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The Crosstrek is good and on the way to becoming great.
When Subaru redesigned the 2024 Crosstrek, the small SUV didn't look much different on the outside. It's not the way Subaru does things. They make incremental changes. The Crosstrek kept its familiar look, and the size stayed the same. But it did get significant upgrades on the inside and underneath its skin. Read more in my next-gen report here.
In this report, I'll discuss what happened to the Crosstrek in October and where the subcompact is headed. It could be on the way to being great.
October was another fantastic month for Crosstrek in America.
Subaru of America (SOA) announced it was the best-ever October sales performance for the 2024 Crosstrek subcompact SUV. The Crosstrek is on fire and leads the entire lineup of all-wheel-drive vehicles.
Troy Poston, Senior Vice President of Sales, Subaru of America, says, "With a strong vehicle lineup and the ability to find the right match for any driver’s needs, we’re looking forward to seeing this success continue into the holiday season."
The Subaru Crosstrek sits on top of the mountain again.
The next-generation Crosstrek keeps piling up records, recording its best October ever with 15,928 vehicles sold, a 15.7 percent increase compared to October 2023.
Crosstrek is not slowing down.
With two months to go, the hot Crosstrek subcompact SUV is set to be the best-selling model in SOA's all-wheel-drive lineup this year. Crosstrek now has 147,775 total sales compared with the second place Forester with 143,529 sales in the first ten months of 2024.
The Crosstrek was the number one selling nameplate in 2022, took second place in 2023, and now is on pace to repeat and outpace what it did in 2022. One trim level made the difference.
Wilderness takes Crosstrek to another level of hot. Check out my report here.
When Subaru brought out the outdoor-themed and rugged off-road-ready Crosstrek Wilderness, outdoor enthusiasts jumped on the new high-riding model, and now it's the hottest trim in the Crosstrek lineup.
More new upgrades are coming for the 2025 model year.
Subaru isn't sitting on the Crosstrek's past success. The 2025 Subaru Crosstrek is set to arrive this month with new improvements. The significant change is the Crosstrek Premium trim level gets a new 2.5-liter Boxer engine upgrade. It will improve Crosstrek sales even more. Find out more in my report here.
What next after 2025?
A new Crosstrek Hybrid is on the drawing board.
Subaru announced it will launch its strong-hybrid system (SHEV), also called a full-hybrid technology, in Japan's Crosstrek subcompact SUV and Forester compact SUV. They will now use the larger 2.5-liter Boxer engine.
The new Subaru 2.5-liter hybrid system is mated to an 88-kW electric motor versus the mild-hybrid's 10-kW motor. The bigger battery also helps improve fuel economy. The potent full-hybrid gets a 1-kilowatt-hour power pack, up from 0.6 kWh in the mild hybrid. It also has a higher voltage, 260 volts, versus 188.
Subaru says the new next-generation Crosstrek hybrid will deliver a 50% boost in driving range and a 20 percent improvement in fuel economy, which will result in the best fuel efficiency in Subaru's lineup. In addition, extended EV driving also improves quietness.
When will the Crosstrek Hybrid launch in America?
After the Japanese launch, the automaker said it would launch the two new SHEVs in America for U.S. customers. The Forester will arrive in 2025 and will be manufactured in Subaru of Indiana Automotive's U.S. plant. Subaru has yet to say when the new Crosstrek Hybrid will make its North American launch. Stay tuned.
I expect the Crosstrek Hybrid will elevate the small SUV to even greater heights when it arrives. The new Crosstrek Hybrid, available across the U.S., not just in certain regions, will offer customers the most fuel-efficient all-wheel-drive model.
American Subaru customers will embrace this new hybrid.
"To meet the growing customer demand, we are committed to developing not just battery-electric vehicles but also internal combustion models equipped with hybrid systems," Managing Executive Officer Hiroshi Watahiki said.
You probably remember the 2023 Crosstrek Plug-In Hybrid that was discontinued after a short run in the American market. I won't explain why it failed, but you can read my report here to learn more.
This year, the Crosstrek is set to be the number-one selling nameplate. Subaru hit a home run with the new Crosstrek Wilderness. With the addition of the Crosstrek Premium trim with the 2.5-liter Boxer engine upgrade and a new Crosstrek SHEV Hybrid, there's no telling how high the Crosstrek will climb.
Did you purchase a next-gen 2024 Crosstrek? Let us know what you like or dislike about the small SUV. Click the red Add New Comment link below and let us know.
I am Denis Flierl, a Senior Torque News Writer since 2012. I’ve invested over 13 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role, working with every major car brand. I am an experienced Rocky Mountain Automotive Press member. You'll find my expert Subaru analysis here. Follow me on my X SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.
Photo credit: Denis Flierl via Competition Subaru
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