2018 Subaru XV aka Crosstrek Closer Look – Video

Subaru unveiled the new Impreza sedan and hatchback last year, and since the Crosstrek (known as the XV in Europe) is just an Impreza hatchback with a lift kit, it was only a matter of time until the new one surfaced. And here it is!

This is the first major redesign for the Crosstrek since its introduction in 2012. It’s… not much different from the Impreza hatchback, to be honest. It’s taller, and there’s some additional body cladding around the wheels and on the lower portions of the fasciae, but that’s about it. Compared to the previous generation, it’s significantly less boxy. A new exterior color, “cool gray khaki,” is the most Subaru paint color that’s ever existed.

The interior is the same story. The materials look better, and the dashboard arrangement keeps the important pieces front and center, with plenty of physical switchgear surrounding the touchscreen infotainment system. There’s a new steering wheel and some orange stitching on the instrument panel, as well as a new electronic parking brake.

 

 

While Europeans have a 154-horsepower flat-four under the hood, the US market will receive the same 152-horsepower H4 as the US-spec 2017 Impreza. The base and Premium trims come standard with a six-speed manual, with a continuously variable transmission available as an option. On higher trims, the CVT becomes standard.