2024 Subaru Crosstrek: Which Engine Should I Choose?

The Subaru Crosstrek is a class leader in subcompact SUVs. It's affordable, efficient, and a robust off-roader thanks to its generous ride height and standard all-wheel-drive system. It also earns excellent safety scores and our Best Resale Value Award for its class, adding to its appeal.

The Subaru Crosstrek is available with two engines; a 2.0-liter and a 2.5-liter. These are both 4-cylinder engines that use a "flat" configuration that's uncommon outside of the Subaru brand. The Base and Premium trims use the 2.0-liter engine, while the Sport, Limited, and Wilderness models all use the bigger engine.

In the 2024 model, the starting price for the base engine is $24,995, and the cost of entry for the 2.5-liter engine is $28,995 via the Sport trim. However, upgrading to the Sport trim brings more than just a bigger engine, which helps to justify the price difference.

In addition to the engine upgrade, the Sport model has LED fog lights, 18-inch wheels, raised roof rails, dual-function X-Mode, an 11.6-inch screen, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and more.

The engine upgrade plus the list of additional features make the $4,000 price difference between the base model and the Sport trim well worth the cost. If you want some of these extra features, like the upgraded infotainment system, but aren't interested in the 2.5-liter engine, the popular Premium trim sits in between with a starting price of $26,145.

The two engines available in the Subaru Crosstrek have the same combined fuel economy rating. The base engine gets 27 city/34 highway/29 combined mpg, while the 2.5-liter engine returns 26 city/33 highway/29 combined mpg.

Since the base engine has slightly better city and highway mpg ratings, you’ll save a little money at the fuel pump. Since neither requires premium fuel and their fuel economy ratings are so similar, there's no significant difference in the fuel costs. According to EPA estimates for the 2023 Crosstrek, the difference in annual fuel cost between the two engines is only $50.

The 2.0-liter engine makes 152 horsepower and 145 lb-ft of torque, which is about average for a base engine in this class. The 2.5-liter engine produces 182 hp and 178 lb-ft of torque, which is a big enough boost to make a noticeable difference from behind the wheel.

In our testing, we found the base engine in the Crosstrek to be adequate for around-town driving, but its highway performance left us wanting. Getting up to highway speed on the on-ramp requires patience, and highway passing is a weakness. The base engine is fine if most of your driving is in the city.

Having driven the Crosstrek with both engines, we prefer the 2.5-liter mill. While 182 horsepower might not sound like much, it's a noticeable upgrade that makes the Crosstrek more fun in the city and more manageable on the highway. Since the 2.5-liter engine is still pretty affordable and gets the same combined fuel economy rating as the standard engine, it's a no-brainer if it fits your budget.

A couple of engines in this segment comparable to the 2.5-liter engine in the Crosstrek include the standard engine in the Mazda CX-30 (which also has standard AWD) and the optional 1.6-liter turbo engine in the Hyundai Kona and Kia Seltos. The strength of the Crosstrek's available 2.5-liter engine is its balance of performance and efficiency at an affordable price point.

The standard 2.0-liter engine in the Crosstrek is adequate for most subcompact SUV drivers. For drivers who crave better performance and have a little more room in their budget, the 2.5-liter engine is an excellent upgrade with an almost negligible fuel economy penalty while keeping the starting price under $30K.

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