Crosstrek XV is gaining popularity among mountain bikers as illustrated by this photo yesterday at a trail head in Belmont, CA.

Update: March 20, 2014 - Long Term Update

Our Crosstrek XV is about a year old now with more than 13,000 miles. It has performed flawlessly on several road trips, off-road adventures and daily errands around town. There have been zero issues with it and the only maintenance trips so far are for oil changes.

The motor has a bit of a rough idle when cold as it seems to shift between 1000 and 800 rpm a bit. It also has more knocking during acceleration when cold. So it's best to warm it up and wait for the 'blue' icon on the dash to go away before pressing hard on the accelerator. And this car is really best when one cruises at a relaxed pace around town or on the freeway. It gets up to speed with little noise and effort. Mash the accelerator hard and the car makes all kinds of groaning noises with its engine and transmission.

The car really displayed its core strength during a three-day test ride in Soquel Demo Forest in Santa Cruz, CA. We gained access to some steep fire roads and the Crosstrek felt right at home on the rutted and loose fire roads. It seemed to pivot and dance around corners with control. With four bikes and five adults loaded, it tackled a 1000 foot climb and 10% grades with no problem. Descending the steep fire road too was fully controlled and actually fun.

So there is the continuing saga of the Crosstrek XV. At the trail head yesterday, there were two other Crosstreks parked beside us. We chatted with the owners and they were almost as excited talking about their cars as they were with their bikes.



Update: October 8, 2013 - Long Term Update

I have 5000 miles on the Crosstrek now and I've fielded many questions at the trailhead from folks asking about the car. So this seems like a good time to update this review.

Bike Hauling Abilities

Bottom line, this is what the car is for and it has performed the task admirably. I either use a Yakima HoldUp rack or a 1UpUSA hitch rack and the car works well with either one. Since the Crosstrek is high off the ground, the rack is elevated too and has no issues bottoming out whatsover on steep parking lots or rough dirt roads.

Currently, I actually prefer the Yakima HoldUp since it is so compact and it is easier to use. The Yakima pretty much folds to 3/4 its normal size with the collapsing wheel tray. It is smooth with no sharp edges and it's very easy to fold up, down or tilt to open the hatch. Plus it's got a bolt through the 1 1/4 hitch mount for a more secure connection with the car.

The 1UpUSA delivers a cleaner, stealth look and the license plate is actually visible even with two trays. It is easier to install/remove from the vehicle since there's no bolt to thread through the hitch. It works with a ball cam system that tightens with a special wrench. However, this kind of system is not as secure and the cam can loosen over a period of time or when driving on very rough roads. And this will cause the hitch and the bikes to fall from the vehicle.

I opted for a 1 1/4 instead of a 2 inch receiver hitch to make it less visible under the car. The trade-off here is the hitch racks can only take a max of two bike instead of four. Also, the bikes will have more movement when in rough roads with the 1 1/4 hitch.

When transporting four bikes, I opted for the Thule roof mounting system which has strong rubber straps that latch on to the factory rails. These seem to work very well but getting bikes up there is always a bit of a struggle as the vehicle is high and there's no perfect place to place your feet when climbing up.

Four adults, four bikes and all their gear fit perfectly in this vehicle as long as no one is a pack rat. A road trip with this many folks will be a struggle.



What About the Power?

Or lack of it? I'm happy to report that Crosstrek with 146 horses has enough power for me with the CVT transmission. The Crosstrek has a great tranny and it seems like the power is always there the second you step on the gas. We thought the car was quick around town and it really is as 0-30 acceleration is very lively. Midrange power is no good under heavy load getting up to around 70 mph. After that, it settles in and drops in to a high gear as it seems to cruise with ease.

So it's quick and easy to drive around town. But if you mash the pedal and look at the 0-60 times of 9.8 seconds, you will be disappointed. But we've taken the car, fully loaded up the Grapevine I-5 and I-80 to Tahoe and it had no problems cruising up at 70 mph. The CVT transmission can get loud under load but the car just finds the right gearing and climbs away. But if you live in the high mountains or have to do a lot of passing on two-lane roads, this may not be the car for you. There's enough power at sea level to get this car around. But if you're looking for thrills or a fun car then the Subaru Crosstrek cannot deliver. And since there are no engine options, buyers may need to look somewhere else.

Mileage?

