I think you were just trying to justify to yourself to buy a new car, which I would assume is an Audi since your made repeated comparisons to them. The subaru is not an Audi. You mentioned the sunscreen on the plastic. That is not the cars fault. Thats yours for keeping brushing your leg against it. As for the scuffs, I'm sure if the same thing happened in an Audi you would have overlooked it. Those things are called normal wear for what your were doing. No matter what car you review, you will always find something wrong with it. I'm sure if I drove an Audi, I would find the littlest thing to point out. For acceleration, I have found from my experience CVTs do not like to be floored. They like the gas pedal about 3/4 of the way to the floor. I love my crosstrek and would buy another one in a heartbeat.
k p so ur getting the cross trek I’m in the market now for a car. I commute over 175 mile each way. So I was thinking of a Corrola or a Prius. But I live upstate in NY. So I was looking into a AWD car. I was wondering about the mpg. Would you recommend
Felix Laboy what did you decide to get ? I’m just curious. I’ve driven newer model Prius for work and older ones too. The newer ones will surprise you. They drive and pick up a lot better than people probably know. The older ones have uncomfortable seats and the interior seams cheap. They’re all excellent on gas obviously.
Complaining about cosmetic damage that you caused is silly. Sunscreen stains any plastic. Happened to my 2014 Porsche Boxster and in my long list of complaints, it wasn't one of them. The only valid reason I heard why you were not happy with the car is acceleration. Being someone who has driven fast cars, my "I want power itch has been scratched." You don't need the power for normal driving and the fun of it gets old quickly, especially with an automatic transmission. The crosstrek isn't a sports car so complaining about how fast it is counterintuitive.
Yeah, I was really waiting for engine or internal parts problems. For example, the Lexus suv I have is great. I recommend it to anyone. The only problems I had to replace was temperature probe, coolant leak, and catalytic converter code prompting. Those prices to repair are fairly cheap. I would like to know more issues with internal and engine for the cross trek.
I have a 2016 XV (as they are known here in Australia). Subaru have addressed the stereo issues and mine is great. Getting acceleration out of it it's best to drop it into manual mode and work the paddle shifters which is more fun than I thought it'd be coming from a manual background. Great car for my purposes and if I want an adrenaline rush I hop on my bike...
Fun fact: Sunscreen will destroy the paintwork on your car as well. It doesn't matter whether it's a Subaru or a Rolls Royce. Two of the main ingredients in sunscreen will eat through the clear coat.
Sun screen contains chemicals that's corrosive to plastic . Also the music systems are usually not that good so you can always upgrade the system. Acceleration it's not a sports car. It's made for regular driving getting from point A TO B
Thanks so much for sharing this. I'm going to be buying one of these myself, and the concerns you voiced have helped to corroborate other accounts from reviewers. I agree with your criticism of the design but I feel it's probably the best compromise between AWD, fuel efficiency, reliability and practicality. In fact, in spite if its faults, I believe this car is probably the best choice when those four factors are considered. If ONLY the stereo was better or at least had CARPLAY. Thanks again.
I agree. They got almost everything right and while it is underpowered the gas mileage is a nice tradeoff. I think adding a turbo to the Crosstrek would do wonders. Upgrading speakers isn't too hard or expensive.
Having owned *only* German automobiles for upwards of 20 years, my quality standards are high, yet realistic. It was evident when I test drove the 2018 Crosstrek that the quality of plastic bits and pieces (both inside and out) were not up to par with most European makes, but I put it in perspective based on price and functionality. If I wanted Mecedes refinement, I would have purchased one - I was shopping for economy with an outdoorsy appeal. The freshly redesigned 2018 Crosstrek captivated me with its compliant driving characteristics, top tier AWD, relatively quiet cabin, smooth power delivery from the CVT, absolutely fabulous driving visibility, above average infotainment system at a budget price, and superb fuel economy from an AWD vehicle. To be certain, it's impossible to find a more robust or capable subcompact adventure car in this price range.
Thanks for the video. Just purchased a 17 Crosstrek for my daughter. We were able to get a new 17 Premium with the Eyesight upgrade now that the 18's have hit for less than the base 18 with no upgrades. Came across your video while researching it. The cons you listed were outweighed by the pluses for our needs. The CVT is definitely unrefined, but compared to the one in our 16 Honda HR-V it is a dream. In fact, I'm currently kicking myself for not choosing the Crosstrek when we purchased 18 months ago. The HR-V had a little more versatility with the Smart Seats and the extra cargo space, but man is it a turd to drive. I do think people need to realize that this (as well as the HR-V, CX-3, Trax, etc) are entry level vehicles and you will have to sacrifice things like audio quality and some upscale interior trim in this segment.
