It’s taken until 2024 for Subaru to produce a Crosstrek Wilderness, but as we discovered during our First Drive through Utah’s majestic Zion National Park, it was worth the wait.

The Wilderness shares quite a bit with its tamer Crosstrek siblings of course. It borrows the 2.5-liter BOXER 4-cylinder from the Sport and Limited trims, still producing 182 horsepower and 178 lb-ft of torque. Power is still sent to a standard all-wheel drive system through a Lineartronic CVT automatic, but now tweaked for better off-road performance. The differential gear ratio has been revised, and the 4.11 final drive ratio improves climbing. Towing is also up to 3,500 lbs— 2,000 lbs more than other Crosstreks, and perfect for weekend getaways with pop-up campers.

STEVEN TRUANT: “So, if you’re looking to find a new adventure, a Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness is definitely going to wind up taking you there. Definitely don’t expect to be crawling through any sort of major terrain, like rock crawling is definitely not going to be this vehicle’s strong suit, but what will be your strong suit is going through some snow, some dirt, mud. But not only that while you’re on the highway for your daily commutes, you’re going to have more than a comfortable ride to get you there.”

Other defining traits include 9.3-inches of ground clearance, up from the standard 8.7-inches. Vehicle meets dirt via GEOLANDAR all-terrain tires wrapping matte black 17-inch wheels. And expect unique bumpers, extra body cladding and copper-colored accents. Inside, water-resistant StarTex material upholsters the cabin, joined by copper accents and top-trim Crosstrek amenities; namely, an 11.6-inch Starlink infotainment system.

The 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness starts around $33,000, making it just about a grand more than the Crosstrek Limited.

We look forward to spending more time with this adventurous crossover and bringing you more Quick Spins… soon!