Subaru's Perfect Storm And Its Wild Escape

Subaru is in a perfect storm, but they have an escape route. Here is why Subaru is positioned perfectly to take advantage of current trends. 

According to Grandview Research, the global off-road vehicle market was estimated at $22.09 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 5.3% from 2023 to 2030. The off-roading trend is real, and Subaru just positioned itself perfectly to take advantage of the current climate changes.

The Subaru brand is in the middle of a perfect storm. It usually means things will go poorly, but not in this case. Here is how Subaru is positioned perfectly to take advantage of current trends. 



It's not rising global temperatures but a storm of customers who want to escape civilization and get further off the grid. Enter the Subaru Wilderness family of vehicles. 

The newest outdoor-themed Subaru Wilderness now includes the all-new 2024 Crosstrek Wilderness that joins the Outback Wilderness and Forester Wilderness trims.  

A recent report from WardsAuto says, "The call of national parks remains loud and clear to those who caught the Overlanding bug." I have covered the Crosstrek Wilderness in detail, so there's no need to say more here except for one new feature that sets it apart from the competition.



For those Overlanders who pull a small camper, Crosstrek Wilderness adds a transmission cooler that boosts towing capacity to 3,500 lbs. (1,588 kg), up from 1,500 lbs. (680 kg) in non-Wilderness models.

Subaru hits the perfect storm and will attract new buyers to the brand. 

WardsAuto says, "Subaru long has been revered for the traction its vehicles get in any on-road conditions. Now, it sees a strategy for expanding its audience."

The new Crosstrek Wilderness may well represent the single best value-for-dollar model line in the industry, especially considering Subaru's exemplary safety ratings, says WardsAuto. That's a strong endorsement for the newest Subaru Wilderness trim level.

I recently covered Crosstrek's new safety scores from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The next-generation Crosstrek now earned the highest safety crash scores.

Subaru of America's Corporate Communications chief Dominick Infante talked with WardsAuto about the fun they had. The Wards Auto staff said, "We drove the Crosstrek Wilderness for hours. We think the new vehicle is astonishing, and you won't find a better value."

WardsAuto says the overall size and performance of the Crosstrek Wilderness is unlikely to convert devotees of Jeep Wranglers or Range Rovers, "but what it does is give Subaru owners, including compact utility vehicle (CUV) owners it conquests, far greater confidence to hit national parks a few times a year without worry that the messy, rugged, deep-sandy, muddy, rutted trails will be too much for the tough little Subie."

Subaru is now in the middle of a perfect storm, which usually means disaster is ahead, but not in this case. Subaru is positioned perfectly to take advantage of current trends with the 2024 Crosstrek Wilderness. It's an escape worth taking. 

It's your turn

Are you likely to take a look at a Subaru Wilderness trim? Which one?

Thanks for reading, everyone. I hope you enjoyed this Subaru Crosstrek report. See you tomorrow for my latest Subaru Report.

For additional articles related to the new Subaru Crosstrek, here are a few of my top stories you may enjoy. 

My Must-Read Top Picks

• Subaru Crosstrek’s Dark Past Was Just Fixed
• New Crosstrek Gets Iced, Subaru’s Outback Is Hot, Wins Global Car Of The Year
• One Hidden Feature You Can’t See On The New Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness

Check out the Driving Sports TV: 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness Review and Off-Road Tests YouTube video

I am Denis Flierl, a 12-year Torque News senior writer with 20+ years of Subaru and automotive journalism experience. I enjoy bringing you, the Subaru fans and customers, the most up-to-date Subaru news, reviews, and new model information. You'll find the latest Subaru stories on the Subaru page. Follow me on my The Dirty Subaru website, Dirty Subaru blog, SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.

I’ve got you covered! - I cover all Subaru all the time - It’s called the “Subaru Report.” Check back daily for my expert Subaru analysis!

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