I definitely need a vehicle that can go anywhere and tackle serious terrain, my local Panera Bread just installed a speedbump in the parking lot

This is what the old forester used to be. SUV-ish proportions on a compact chassis. This is the ideal car for the market Subaru marketing aims at.

I really appreciate videos on cars that are relatively affordable. I get more excited about these than Porsche/Corvette/etc videos, and that’s why I love this channel.

Had a crosstrek for two years and just experienced a wreck where it was totaled and definitely think I was able to walk away with minimal injuries because this thing was so safe. And retained its value so insurance has been easy for loan payoff. Loved this car so much and looking for another one

Hey guys, I work for Subaru. The Crosstrek is not comparable with RAV4, CX5, Escape, or Honda CRV. The Forester is in that model class. Also, the Crosstrek is not the "Family" car. That would be more of the Outback or the Ascent. I think the review was as honest, but uninformed. I would recommend the Crosstrek for young professionals or someone looking for a sport SUV that can handle any offroad or inclement weather situation. Only Audi and Porsche have an AWD system like Subarus, but you'll pay half of what an Audi or Porsche cost. It is not a luxury vehicle, so all of the 'cheap' comments should translate to a reasonably priced vehicle that has a lower maintenance cost than most while providing top of the line utility and performance benefits.

I think these things sell so well because for $25k you won't find something better in winter weather. They're all over the road here in CO - driven by old people, young men, young women, seemingly everyone. I think it's a cool little car.

Before my girlfriend totaled mine, I used to take it to Yosemite once a month, fishing, camping and honestly hooning on gravel and even some light crawling. The thing not once stuttered. Great cars and super safe.

Just purchased a Crosstrek Sport after more than 30 years following my last Subaru purchase. They have come a long way. I researched this car for 2 months before making the purchase and am very happy with my choice. No car is perfect, but Subaru ranks at the top of Consumer Reports and I trust their vehicle evaluations. Always remember, you can't have things your way. Very few cars that excel on the road will excel off-road and vice versa. Compromises have to be made to maximize the road driveability and to enhance off-road driving. I think Subaru does it well and possibly better than anyone else. Another point is - this is the best vehicle available in its class as it fundamentally has no competition.

Your review just moved the crosstrek up my list of cars to test drive once my '08 Elantra finally goes. Thanks for another solid vid.

Just bought one for my wife a month ago and love it so far! Also test drove the Honda CRV. Neither of us are "performance" drivers and we are fairly practical with our cars. But the Honda CRV felt under-powered and it felt like it struggled with just moderate acceleration after a red light or while getting on the highway. The Crosstrek on the other hand is a very nice drive and ride. It's got plenty of power for the average driver and is just a fun looking and driving car. Like that they used knobs for the basic controls (volume control, temperature control, etc) instead of digital, which can be frustrating (and less safe) to control while driving. We got the Limited trim. If you're looking for a small crossover, it's definitely worth trying out.

Agree with everything here. we bought the 2019 limited and we have everything that is mentioned except the 2.5l engine and it's slow as a turd. I'm starting to think that's better though since we'll get on average 28-30 mpg. I'll take that slight increase in mpg over a slight gain in power that "isn't much better". But you are bang on about it being comfortable. Some days I choose the Subaru over my S2000 cause I just don't want to be beat up. thanks so much for another great video SG!

We love our Crosstrek. Putting more miles on it than I'd like and I wonder how it will be reliability wise at 100K however... I should note that if you want something that truly does well in the snow this is a great option. It is my first lifted Subaru. We took it to the mountains when it was snowing and I found the most snowy road I could and tried to "have some fun" - It was not fun. It was like driving on pavement.

a family member of mine bought a new 2016 Crosstrek and now I drive it regularly. The 2.0 was scary at first, but once you learn how early you need to throttle and by how much, merging onto highways and into fast lanes from slow ones is a breeze! It matches speeds quickly without being a hazard! If you’re ever thinking about getting one, don’t let the 0-60 time fool you. Once it’s rolling it goes lol

We bought a 2019 Crosstrek two years ago live the Bay Area and are pretty active people. It does everything in any weather and road condition with zero issues and good millage. Plus I personally thinks its one of the best looking crossover and thank god Subaru hasn't jump on big gigantic grill stupid trend. From an actual owner I say BRAVO to The Savagegeese for another spot on review!