I won't give you an up vote or down vote. I will say that I think much of your criticism of the car fairly weak. The damage to the interior surfaces was because of your own actions, and there is no other car that would have suffered any less damage. On the acceleration, i'll say this: if you have owned a Crosstrek for more than a couple months, you should know that the power band is between 3,000 and 5000 rpm. If you keep your rpm in that range, you will have the power you need. It is not a sports car ... don't expect it to be. We have a 2016 with almost 30k miles and LOVE it. I 'might' consider upgrading to the new model for the new chassis and x-mode .. but not because there were any serious flaws in the previous model. I would have to say that most of your video ought to encourage new owners rather than dissuade them.
Btw.. We are getting OVER 31mpg ... with 8.7" of ground clearance and one of the best AWD systems out there... 8) and while I could agree with you on the sound system, you might reconsider your final evaluation!
My 2012 model , at 65,000miles: all 4 wheel bearings, 70,000 miles, main drive shaft bearing so whole shaft replaced £2500, 72,000mls, both front wishbones/struts, 75,000 both rear struts. Entire under body rotten due to dirt trapped by the aero plastic trays. inc every brake pipe clamp . large areas of rotten steel due to poor rustproofing from the factory.
I bought the 16 Crosstrek despite all the criticism on the power. I absolutely love it. I drove my daughter's WRX and it is really cool. I wasn't disappointed at all when I went back to my Crosstrek. It is absolutely purpose built. To each his own I guess.
Great video ! I test drove one drove nice just no power and they gets old . Getting another accord . The AWD is nice but I live in city and never find myself in dirt
But you stated important positive aspects most crosstrek buyers want, reliability, simplicity, cost and resale. Audi has none of those features. You’ll experience the true cost of German car ownership.
Your complaint about the power being inconsistent is because of the transmission. It's an old CVT design which isn't very good. The manual is much more consistent with power delivery. I came across your video because I'm looking at one for my wife.
I have a 2016 Crosstrek with CVT. If you are stopped and punch the gas, it bogs down and takes forever to get moving quickly. If you are at a stop, and push down the gas with steady pressure and keep pressing down it seems to pick-up much better then stomping on the pedal. In the summer, had two kids in the back, bunch of crap in the back, and I mashed on the pedal to get out in traffic, and it was so slow moving I thought it was going to stall.
Just traded in a 2011 Outback with 145000 miles, for a 2015 CrossTrek with 33000 miles, got the full warranty too. Yes its smaller than the Outback, but hey listen filling up gas once a week instead of twice a week is great. With the snow where I live, I need the ground clearance. Very practical, very safe, great in bad weather. CVT is smooth and motor gets the job done. Going from an Audi to a CrossTrek is a very different segment for comparison. Everyone's criteria is unique. CrossTrek hits on most practical points. Thank you for posting this video.
Just bought a 2016 Crosstrek in September and I already hate mine. Would agree with you about the poor acceleration as the CVT not worth the improved MPG. I have also had trouble braking, as instead of cruising to a stop the CVT seems to "downshift", causing engine braking so I stop shorter than intended. My main issue is with the extremely stiff ride: I've never owned an SUV before, but I didn't expect EVERY road imperfection to be transferred directly to my head. My 25-minute drive home from work leaves me with a headache many nights -- not because of traffic but because of ruts and manhole covers that I never noticed in my Mazda Protege. I wish I had gotten the Impreza hatchback instead, as it has identical cargo capacity and a smoother ride, and would have waited until the 2017's with Android Auto and the Universal Platform. But with a Denver tax and registration fee of ~9% on every car sale, I cannot justify buying another car too quickly.
I believe most of the reported poor acceleration issues are around getting used to a CVT. Subaru for whatever reason seems to start from scratch with each new model and gets better each year - mine is a 2015 and I seem to be the only driver that can get it going at a reasonable clip. The sound system has gotten better in 2015 as well though I do think it's on the lower end for cars at this price point.
Great review. Good to hear people talk about some of the issues with these cars. They are not perfect by any means. I would still buy one again though. Man is that CVT junk though...
It’s surprising they build a car 20 years ago with a 2.0turbo boxer that’s seems better than this , surely it would be easy to just use the platform of the old Impreza .
I wouldn't either until: 1: more power; 2: a real "Limited"; 3: CVT has no "Lo". Subaru markets this as their off-road vehicle, but don't appear to listen to their customers. Good video.
