2019 Crosstrek 2500 Mile Review

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Al

Joined
Jun 8, 2002
Messages
20,177
Location
Elizabethtown, Pa
Premium. Fog Lights, all weather mats including cargo, blind spot warning, back up warning.

Zero problems so far. HP/Power on the 2.0 L is adequate for me. Paddle shifters actually make the car quite peppy below 45 or so. Not much punch at higher speed acceleration. If you think power is inadequate for you, drive one you will probably be surprised. Mileage is OK but not fabulous. Careful driving yields 32 mph. My Forester XT with the 2.0 FA Turbo engine can get 30+ mph with careful driving.

Likes:
Looks
8.7" ground clearance like the Forester and OB.
Paddle shifters
Body fit
Handling is unbelievable-an acknowledged strength.
Visability
Steering extremely quick
CVT is excellent
Drivers Seat raises for increased visability. Really sits up high.
Blind spot detection is proactive. It calculates if a passing vehicle could enter it if you make a lane change before a vehicle enters the blind spot. Loud beeps if it gets critical.
Backup detection extremely capable. Detects anything that is even close to entering.

Mild Dislikes
Comfort on long trips. Just not the best compared to my '18 Forester
Seats are not the best.
Passengers seat does not raise
Gas mileage could be better.
Some may feel the ride is rough. I find it acceptable.

Overall I doubt if there is anything in this class that is better. I'm sure someone will correct me
cool.gif
 
I took a lot of ubers a couple weeks ago when I was in Vegas on vacation. The most impressive car I was in was a CrossTrek. I was even thinking of starting a thread about it. Just felt like a quality vehicle. On the other hand, the Elantra is not that nice.

Good luck with your Crosstrek.
 
Originally Posted by Al
Premium. Fog Lights, all weather mats including cargo, blind spot warning, back up warning.

Zero problems so far. HP/Power on the 2.0 L is adequate for me. Paddle shifters actually make the car quite peppy below 45 or so. Not much punch at higher speed acceleration. If you think power is inadequate for you, drive one you will probably be surprised. Mileage is OK but not fabulous. Careful driving yields 32 mph. My Forester XT with the 2.0 FA Turbo engine can get 30+ mph with careful driving.

Likes:
Looks
8.7" ground clearance like the Forester and OB.
Paddle shifters
Body fit
Handling is unbelievable-an acknowledged strength.
Visability
Steering extremely quick
CVT is excellent
Drivers Seat raises for increased visability. Really sits up high.
Blind spot detection is proactive. It calculates if a passing vehicle could enter it if you make a lane change before a vehicle enters the blind spot. Loud beeps if it gets critical.
Backup detection extremely capable. Detects anything that is even close to entering.

Mild Dislikes
Comfort on long trips. Just not the best compared to my '18 Forester
Seats are not the best.
Passengers seat does not raise
Gas mileage could be better.
Some may feel the ride is rough. I find it acceptable.

Overall I doubt if there is anything in this class that is better. I'm sure someone will correct me
cool.gif


My co-worker has it. I tried it few weeks ago, and was surprised.
We went for a lunch and have 9% grade hill. Going back I was driving, meaning going uphill, some 200 yards long. I was surprised it actually made it up. At one point I almost opened window and asked people to push
smile.gif

I know you like Subaru's, but seriously. It is not small vehicle, it has huge clearance, suspension that holds that, full time AWD, CVT (which might be good AMONG CVT's, but it is still, well CVT) and that tiny engine. Not such good mpg is indicator that that engine struggles with weight.
 
152 hp 2 liter? Those are 1995 Dodge Neon specs, Neons weighed a lot less and weren't AWD. Can't imagine what a pig this thing must be.
 
Originally Posted by dishdude
152 hp 2 liter? Those are 1995 Dodge Neon specs, Neons weighed a lot less and weren't AWD. Can't imagine what a pig this thing must be.


Curb weight according to google is up to 3,239lbs for the Crosstrek.
 
Originally Posted by Skippy722
Originally Posted by dishdude
152 hp 2 liter? Those are 1995 Dodge Neon specs, Neons weighed a lot less and weren't AWD. Can't imagine what a pig this thing must be.


Curb weight according to google is up to 3,239lbs for the Crosstrek.


iirc, Neon was about 2,300 lbs.
 
Originally Posted by dishdude


iirc, Neon was about 2,300 lbs.


