2025 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness Review, Specs, and Price. Raking via the sand near southern Utah’s Reefs Pink Sand Dunes State Park in the new 2025 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness reminds me of driving in the deep snow of a snowstorm. The small, Impreza-based crossover SUV’s all-terrain tires spin the soft surface, adhering to the ruts left by the vehicles that passed prior and resisting my guiding inputs to break free and sculpt new ones. Ripples and ridges pound the suspension, jolting my body and advising me it’s time to obtain an additional fitness center membership.
Eventually, the sand changes to a dirt and rock route, the 2025 Crosstrek Wilderness pounding its travelers as it powers across the harsh stuff to an off-roading location including steep hillside climbs and descents, limited twists and turns, and squishy mud. Nary a squeak neither a rattle interrupts the enjoyable, underscoring the drum-tight building high quality issuing from Subaru’s Lafayette, Indiana, assembly plant.
Later, I’m barreling down a smoother dust road etched right into a mesa, with the sensational red rock sights of Zion National Park to my right and a billowing cloud of dirt behind the fittingly dirty Crosstrek. Drawing onto a verdant patch, the plucky little Subaru scrambles over the substantial lip of the roadway, demonstrating its outstanding ground clearance and wheel expression.
You feel like you can go anywhere and do anything in a Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness– reasonably. That’s the point of the new Wilderness model, which the car manufacturer bases on the Crosstrek Sporting activity yet with adjustments that make it even more qualified.
Compared to the Crosstrek Sport trim, the Crosstrek Wilderness model’s differences consist of:
- Special design, coating, and accent-color information
- Matte-black aluminum alloy wheels with all-terrain tires
- Modified drivetrain for improved climbing up capacity
- Front skid plate and increased ground clearance
- Greater method, breakover, and departure angles
- More than double the common towing capacity
- Water-repellent upholstery
- All-weather flooring and cargo linings
- Boosted cargo location utility
- Added safety features
Subaru places the Wilderness on top of the redesigned 2025 Crosstrek trim level ladder and at the end of the expanding family members of Wilderness models. It signs up with the Forester Wilderness and Outback Wilderness in offering added off-roading ability and sits above the Crosstrek Base, Premium, Sporting Activity, and Limited with a price of regarding $34,000.
My test vehicle had the only choice bundle, which added a power sunroof, a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, and a 10-speaker Harman Kardon premium stereo. With the $1,295 location cost, my Lithium Red Pearl examination vehicle had a producer’s suggested retail price of $35,560. Subaru supplied the examination vehicle and spent for plane tickets, accommodations, and dishes throughout the examination duration.
2025 SUBARU CROSSTREK WILDERNESS: THE DRIVE
Subaru outfits the Crosstrek Wilderness with the larger of the SUV’s 2 offered engines. It is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder making 182 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque, which is competitive in the segment. It pairs with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and a basic all-wheel-drive (AWD) system, and Subaru tweaks the drivetrain for quicker responsiveness, improved hill-climbing capacity, and an increase in towing capacity to 3,500 extra pounds.
Furthermore, the Wilderness gets a raised suspension, boosting ground clearance to 9.3 inches. This variation of the Crosstrek also flaunts improved method, breakover, and departure angles to 20, 21.1, and 33 degrees, respectively. Guiding adjustments tighten the turning circle by majority a foot, and the Crosstrek Wilderness remains on matte black 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels wrapped in all-terrain tires. Subaru also includes a front skid plate to protect against damages.
Zion National forest’s elevation varies from 3,666 feet to 8,726 feet over sea level. An internal-combustion engine will typically lose power at higher elevations since there is much less oxygen.
Turbocharging minimizes this power loss, and the Crosstrek Wilderness, purpose-built for mountain experiences, requires one. Slap a turbo on the Crosstrek’s typical 2.0-liter four-cylinder (Base and Premium trim degrees) and take into consideration the issue solved.
While the Wilderness needs a turbocharged engine, the naturally aspirated 2.5-liter 4 serves in day-to-day driving situations. You won’t win any kind of drag races, yet you’re probably denying this vehicle if that’s your objective. Subaru likewise develops an enjoyable CVT that appears and feels like a traditional automatic transmission.
Throughout my examination drive, the transmission did not call unwanted interest to its actions. Still, there will certainly be times when you come across a brief highway on-ramp and fast-moving website traffic or simply wish to pass slower lorries on a two-lane roadway. In these circumstances, the Crosstrek Wilderness requires to instill even more confidence.
That’s not the case when it concerns off-roading. Compared with many various other small crossover SUVs, the Crosstrek Wilderness makes you feel invincible. Subaru declares the vehicle can conquer a 38-degree grade and provides more ground clearance than opponents, consisting of the Ford Bronco Sporting Activity Badlands and the Trailhawk versions of the Jeep Compass and Insurgent.
The dual-function X-Mode grip system consists of setups for dust, snow, deep snow, and mud. My test vehicle had little trouble browsing sandy, rocky, and unsafe surface.
In addition, the Wilderness has a typical hill-descent-control system, making certain that what securely increases can safely come down. However, when you’ve climbed up a steep hill without recognizing what gets on the opposite side, you’ll want Subaru consisted of a front electronic camera system on this SUV. On several events, I wanted to make use of one to enhance forward visibility.
The Crosstrek Wilderness’s adventure and handling qualities are satisfying on the sidewalk. The guiding feels fast and receptive, the brake pedal feels good underfoot and delivers smooth quits, and the trip fits. It feels active, too, whether auto parking in close quarters or navigating rush hour near the entry to a national forest (or throughout a commute). In addition, at speeds up to 70 mph, this SUV is remarkably quiet.