Forester is of course bigger, and has more power, the smallest engine is the 2.5 which I believe has 175 hp. Subaru also has an optional 2.0 turbo charged for the Forester, the XT model, that has 250 hp. That would be perfect for me in the Crosstrek if they offered it. I drove a 2016 Forester, has a lot more power feeling then the Crosstrek but I like the look better of the Crosstrek. I think the Forester is ugly looking. I am waiting for the 2018 Crosstrek, going to have a little more power then the current one, unless Subaru surprises everyone and gives you the 2.5 option but I doubt it.
Thank you for this video. I do own a 2014 cross track with 31,000 miles on it. I too have had no issues, however acceleration is pathetic. I am looking at trading it in for a 2017 outback. Out of curiosity have you had to replace your tires yet?
No new tires after 30K miles and they seemed to be holding up pretty well at that point. Premature tire wear is fairly common on all wheel drive vehicles.
Subaru's aren't meant to have crazy acceleration on it in general regardless of the model. They're meant to be good cars that'll last you a long time without breaking down and go cross country on dirt roads, hauling your loads and keep you safe. But i'm coming from a nissan rouge that had absolutely dreadful acceleration i had to go lead foot just to get it to go at a stoplight. So I wasn't looking for something that would take me somewhere quickly, I wanted something smart and practical that would get me there in one piece. I have a 2017 and I'm in love with my crosstrek and the technical aspects of a newer model is huge a bonus
Did you try Mother's back to black to remove the sunscreen stains? Another one to try is Mr. Clean magic eraser with a little bit of Simple green cleaner. I know sunscreen is actually difficult to remove on anything if it isn't on the body.
Hi Mike! I really appreciate your video because of all the useful information. I’m looking at getting a Subaru Crosstrek since my last car got totaled. I know this is a long shot but have you sold this car yet? I’d love to know, thank you!
Hi - I chose an Audi Q5 as my replacement and love it! I'll try to post a video before too long. Unfortunately Audi's are quite a bit more expensive and don't have the same reputation for reliability but I've had several and think that the extra refinement is worth an added cost. The Allroad is a bit cheaper too if you're not ready to make the jump in price to a Q5. If I were going to get something closer in price to the Crosstrek I'd take a serious look at the Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk and the Mazda CX-5. I've driven a new Ford Escape at work and it is a far superior car to the Crosstrek for the price if you like the styling - I don't personally love it so it wasn't an option for me. It may also be worth looking at the Chevy Equinox. I haven't driven one but we own a 2011 Chevy Volt and we are thoroughly impressed with the quality, refinement, handling, etc.
I did drive the CX5 for a week recently. It was much more pleasant to drive. This is technically a in between car for me, so I'm mostly looking for most bang for the buck. So I think it's gonna be between the CX5 (or CX3) vs the Crosstrek. Thanks
The only problem with a mazda is that when it's time to trade you'll find yourself wondering why it lost 60% of it's value in 3 years. Like Mike said, one of the big pluses with subaru is that they hold their value better than most companies that pump out hundreds of thousands of cars out of the factory per month where as subie makes less than 500k a year.
They have great resale value for sure. We bought this brand new back in 2014 and found a good deal by working price matches from a number of dealers in the area. I would recommend giving Autotrader a try and use their "great price" feature to isolate especially good deals.
Mike there is a product called Solution Finish that I recommend to restore the black trim. I have used it and it really works well. If you look on RUclips you will be able to find more info. To clean the black trim during a regular wash I use a mesh plastic sponge.
I do have a question. Why don't you learn to drive a manual transmission? More control over the acceleration which also translates into more speed. Plus they are much more fun to drive. I pity the fools that can't drive a manual transmission. As far as the sound system goes. If you did your homework you would have known never get the stock stereo system! You should have also known your not getting a Honda Accord. You got a Subaru and Subaru furbishing which is always not it's strong point
Mike C you want more speed when you want it then you might have to sacrifice a mpg or two if you don't drive a manual that great. An experienced manual transmission driver will do as well as cvt. I don't know what you get with a limited model but, whatever it is I would not give up a manual especially in a vehicle like that!!!
Mike C I like your reviews and iam no expert this is not a vehicle I would buy.But it seems like too many people expect to much from vehicles at certain price points.I won't praise or knock the cvt.Everybody won't like everything and like someone said no matter what the vehicle there will always be good/bad and ugly said about it.
