Subaru has debuted their all-new Crosstrek at the Geneva Motor Show. The small crossover gets the new platform from the 2017 Subaru Impreza along with that car's new engine. What it doesn't get is a huge styling change.
The mild exterior changes on an all-new platform isn't much of a surprise. That's the same makeover that the Impreza sedan and hatch got last year. It does get a stylish new scalloped line running from the fenders through the doors. Underneath that body is Subaru's new Global Platform. Up to twice as stiff as the old model, it also improves the suspension system and despite the extra ride height, the center of gravity has been lowered. The steering has also been quickened to give a more maneuverable feel. Size is mostly unchanged; the new car is 15mm longer, slightly wider and the same height as the old Crosstrek.
The new engine is the 2.0L boxer four-cylinder from the new Impreza. It's 80 percent new compared with the last generation Crosstrek. It has direct injection and is 12 kg lighter, which should help improve performance, but it still makes just 154 hp. That power is sent through standard all-wheel drive. The CVT is lighter as well, and has a wider ratio spread. It gets simulated shifts and has a seven-speed manual mode. The all-wheel drive system gets an off-road mode, as well as hill descent control.
Subaru says that all Crosstreks will come with the company's EyeSight safety suite. This is a group of active safety features that in this case comes with automatic high beams, headlights that steer with the wheels, and rear vehicle detection that includes blind spot warnings, back-up alerts, and lane change assistance.
If you were wondering about the license plates and badging, the model at the show is the European model, which is still called the Subaru XV. Expect more details on the North American version when it debuts in New York in April.
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