SHOULD I BUY?

Frequently asked questions, easy-tounderstand answers. Tested by: Jacqui Loates-Haver, Reset magazine editor

2023-09-30 -

What is it?

The Subaru Crosstrek is a small SUV with a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder boxer engine with continuously variable transmission (the company calls it Lineartronic) including 8-speed mode, and all-wheel drive. This one’s the top Premium specification.

Why are we driving it?

With a trip from Auckland to sunny Hawke’s Bay booked, we wanted to see what the Crosstrek Premium was really made of on the highways and winding byways of the North Island.

First impressions, visually and inside?

Initially I thought the exterior was too boxy and I was unsure about the black plastic on the roof rails, bodywork and around the wheel arches; it’s all quite masculine. But, I confess, it grew on me and the honeycomb grill, sunroof and 18in alloys are on the money. When we pulled-up in Taupo¯ , the car looked really smart against the parking-lot competition.

The Premium interior is sharp — lots of leather and soft-touch surfaces and overall it’s more design-forward (hello there, sports pedals) than the exterior would suggest. The steering wheel has a generous deck of control buttons on it and along with the large touchscreen, everything feels intuitive and easy to navigate.

The seats are leather, heated, very comfortable and fully adjustable, with lumbar support for the driver. Back seat passengers get a good amount of leg room, although the very tall among us might find the head room a little tight. There are rear passenger USB ports, which will keep the kids happy.

Storage space is thoughtfully done with a centre-console box, door pockets and luggage hooks, although at 291 litres the boot is marginally smaller than you’d expect from a car which is designed to appeal to the outdoor set.

Who do you think this would typically buy this car?

The weekend adventurer who doesn’t need or want to commit to a full-sized SUV. It’s a good gobetween for city driving and taking to the hills.

What do you like about it?

Before we get to the good stuff, there’s one thing that really irks me and it’s overly-teched cars. It’s just confusing and I’ve taken against many vehicles because of this. The Crosstrek, happily, is just right — you have all the bells and whistles operated from the 11.6 inch touchscreen, including satnav, CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, wireless phone charging, a 360-degree exterior camera and some hot safety features, including the brand’s EyeSight driver-assistance system.

Best of all, this car is friendly, it sends little notes via the dashboard as part of its driver monitoring system. “Stop for coffee!” Why, yes, that’d be lovely. “The vehicle in front has moved,” and my favourite: “Keep eyes on the road” (this one shamed me, obviously), but, yes ma’am!

The 10-speaker Harman Kardon sound system (again, you need the Premium model for this) is epic and perfect for a roadie, it’s nice and bassy and Troy Kingi and The Promises never sounded better.

What could they have done better, in your opinion?

If we’re being fussy, the 2.0 litre engine does feel a smidge underpowered on hills, and when pushed the engine does get a little screamy, thanks to the continuously variable transmission. My husband unkindly said it sounded like a sewing machine, but he might have been hangry. There’s a hybrid engine option (an extra $3k) available with more torque, so perhaps that would help.

Subaru says it’s added more soundproofing than on previous iterations, but the road and wind noise was still louder than I was expecting.

Is it practical for what you would use it for?

This car is a solid all-rounder — good for around-town use, family friendly and easy to drive. The 220mm ground clearance and AWD makes it more than capable on challenging roads and light offroad conditions.

Subaru has a reputation for good handling, what do you think?

Yes, you feel confident sitting in the driving seat — this car sits solidly on the road and it handles brilliantly. We negotiated some twisty and difficult kilometres of road on this trip, including some collapsed sections through the cyclone-devastated Esk Valley in Hawke’s Bay, many sets of roadworks and some stretches of mud and gravel, which the Crosstrek tackled admirably.

Is it economical?

The Crosstrek has auto stop/start which helps with fuel efficiency. We did the 870km round trip from Auckland to Hawke’s Bay and back on one-and-a-half-tanks of petrol, so for a non-electrified car, the efficiency is okay, although probably not best-in-class.

What other cars should I think about?

The full-time AWD is really the Crosstrek’s USP among compact SUVs, given most are focused on urban driving and FWD. So . . . compact crossovers that have AWD, under $50k? Maybe the Hyundai Kona N Line, Mazda CX30 GTX, Suzuki Vitara or (although it’s just over $50k in AWD form) Toyota Corolla Cross.

Your rating out of five?

4 out of 5. I liked this car, it’s very comfortable and easy to drive and you have faith that it can conquer most terrains easily. Equally, it’s a pleasure to drive around town and even to sit in the inevitable Auckland commuter traffic too.