I fully agree. I think there are going to be pros and cons to every vehicle and I wanted to share some of those on for the Crosstrek. There are issues with the acceleration, speakers, and durability of materials but it does get great gas mileage and has strong resale value. I wouldn't deter most people from a Crosstrek.
well agree with the final conclusion i wont buy subaru ever again. got the subaru XV 2015 2.0i the worse car i ever had and this is why: poor plastic quality lot of noise in the car from it poor audio, actually i never before replaced audio in my cars but this one is just really poor the paint of the car thin and on every little rock that hits the car leave a dent and rust in the cars metal. if you park on unlevel ground the back door wont alight straight so it wont open and close smooth and this is because of the poor metal quality. some times stones comes between the brake disk and brake protector and make lots of noise till it comes out. i converted this car to run on LPG and its now have 43000 KM with no problems at all. its the first and the last subaru i get. paid 42000$ for this car it just not worth it..
I'm glad you mentioned the issue with stones stuck in the brake pads. I've had that issue several times as well and have never experience that with another car. The first time it happened I almost got the car towed because the sound was like metal scraping metal and I couldn't figure out what was going on. Eventually I got a hold of a maintenance tech at Subaru and they explained the solution was to drive and brake really hard while turning the steering wheel. It worked but still odd to me that this is even possible and so common.
yes and they call it an crossover . an crossover with problems with little stones :) i had an seat ibiza before my subaru and it was much better ... any way poorly made car hope people will read and make something from it ...
If I was gona buy one of these I would get the manual transmission because the cvt in this car sucks and that's why you don't like the power. The outback has the same junk cvt. I won't even consider buying any car with a cvt because they are junk.
Good luck with the Audi make sure u lease and get out off it in 3 years there made by Volkswagen. Everyone I known that has had them. Had long term problems.
By calling it a lemon you are admitting that its issues were fluke and not consistent with average quality. Then you judge the entire brand based on issues that you admit were a fluke and don't represent the rest of the brand. You are so willfully dumb its almost impressive.
OMG, you said negative things about Subaru LOL. These Subaru CULT members are pathetic, its like my Religion is better then your Religion.... I wonder if Subaru pays these people to post about their mediocre product. I had a 2014 Cross-wreck that started falling apart at 50K , wheel bearing hubs, FL axle shaft, AC compressor and condenser, burnt a Qt of oil every 5K miles (oil change) made more noise then a broken chain saw... Oh the quirky proprietary CVT was annoying. The Boxer engine and AWD design makes the front of the car longer makes the ground clearance useless when trying to go over a snow mound. Yes the plastic and seats are garbage. The dealer network is small and finding good service for these boxer/cvt cars is specialist only. The Subaru fanatics sure have a lot of forgiveness in them to accept these imperfections as minor and keep pushing people to buy this product. Live and learn, the Newer Subaru is no better then any other on the market.
Doesn't seem to me like there was really any serious problem with the car, you obviously just wanted an Audi.
LOL
I think you were just trying to justify to yourself to buy a new car, which I would assume is an Audi since your made repeated comparisons to them. The subaru is not an Audi. You mentioned the sunscreen on the plastic. That is not the cars fault. Thats yours for keeping brushing your leg against it. As for the scuffs, I'm sure if the same thing happened in an Audi you would have overlooked it. Those things are called normal wear for what your were doing. No matter what car you review, you will always find something wrong with it. I'm sure if I drove an Audi, I would find the littlest thing to point out. For acceleration, I have found from my experience CVTs do not like to be floored. They like the gas pedal about 3/4 of the way to the floor. I love my crosstrek and would buy another one in a heartbeat.
ski's have metal edges lol of course its going to cut a bit of plastic
honest review like a boss! i lioved it :) i am planning to buy one in few weeks and your review helped in takind decision man!
k p so ur getting the cross trek I’m in the market now for a car. I commute over 175 mile each way. So I was thinking of a Corrola or a Prius. But I live upstate in NY. So I was looking into a AWD car. I was wondering about the mpg. Would you recommend
I've heard some people have problems with the suspension wearing out quickly. Have you had that issue?
Felix Laboy what did you decide to get ? I’m just curious. I’ve driven newer model Prius for work and older ones too. The newer ones will surprise you. They drive and pick up a lot better than people probably know. The older ones have uncomfortable seats and the interior seams cheap. They’re all excellent on gas obviously.
Complaining about cosmetic damage that you caused is silly. Sunscreen stains any plastic. Happened to my 2014 Porsche Boxster and in my long list of complaints, it wasn't one of them.
The only valid reason I heard why you were not happy with the car is acceleration. Being someone who has driven fast cars, my "I want power itch has been scratched." You don't need the power for normal driving and the fun of it gets old quickly, especially with an automatic transmission. The crosstrek isn't a sports car so complaining about how fast it is counterintuitive.
Yeah this guy is just making excuses for getting a new car.
