2018 Crosstrek: Biggest Negative!?
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- čas přidán 1. 07. 2018
- We ran into trouble trying to carry luggage and 4 adults recently...Quick video about the Crosstrek and Cargo room...
FYI: This is not a complaint, just providing information for those looking at the Crosstrek.
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Link to my original Cargo Space Video: • 2018 Crosstrek:How muc... - Auta a dopravní prostředky
Biggest negative my small car isn’t a big car!
You have stated my feelings perfectly. I could never understand why every review complains about its lack of power. There is more than enough power for normal driving. My only complaint about the cvt is that when switching from reverse to drive, there is a slight hesitation in the shift.
Thank you brother. My 14 definitely had the hesitation..Do you have an 18? Wondering if the dealer can reprogram it or something? With the 14 they said it was "normal" Cheers
hatburger same with my new Forester. Soooo frustrating
Thanks for all your videos on the Crosstrek. After watching many of your videos and looking at several cars my parents and I decided this was the best car for me. We are picking up a 2018 Crosstrek white Premium with Eyesight tomorrow. Thank you!
Thank you so much for letting me know. That is what my channel is all about. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoy mine. What color are you going with?
Rick Hutton White with grey interior. I was going to get Orange but it was a little too extreme 😂
anuj shekhawat very nice! I like the white a lot. I like the orange too, but not sure if I could live with it everyday. Enjoy
Solution.... pack less crap.
Ha ha. :) that would probably work.
And for those who dont know I joke. With 3 people in a 1994 Suburban we still run out of room on trips so.... yea...lol
Jason Adamppppp
I love the CVt of the 2018 Crosstrek and masterpiece!
Great vid and informational/practical as always. Thanks Rick!
We're officially tire twins now. I haven't done an updated video on the tires yet, but I'm rocking 235/75r15 KO2s now on the 'new' Black Rhino Boxers. :)
Thanks brother!
Nice! You will have to send me a pic. azdroptopyt@cox.net How are you liking the new set up?
Great vid!
Roof or Hitch, Accessories will be required when approaching the Crosstreks.
Which in itself will enhance & provide more versatility in the end!
I currently rock a roof basket.
Keep up the informative info!🤘
Thank you my friend. How is the noise from the basket? Crosstrek's are like Swiss army knives. :)
Just picked up a new crosstrek and love it. As a couple planning for kids in the next few years we think it will make the perfect starter.
Congrats on the new Crosstrek! And good luck on starting your family....Can't believe my little guy is 16 already...Man it goes fast.
I have the same car as you, Rick. Couldn’t agree with your comments more. Love the size, fuel mileage, comfort, handling and the power is totally fine for me. Cargo room is the only issue. Cargo can be stored in other areas as you reference. Keep up the good content.
gainjosh love the fuel mileage
33.1 average with 10k miles so far. What’s not to love? This is on stock tires and calculated by Subaru’s on board computer. I also drive at 5000ft plus elevation, so it may be better for folks at lower elevation.
Thank you kind sir! Glad you are enjoying yours as well! All the best to you.
I love everything about this 2018 crosstreck the best car out there.
BUY a outback end of space issue
Great info. I couldn't agree more with everything stated. When I bought my 18 I knew that it'd mainly be carrying 2 adults, a child and a dog so for all that it offers, it fits my lifestyle perfectly. Safety, good gas mileage, nimble handling, adequate power, good cargo capacity, etc...couldn't ask for much more in a single vehicle.
Thank you L T, it is an awesome car all around! Sounds like you love yours as much as I do!
thanks for the video & Infos, it s funny how everyone from the US mentioned a good gas mileage, for us in europe, 8 or 9 Liter for 100km is on the upper end 5-7 Liter is ok, paying 1,80€ for petrol and 1,60€ for diesel.
Good info Sir. So far I haven’t needed that much space in my Crosstrek, but in any case I do have the hitch basket for such occasion. I’m in love with the versatility of this vehicle.
