Subaru Crosstrek also wears a handful of durable-looking features, including its black wheel arches, black side skirts, black power-folding side mirrors, and black window surrounds. Its load-bearing roof rails also wear the same dark hue. Further, it gets blacked-out wheels that better suit the crossover.

At the rear, the Subaru Crosstrek gets a roof-mounted spoiler with an integrated brake lamp, a decent-sized rear glass, two sharp-looking clusters of lights, reflectors on each of its bottom sides, and a rear bumper underguard that mimics the looks of the aforementioned lower front bumper. It also has a hydraulically-assisted hatch, which is always handy.

Overall, the Subaru Crosstrek gives off that outdoorsy vibe without looking too loud. It balances its off-road-ish exterior installations with simple and straightforward features like body-colored door handles and smooth panels with minimal angles. That said, the nameplate never appears to be out of place whether it’s driven on busy city streets or rough and rugged provincial thoroughfares.

Comfortable cabin

The Subaru Adventure Tour Drive took us through rocky, bumpy, and narrow roads before we briefly settled on our campsite. Surprisingly, sitting behind the wheel of the Crosstrek felt comfortable.

Ample cushioning and bolstering are provided for the driver, keeping the person steering the crossover snugly in place despite the bouncy and craggy roadway. Sitting position as well as the steering wheel orientation can be adjusted to suit the driver’s preference.

Relevant information can be checked at the Subaru Crosstrek’s crisp instrument cluster while other functions can be controlled from its vertically-oriented 11.6-inch high-definition touchscreen infotainment system. The latter is equipped with Apple Carplay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth connectivity, for its passenger’s convenience.

Those sitting at the rear get enough leg and headroom, which can help make both short and long trips more comfortable. Passing through potholes and going over rocks do not feel as bad thanks to adequate padding on the rear bench.

Power, performance

Under the hood of the Subaru Crosstrek is the brand’s iconic boxer engine. The one fitted on the crossover has a displacement size of approximately two liters and is mated to a Lineartronic continuously variable transmission with an eight-speed manual mode and paddle shifters.

On paper, it makes as much as 153 horses and 196 Newton-meters of pulling power.

The powerplant not only performed satisfactorily and delivered sufficient power, but also kept the crossover planted on the ground due to its low center of gravity. Plus, the Subaru Crosstrek’s symmetrical all-wheel drive drivetrain, four-wheel independent suspension system, and vehicle dynamics control system contributed to the impressive performance of the almost go-anywhere nameplate.

As for its brakes, it also worked well allowing deceleration and halts in various driving conditions. For most of the reasonable downhill sections during the one-day drive, the Subaru Crosstrek’s X-Mode with hill descent control proved to be useful.

Robust safety features

The Subaru Crosstrek is a fun car to drive, be it on smooth highways or rough off-road terrains. Despite being an exciting ride, the crossover is still packed with a robust list of safety features to help keep its occupants out of harm’s way.

Notable are its active safety technologies like its anti-lock braking system with brake-force distribution, auto vehicle hold, brake assist system and brake override, as well as its reverse automatic braking.

Moreover, the Subaru Crosstrek gets a slew of preventive safety features such as the Subaru Enhanced Eyesight 4.0.

In addition, the crossover also gets plenty of passive safety appointments that come in the form of its shock-absorbing front bumper structure; front, side, and curtain SRS airbags; knee SRS airbags for the driver; seat cushion SRS airbags for the front passenger; a rollover-safe roof and cabin ceiling; and collision detection unlock technology.

Variants and pricing

The Subaru Crosstrek comes in two available variants, namely L and S. Their prices are listed below:

• Subaru Crosstrek 2.0i-L EyeSight: P1.998 million
• Subaru Crosstrek 2.0i-S EyeSight: P2.018 million

Final thoughts

The Subaru Crosstrek makes for a good case for a capable city daily driver that can also conquer challenging adventures during the weekends. That said, it’s perfect for active and outgoing car buyers who would probably use the crossover for work commutes on weekdays but are eager to enjoy the outdoors when they’re not working.

On that note, it was the ideal vehicle to use during the initial Subaru Adventure Tour Drive, which also featured other models from the local arm of the Japanese car brand, namely the Forester and Outback.

Photos from Juan Paulo Papa

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