Prefer videos? Here’s our 2024 Crosstrek Wilderness video on YouTube.
Sedona, AZ — We took the new Crosstrek Wilderness off-road outside Sedona, sharing the Mars-like terrain with side-by-side UTVs and rugged Wranglers. It’s a gruelling, prehistoric landscape with jagged rocks and plenty of reddish dirt scattered across various elevations — not a place appropriate for small crossovers. But the Crosstrek Wilderness isn’t your typical subcompact machine. Power comes from a 2.5L engine good for 182 horsepower and 178 lb-ft of torque, but it’s all the other upgraded performance and off-road tech that makes the real difference for low-speed rock crawling, trail riding, and remote area explorations. Plus, it’ll conquer shopping mall parking lots and handle school drop-offs with ease.
Additional off-road capabilities and enhanced performance
Retuned CVT transmission with Dual-function X-Mode for the win
To conquer these off-road trails, Subaru took the standard Crosstrek’s trail-ready attributes and dialled it up for the Wilderness, adding a revised differential gear ratio while retuning the CVT transmission for better off-road performance. Climbing the steep, rocky hills was fairly effortless courtesy of the Wilderness’ 4.111 final drive ratio, compared to the standard 3.700 spec. And while we’d love to see a manual stick shift in this thing (not an option on the 2024 Crosstrek), Subaru did retune the Wilderness’ Lineartronic CVT transmission, allowing it to handle the slippery surfaces a lot better while optimizing it for the low-speed traction situations we found ourselves in.
But the magic really happens with Dual-function X-Mode activated, offering both Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud modes. For our climbing duties, we went with the former mode, where the CVT automatically shifted into the lowest 4.066:1 gear ratio when it sensed our low speed, steep incline terrain. We weren’t traversing mountains here, but the X-Mode display’s roll-angle indicator gave us that extra assurance. Paired to the Wilderness’ lower differential ratios and Subie’s proven all-wheel drive, this entire system system transforms the already capable Crosstrek into a bonafide off-the-grid adventurer.
Upgraded suspension, higher ground clearance, improved off-roading angles, and Yokohama A/T tires
Without the Crosstrek Wilderness’ whopping 235mm of ground clearance (and improved approach angle discussed more below), none of these off-pavement shenanigans would be possible, gaining a 15mm increase over the stock Crosstrek that already boasts the highest height in the subcompact crossover class. Thanks to the Wilderness’ longer shock absorbers and longer coil springs, Subaru tells us are tuned differently in the front than the rear, so negotiating large rocks and deep ruts wasn’t an issue.
Furthermore, the increased approach angle (20 degrees from 18 degrees) allowed us to climb the steeper inclines without scraping the front bumper. The improved departure angle (33 degrees from just over 30 degrees) assisted in descending steep slopes without hitting the rear bumper. The Wilderness’ enhanced ramp break-over angle (21.1 degrees up from 19.7 degrees) aided traversing uneven terrain without getting stuck in the middle. Overall, these angles optimize the Crosstrek Wilderness for navigating challenging off-road conditions with reduced risk of damage or getting stuck.
The matte-black 17-inch alloy wheels suit this little off-roader and look sharp with the embossed, raised white lettering on the standard Yokohama GEOLANDER all-terrain tires that took a good bashing during our test.
A subcompact towing champ
The Crosstrek Wilderness tows an impressive 3,500 lbs. That’s 2,000 lbs more than the standard Crosstrek, and 500 lbs more than its larger Subaru Forester sibling. These figures are pretty staggering: a small crossover SUV that’ll pull equal to or more than many compact SUVs on the market today. Here’s more on the Crosstrek’s towing capacity.
Crosstrek Wilderness Interior and Exterior Differences
This Crosstrek on steroids receives some distinct cabin features you won’t find on the standard models. A mix of durability like all-weather soft-touch seating surfaces, all-weather mats, and cargo tray, plus a dose of styling updates including a black headliner, blaze gun metallic accents, anodized copper accents, and Subaru Wilderness embossed front headrests up front.
The Crosstrek Wilderness’ exterior looks are a significant departure from the lineup. Key features include:
- new front grill
- redesigned front and rear bumper
- six-LED fog lamps
- matte black hood decal
- aggressive side cladding
- dual front and rear tow hooks
- Subaru embossed rear bumper
- engine undercover
- Subaru Wilderness badging in yellow
- anodized copper accents
- exclusive 17-inch wheels and AT tires mentioned earlier
All the black cladding may not suit everyone’s tastes, but to Crosstrek’s credit, it’s more about function over form, adding much-needed protection out in the wild. The massive Crosstrek in yellow along the both sides suits this thing.
Takeaway
Frankly, there’s no other subcompact crossover on the market that comes remotely close to the Crosstrek Wilderness’ off-road abilities. The closest competitors include the Jeep Renegade Trailhawk, Ford Bronco Sport Badlands, and let’s throw the Toyota RAV4 Trail in there, but these crossovers are compact not subcompact, and again, aren’t purpose-built to tackle the uncompromising terrain like the Crosstrek Wilderness.
Following in the footsteps of its larger Outback Wilderness and Forester Wilderness siblings, Subaru’s decision to give the Crosstrek the same treatment makes sense: a small, nimble machine that’ll squeeze into tight spaces out in the woods, with more than enough performance to conquer the tough stuff. Subaru took an already capable small off-road hauler and managed to make it better by improving the transmission for low-speed crawling, raising the ground clearance even further, increasing its vital angles, throwing on some proper all-terrain tires, and adding a high dose of functional cladding for protection and durability. Here’s our full Subaru SUV and crossover guide.
2024 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness Images