I've got the base trim 2020 Crosstrek and I love it. Very comfortable to drive and the ground clearance and AWD lets me drive across rougher terrain too get to more secluded camping spots. I average 30 MPG on road. If you're getting 25/26 MPG, it's cause you are probably driving aggressively.

The Crosstrek is one of Subaru’s best vehicles they have out right now, especially with the six speed manual. Definitely the only crossover I would buy.

Traded my 17 CRV for a 2021 limited. Love it for several reason: Superior AWD No Turbo Quick throttle response due to no turbo Comfortable, functional interior Lots of rear leg room(I’m 6’0 and sit comfortably in the back) Eyesight system works great Lots of Subaru accessories to make it uniquely yours AC/Heating system works excellent It’s not fast but it’s not slow either Large 16 gallon gas tank for less trips to gas station Perfect size SUV if you are single or have a small family Feels like driving a small car as opposed to an SUV There are a couple of downsides: Engine can be a bit noisy during hard acceleration Interior rattles can be a problem if you use lots of bass with the Harmon Kardon system. I used some sound deadening In the door panels to fix this Start/stop system can’t be permanently disabled. You can turn it off when the car is on but it will reset back once you start the car again.

"It feels well built, for a Subaru". Both Forester and Crosstreck are decent vehicles. They are very comfortable for me (short). Nothing special of course, but I value function over styling and they are more functional. Dear Americans: in Japan, CVT oil is replaced every 40k km (25k miles). Maintain your vehicles and they will serve you well.

2:43 when are we gonna get to hear the hot new track “Penile Discharge”?

4:42 "You have double wishbone suspension..." Wait... what?! On a $23,000 lifted hatchback? Seriously surprised at that quick mention!

Oh, Savage Geese is going to review my daily driver! *Starts sweating profusely* Having owned my crosstrek for over a year, I agree with everything said in the video and I love my crosstrek.

This is gonna be a great first car for my kid in a couple years

I bought one of these last month, base trim 6MT and I love that there's 8 inches of ground clearance but doesn't handle like garbage because it's just a lifted impreza. It replaced my volvo s40 t5 as a daily (the s40 has been relegated to project car status) and as a daily driver it is super comfortable and capable, I hike a lot and I've already encountered like 4 dirt roads/trails that this thing handles like nothing that I wouldn't dare take the volvo down.

I have a 2019...the engine/trans are a total snooze but it is absolutely bullet proof in the Colorado snow.

This is the same formula which made the Outback Sport a semi-hit among those who couldn't afford the original Legacy Outbacks. Decent interior, solid road manners, great in bad weather, low price. That's all most folks *really* need in a car. Cap it with decent styling that implies a 'sporty' lifestyle and it's a much better choice for the real world than many CUVs priced similarly.

The fact they offer a manual transmission makes this a major plus in my eyes. Even with a 2L engine, acceleration usually feels much better and responsive then it would on an automatic typically.

I bought a 2019 Impreza sport and while I really liked the car, the stiffer suspension, very low profile tires, tight/stiff steering made it a tedious and rough car to ride in. I traded up to 2021 Crosstrek limited and the difference is night and day. The suspension is more pliable and the steering is lighter which is nice when you're maneuvering through parking lots. While the 2.5 liter doesn't turn the Crosstrek into a pocket WRX, the engine is quieter and power delivery is more well rounded vs the 2.0; especially when going up hills on the highway. If you can afford it, the Crosstrek is a better buy since it fixes the deficiencies that are inherent with the Impreza.

