Subaru has gained quite a few loyalists over the last decade. With the offerings being unique across the board and all of the cars coming equipped with AWD (except the BRZ) it's easy to see why. Perhaps one of the biggest reasons for the uptick in sales has been the Subaru XV Crosstrek. Initially released in 2013, the Crosstrek was met with positive reactions. While it wasn't the fastest crossover around, its standard AWD and ride height gave owners a lot to love about it.
The initial cost of the Crosstrek was pretty on par with its competitors, but over time, Subaru has proven to keep their value pretty well. While Subaru may be more popular in certain areas of the country where AWD is essential, they are still a great car for almost any lifestyle. The boxer engine combined with the "go everywhere, do anything" mentality has given the Crosstrek a name for great value. Here are the 10 best reasons why the Crosstrek is the coolest cross-over to buy used.
10 Ground Clearance
One of the coolest things about the Crosstrek is that it comes with optimal ground clearance straight from the dealership. This will allow the driver to take it almost anywhere that they need to take it. Whether you live in a snowy area or simply want a car to take out on some trails, the Crosstrek will certainly provide you with the ability to drive when you need it to.
The Crosstrek comes standard with 8.7 inches of ground clearance, beating even fully-fledged SUVs such as the Toyota RAV4, which only offers 8.4 inches.
9 Perfect Size For Every Occasion
Subaru struck the perfect chord between being too small or too big with the Crosstrek. Initially, based on the design of the Impreza, the Crosstrek is small enough to be a standard hatchback size but with the cross-over stature that many drivers want. The XV can easily hold 5 people comfortably with room in the trunk for groceries.
The size of the car will easily make you feel like you are driving a small and nimble car while also being tall enough to see a few cars ahead of you.
8 Smooth Drive
The Crosstrek has very smooth driving characteristics that will leave everyone in the car feeling happy even if the road is rough. Based on Subaru's Global Platform, which aims to give all of their cars a similar feel, you can expect any year of the XV to feel comfortable. Part suspension, part global platform the XV is meant to be smooth.
Subaru has worked hard to ensure that all of their cars feel comfortable, and the XV is no exception.
7 Space
The XV comes standard with 5 seats and the ability to put the back seats down for even more carrying capacity. The space that is provided almost seems like it shouldn't be possible with how small the actual car is compared to other crossovers. It boasts a respectable 20.8 cubic feet of trunk space, and that number rises to 55.3 cubic feet with the rear seats down. This is enough to carry almost anything you may need moved.
While the Crosstrek may not have enough space to carry more than 5 people, it makes really good use of the space that it does have.
6 All-Wheel Drive
One of the best reasons to buy a Subaru is that its All-Wheel Symmetrical drive is one of the best AWDs on the market. It has come standard on almost every one of their cars since the '90s. While it may not be needed by some, most drivers are thankful to have the AWD when the weather becomes less than ideal.
The AWD comes standard on the XV and is one of the best reasons why a Subaru would be a great fit for many drivers.
5 Highly Affordable Price
You can typically find an XV on the used marketplace for anywhere from $13,000-$20,000 depending on whether you go for lightly used or one that's more than 5 years old. In any case, you're getting great value for your money.
Aside from being packed with features, it's important to note that Subarus retain their market value pretty well and will remain dependable well past 200,000 miles if taken care of properly.
4 Impressive Fuel Economy
If a car is considered to be in the SUV class of cars then 9 times out of 10 they will typically be less than ideal on fuel consumption. The XV is not to be lumped into that group when it comes to fuel economy. It gets on average 33 MPG on the highway and 27 MPG in the city.
While you probably won't be able to find the Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid on the used market yet, the XV gets great gas mileage for its class.
3 Safety Is Number One Priority
Subaru has been praised time and time again for its safety crash ratings. The 2013 XV even won the award for IIHS's safety pick of the year. If you want a car that will keep you and your family safe in a crash the Subaru family may be one of your best bets. Engineers at Subaru have worked for over 20 years to design the safety technology that has gone into every car in the lineup.
The Crosstrek continues to get new safety features every year, but you can rest assured that any year you buy will have great safety standards.
2 Raised Roof Rails
While raised roof rails may be one of the smallest reasons to buy an XV compared to its competitors, it surely helps the decision. These rails come standard on most Crosstreks and if you aren't satisfied with how big the cabin is, you can always know that it will be easy to put whatever items you need up on the roof as well.
The XV has always been marketed as a car for adventurous people, with the ability to throw snowboards, surfboards, or bikes on top of the car, it's easy to see why.
1 Boxer Engine
The boxer engine has become the standard for most Subaru's. While its dependability took a little bit of a dive in certain models, the XV touts some pretty impressive awards. One of those being that 97% of the Crosstreks sold since 2013 are still on the road today.
This is in big part due to the Boxer engine and how reliable it has become over the last decade and how easy it is to work on for mechanics. It's also quite powerful for its price point, pushing out as much as 182 horsepower for the top trim. In a small crossover such as the XV Crosstrek, this power will go a long way in making it feel sporty and capable whatever terrain you're on.