Fans of the show will know that we love the Subaru Crosstrek. Its “just right” size and overachieving ability make it a great choice for adventures both close to home and far afield.

But, if there’s been one constant thing on our wish list for the Crosstrek; it has been more power.  Now, Subaru did grant that wish in 2018 with a whopping 4 additional horses, and in 2019 with some hybrid boost.  But, 2021 sees Subaru get a little more serious with the availability of the Forester’s 182-horsepower 2.5-liter naturally-aspirated 4-cylinder. That’s a 30-horsepower increase over the base 2.0-liter.   

The new 2.5 comes standard with both Limited and Sport trim. Sport, you say? Yes, there’s a new Sport trim as well for 2021; featuring the dual-mode version of X-mode all-wheel-drive, gunmetal exterior trim, unique fender flares over dark gray 17-inch alloy wheels, and StarTex upholstery with yellow stitching.

"Subaru is not one for spreading horsepower around lavishly, even when they do that rare high performance model. So adding 30 extra horses to the popular Crosstrek SUV is a big deal. But, if you aren’t crazy about having to buy a new SPORT model to get it, and you don’t need that enhanced XMode that comes with it, remember the bigger engine is also fitted to the Limited trim. So, you can get the extra power with two of the four trims levels available. One more benefit of the 2.5 over the 2.0-liter…better fuel economy. A nice jump from 30 MPG combined to 34 with the new motor."  

And there’s still more!  All ’21 Crosstreks get a new front bumper as well as a unique grille that’s design-specific for each trim level. 

"This is just a refresh so the front end doesn’t change dramatically but it does give this compact crossover a slightly more rugged look. And even though we are still a couple of years away from the next generation Crosstrek, these new front features now match its recently redesigned big brother: the beloved Subaru Outback." 

And this being Subaru, they couldn’t resist the opportunity to throw in some more safety features while they were at it; adding Advanced Adaptive Cruise Control with Lane Centering to standard EyeSight.  

2021 Subaru Crosstreks should arrive in dealerships before the end of the summer, with prices starting just under $23,000.

And we'll have more information when we finally get behind the wheel, so keep it locked on MotorWeek!