Got one for my wife. I couldn't be any happier. I find myself driving it alot vs my grand Cherokee.

This is definitely one of my favourite little SUV. Practical, good-looking, not to expensive!

Let's be fair though, we all know you weren't trying for fuel economy. 26mpg while beating the piss outta something to try and have fun is still pretty damn good. Most who just drive like a sane person will have no problem seeing a 28-33 mpg average depending on their route.

Have a 2019 limited and love it. It just feels solid and well built. All the bells and whistles are nice

I’m genuinely impressed Mr. Goose still gets press vehicles given he always uses backhanded compliment headings.

I bought a Subaru Ascent two months ago. It’s my first Subaru and I wasn’t certain whether I’d like it. As it turns out I like it a lot. Well made, comfortable, quiet, etc. There is some Subaru quirkiness, and I’ve grown to like that. The 2.4T engine is smooth and powerful, and I like the CVT much more than I expected (unlike testers I don’t use WOT every few seconds). If Subaru dropped the Ascent engine and transmission into the Crosstrek I’d buy one in a heartbeat.

This video kind of completes the circle for me. I own an AP2 S2000 and the current gen Crosstrek Limited and they're a great combination.

“The orange stitching is great for October.“ LoL slick burn.

I have a 2016 Crosstrek as my daily and after having owned numerous different cars over the years (I get bored quickly) this is by far the best daily driver I've ever owned. My wife has a 2019 Crosstrek and that one is even better

+1. Grateful to SG for the laser focus on cost in this time when so many are struggling to make ends meet. I love driving -- sometimes. For the rest of the time, get real; you may be wasting your $, especially if the safety package is competently rendered. The Crosstrek is a rare example of a project well rendered despite the numerous tradeoffs, including some SG didn't have time to list here.

The cloying “proto-folk” soundtrack is fitting.

I've watched quite a few Crosstrek vids trying to assess the "big picture" of Crosstrek ownership before I buy.This was by far the most helpful. Particularly the "shoppe" part. Thanks!!

I did about 6 months of research, and found that the Crosstrek is right for what I need a car to do: get to work, and have fun on the weekends. I'm used to driving slow things, like my F650 stake bed, so I'm just fine with the 2.0 engine. I was about to purchase one, and held off due to the "pandemic," so hopefully next year I'll be rolling around in one. *EDIT: I bought an Outback back instead.*

I was literally just thinking to myself last night if you had ever done a Crosstrek review lol

We bought my wife a new Crosstrek in 2016, our first Subie. Fell in love with it, so we bought me a 2016 last year. I'm a total fanboy when it comes to the Crosstrek. Great cars with no regrets! The 2.0 is NOT a dog like ppl have said.. u just have to use the torque range correctly (3k-6k). Our '16s have plenty of punch for what they are... they were never meant to be race cars.

*LOVE this car. Loved it back when it came out. Considering it as my first car*

Great review. Waiting for my 2023 Crosstrek to arrive. Had a 2011 Wrangler with beefy tires. Atrocious gas mileage and falling apart at 200K miles. Wanted something economical, good on gas, safe and AWD. Bingo.

Strange note, but that's a really nice looking exhaust system. Very clean and straight piping with smooth bends. I think Subaru has definitely stepped up their pipe game in the past decade or so, hahaha. Hate the wheels, but love the overall simplicity of these cars. If you live somewhere with real snow, the AWD really does matter. A decent driving experience is always nice too. I like that Subaru does what works.

