2023 Subaru Crosstrek: how does the Subaru XV replacement compare to rivals?

The 2023 Subaru Crosstrek is still a few months from arriving in Australian showrooms and being delivered to customers, but pre-order books are already open.

Pricing and local specification for the replacement to the Subaru XV has already been confirmed, with the entry point to the range starting from $34,990 before on-road costs for the base Crosstrek.

But there are popular rivals that are already available, some of them also more affordable than Subaru’s incoming compact crossover SUV. So is it worth waiting, or do its rivals stack up better?

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While the Crosstrek, like its XV predecessor, has a slight bent towards an outdoor lifestyle, it’s not so rugged that cars like the Hyundai Kona, Mazda CX-30, or Toyota C-HR couldn’t be considered too. 

The fact its top-spec variant, the Crosstrek Hybrid S, also lines up with the pricing of some of Australia’s most affordable electric cars could also entice some away from the admittedly mild nature of Subaru’s electrification so far in Australia.

At the base end of the incoming Crosstrek range, approximately $35,000 puts it in line with some popular and tempting rivals. The Toyota C-HR, which is on track to be replaced with a new generation some time in the next couple of years, ranges from $31,715 to $38,465 before on-roads, with the top end of the range offering a relatively unique-to-the-segment sporty GR variant.

The current C-HR is available with a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine, or a 1.8-litre hybrid-assisted drivetrain.

Toyota dips its toes in hot SUV water with the C-HR GR-Sport, but not all is as it seems... (image: Tom White)

Even at its base end, the Crosstrek offers features that some of its older competitors don’t as standard across the range, including warnings for things like driver fatigue or rear seat occupants left in the car, a digital instrument display, and memory radar cruise control.

The Hyundai Kona, like the C-HR, is due to be replaced soon, though much sooner. While pricing for the new-generation car is yet to be confirmed, it’s likely to move a little further upmarket from the last Kona, potentially crossing over significantly in price with the higher end of the Crosstrek range.

If it's the higher end of the Crosstrek range you’re thinking about, options for relatively plush small SUVs are becoming more common. 

The Mazda CX-30 for example starts from a lower entry point of $30,090 for the G20 Pure in manual, which still comes with a few handy features like a head-up display, automatic headlights, and a similar level of safety and driver assistance functions as the more expensive base Crosstrek.

The CX-30 comes with a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine at the lower end of the range, much like the Crosstrek and another rival, the Toyota Corolla Cross, which starts from $33,000.

The CX-30 embodies Mazda’s current design ethos to a T (Image: Tom White).

At the other end of the range, where the Crosstrek tops out at $45,090, the Corolla Cross and CX-30 continue up to almost $50k, with a mild hybrid Mazda CX-30 X20 Astina priced from $48,190, or a hybrid Corolla Cross Atmos eFour for $49,050.

All three have a busy features list, as well as all-wheel drive or four-wheel drive on demand.

Premium sound systems, higher grade interior materials, and conveniences like active headlights or automatic tailgates are standard for these models, but the approach to $50,000 could make it more tempting to opt for the newer Corolla Cross or Crosstrek over the couple-of-years-old first-gen CX-30.

However, a major draw of the top-spec Mazda compared to the others is its higher power output, 132kW versus 112kW for the Corolla Cross, and 110kW for the Crosstrek.