He should of bought the manual and not the CVT
Yeah, I was really waiting for engine or internal parts problems. For example, the Lexus suv I have is great. I recommend it to anyone. The only problems I had to replace was temperature probe, coolant leak, and catalytic converter code prompting. Those prices to repair are fairly cheap.
I would like to know more issues with internal and engine for the cross trek.
LOL. Speakers and sunscreen stains... This was not a review, this was, "Anyone wanna buy this great car? Cause I want an Audi"
Completely understand; I have a love-hate opinion of my XV and go back and forth on keeping it vs. selling it.
I have a 2016 XV (as they are known here in Australia). Subaru have addressed the stereo issues and mine is great. Getting acceleration out of it it's best to drop it into manual mode and work the paddle shifters which is more fun than I thought it'd be coming from a manual background. Great car for my purposes and if I want an adrenaline rush I hop on my bike...
wait until you buy your Audi..as long it is under warrenty your ok..after that you are in trouble!
Fun fact: Sunscreen will destroy the paintwork on your car as well. It doesn't matter whether it's a Subaru or a Rolls Royce. Two of the main ingredients in sunscreen will eat through the clear coat.
Sun screen contains chemicals that's corrosive to plastic . Also the music systems are usually not that good so you can always upgrade the system. Acceleration it's not a sports car. It's made for regular driving getting from point A TO B
Thanks so much for sharing this. I'm going to be buying one of these myself, and the concerns you voiced have helped to corroborate other accounts from reviewers. I agree with your criticism of the design but I feel it's probably the best compromise between AWD, fuel efficiency, reliability and practicality. In fact, in spite if its faults, I believe this car is probably the best choice when those four factors are considered. If ONLY the stereo was better or at least had CARPLAY. Thanks again.
I agree. They got almost everything right and while it is underpowered the gas mileage is a nice tradeoff. I think adding a turbo to the Crosstrek would do wonders. Upgrading speakers isn't too hard or expensive.
Mike C did you also add the subwoofer and if you did, how difference did it make?
I didn't go with the subwoofer due to cost. There's pretty limited cargo space to have it taking up room in the back too.
This is unfair, every thing is ok but the acceleration, so what
Having owned *only* German automobiles for upwards of 20 years, my quality standards are high, yet realistic. It was evident when I test drove the 2018 Crosstrek that the quality of plastic bits and pieces (both inside and out) were not up to par with most European makes, but I put it in perspective based on price and functionality. If I wanted Mecedes refinement, I would have purchased one - I was shopping for economy with an outdoorsy appeal. The freshly redesigned 2018 Crosstrek captivated me with its compliant driving characteristics, top tier AWD, relatively quiet cabin, smooth power delivery from the CVT, absolutely fabulous driving visibility, above average infotainment system at a budget price, and superb fuel economy from an AWD vehicle. To be certain, it's impossible to find a more robust or capable subcompact adventure car in this price range.
Thanks for the video. Just purchased a 17 Crosstrek for my daughter. We were able to get a new 17 Premium with the Eyesight upgrade now that the 18's have hit for less than the base 18 with no upgrades. Came across your video while researching it. The cons you listed were outweighed by the pluses for our needs. The CVT is definitely unrefined, but compared to the one in our 16 Honda HR-V it is a dream. In fact, I'm currently kicking myself for not choosing the Crosstrek when we purchased 18 months ago. The HR-V had a little more versatility with the Smart Seats and the extra cargo space, but man is it a turd to drive. I do think people need to realize that this (as well as the HR-V, CX-3, Trax, etc) are entry level vehicles and you will have to sacrifice things like audio quality and some upscale interior trim in this segment.
I won't give you an up vote or down vote. I will say that I think much of your criticism of the car fairly weak. The damage to the interior surfaces was because of your own actions, and there is no other car that would have suffered any less damage. On the acceleration, i'll say this: if you have owned a Crosstrek for more than a couple months, you should know that the power band is between 3,000 and 5000 rpm. If you keep your rpm in that range, you will have the power you need. It is not a sports car ... don't expect it to be. We have a 2016 with almost 30k miles and LOVE it. I 'might' consider upgrading to the new model for the new chassis and x-mode .. but not because there were any serious flaws in the previous model. I would have to say that most of your video ought to encourage new owners rather than dissuade them.
Btw.. We are getting OVER 31mpg ... with 8.7" of ground clearance and one of the best AWD systems out there... 8) and while I could agree with you on the sound system, you might reconsider your final evaluation!
My 2012 model , at 65,000miles: all 4 wheel bearings, 70,000 miles, main drive shaft bearing so whole shaft replaced £2500, 72,000mls, both front wishbones/struts, 75,000 both rear struts. Entire under body rotten due to dirt trapped by the aero plastic trays. inc every brake pipe clamp . large areas of rotten steel due to poor rustproofing from the factory.