Couldn't agree more, it does just about everything great! I definitely need a basket or roof carrier. Cheers.
Subscribed!! I was very close to buying a 2018 Crosstrek, but I was to frugal to do it. I didn't want a big car payment. A few months later I stuabmled across a used 2013 with 48k miles on it. I've had it since last September.
I went Crosstrek for essentially the same reasons you did as opposed to an Outback or Forrester.
Very nice! They are fantastic! And despite my last video the perfect size. Thank you for coming along on the adventure
Another great video Rick !
Thank you brother.
Great video! The space is very deceiving. I always think I can fit a little more and things barely fit or don’t fit. A roof rack is needed, but it’s just a hassle to take it on and off.
Thank you Brandon. Agreed. My biggest concern would be taking my bike racks off since I use them so much.
Watching Rick's videos is like shooting the sh!t with an old friend over a cold beer or a cup of coffee.
Thanks my friend. You know I appreciate you. Cheers Man!
You read my mind!
So my small car is not a big car. Stupid!
Upvoted for the GCN shirt haha. Great videos though, I've learned a lot about my 2018 Crosstrek from your channel.
Thanks much! On both accounts. Though I have not been watching GCN as much lately...I liked it when it was a little less professional and I miss Matt. Great info over there though. Cheers
Your earlier comments about power in the Crosstrek helped me decide to finally pull the trigger over a month ago. I fully agree, the XV has no trouble with power or overtaking. And you're right, the engine seems to break in after 1500-2000km and feels more responsive. Or maybe I've got used to how much to give the accelerator, not sure.
I also agree about luggage space! It's not a car for hauling multiple bags send cases. Luggage for two is fine, but no more. The visual blind really cuts down the luggage space, too.
That’s really cool. Congrats on the new car. I agree there is a bit of a learning curve with the lower HP and the VT, bu5 once you figure it out the car is great to drive.. cheers and thank you for following along.
Agree. All boxer engines have increased response once "broken in". By the way, you can remove the "visual blind" if you need extra space.
Agreed, Crosstrek perfect size for 2 person road trip, even 2 over-packing women :) Other car is an '08 Outback which comes in handy for big loads or when we head to camp. Thanks for the visual with luggage Rick. As usual, very helpful insight. I bet the frustration melted away when you landed in Hawaii. Aloha!
Deb, you can't do that to me when I am driving something. LOL I almost spit it all over my laptop. :) 2 over packing women. ha ha ha. My wife will love that one. Made my day. You're best and thanks for being on here.
Awesome info, really needed something like this to understand how much space is in there for real. Liked n subscribed. Cheers
Awesome! Glad it was helpful and thank you for subscribing.
Great content; exactly what I was looking for! 🤙🤙 Just an FYI, our metric friends use liters, not cubic meters - but awesome for you to even think to include it!! Just remember liters for your next great videos!
Thank you Anthony, very much. And thank you for the tip on the metric system. :) I wasn't sure how to express cubic meters the same way in metric. Sincerely appreciated.
Good informative video.Helped with the decision to wait for the 2019 forester.Great options for less than 27k and dang near the same mpg.Not to mention more rear leg room and a 5" wider rear hatch opening than the outgoing 2018.Keep up the good videos 👍
Hey Orrin, thank you very much! The Forester is a great choice if you need a bit more room. Cheers
Thanks for posting. If this were a daily problem, I could see it being an issue. The Crosstrek is what it is. People don't buy it for airport trips - lol.
Ha ha. Yep, totally agree. :) This is a 1 % of the time problem for sure. I ended up with a Hitch basket for the few times a year when I have to transport people and stuff. Thank you very much for watching and commenting. Cheers.
Got the cup holders you reviewed and I’m super happy with it thank you so much !
Hi Lupi that is really cool! Thank you for watching and for letting me know you bought some. Cheers.
Rick Hutton if you do decide to get the hitch basket or the Thule carrier, you should totally make an install/review video I’m pretty sure everyone would love that !
