There is little doubt that the Subaru The Crosstrek is a good enough off-roader. Now, going ahead and taking it a step further, Subaru has decided to refresh the Crosstrek for the 2024 model year. This means the Crosstrek will join the “more capable” Wilderness family with its added capabilities such as improved suspension, space additional ground clearance and the best approach and departure angles. What makes the 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness such an exciting car is the fact that it costs just over $30,000.
This makes the 2024 Crosstrek Wilderness one of the most “new” and cost-effective off-roaders on the market. But is it a good car just because it’s affordable? Or does it have any value compared to the more expensive SUVs that already exist on the market? Well, that depends entirely on what you plan to do with your Crosstrek Wilderness. For us, the 2024 Crosstrek Wilderness ticks more than enough boxes. Read on to find out why.
Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness is specially designed for off-road use
No prizes for guessing. All of Subaru’s Wilderness models are standard models that have been redesigned to take more of a beating in the wild. The 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness comes loaded with an upgraded suspension and better off-road tires equipped with the standard 2.5-liter boxer engine. The current Subaru Crosstrek’s powertrain remains unchanged for the Wilderness Edition, with 182 hp and 176 lb-ft of power and torque, respectively. Where the current Crosstrek has a maximum towing capacity of 1,500 pounds, it’s more than doubled in the Crosstrek Wilderness to 3,500 pounds. Most of this can be attributed to the addition of a transmission oil cooler.
The Crosstrek Wilderness’ drivetrain has been revamped with a revised differential gear ratio and retuned transmission for optimized traction on slippery surfaces at low speeds. Some of the most noticeable differences between a regular Crosstrek and a Crosstrek Wilderness include a slightly shortened wheelbase and increased height. Ground clearance has increased from 8.7 inches to 9.3 inches, and the approach angle has increased from 18 degrees to 20 degrees. The departure angle has increased from 30.1 degrees to 33 degrees and the break angle from 19.7 degrees to 21.1 degrees. All of these things together take the Subaru Crosstrek’s off-road prowess to a whole new level, making it better suited for the harshest conditions.
The biggest problem with the Crosstrek Wilderness is the CVT
Most of the time, having a capable off-road vehicle means spending a considerable amount to get one. Speaking strictly of new purchases, the 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness is arguably the most rugged, capable, and affordable SUV you can buy once it hits dealerships this fall. The 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness may not be the most capable off-roader on the market right now, but it doesn’t cost half as much as some of the bigger names available on the market right now. The 2024 Crosstrek Wilderness costs $31,995 for the standard model, which goes up to $33,290, including destination and delivery costs.
Then there’s an optional package that gets you a power moonroof, a power driver’s seat, and a Harman Kardon amplifier and speakers over the standard package for $2,270. Unfortunately, there is no option to have a manual transmission in the 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness, as it comes with a standard CVT across the range. The driver-selectable X mode allows the driver to choose between snow/dirt and deep snow/mud options to maximize traction in different conditions. This system finds the perfect balance between engine power, CVT ratio positions, increasing or decreasing all-wheel drive coupling along with the traction control system to ensure you never get stuck anywhere. Always.
The Crosstrek is the third Subaru with the Wilderness package
It’s not new for manufacturers to come up with a new nameplate to showcase fancier versions of their existing models. These models are more about what a particular model can do rather than what it is expected to do. The Subaru Crosstrek is the third Subaru car to join the Wilderness family with its fair share of practical rather than more aesthetic changes. Similar to the rest of the Wilderness models like the Outback and Forester, the visual differences between the Crosstrek and Crosstrek Wilderness are not strange but subtle.
Similar to other “special” trims from other manufacturers (including Subaru), the 2024 Crosstrek Wilderness is a makeshift version of an existing large vehicle. That means an upgraded (or retuned) transmission, a few useful additions like a metal skid plate at the front, redesigned front and rear sections to improve approach and departure angles. Throw in a few subtle but unavoidable design cues to set it apart from the regular model, and voila, you’ve got a specialist off-roader that doesn’t cost a fortune over the base variant and can do things the model can base could not do. Or it could, but not so easily.