I bought the 16 Crosstrek despite all the criticism on the power. I absolutely love it. I drove my daughter's WRX and it is really cool. I wasn't disappointed at all when I went back to my Crosstrek. It is absolutely purpose built. To each his own I guess.
Jimmy Kentz
Hi, I wonder if you still enjoy driving your Crosstek?
My 2018 crosstrek has been an absolute nightmare to own. Currently undergoing a complete engine teardown to determine the problem. 86k miles.
Great video ! I test drove one drove nice just no power and they gets old . Getting another accord . The AWD is nice but I live in city and never find myself in dirt
Nothings wrong with this car!
The Hybrid accelerates just fine! If you want a sports car then buy one.
Lame video👎🏻
But you stated important positive aspects most crosstrek buyers want, reliability, simplicity, cost and resale. Audi has none of those features. You’ll experience the true cost of German car ownership.
Your complaint about the power being inconsistent is because of the transmission. It's an old CVT design which isn't very good. The manual is much more consistent with power delivery. I came across your video because I'm looking at one for my wife.
I have a 2016 Crosstrek with CVT. If you are stopped and punch the gas, it bogs down and takes forever to get moving quickly. If you are at a stop, and push down the gas with steady pressure and keep pressing down it seems to pick-up much better then stomping on the pedal. In the summer, had two kids in the back, bunch of crap in the back, and I mashed on the pedal to get out in traffic, and it was so slow moving I thought it was going to stall.
Good to know. Thanks.
Why do you have to drive this car differently then any other. CVT 's are a PZEV Junk
Just traded in a 2011 Outback with 145000 miles, for a 2015 CrossTrek with 33000 miles, got the full warranty too. Yes its smaller than the Outback, but hey listen filling up gas once a week instead of twice a week is great. With the snow where I live, I need the ground clearance. Very practical, very safe, great in bad weather. CVT is smooth and motor gets the job done. Going from an Audi to a CrossTrek is a very different segment for comparison. Everyone's criteria is unique. CrossTrek hits on most practical points. Thank you for posting this video.
Just bought a 2016 Crosstrek in September and I already hate mine.
Would agree with you about the poor acceleration as the CVT not worth the improved MPG. I have also had trouble braking, as instead of cruising to a stop the CVT seems to "downshift", causing engine braking so I stop shorter than intended.
My main issue is with the extremely stiff ride: I've never owned an SUV before, but I didn't expect EVERY road imperfection to be transferred directly to my head. My 25-minute drive home from work leaves me with a headache many nights -- not because of traffic but because of ruts and manhole covers that I never noticed in my Mazda Protege.
I wish I had gotten the Impreza hatchback instead, as it has identical cargo capacity and a smoother ride, and would have waited until the 2017's with Android Auto and the Universal Platform. But with a Denver tax and registration fee of ~9% on every car sale, I cannot justify buying another car too quickly.
I believe most of the reported poor acceleration issues are around getting used to a CVT. Subaru for whatever reason seems to start from scratch with each new model and gets better each year - mine is a 2015 and I seem to be the only driver that can get it going at a reasonable clip. The sound system has gotten better in 2015 as well though I do think it's on the lower end for cars at this price point.
Great review. Good to hear people talk about some of the issues with these cars. They are not perfect by any means. I would still buy one again though. Man is that CVT junk though...
Also, Mothers Back To Black will clean, restore, and protect plastic. A big blob of it plus some rubbing will take out those stains.
It’s surprising they build a car 20 years ago with a 2.0turbo boxer that’s seems better than this , surely it would be easy to just use the platform of the old Impreza .
sunscreen stains everything dude.
I just got one and i like it so far. I agree with the sound being crap but i just have to suck it up.
I wouldn't either until: 1: more power; 2: a real "Limited"; 3: CVT has no "Lo". Subaru markets this as their off-road vehicle, but don't appear to listen to their customers. Good video.
Transmission?
Thanks for doing this review. Been trying to decide between the Forester and Crosstrek.
Forester is of course bigger, and has more power, the smallest engine is the 2.5 which I believe has 175 hp. Subaru also has an optional 2.0 turbo charged for the Forester, the XT model, that has 250 hp. That would be perfect for me in the Crosstrek if they offered it. I drove a 2016 Forester, has a lot more power feeling then the Crosstrek but I like the look better of the Crosstrek. I think the Forester is ugly looking. I am waiting for the 2018 Crosstrek, going to have a little more power then the current one, unless Subaru surprises everyone and gives you the 2.5 option but I doubt it.
