Engine Upgrade Highlights ’21 Subaru Crosstrek

BERLIN, OH – Subaru’s refresh of its Crosstrek brings the usual midcycle updates such as redesigned front styling and new wheel designs, but the biggest gain for the small crossover comes under the hood.

That’s where the new Sport model and the uplevel Limited get the Japanese automaker’s punchy 2.5L boxer 4-cyl., giving the second-generation Crosstrek an instant 20% gain in horsepower and a 21% boost in torque. The engine, which debuted in the 2019 Forester and also is offered in the Outback and Legacy, carries on Subaru’s long heritage of 2.5L boxers dating back to the mid-1990s.

Part of Subaru’s “FB” engine family, a ground-up design which debuted in the 2011 Forester in the U.S., the 2.5L ushered in significant enhancements over its predecessor, including a timing chain (vs. belt) and a host of improvements in induction, fuel-injection, valvetrain, lubrication and cooling systems. The 2019 model year brought additional refinements and upgrades: direct injection, cooling-system controls and stop/start.

The latest engine, rated at 182 hp at 5,800 rpm and 176 lb.-ft. (239 Nm) of torque at 4,400 rpm, sends power to the Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive via a paddle-shifted continuously variable transmission designed to mimic an 8-speed automatic.

While an extra 30 hp and 31 lb.-ft. (42 Nm) of torque over the base 2.0L flat-four may not sound like much on paper, in our 3,296-lb. (1,495-Nm) Crosstrek Sport (with the moonroof option, base weight is 3,265-lb. [1,481-kg]) the result is impressive. Subaru says the extra power shaves 1.5 seconds off the vehicle’s 0-60-mph (97-km/h) time, clocking in at 8.2 seconds.

For comparison, we piloted a ’20 Outback with the same 2.5L flat-four from Michigan to southeast Ohio for the Crosstrek program. The 3,772-lb. (1,711-kg) Outback’s extra 476 lbs. (216 kg) makes the larger CUV feel tentative in corners and a bit sluggish in acceleration. In the lighter Crosstrek Sport, the vehicle is far more responsive and takes on a near-Impreza WRX persona.

During our test drive here on winding two-lane blacktop, the Crosstrek Sport handles sharp turns, dips and uneven pavement with ease, taking most corners at more than double the recommended velocity without any instability and just a touch of scrub from the standard 17-in. all-season tires.

The car feels stuck to the road, with little body roll and limited understeer as the all-wheel-drive system with standard Active Torque Vectoring powers the vehicle through corners. Subaru’s time-tested pancake engine design keeps the center of gravity low, even though the Crosstrek with 8.7 ins. (221-mm) of ground clearance rides higher than a Jeep Grand Cherokee. Set the steering angle, apply the power – and smile.

Running in Sport mode (fuel-saving Intelligent mode is the default) perks up throttle response and holds lower ratios, as well as allows the paddle shifters to hold gears until the powertrain detects throttle lift (or transmission temperature rises too high). The engine likes to run to redline, with the powertrain snapping off the kind of convincing ratio changes that could turn us into CVT lovers. There’s some high-rpm raspiness, but overall the powertrain runs smooth and sounds powerful.

The Crosstrek feels a bit more skittish on gravel back roads but remains a competent performer. While not really necessary on this route, some steep loose gravel downhill sections provide an opportunity to sample the Sport’s standard X-Mode with low-speed Hill Descent Control. The system can be engaged at up to 12 mph (19 km/h) and operates to 25 mph (40 km/h), with the set speed adjustable by prodding the accelerator. Exclusive to the Sport is Dual X-Mode with Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow settings to optimize the AWD for tough road conditions.

If there’s a negative, it’s that city and combined fuel economy take a 1-mpg (0.43-km/L) dip compared with the CVT-equipped 2.0L, but highway mileage improves by the same amount. In our test, the Crosstrek Sport posted 22 mpg (10.7 L/100 km) over 210 miles (338 km) of spirited, mostly Sport-mode driving.

Handling and powertrain aside, all CVT-equipped ’21 Crosstreks upgrade Subaru’s already capable EyeSight Drive Assist system with Advanced Adaptive Cruise Control with Lane Centering. While far from perfect, the system does a decent job of holding the vehicle between the lines rather than bouncing back and forth from shoulder to centerline.

The new Sport level features StarTex urethane seating surfaces, simulated carbon-fiber inserts and yellow stitching on the seats and the leather-wrapped steering wheel, along with other highlights.

Subaru says the Crosstrek is its third-best seller and fastest-growing model in the company’s U.S. sales history, logging 767,000 deliveries since its introduction in 2012, topping the best-selling Forester’s growth rate.

In 2019, Subaru delivered 131,152 Crosstreks, good for third-best among more than two dozen competitors in the Wards Intelligence Small CUV segment. COVID-induced production cuts this year dropped Crosstrek to fourth place with 64,974 sales, but Subaru officials say they expect a sales upturn now that factories are back up and running at full capacity.