The Subaru XV remains one of the most popular models of local Subaru importer Motor Image Pilipinas, Inc.

Essentially a jacked-up Subaru Impreza hatchback, the XV combines good interior space, generous ground clearance, and the company’s trademark Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system.

An all-new version of the XV (also known as the Crosstrek) was officially unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show on February 2023.

Subtle exterior changes

The 2024 Crosstrek may ride on an all-new platform, but styling remains nearly the same as the previous model.

More aggressive, pointed headlights bracket a large hexagonal front grill, with hardy, matte-black plastic offering some protection for the crossover.

The side profile appears nearly identical to the old Crosstrek, with 17-inch alloy wheels on the 2.0-liter model and 18-inch wheels on the 2.5-liter variant.

Out back (no, not the Legacy-based crossover), the new model receives more substantial changes with large taillights, more matte-black plastic, and contrast-color accents on some models.

Fancier cabin

More substantial changes were also made to the 2024 Crosstrek’s interior.

Owners of the higher-end Sport variant get yellow accents on the seats, along with yellow contrast stitching.

A vertical 11.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system dominates the new dashboard. It also integrates Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and optional wireless charging.

Audiophiles can also spec their Crosstrek with a 10-speaker, 432-Watt Harman Kardon surround-sound system.

In addition, the Subaru EyeSight active-safety system includes Pre-Collsion Braking and Advanced Adaptive Cruise Control with Lane Centering.

New for the 2024 model is Automatic Emergency Steering, which can maneuver the Crosstrek autonomously in an emergency if there is enough space.

Additional safety tech includes Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Blind-Spot Detection, and Reverse Automatic Braking.

No more manual

The U.S.-market Crosstrek’s manual transmission option has been dropped.

All variants get a continuously variable transmission (CVT) mated to the Symmetrical AWD system and a pair of flat-4 gasoline engines.

The base and Premium variants have a 2.0-liter, twin-cam, 16-valve powerplant producing 154 PS and 197 Nm of torque.

Meanwhile, the Sport and Limited models get a U.S.-only 2.5-liter, twin-cam, 16-valve unit pumping out 185 PS and 241 Nm of torque.

The Philippine-market XV uses the 2.0-liter engine mated to a CVT.

All Crosstreks still get 221 mm of ground clearance, hill start assist, hill descent control, and X-Mode, Subaru's off-road traction mode. 

The latter gets a second mode for high-speed, off-road driving in the 2.5-liter Crosstreks, in case you feel like attacking a trail like a World Rally Championship stage.

FWD hybrid available abroad

The Crosstrek also has a mild-hybrid 2.0-liter version in the Japanese market.

This has a combined output of 160 PS and 253 Nm of torque coursed through a CVT. There is also a front-wheel-drive (FWD) variant, which debuted in Japan on December 2022. 

The FWD Crosstrek is also 220,000 yen (around ₱91,000, as of press time) less than the equivalent AWD model.

Which engines do you think we should get in the next-generation Philippine-market Crosstrek (or XV)?