Subaru's freshened Crosstrek gets a bigger engine option, but not a price increase, as the popular model prepares to battle more entrants in the subcompact crossover segment.
The latest Crosstrek, featuring an updated front bumper and grille, will start at 23,795, before shipping, for the base trim with a six-speed manual transmission, the same price as the 2020 base model. The starting price of the base model with a continuously variable transmission remained the same at $24,645, before shipping.
The 2021 Subaru Crosstrek is available in eight trim levels in Canada
The new Crosstrek Outdoor trim, starts at $29,995, before shipping. The OUtdoor trim is the first in the line of eight trims to offer the new 2.5-litre engine with 182 hp and 176 pound-feet of torque found in the Forester compact crossover, Legacy midsize sedan and Outback midsize crossover. For the Crosstrek, the larger engine equates to a power increase of 30 hp and 31 pound-feet of torque over the now base 2.0-litre engine.
On the Crosstrek, the Outdoor trim will include Subaru's core safety systems and several select design elements including, an optional Plasma Yellow Pearl exterior colour, which exclusive to the trim.
At the top of the Crosstrek lineup is the Limited trim, which includes the aforementioned new 2.5-litre standard. It starts at $34,495, before shipping.
Through June, Subaru of America has sold 2,319 Crosstreks in Canada, a decline of 38 per cent, third in the segment to the Hyundai Kona, which generated sales of 4,971 units, and the Nissan Kicks at 2,621 units, according to the Automotive News Data Center.
New or redesigned entrants from Mazda, Kia, Buick, Chevrolet and Hyundai have joined the subcompact crossover segment in recent months.
The updated Crosstrek is set to arrive at retailers this summer, Subaru said.
