2024 Subaru Crosstrek Performance

You won't find neck-snapping acceleration inside the Subaru Crosstrek's box of tricks. This has simply never been what the Crosstrek is about, and that hasn't changed for the latest generation.

Although we found the base model's 2.0-liter engine with 152 hp pleasant enough to drive, it does require a heavy right foot to make any meaningful progress and can be frustrating up hills or when overtaking. The outgoing model needed a tardy nine seconds or so to get from 0-60 mph, and the new one won't be any quicker. With the larger 2.5-liter engine, you get 182 hp and 178 lb-ft, and we estimate a much more respectable 0-60 time for this Subaru Crosstrek of just under eight seconds. Both models will be left for dead by the 250-hp Mazda CX-30 turbo, though. That said, the new Honda HR-V is pretty slow, too, but the subcompact crossover segment is traditionally one where automakers can get away with below-average performance, so it's not a dealbreaker for the AWD Subaru.

Don't expect to tow any more than 1,500 lbs in the Crosstrek.

Subaru hasn't confirmed if the Crosstrek Hybrid will return in the USA, but the outgoing version made 148 hp combined from its gas engine and electric motor, so like its gas-only siblings, it is not known for its rapid performance.

Two naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engines are available, and this year, the CVT is the only transmission choice as the previous manual has been culled. The base 2.0-liter Boxer engine in the Subaru Crosstrek makes 152 hp and 145 lb-ft of torque, whereas the larger 2.5-liter Boxer produces 182 hp and 178 lb-ft. The outgoing Crosstrek plug-in hybrid could possibly return for the new generation, but this model only produced 148 hp combined, so it was even less powerful than the base gas-only variant.

All trims besides the base model have a manual mode for the CVT with paddle shifters on the steering wheel, but we preferred leaving the transmission in fully automatic mode most of the time, as its refinement has been improved.

At the time of writing, EPA gas mileage figures had not been published for the 2024 Subaru Crosstrek. We expect it to closely match the 28/33/30 mpg city/highway/combined of the outgoing model's 2.0-liter, and the 27/34/29 mpg of the 2.5-liter.

The 16.6-gallon gas tank should result in a maximum range of just under 500 miles for the model with the smaller engine.

If the Crosstrek PHEV makes a comeback, we expect it to once again be the most efficient model in the range. The 2023 Crosstrek Hybrid returned an EPA-estimated 35 mpg and 90 MPGe combined, and had an all-electric range of 17 miles from its 8.8-kWh lithium-ion battery. Charging this battery fully required around five hours at 120V or two hours at 240V.