The Wilderness is much less fuel-efficient than other variations of the Crosstrek. According to the Epa, it should get an average 27 mpg. My outcome during a day of traveling in thick traffic at Zion, on wide-open freeways close-by and with plenty of time off the sidewalk, was 24.8 mpg.
2025 SUBARU CROSSTREK WILDERNESS: THE DESIGN
Subaru Wilderness versions look sturdy and resolute but won’t win any type of vehicle charm pageants. They’re developed to obtain filthy, optimize off-roading capability, and shield against damage, and the car manufacturer makes use of anodized copper as an accent shade to identify them from Subies without the Wilderness badge.
Grit and gunk are no match for the Crosstrek Wilderness’s inside. Plastic surface areas, all-season floor coverings, and Subaru’s StarTex water-repellent furniture make clean-up simpler, and the automaker uses many protective accessories for people with animals.
Unfortunately, in-cabin storage space remains in short supply, and the Crosstrek needs a lot more spaces and crannies for stashing your things.
Dual-zone automated climate control and warmed pole positions are conventional, however the Crosstrek Wilderness could make use of a ventilated front seat alternative and some back air-conditioning vents. With StarTex, if your garments are wet with sweat when you get involved in a Subaru, they’ll still be this way when you get out.
My examination vehicle had an optional 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, which proved comfy during hours of driving. The front passenger’s seat lacks elevation adjustment however rests high enough off the flooring to provide appropriate leg support. Getting in and exiting the Crosstrek Wilderness is simple, thanks to the raised suspension and high experience height.
Based on my experience, 4 grownups that are each 6 feet high can suit a Crosstrek pleasantly. Rear legroom is snug, however the softly cushioned front seatbacks safeguard knees and shins from uncomfortable call. Subaru offers 2 USB battery chargers for the back seat, container storage space in the door panels, and cupholders in a center fold-down armrest.
In the freight location, Subaru installs holders designed for Nalgene water bottles to either side of a standard rubber cargo tray. There are back seatback guards to stop damage and an overhead light to make it much easier to discover things after dark. You’ll locate a temporary-use spare tire under the freight floor.
The Crosstrek Wilderness supplies 20 cubic-feet of freight area behind the back seat and 54.9 cu-ft with the 60/40-split rear seat folded up down. Those are not charitable numbers. For any kind of equipment that won’t fit inside the 2025 Crosstrek Wilderness, Subaru offers a robust roofing rack and many accessories for bring extra cargo. The roofing system shelf can even take care of a 700-pound fixed tons, best for the accessory rooftop tent Subaru provides.
2025 SUBARU CROSSTREK WILDERNESS: THE TECHNOLOGY
In the middle of the Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness’ dashboard, you’ll locate a basic 11.6-inch Starlink touchscreen infotainment system. The automaker has actually boosted the system for many years, and it features physical handles and buttons for primary stereo and climate-control features. Or else, rapidly discovering something within the system’s menu framework could confirm challenging.
The infotainment system includes:
- Bluetooth
- Text-messaging assistance
- Wireless Apple CarPlay
- Wireless Android Vehicle
- SiriusXM satellite radio
- Starlink connected solutions
- Access to a Wi-Fi hotspot
- 6 stereo speakers
Pairing my apple iphone to Bluetooth was easy, and I had no trouble running Apple CarPlay. Subaru uses an indigenous navigating system in the Crosstrek Limited but not the Crosstrek Wilderness. That is a curious decision, taking into consideration Wilderness owners are more likely to drive this SUV past the reach of wireless connectivity that can make Apple CarPlay and Android Vehicle pointless. Furthermore, it would be simple to add a breadcrumb function to an indigenous nav system, helping you discover your way out of the wilderness.
Read: 2025 Hyundai Kona Price, Review, and Specs
My examination vehicle had an optional 10-speaker Harman Kardon costs stereo, which is impressive for the Crosstrek’s price and section. However, I can not say the same for the voice-recognition technology, which provided a hit-and-miss performance.
Subaru gears up the Crosstrek Wilderness with the most up to date version of its camera-based EyeSight safety system.
EyeSight consists of:
- Forward-collision caution
- Automatic emergency braking
- Automatic emergency steering assist
- Lane-departure caution
- Lane-keeping help
- Lane-centering help
- Flexible cruise control
In addition, the Crosstrek Wilderness has a rear-seat tip system, automated high-beam fronts lights, blind-spot tracking, rear cross-traffic alert, and back automated stopping. You likewise get SOS emergency assistance and automated accident notification with the standard Starlink Safety and Security subscription plan.
I used EyeSight extensively on southern Utah’s divided freeways and two-lane roadways. The adaptive cruise ship control worked well in this environment, and the lane-departure warning and lane-keeping aid run in a refined, refined manner. However, the lane-centering aid regularly switched off when two lanes merged into one.
The lane-centering help was additionally too insistent on preserving its selected line in curves, including an unnatural feeling to the guiding. Additionally, though I was holding the steering wheel lightly at the bottom of the edge, I got cautions to maintain my hands on the steering wheel.
Since publication, neither the National Highway Website Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) neither the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has actually done 2025 Subaru Crosstrek crash tests. Examine the NHTSA and IIHS internet sites for updates.
IS THE 2025 SUBARU CROSSTREK WILDERNESS A GOOD SUV?
Subaru purchasers on a spending plan will discover plenty to like about the 2025 Crosstrek Wilderness, specifically if the backpack-on-wheels aesthetic interest them.
It requires a couple of points, such as a turbocharger, aerated front seats, back air-conditioning vents, and a front video camera for off-roading. Additionally, the freight area is cramped, but that includes little SUV area, and Subaru offers options to that in the form of the Forester Wilderness and Wilderness Wilderness.
On the whole, the Crosstrek Wilderness is an enjoyable little crossover with a large personality and lots of energy and capability for the price.