Not one mention of oil consumption? If Mike is still checking this, do you have any comments on oil consumption?
Mine had relatively low mileage when I sold it but no oil consumption issues during the time I had it.
Thank you for this video. I do own a 2014 cross track with 31,000 miles on it. I too have had no issues, however acceleration is pathetic. I am looking at trading it in for a 2017 outback. Out of curiosity have you had to replace your tires yet?
No new tires after 30K miles and they seemed to be holding up pretty well at that point. Premature tire wear is fairly common on all wheel drive vehicles.
Subaru's aren't meant to have crazy acceleration on it in general regardless of the model. They're meant to be good cars that'll last you a long time without breaking down and go cross country on dirt roads, hauling your loads and keep you safe. But i'm coming from a nissan rouge that had absolutely dreadful acceleration i had to go lead foot just to get it to go at a stoplight. So I wasn't looking for something that would take me somewhere quickly, I wanted something smart and practical that would get me there in one piece. I have a 2017 and I'm in love with my crosstrek and the technical aspects of a newer model is huge a bonus
Is that a baker city cycling classic water bottle?
Did you try Mother's back to black to remove the sunscreen stains? Another one to try is Mr. Clean magic eraser with a little bit of Simple green cleaner. I know sunscreen is actually difficult to remove on anything if it isn't on the body.
I did try Mother's back to black. I sold the car already so won't be able to try magic eraser with simple green but good to know for the future.
Mike C why did you sell?
Have you tried NO AD sunscreen?
Check ignition coil, pcv valve.
Hi Mike!
I really appreciate your video because of all the useful information. I’m looking at getting a Subaru Crosstrek since my last car got totaled. I know this is a long shot but have you sold this car yet?
I’d love to know, thank you!
Hi Jessica, We actually sold the Suby a few years ago. Good luck with your search and purchase!
Hi Mike,
I'm in the market for a Crosstrek. What's the car (or cars) you are looking at to replace the Crosstrek?
Hi - I chose an Audi Q5 as my replacement and love it! I'll try to post a video before too long. Unfortunately Audi's are quite a bit more expensive and don't have the same reputation for reliability but I've had several and think that the extra refinement is worth an added cost. The Allroad is a bit cheaper too if you're not ready to make the jump in price to a Q5.
If I were going to get something closer in price to the Crosstrek I'd take a serious look at the Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk and the Mazda CX-5. I've driven a new Ford Escape at work and it is a far superior car to the Crosstrek for the price if you like the styling - I don't personally love it so it wasn't an option for me. It may also be worth looking at the Chevy Equinox. I haven't driven one but we own a 2011 Chevy Volt and we are thoroughly impressed with the quality, refinement, handling, etc.
I did drive the CX5 for a week recently. It was much more pleasant to drive. This is technically a in between car for me, so I'm mostly looking for most bang for the buck. So I think it's gonna be between the CX5 (or CX3) vs the Crosstrek.
Thanks
Consumer Reports just named Audi, of all brands, as one of the top 10 most reliable brands. Who knew?
I like hearing that!
The only problem with a mazda is that when it's time to trade you'll find yourself wondering why it lost 60% of it's value in 3 years. Like Mike said, one of the big pluses with subaru is that they hold their value better than most companies that pump out hundreds of thousands of cars out of the factory per month where as subie makes less than 500k a year.
How did you get a good deal on it? I'm trying to find a good deal on one of these and I cant
They have great resale value for sure. We bought this brand new back in 2014 and found a good deal by working price matches from a number of dealers in the area. I would recommend giving Autotrader a try and use their "great price" feature to isolate especially good deals.
It’s nice but it’s just to small my wife gets mad when they can’t fit the groceries
Seats are crap Zero lumbar-paint is super thin 2.Rest of it? Rocks. we Love our 14.
Really? Lumbar is very important to me.
Mike there is a product called Solution Finish that I recommend to restore the black trim. I have used it and it really works well. If you look on RUclips you will be able to find more info. To clean the black trim during a regular wash I use a mesh plastic sponge.
I do have a question. Why don't you learn to drive a manual transmission? More control over the acceleration which also translates into more speed. Plus they are much more fun to drive. I pity the fools that can't drive a manual transmission. As far as the sound system goes. If you did your homework you would have known never get the stock stereo system! You should have also known your not getting a Honda Accord. You got a Subaru and Subaru furbishing which is always not it's strong point
I don't believe the manual is available with the limited package. Gas mileage is also lower with a manual.
Mike C you want more speed when you want it then you might have to sacrifice a mpg or two if you don't drive a manual that great. An experienced manual transmission driver will do as well as cvt.