The mileage claim of 33 mpg is legitimate. You can do better than that or worse than that depending on conditons but that is pretty much spot on in our opinion. 27-28 on the city is confirmed as well. And since this is not a fast accelerating car, that's pretty much what you'll experience in terms of real-world mileage. See, the Crosstrek is fun and capable when you just cruise around without mashing the throttle. And that's when you'll see the best economy. The big variable on the highway is speed. When you get close to 80mph and beyond, the mileage dives pretty severely. The RPMs of the motor climb quite a bit and the bad aerodynamics and height of the car get the best of it. On several runs on I5 averaging 82 mph, our highway mileage dropped to 27 mpg.



Off Road Ability and Handling

With 8.7 inches of ground clearance and the Subaru drivetrain, the Crosstrek has had no issues so far with the terrain we've thrown at it. It's had no issues at all with dirt roads and rough, dirt lots we've taken it to.

Handling is surprisingly good for a car of this height. There's a little body roll at the limit and the tires will let their presence known under hard cornering. At freeway speeds, the car can be a little fidgety and the driver has to focus a bit more than other cars to keep it centered in the lane.

Bottom Line

We love this car and it will stay in the family until the next generation.

Continue to page 2 for how to put a hitch rack on, an initial review, video and full photo gallery »



Update: June 23, 2013 - Putting a hitch rack on the Crosstrek XV

If you have to drive your mountain bike to a remote trail or destination, the finest way to transport a bike is with a hitch rack. Hitch racks save gas, are quiet, don't smash into low roofs, don't damage your paint and are much easier to use on every trip. Most cars do not make it an option because they're afraid you're gonna tow a trailer home once they give you a hitch mount. But most cars can be fitted with a hitch these days. With a hitch tray rack, you don't have to lift the bike over your head and you don't have to remove the front wheels every time.

So we embarked on a project to install a hitch rack in our Subaru Crosstrek XV. Some quick research indicated that the Curt Hitch receiver is best and is available for $110 - $140. We opted for the 1.25 inch size instead of the 2 inch receiver size since we wanted a cleaner look for this small vehicle. Folks who want to carry four bikes in the back and have very rough roads should opt for the 2 inch hitch. A 2 inch hitch has more load capability and is more stable laterally.



This install can be done for you by U-Haul or an auto shop but it seemed like a good project for a closet mechanic to tackle. the main task is to put mounting bolts in the chassis so the rack can be secured. Since one can't drop the bolts in from above, the bolt heads have to be inserted in a hole big enough then a plate has to be put in place to secure the bolt from falling out of the entry hole. This fancy operation is performed by a fishing wire which allows you to insert the bolt, thread a plate in the mounting hole and then pull everything back in place.

Warning: If you have to lift up the rear of your vehicle for access, you have to ensure there is no chance your jacks can fail and have the car fall on you. This is best done with wheel ramps or jack stands. The puny car jack that comes with your car is not safe to hold up the car by itself if you plan to crawl under the car.



On the Subaru XV, the holes had to be enlarged so the bolt head and the retaining plate could go through. This is probably the most difficult part of this install as the car chassis made of robust steel and is not easy to drill out.



Once the bolts are in place, putting the retaining nuts on is obvious enough. But two people should really do this job as the heavy hitch receiver needs to be lifted and held in place then nuts can be screwed on tight.



Here is the very secure arm of the Yakima HoldUp as it can handle all the wheel sizes today.



We were rewarded with a rack that was secure and very simple to use. We've taken it on a couple trips already and the kids are actually able to put the bike on the rack. The rack was stable and secure and we are able to check on the bikes with the rear view mirror.

In the end, we recommend that you consider a hitch rack for your car. And if you're car cannot accomodate a hitch rack, make sure your next one does.

Here's some detailed photos of the Curt Hitch receiver installed on the Subaru.







Continue to page 3 to check an initial review, video on the Subaru Crosstrek XV and full photo gallery »



Is this a car review on mtbr? Why yes, mountain bikers need to get their bikes to the trailhead after all. And we have unique auto needs. We need a vehicle that will haul bikes first and foremost. We need a car that will get us to the trailhead through twisty mountain roads, broken pavement and logging roads and dirt parking lots. We need a car we can change in and sleep in, a vehicle that can regulate our body temperature back to normal from the verge or frostbite or heat exhaustion.

And yes, make it affordable and make it economical on the fossil fuels we reluctantly consume.

Enter the Subaru XV Crosstrek. It is new for 2013 and it in a nutshell is an Impreza that has been raised several inches. The surprising part is it works. It works well enough for us to say that it is our favorite car in the whole Subaru line-up.

Subaru XV Crosstrek Video Review



Subaru took the Impreza, jacked it up a couple of inches, added some plastic body cladding and some exciting colors, a roof rack and, voila…high-roader.