I had a Subaru 2015 Crosstrek . I wasn't sure about the size. I got a really good deal on it. I got everything I wanted leather seats, turn signals on the outside of the mirrors, rubber mats, trim package, luggage divider, all wheel drive. Also without a lot of instrumentation I didn't want. The seats were extremely comfortable for long trips. I just couldn't find another vehicle like it for the price. I found the cargo area with the seats down was a lot roomier than expected. Excellent car for traveling in.I was used to pickup trucks. During the break in period it was a little sluggish off the light. But once it was broke in and I got use to it. It really handled nice and had plenty of pickup at the top end. A 2.5 litter would even have more horses. Even with mine having only the 2 litter it was really fast. I've always liked to drag race. It didn't do to bad. I had a 1972 dodge 340 swinger special. I would rally race for fun through the mountains for fun years before it was popular just on asphalt. It had a K member. The Crosstrek reminded me of that car in the way it handled only better with a lot more top end. I would get into trouble with a 2.5 litter. I'm lucky I didn't get any tickets in the 2 litter. I had to be careful. I got up to 90 mph like nothing and it hugged the road so nice. I am planning on getting another one.

Nice you can still get a manual! Good job subaru! And since it's just a lifted impreza hatch ,I like it

2:42 One of my most favourite songs ever!

The Crosstrek works because a large segment feels its styled better than an SUV and has Jeep functionality. They’re being sold on “go anywhere - do anything” in a low cost package.

Thank you for doing something that no other car channels do by showing the car's underpinnings. Everyone talks about their AWD SUVs but you never get to see if they have enough of a rugged setup underneath to make it worth it.

I was about always miffed by the quality of your music intros, and then it struck me. Are these even originals? Because they sure sound like ones! Man you are an inspiration. About everybody is telling you, "Son, if you want to survive you have to do some compromises." You show here that it's still possible.

Well balanced review and excellent points. Love that it comes with a manual trans.

Those wheels look like my shaver's blades.

I'd be willing to bet that 50% of all Crosstreks are sold in Utah. They're EVERYWHERE here. Not surprised at all...great for snow, great for the mountains, great for offroading, great for long trips on the highway. Subaru is killing it!

This is like jeans and a t-shirt. Nothing spectacular but being in it every day is easy and comfortable. Wasn't broke and they wisely didn't mess with it.

I own a 2021 Sport, I love this car.

I had a 2018 for 2.5 years. Its was a love-hate relationship. Loved the AWD, the space and the practicality of the car. Hated the infotainment, the CVT and the tons of recalls to replace low quality crap all over it. Also hated the little amount of power.

So, I work for a Subaru retailer. It wasn't widely mentioned in any press releases or even on their website, but for the 2021 Crosstrek, alongside the front end design update and they engine choices, they tweaked the suspension. Subaru calls it StableX but other than my training modules for the 2021, I can't find anything on it. That was the biggest difference I noticed on the new Crosstrek over the 2020 and prior. It rides SO much better than before.

Watching the tach on the 0-60 runs sent shivers up and down my spine. That was insane!

X-Mode with hill descent control is standard across all crosstreks equipped with CVT’s!

I love that Subaru still offers this in a manual and would love to own one as a second vehicle. We intentionally bought a used 2017 manual Forester simply because they stopped offering it in the newer models. Please keep offering it Subaru!

Currently on the grind to save up for one of these. I initially brushed this off thinking this was a cheap useless “wagon,” but over previous model years, Subaru really has refined this car for generations and generations. Goodbye midsize sedan, hello small SUV

I live in New Zealand and have a 2017 with the new platform. Our roads can be bumpy tar and chip not concrete and this car provides a smooth ride. Tows my camper trailer very well and the CVT does a great job keeping the revs and gearing (chaining in a CVT) optimal and loves the hills. The CVT uses a chain in Subarus. I own a Toyota, Mercedes and until recently a BMW so have tried various drivetrains and owned many cars. I find the Subaru seamless and never makes a misstep or feels like its in the wrong gear or holding too long and comfortable as well. The Eyesight system is a potential lifesaver and you would have to pay an extra $10,000 to get an equivalent system(Volvo or higher end Mercedes). Autobrakes if required, auto adjusts speed to car ahead, keeps you in your lane on the motorway, and wakes you if you micro nap: all great features. 3 years ownership with this car and no faults and very happy, a pleasure to drive.