I don't know what you get with a limited model but, whatever it is I would not give up a manual especially in a vehicle like that!!!
Mike C I like your reviews and iam no expert this is not a vehicle I would buy.But it seems like too many people expect to much from vehicles at certain price points.I won't praise or knock the cvt.Everybody won't like everything and like someone said no matter what the vehicle there will always be good/bad and ugly said about it.
I fully agree. I think there are going to be pros and cons to every vehicle and I wanted to share some of those on for the Crosstrek. There are issues with the acceleration, speakers, and durability of materials but it does get great gas mileage and has strong resale value. I wouldn't deter most people from a Crosstrek.
Did you buy it new or used? $2000 for 2 years use is great
New. Resale value is definitely one of the best attributes of the Crosstrek!
Did you sell your the Subaru Crosstrek?
Yes, I sold it and bought a Q5
Just mind to put "car sunscreen" on those plastic parts so your "leg sunscreen" won't stain it. Yay!
What are you going to get?
I went with a 2013 Audi Q5. I'll try to post a video soon!
No way, sunscreen stained plastic and other man made materials 😮 wait, what was the big negatives, is there a part 2 to the review?
When you buy a econobox and don’t realize it.
well agree with the final conclusion i wont buy subaru ever again.
got the subaru XV 2015 2.0i
the worse car i ever had and this is why:
poor plastic quality lot of noise in the car from it
poor audio, actually i never before replaced audio in my cars but this one is just really poor
the paint of the car thin and on every little rock that hits the car leave a dent and rust in the cars metal.
if you park on unlevel ground the back door wont alight straight so it wont open and close smooth and this is because of the poor metal quality.
some times stones comes between the brake disk and brake protector and make lots of noise till it comes out.
i converted this car to run on LPG and its now have 43000 KM with no problems at all.
its the first and the last subaru i get.
paid 42000$ for this car it just not worth it..
I'm glad you mentioned the issue with stones stuck in the brake pads. I've had that issue several times as well and have never experience that with another car. The first time it happened I almost got the car towed because the sound was like metal scraping metal and I couldn't figure out what was going on. Eventually I got a hold of a maintenance tech at Subaru and they explained the solution was to drive and brake really hard while turning the steering wheel. It worked but still odd to me that this is even possible and so common.
yes and they call it an crossover . an crossover with problems with little stones :)
i had an seat ibiza before my subaru and it was much better ...
any way poorly made car hope people will read and make something from it ...
If I was gona buy one of these I would get the manual transmission because the cvt in this car sucks and that's why you don't like the power. The outback has the same junk cvt. I won't even consider buying any car with a cvt because they are junk.
hi, did you buy the crosstek manual tranny ? how is it?
subaru crosstrek the best
john de guzman transmission blows, but yes great car
Bro all the side plastic panels need is the plastic conditioner you can get 😂
It's called Armour All... Google it.
Good luck with the Audi make sure u lease and get out off it in 3 years there made by Volkswagen. Everyone I known that has had them. Had long term problems.
Just sold it after 3 years and about 30k miles and never had a single issue. We outgrew the Audi and needed something a bit larger.
I have one transmission sucks
My 2014 was a lemon. And because of that, I will never get a Subaru again
Every brand makes a lemkn every now and then. Nobodys perfect.
True, but it still doesn't encourage me to buy from that brand again.
Never had an issue with 2 STI’s we owned. Great cars
By calling it a lemon you are admitting that its issues were fluke and not consistent with average quality. Then you judge the entire brand based on issues that you admit were a fluke and don't represent the rest of the brand. You are so willfully dumb its almost impressive.
OMG, you said negative things about Subaru LOL. These Subaru CULT members are pathetic, its like my Religion is better then your Religion.... I wonder if Subaru pays these people to post about their mediocre product. I had a 2014 Cross-wreck that started falling apart at 50K , wheel bearing hubs, FL axle shaft, AC compressor and condenser, burnt a Qt of oil every 5K miles (oil change) made more noise then a broken chain saw... Oh the quirky proprietary CVT was annoying. The Boxer engine and AWD design makes the front of the car longer makes the ground clearance useless when trying to go over a snow mound. Yes the plastic and seats are garbage. The dealer network is small and finding good service for these boxer/cvt cars is specialist only. The Subaru fanatics sure have a lot of forgiveness in them to accept these imperfections as minor and keep pushing people to buy this product. Live and learn, the Newer Subaru is no better then any other on the market.
This guy is comparing it to an Audi?!
That mountain bike is faster than the crosstrek
Awesome AWD. Trash engine
THEY ARE GARBAGE....