The Impreza hatchback is the latest to get this treatment, and while it's a little more involved, that really is basically the gist of its transformation into the $22,805 XV Crosstrek. While the design of the Impreza is a little bit on the awkward side, it looks just right as a high rider. And the XV Crosstrek is definitely that. The little 5-door has 8.7-inches of ground clearance, more even than a Jeep Grand Cherokee, although it sits lower and is easier to get into than a conventional compact crossover. Chunky wheels with a blocky spoke design combined with unique front and rear bumpers help give it the appearance of a space buggy, especially when finished in its signature Tangerine Orange Pearl paint.

During our week with it, one friend called it 'fugly' while ten others called it 'awesome looking.' Tell you what, this is 10x better looking than the similar-sized Subaru Forester. And it looks noticeably better than the current generation of Subaru Outbacks.



The interior is identical to the Impreza's, which means plain, but appointed with excellent visibility and lots of room for the compact class. The main difference is a standard rubber cargo tray for hauling mucky gear in the back.

The great news is the vehicle weighs in at about 3100 pounds which is up to 500 pounds lighter than its SUV and CUV peers. The 2.0-liter flat-four-cylinder engine only has 148 hp. All-wheel-drive and a five-speed manual transmission are standard, but with the CVT automatic the vast majority of buyers will choose, the XV Crosstrek is a little slow getting up to speed on the highway. And as we mentioned in the video, the XV Crosstrek feels light on its feet. The CVT transmission seems to squeeze out all the useable torque out of the engine efficiently and gets the car moving pretty quickly. The other bonus is the car coasts like a champ. Coasting is underrated and it seems to be how many manufacturers are squeezing good mileage out of modern cars. Eliminate drivetrain drag and manufacturers are rewarded with an extra 3-5 mpg.

The tradeoff to the uninspired 0-60 acceleration is that once you are there it delivers 33 mpg, which Subaru says is best in class for all-wheel-drive crossovers, even if the XV Crosstrek barely qualifies as one. Unlike many cars today that come up short on real world fuel economy, we saw as much as 35 mpg on a couple of 30-mile flat highway trips.

One of them took me to a snow-covered dirt road where, even on all-season tires, the XV Crosstrek kept us out of the woods. The Vehicle Dynamics Control is not subtle about saving your sorry self, the system loudly rat-tat-tatting individual brakes to keep the car going straight whenever you start getting out of line. Treat it like the buzzer in a game of Operation and it can be a very good lesson in vehicle dynamics. Slippery surfaces or not, the XV Crosstrek's suspension does a great job in the rough stuff, soaking up the deepest ruts with nary a shock to the spine, but is a little bouncier than ideal on paved roads.

As with many "gearless" CVT transmissions, the XV Crosstrek has a manual mode and paddles behind the steering wheel that allow you to use it like a virtual six-speed. Normally very silly, this feature actually comes in handy off-road by giving you more direct control over the power delivery and some engine braking when heading downhill.

Bike Hauling

Roof rails are included so installing a bike rack on top is a cinch with the Thule cross bar system. It works well with up to three bikes up on the roof. But the vehicle sits high and there is no obvious place to place your feet as you climb up to reach the roof. A step-ladder may be a necessary tool here.

And the obvious bike transport location is the rear cargo area. The seats fold flat so it's easy to slide a bike in. We were able to put in a road bike with front wheel on but mountain bikes will need their front wheel off. The roof is not high like an SUV so forget about visions of fork mounting the bikes and standing them upright on the rear cargo area.

And the best option of all is a hitch rack. Subaru does offer a hitch mount option and they even have bike hitch racks available! Check here for available Subaru accesories. A third-party mount is easily available from places like Etrailer.com for about $150. Install that yourself, then buy a rack like the 1upusa.com and you will be a happy camper for the next decade. Mileage is unaffected and you will have easy access to your bike and your rear cargo door.



So orange we impressed? Yes, the author is now scheming to sell some older cars to make room for this one in the stable.

2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek Specs

  • Base Price: $22,805
  • Type: 5-door, 5-passenger hatchback
  • Engine: 2.0-liter flat-4-cylinder
  • Power: 148 hp, 145 lb-ft torque
  • Transmission: 5-speed manual or CVT automatic
  • MPG: 25 city/33 hwy
  • 0-60 mph: 8.7 seconds

Check the Subaru XV Forum for more details. Mtbr Subaru XV Discussion

What else is out there?


There's many options of course but one particularly close peer is the 2013 Mazda CX-5. It starts out at around $20k and can end up at $30k when fully decked out, just like the Subie. It's a little bit heavier at 3300 lbs and has a tick more horsepower at 160 hp. It's roomier, but not quite as off-road capable. Read our full review here: 2013 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring AWD Review