I had to look lol, 2,581-2,900lbs. But who'd blow a head gasket first?
lol.gif


It's a joke please don't lynch me
27.gif
 
Originally Posted by Skippy722
Originally Posted by dishdude


iirc, Neon was about 2,300 lbs.


I had to look lol, 2,581-2,900lbs. But who'd blow a head gasket first?
lol.gif


It's a joke please don't lynch me
27.gif



The Subaru has twice the opportunity!
lol.gif
 
Originally Posted by edyvw

My co-worker has it. I tried it few weeks ago, and was surprised.
We went for a lunch and have 9% grade hill. Going back I was driving, meaning going uphill, some 200 yards long. I was surprised it actually made it up. At one point I almost opened window and asked people to push
smile.gif

I know you like Subaru's, but seriously. It is not small vehicle, it has huge clearance, suspension that holds that, full time AWD, CVT (which might be good AMONG CVT's, but it is still, well CVT) and that tiny engine. Not such good mpg is indicator that that engine struggles with weight.

I drive my daughter's Impreza with the 2.0l now and again and it doesn't feel too slow off the line on flat ground.
We have a pretty steep hill up to our neighborhood and THAT is where I realized its limitations...felt like I just couldn't quite get it even to 30mph, there was just no reserve there to draw upon.
Of course, the Crosstrek is going to be a little heavier than the Impreza and feel even more sluggish.
My daughter loves her little car, but she really enjoyed driving my FXT a few hundred miles to see her boyfriend last winter...

My wife was interested in the Crosstrek because she liked the orange ones and I have been pushing her hard to get AWD...she thought its performance was fine on her test drive, but the cabin was very loud compared to her Avalon (predictable) and she really just doesn't like a hatchback/SUV kind of layout. She's a sedan person...
 
Originally Posted by dishdude
152 hp 2 liter? Those are 1995 Dodge Neon specs, Neons weighed a lot less and weren't AWD. Can't imagine what a pig this thing must be.


Peppy around town due to overaggressive "throttle tip in.programming.

Floor it on the highway for interstate merging and - next to nothing.

This car is not for you - or me. But comparing to a Neon which was a junkbox ( along with the PT cruiser) is silly.

150 HP out of 2 litres (122 cu in) is all you are gonna get with 4V head sopinning under 6 grand and economy programming.

If it was a 440 BB it would be making 540 HP. Not bad for an economy tune.

Noted the car feel less powerful than even the 150 HP rating. I'll blame lame cam ramps when using HLA.

The EJ was a better engine. Solid cam. and Loved the near 4" diameter piston and only 1-1/2 inch crank throw made it a breather and a revver.
 
Originally Posted by dishdude
Originally Posted by Skippy722
Originally Posted by dishdude


iirc, Neon was about 2,300 lbs.


I had to look lol, 2,581-2,900lbs. But who'd blow a head gasket first?
lol.gif


It's a joke please don't lynch me
27.gif



The Subaru has twice the opportunity!
lol.gif




The F series engines are externally plumbed, so they don't have the head gasket issues.

Dodge Neon would be the king of head gasket blowing in this fight.
 
On our 2016 Crosstrek the heated seats switches are at the back of the center console area behind the cup holders. I dislike that. On 2015 Forester they are in the front of the center console.Better place.

A small annoyance.
 
Originally Posted by ARCOgraphite
Originally Posted by dishdude
152 hp 2 liter? Those are 1995 Dodge Neon specs, Neons weighed a lot less and weren't AWD. Can't imagine what a pig this thing must be.


Peppy around town due to overaggressive "throttle tip in.programming.

Floor it on the highway for interstate merging and - next to nothing.

...


Precisely.
 
Originally Posted by edyvw

My co-worker has it. I tried it few weeks ago, and was surprised.
We went for a lunch and have 9% grade hill. Going back I was driving, meaning going uphill, some 200 yards long. I was surprised it actually made it up. At one point I almost opened window and asked people to push
smile.gif

I know you like Subaru's, but seriously. It is not small vehicle, it has huge clearance, suspension that holds that, full time AWD, CVT (which might be good AMONG CVT's, but it is still, well CVT) and that tiny engine. Not such good mpg is indicator that that engine struggles with weight.

Yep, it would be interesting if they just put the 2.5l in the Crosstrek, I don't think mileage would get much worse if at all. That said we've never got a 32mpg tank out of the Outback, but I've never driven it for a full tank either. (my wife has a twitchy right foot) If you live in country, you could pull some pretty amazing mileage numbers out of the CVT if you wanted to. I can pretty much match the Focus with 33-34mpg on my commute which is 1000lbs lighter, 2wd, mtx, and has a much smaller cross section.
 
