The New Subaru Crosstrek Gets A Power Upgrade - Its Next Big Move Is A Turbo
The Subaru Crosstrek is an essential vehicle in Subaru's stable of all-wheel-drive SUVs and the 2021 model change brings improvements. The Crosstrek is the third best-selling model, and the new 2.5-liter engine upgrade will improve its popularity even more as the Sport and Limited trims are already selling beyond expectations. 2021 Crosstrek Sport and Limited sales have already increased 28 percent with the new 2.5-liter engine as 2020 models have sold out.
The new 2021 Subaru Crosstrek Sport and Limited trims get the Japanese automaker's 2.5-liter Boxer four-cylinder Boxer powerplant, giving the second-generation Crosstrek a much needed 20 percent gain in horsepower and a 21 percent boost in torque.
The 2.5-liter engine's extra 30 horsepower and 31 lb.-ft. of toque shaves 1.5 seconds off the subcompact SUV's 0-60-mph time, clocking in at 8.2 seconds, according to Subaru. We felt the improvement in our recent test drive you can read about here. But more changes are coming soon.
The Crosstrek subcompact SUV will get more improvements soon. The Crosstrek, in its fourth year of production, brings a significant model change, and when the third-generation model arrives in 2023, it will get a new turbocharged engine, if reports from Japan are accurate.
The report says both the Crosstrek and Impreza will be powered by a new 1.5-liter direct-injection turbocharged Boxer engine that will replace the current FB20 2.0-liter naturally-aspirated engine. The new engine will be more fuel-efficient and produce at least the same power (152 horsepower) as the current engine.
The report says Subaru Corporation is upgrading 80 percent of its global models with smaller direct-injection turbocharged Boxer engines by 2021. It's all part of Subaru's Vision 2020 plan, saying they would develop smaller turbocharged engines for its all-wheel-drive lineup. The Outback, Legacy, and Ascent already have a new-generation 2.4-liter direct-injection turbocharged engine.
Subaru will drop the 6-speed manual gearbox
Also, look for Subaru to drop the 6-speed manual transmission in 2023 Crosstrek models and only offer the subcompact SUV with a Lineartronic CVT automatic transmission. Subaru will offer all trims with standard EyeSight driver assist technology.
The 2021 Subaru Crosstrek Sport and Limited trims are far more responsive with its new 2.5-liter engine, and it gets similar fuel-mileage as the smaller 2.0-liter engine. When base, Premium, and Hybrid trims get a turbocharged engine, they will get improved fuel-efficiency. Stay tuned for the 2021 Crosstrek Hybrid model change announcement coming soon.
You Might Also Like: 3 Reasons Why the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek Gets The Best Road Test Scores Of Any Small SUV
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: Subaru USA
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