9:55 * remembers the rav4 Prime understeer to oversteer moment*

The best YT Car Reviewer. Even when I sometimes disagree, it is enjoyable to watch these videos. The puns and little details, "orange stitching for this season", the media selection, driving the vehicles on real roads, taking the car to show what is underneath, etc., you just can't go wrong with The Geese.

Mark just made a great point because pretty much every Subaru I’ve driven is the same way in fact my legacy with the flat six Mark is spot on on the handling dynamics!

You my friend are the best in class. A huge gap between you and all the rest, and I watch a lot of reviews. To this you add up a beautiful cinematography....chapeaux!

@2:42 Get well soon!

Behind which Applebee's did you bury Turbowski?

Bought a 2019 Premium manual. 1rst gear is a granny you can hit 60mph in a single sift to second. The 6 gears ratios were picked perfectly. Spirited driving enjoyable once you understand the best gear for tearing about town as well as 55mph in 6th keeps you at a 1750 rpm. 80mph is at 3310rpm. In 6th drop it down to 5th. and the meager hp/trq steps up. Drop it 4th from 6th @ 70mph is a nice surge. I’ve drop it to 3rd and a quick shift to 4th @ 70-75mph and truly suprise people as I shoot by as they most likely drive automatics. Rev 4th tok fun rowing a slow car fast then a fast car slow.

subaru's are great for 130,000-180,000kms; at which point they will eat a head gasket, then they'll go another similar distance and eat one more head gasket and possibly a CVT. if you're fine with that, they are amazing.

Sounds like the new global platform is doing well, that's great news. older models blew all over the highway in wind without a thicker rear ARB, but such was the compromise made to be able to bounce down doubletrack like colin mcrae right off the lot

How I now I’m a big savagegeese fan...I’m watching a review for a subaru SUV! I couldn’t care less about suv’s in general (until the get super performancey) but I still enjoy the insight on these vehicles only this team delivers.

I am pleasantly surprised at how well edited this video is. Bravo!

I have been driving a base model 2018 Subaru Crosstrek with the 6 speed for about six months now, and boy do I love it. I do hope you can get behind a manual because it really does make it fun to drive. Obviously it's not a sports car, but it is very practical for me as a student and still allows me to indulge in some sketchy-road driving on the weekends just like I could in my GMC.

The 2014 crosstrek is my favorite, it looks way better optioned out than the newer to me.

Quality review. I appreciate the you’re looking for cars most of us might be able to afford.

I was just about to look for a review of the Lineartronic CVT and you just dropped this vid - How convenient.

I’ve owned 4 Subarus. 1 forester and three outback’s. All were good Vehicles though my 2011 forester used some oil. I chose a highlander this time because I didn’t want a CVT transmission. The first time I rode in a Crosstrek was the first or second year they were released. My niece test drove one and I rode in the back. I thought my teeth were going to rattle out of my mouth. It’s great to hear they have refined the suspension to a nice riding level. Great review as always. On point and to the point. Great job.

I love my XSE but I also really want a Crosstrek to throw around anywhere, anytime with its capabilities and practicality

'I'm only getting 26mpgs' Brah you're testing the car in acceleration runs!

I bought a 2018 Crosstrek 2.0 recently, it was the only crossover I even considered. The 2.0 is slow but I have basically accepted it. The features I wanted was some general off-road and AWD/4WD credentials, and some interior tech that was modern but not overbearing or intrusive. In my price range it fit the role really well. The small proportions are really convenient on tight dirt roads and the ground clearance has come in handy multiple times.

This review made me have a good look at the Subaru XV, that's what the Crosstrek is called here. And now I own one. The review is on point. The roads here are bad, really bad. Pavement that has warped and melted to the point where cars with less ground clearance scrape their undersides. Badly patched roads, huge potholes, you name it. The suspension of this car takes it all with confidence. No smashing or crashing, just plain confidence.

