2020 Subaru Crosstrek

Subaru has made AWD standard on the Crosstrek like many other cars in its lineup. It is available with either a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine or a plug-in hybrid system that can go up to 17 miles on electricity alone. While there are no major updates for the 2020 model year, the CVT models now come with a stop-start function and automatic climate control is now standard. In terms of the rivals, it competes with the likes of Honda HR-V, Hyundai Kona, and Mazda CX-30.

Subaru provides three trim levels: Base, Premium, and Limited. Both the Base and Premium come standard with a 6-speed manual transmission that may be upgraded to a CVT for an extra $1,350. All trims come with AWD, which is the first in the segment, and the Limited trim comes with CVT as standard. The base trim available for $22,145 comes standard with 17-inch alloy wheels, all-season tires, a 6.5-inch touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility, and much more. Automatic power door locks that lock when you pull away are the new addition to the car and made standard for all the trims.

Upgrade to Premium for $23,195, and you get heated front seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, fog lights, heated side mirrors, automatic headlights, a second USB port, and Wi-Fi capability. Finally, the Limited trim, which is almost $4,000 more, adds 18-inch wheels, a power driver seat, leather upholstery, automatic climate controls, keyless ignition, dual USB rear ports, and an 8.0-inch touchscreen to the already feature-loaded car. A hybrid model is also available, and it adds 17-miles of pure electric driving range, but it will be reviewed separately.

The Premium model can now be equipped with a 6-way power-adjustable driver’s seat. The Limited and the hybrid models now get rear-USB charging ports. Also, you get a new set of LED fog lamps on the Limited trim. Other than that, the price of the Base model has increased by a small margin compared to 2019, and if you weren’t impressed with Subaru’s offering of colors, 2 new colors are replacing the old ones.

Which Trim should you buy?

We’d suggest going with the Premium trim as it costs only $1,000 more and adds significantly more features to an already feature-loaded base trim. With the Premium trim, you get heated front seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and a six-speaker stereo system. It doesn’t really make sense to spend more on the Limited trim because the extras aren't worth the money.

The 2020 Subaru Crosstrek is powered by a 152 horsepower flat-4 engine that sounds thrilling but isn't as sporty as it sounds. The 2.0L boxer engine produces 145 lb-ft of torque at 6000 RPM, which is distributed to all four wheels via the AWD system. The Crosstrek offers poor acceleration, with data indicating that it can take more than 9.0 seconds to reach 60 mph, regardless of transmission.

Get off the pavement, and the Subaru begins to shine, thanks to the AWD and a very sturdy build, as Subaru manages to offer a very good off-road performance. At slow city speeds, the engine stays silent and can easily handle stop-and-go situations. However, once on the highway, the transmission takes a bit longer than expected to get going. Thus, while the power delivery is linear, the overtaking prowess under the hood feels a bit underwhelming.

Because of its unrefined boxer engine and slow gearbox, the car lags behind its competitors. The standard AWD configuration is the only saving point for the Crosstrek. The Kona is the fastest car in this comparison, while the Mazda is the most powerful thanks to its larger engine displacement. 

How well does the 2020 Subaru Crosstrek handle?

Because of its ride quality and handling, the car can lift itself out of most tough terrain situations. The steering is crisp and responsive, and the feedback is well-balanced. It manages to maneuver itself through corners, albeit sharp corners are when you'll notice its rigidity. The car isn't the most nimble in the class, but thanks to active torque vectoring, the steering feels more precise. Due to its 8.7-inch ground clearance and independent acting suspensions, it readily handles all bumps. 

On CVT models, you can choose from a variety of drive modes that are better suited to your needs. The X-model lowers the wheel spin on slipping tires for improved off-road performance. The ride feels rigid, however, it gets over bumps easily and feels planted on the ground all the time. The steering is quite responsive and handling through the sharp corners feels amazing. Even with the weaker engine, the overall driving dynamics of the car feel great thanks to its responsive steering, excellent suspension, and great build quality.

Braking Performance

Subaru’s braking is oddly good considering its average acceleration performance. It uses 11.6 and 10.8-inch brake rotors on the front and the rear, respectively. It takes around 120 feet to come to a halt from 60MPH. Along with the emergency braking system and ABS, Subaru does well in the braking performance of the car. The brake pedal also feels progressive and provides good feedback to the driver.

Despite being the heaviest, the Mazda comes to a stop a foot before the Subaru. In this class, the competition is stiff, with comparable brake rotor sizes and weight profiles being employed in the cars. What we can say is that the Honda HR-V certainly needs bigger braking hardware to stop under 130 feet, like all its rivals. When comparing the curb weight, Hyundai Kona is the heaviest option and takes 129 feet to reach a halt from 60 mph.

For a car that's supposed to be a daily driver, with a 6-speed manual transmission, the 2020 Crosstrek offers a combined MPG of 25, 29 on the highways, and drops down to 22 in the city traffic. The CVT does offer a slightly better average on the highways and the cities, increasing its overall combined average. With its massive fuel tank, long trips shouldn’t be a problem, and thanks to features like auto-start stop and driving modes, you get better fuel economy overall.

The 2020 Crosstrek has one of the worst fuel economies in the segment, but it makes up for it with a big 16.6-gallon tank. As all of its competitors have a superior fuel economy, with the best figures being provided by both Honda and Hyundai at 30 mpg combined. The Honda HR-V distinguishes out due to its great city and highway averages which can be attributed to its light curb weight. 

The interior of the 2020 Subaru Crosstrek is plain and uncomplicated, to the point of being dull for some. The absence of quality materials may be visible and expected on the base trim. However, on the Limited trim, the adoption of a minimalistic approach with better materials enhances the premium appeal of the interior. Some faux-carbon-fiber elements and leather upholstery, as well as orange stitching, are visible, and this, along with a superb combination, elevates the interior a bit. Ergonomics and overall visibility are also well-sorted, and every knob and button is within an arm’s reach.

