KBB Says Subaru Crosstrek Is Now The Best New SUV For College Students

Is the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek a good vehicle for younger drivers? The small SUV just picked up another new award this week. Kelley Blue Book (KBB) says the newly-refreshed Crosstrek is now one of the top five best new cars for college students. Last week, Crosstrek was awarded Autotrader's list of 10 Best Cars for Recent College Graduates for 2021.

KBB ranks the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek as the best new SUV for college students, followed by the Kia Seltos, Hyundai Kona, Honda HR-V, and Kia Soul. The new Crosstrek gets high marks for its all-wheel-drive, safety technology, connectivity, and fuel economy.

What is the price of the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek?

The 2021 Crosstrek subcompact SUV comes in five trim levels for customers and gets a small price increase. The base trim is priced from $23,295, Premium ($24,345), all-new Sport ($27,545), and Limited ($29,045). Prices include destination and delivery ($1,050).

KBB's five best new cars for college students are the 2021 Toyota Corolla, Hyundai Elantra, Honda Civic, Mazda3, and Nissan Sentra.

photo credit: Competition Subaru

The new upgrade for the 2021 Crosstrek is the addition of the new Sport trim. Sport and Limited trims are powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 182 hp and 176 lb.-ft. of torque. It is coupled with a Lineartronic CVT automatic transmission with adaptive control, incline start assist and 8-speed manual mode with steering wheel paddle shifters.

The Crosstrek Sport trim offers a more rugged appearance with wider wheel arch moldings, 17-inch alloy wheels with a dark gray finish, and a gunmetal finish for the front grille, side mirrors, and badges. The Sport interior adds water-repellant StarTex upholstery with yellow stitching to the seating.

Kelley Blue Book also says the 2016-2018 Subaru Crosstrek is one of the best used cars and SUVs for college students under $20,000. KBB says, "This subcompact SUV has impressive ground clearance (8.7-inches) and standard all-wheel drive, a combination that's tailor-made for weekend adventure as well as all-season safety." Price: $16,500-$19,800 for used models.

We would pick the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek Sport with a more powerful 2.5-liter engine as the best trim level. The refreshed 2021 Subaru Crosstrek gets the nod as KBB's best new SUV for college students.

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Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role working with every major car brand. He is an accredited member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press. Check out Subaru Report where he covers all of the Japanese automaker's models. More stories can be found on the Torque News Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Photo credit: Competition Subaru