These things sell like crazy up here in Canada for all the reasons stated. Great video. And no Jack.

As far as acceleration I think cars can be broken down into either: sedate, spry and plenty adequate, and fast. I grew up at a time when all the powerful cars had about 200 horses and that was often from a V8. This Crosstrek is adequate but that is saying a lot because you will never be lacking unless you are looking for acceleration that the new hi-po cars have, where there is no ceiling in America, where power numbers above 500 horses are commonplace. I hope we can get back to Earth and stop expecting cars to be drag cars. I get it that we all could use a fast car that effortlessly accelerates but that comes at a cost. Nothing is free.

Liked these from day one. You always have to compromise buying a vehicle (w/ average budgets) and this thing has the right mix for me - decent mpg, ground clearance, decent reliability, good ride, etc. Commuting, road tripping and camping is what I use vehicles for and this is great for all that.

"but they do have this orange stitching, which is great for October..." - Gotta appreciate this guy's understated sarcasm, lol!

As an average Joe Blow I give this car an "it's ok"

I subscribe because I’ve realized that my wife can’t always tell me what to do.

Actually, and according to Subaru's website, the X-mode and Hill Descent are optional on both the base and Premium model. I know that for a fact because I just bought a 2021 Crosstrek and it has X-mode and hill descent. I don't mind the 2.0 because the wife will be driving the car the most and where she drives, it's never on the highway, it's all back roads and she won't ever really be going faster than 55mph. Even on the highway the 2.0 isn't bad, not trying to win any races. We did test drive a Sport with the 2.5, but we actually liked the seats in the Premium (ours has the optional power driver seat) and the fact that the Premium was a good $2K cheaper didn't hurt either.

I have a 2017 Impreza hatch and love it, apart from a lack of power I have no reference point for. Glad the car pleased and impressed you. Maybe it is ergonomics or visibility or knowing your car can handle conditions most cannot, but Subarus do have a certain magic that is hard to shake. Makes sense that people stay loyal to the brand.

Putting it into S mode quickens throttle response. It's actually noticeable.

So so good. I love the honesty, love the humor. Keep up the great work!

I like the way that you put it up on the lift and discussed the underbody. Very cool! Thank you...

I've got a loaner Crosstrek from the Subaru dealer while my BRZ is in their shoppe and I like it. Obviously it's a totally different driving experience, but the Crosstrek feels light and very comfortable and handles acceptably-- it's not a fun car to push on (particularly because that CVT consistently feels like it's 1-2 seconds behind your control inputs), but if you can get out of that "wanna go fast" headspace where you want perfectly-timed inputs it actually covers ground surprisingly quickly and in great comfort. It doesn't accelerate quickly, and you can't balance the car on the throttle consistently through corners, but the suspension compliance gives it plenty of grip everywhere and it doesn't seem to have any bad habits. For sure there are places I'm driving the Crosstrek faster than I would drive my BRZ just because the car's not trying to rattle my teeth and kidneys out. It kind of just floats along at a very respectable pace. The fact that you can do light offroading in it (and probably more capably and comfortably than a lot of cars with "aggressive offroad styling") is just icing on the cake. 8/10 not an exciting car but would definitely consider owning one if I didn't live in a place like southern California where there are world-class sportscar roads all over the place.

5:28 "It has the ability to send.". -- Savagegeese

I own a 2019 Subaru Crosstrek Premium and my car has hill descent control.

I got the 2018 base model 6speed and it drives fantastic everything you said in your video is correct, it's a great car and I love it.

got a crazy deal on a rebuilt crosstrek last week. 25k miles for 18k. its the basic edition but thats all i need.

What are the odds, just bought one 2 days ago! Great little car. Got the Premium with the 6spd.