The 2020 Crosstrek offers 60/40 split-folding rear seats and behind the rear offers a commendable amount of area to fit your bags. Overall, the Subaru has the best first-row accommodation in the class, with plenty of head and legroom, with only the Honda coming close in the second-row room. On the Limited trim, you get heated and power-adjustable front row seats and the moonroof comes as an optional. There are ample storage spaces all over the cabin, and storing bigger items is easy with the large glovebox.

For both the front and rear rows, the Subaru Crosstrek has more interior space than most of the cars in the segment. It also has more cargo space than its competitors. However, it falls short of Honda in terms of second-row legroom and cargo space. All the crossovers in the competition come with a seating capacity of 5. Standout interior features include:

• Heated Front Seats
• Leather Upholstery with Orange Stitching
• Optional Moonroof
• Automatic Climate Control
• 6-way driver and 4-way passenger manual adjustable seats

What’s there to keep you entertained?

You get a 6.5-inch standard Starlink infotainment system on the Base Crosstrek, and this works in cohesion with 2 more displays to provide overall information. The drivers’ screen has basic information along with the gauges and can be used to switch between vehicle settings. The infotainment system feels easy to use with large icons, and browsing through the menu feels like a cakewalk. 

The central panel helps you control the climate, check the weather, navigation, and control media. On the Limited trim, this can be expanded to an 8.0-inch system along with a 6 speaker stereo system. The system gets all basic features as standard, including Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, SiriusXM radio, USB ports, and Bluetooth. The system covers the basics, is easy to navigate, and might feel dated but does the job easily. Standout infotainment features include:

• 6.5-inch Starlink Infotainment System
• 4/6-speaker stereo system
• 4 USB Ports and Bluetooth
• Satellite Radio
• Android Auto and Apple CarPlay

The appearance of the 2020 Subaru Crosstrek hasn't changed much, and it retains the same off-road rugged looks as the 2019 model. The look encompasses the extremely well-built chassis but feels kind of dated compared to its rivals. Its tough appearance is enhanced by the black cladding beneath and the wheel arches above the 17-18 inch large wheels. With the incorporated roof rails, it appears to be a younger cousin of Subaru's Outback. Subaru also adds features like integrated LED DRLs, LED headlights with cornering functionality, a roof spoiler, and body-colored side mirrors. 

From this year, you get a windshield wiper with a de-icer on the Limited trim. There are 11 colors to choose from. For 2020, the Subaru Crosstrek replaced the Gray metallic and Venetian red pearl from last year with Magnetite gray metallic and Pure red. Lastly, there are exterior options that include, bodyside molding kit, a trailer hitch, an STI roof spoiler, a Thule cargo carrier, and a rear bumper cover.

The Subaru Crosstrek has stronger off-road capability than the others due to its substantially higher ground clearance. The Honda HR-V, along with the Hyundai Kona, offers the least ground clearance of the competition. Despite having the widest and longest profile in the series, it is also the second lightest in the segment, with the Kona being the heaviest option. Standout exterior features include:

• LED Headlamps
• Heated Mirrors
• Roof-rails
• Rear roof spoiler
• Blacked out front and rear bumpers

The 2020 Subaru Crosstrek got a 5-star overall crash safety rating in the crash tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In addition, the 2020 Crosstrek received a satisfactory rating in all of the subsections of the IIHS crash tests, including crashworthiness and crash avoidance & mitigation. Subaru doesn’t skip on safety features, and this also applies to the Crosstrek. Some standard safety features include stability control, Emergency Braking Assist, rearview parking camera, and pre and post-collision systems. As options, you get lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and adaptive cruise control. Standout Safety Features include:

• Blindspot monitor
• Lane change assist
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Adaptive cruise control
• Automatic emergency braking
• Lane departure and sway warning
• Reverse automatic braking

2020 Subaru Crosstrek vs. 2020 Honda HR-V

Both have advantages over the other, and it is up to you to decide which one you want to choose. The Honda HR-V offers more space both in the interior as well as the cargo compared to the Subaru. It has a smaller engine compared to the Subaru and offers better mileage. However, due to the smaller engine, Honda’s off-road ability is average at best, while the Crosstrek makes a better off-roader choice.

2020 Subaru Crosstrek vs. 2020 Hyundai Kona

The Hyundai Kona looks opulent, has many premium features as standard, and has an exquisite interior with better quality materials compared to the Subaru. The 2020 Kona's external style features more curves than the Crosstrek’s robust and rugged appearance, and the Kona's appearance could be described as futuristic. However, the Crosstrek aces in terms of driving performance and has better handling than the Kona. Along with this, the Subaru also has better space on the inside than the Hyundai.

2020 Subaru Crosstrek vs. 2020 Mazda CX-30

Mazda’s CX-30 is one of the best available options in the sub-compact SUV segment. It has a more powerful and refined engine, handles better, and one would argue that it even looks better. The steering is quite agile, and the overall drive performance is better than the Crosstrek. The Mazda lacks in one category and that is interior and cargo space as compared to the Subaru, and given that Subaru comes with AWD as standard, it performs better in off-road conditions.

The 2020 Subaru Crosstrek lives up to its rugged exterior by providing superb off-road performance, excellent fuel economy, and one of the most spacious interiors in the market. The car lacks performance, but it checks all the other boxes, including standard safety and infotainment technologies, luxury and spacious interiors, and AWD as standard on all models. Thus if you do not mind the relatively lethargic performance, the Crosstrek is certainly going to fulfill all your daily driving needs.