Have you ever been on an interstate like I-80 and one semi passes another on a slight grade? Takes a loooooong time. That is what current Subarus are like in the limited distance passing lanes on the Oregon coast and elsewhere. Taking every inch of that passing lane and have the RV's actually brake to allow the Subaru to complete the pass. I saw it time and again last week vacationing along the Oregon coast. I thought it may have been a one car anomaly or a certain Subaru owner mindset but have determined that the vehicles are dangerously under powered. No thanks. As far as the heads/head gaskets, pretty high percentage of failures after 100k miles. Pre-emptive replacement of the head gaskets may be advisable on some models if what I hear is not urban legend.
 
Originally Posted by sloinker
Have you ever been on an interstate like I-80 and one semi passes another on a slight grade? Takes a loooooong time. That is what current Subarus are like in the limited distance passing lanes on the Oregon coast and elsewhere. Taking every inch of that passing lane and have the RV's actually brake to allow the Subaru to complete the pass. I saw it time and again last week vacationing along the Oregon coast. I thought it may have been a one car anomaly or a certain Subaru owner mindset but have determined that the vehicles are dangerously under powered. No thanks. As far as the heads/head gaskets, pretty high percentage of failures after 100k miles. Pre-emptive replacement of the head gaskets may be advisable on some models if what I hear is not urban legend.

Yep, the 4 cyl NA subies aren't over powered, especially at altitude, but down here near sea level in 200-300' hills I have no complaints. 8-900lbs of trailer with 8-900lbs of people and gear and a canoe on top got up our 1-2 minute 6-7% grades at 55mph at ~3500rpm. Good enough for me anyways.
 
Originally Posted by Virtus_Probi
Originally Posted by edyvw

My co-worker has it. I tried it few weeks ago, and was surprised.
We went for a lunch and have 9% grade hill. Going back I was driving, meaning going uphill, some 200 yards long. I was surprised it actually made it up. At one point I almost opened window and asked people to push
smile.gif

I know you like Subaru's, but seriously. It is not small vehicle, it has huge clearance, suspension that holds that, full time AWD, CVT (which might be good AMONG CVT's, but it is still, well CVT) and that tiny engine. Not such good mpg is indicator that that engine struggles with weight.

I drive my daughter's Impreza with the 2.0l now and again and it doesn't feel too slow off the line on flat ground.
We have a pretty steep hill up to our neighborhood and THAT is where I realized its limitations...felt like I just couldn't quite get it even to 30mph, there was just no reserve there to draw upon.
Of course, the Crosstrek is going to be a little heavier than the Impreza and feel even more sluggish.
My daughter loves her little car, but she really enjoyed driving my FXT a few hundred miles to see her boyfriend last winter...

My wife was interested in the Crosstrek because she liked the orange ones and I have been pushing her hard to get AWD...she thought its performance was fine on her test drive, but the cabin was very loud compared to her Avalon (predictable) and she really just doesn't like a hatchback/SUV kind of layout. She's a sedan person...

So now, imagine that at 7000ft, or 10,000ft, where in naturally aspirated engines power drops 3% every 1,000ft. It is not sluggish, it is painful!
 
Having owned a 2014, but with a 5MT, I completely agree with Al's assessment of the vehicle. My added gripe and the reason I traded it in 2016 for a CVT Forester was I hated that particular 5spd MT that much. Having owned a 2012 Legacy (leased), then the 2014 Crosstrek, then the 2016 Forester, I can only recommend the Forester of the 3. It's the most Subaru for your dollar in every way to me.
 
I am surprised we haven't had any WRX or STI drivers show up here to challenge the Subaru bashing!
As an FXT owner, the overgeneralizing has raised my dander a bit, but I have been trying to resist the trolling attempt.

The Ascent is supposed to be reasonably peppy for its size, but I was disappointed to read that the published power numbers for its 2.4l DIT were not that much stronger than those for my 2.0l DIT and I think even lacking a bit in the HP department compared to the slightly different 2.0l DIT in the WRX.
The salesman who helped us with test drives for my wife a few weeks ago told me that the #1 priority for the 2.4l engine was to have it run well on 87 octane. There are so many complaints about needing premium for the Subaru turbos that the decision was made to sacrifice a little advertised power to let drivers buy the cheaper gas. I would imagine you'd still get noticeably better power with premium if Subaru can make an even slightly functional knock detection system...
 
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