Thank you Lupi, definitely will do. Appreciate it.
why would 252 thumb down this video. there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. Maybe they didn't like the blue luggage; who knows. This video is actually informative, presented well, and overall a benefit to the YT and Crosstrek community. Rick, thanks so much, keep doing what you do. Cheers.
Thank you! This video definitely caused a few people to get upset. :)
Great video...I was just thinking about the storage issue. Love the styling but not sure now that I know the storage could be an issue. Thanks for the video man!!!
Thank you very much. I am glad it was helpful. In all honesty it can carry a decent amount of stuff or you can do the roof carrier. Butt if you have to carry people and things a lot it can be difficult. Best of luck and thanks for watching.
Thank you.
You are the best.
Julius you are always so kind...Thank you. How are you these days? Well I hope.
Spot on sir! I have the same complaint along with the headrest too far forward if my hair is up. Otherwise it's an awesome car and I'm so glad I chose it, no buyers remorse here! And THANK YOU for the videos! I too lost a fog light cover on a trail. Be picking up my replacement later today!
Thank you Dani! I don't have the "hair up" issue anymore. :) But I have had others say they felt like the head rest was a bit too forward. Thanks so much for watching and thankfully the fog cover isn't too pricey. Cheers.
I have a 2018 wrx but I'm thinking of getting a crosstrek also at the end of the year or maybe next year appreciate the videos your making I just found your CZcams channel.
Hi Bryan, thank you for watching. I had an 11 STI for a few years and my wife currently has a 17 WRX...I have been meaning to do a comparison video of the 2 of them despite their differences. Cheers
Totally agree with the cargo space being the biggest negative. I bought the Yakima Load Warrior cargo basket for the roof. I enjoy the versatility of it. Haven’t commented in awhile, but keep the great videos coming!
Mark, awesome. Thank you. The biggest issue for me with the roof box is needing to keep at least one bike rack up there since I use it so much. Do you have to bolt the boxes to both crossbars? Or do you think I could have a bike rack and box at the same time?
Rick, Unfortunately it does have to bolt to both crossbars.
Mark, cool. Thank you. Still a possibility if it isn't a pain getting on and off.
@@AZdroptop There are long and skinny roofboxes that would allow a bicycle rack up top on the other side. I use a hitch rack to carry my bicycles, and a basket can also be fastened to that.
Hey buddy! About the cargo space, don't forget it's classified as a sub-compact crossover! :)
I hate the Forester, it has more hard plastic and the seating position is weird even though the ground clearance is the exact same!
As for the power I did some testing today! If you want to get good acceleration while already driving is very simple. You just give a nudge of gas so that the RPM bumps to 2000 RPM and then you floor it! It makes it night and day! It sort of bypasses the lag of the CVT! :)
Oh ya, definitely not complaining about the Crosstrek...Just thought it would be interesting to discuss...You know I love her.
That's awesome! :) Can't wait to see the video of you doing that AND drifting next winter. ha ha. You know I have never driven a Forester, but have always liked the look of the XT version...Seems like it would be a fun little motor. I will have to try one out next time at the dealer. Have a great week!
GroovyMotion 6
tell him about the boost you get from turning off AC ;^)
I had a corolla rental with even less power. when you hit the RPMs, it goes. you probably dont want to do it often...
I agree with you on that. If one needs a cargo space go with the Outback or Forester. I didn't like how either one of the other two looked so I went with the Crosstrek! The only flaw I do see is the lack of power. I live in the mountains and when I'm driving up hill on the highway it is slower than molasses compared to my old VW TDI Golf that had a turbo and that little car would smoke this one up hill any day. I think this car can use a turbo. Other than that, I love it for what it is. Mine is stick shift as I don't like automatic engines... no fun to drive!
Doesn't look like a problem. The Crosstrek is a compact. If you want more space, subaru makes a car for that too, the outback. There really should still be a legacy wagon but I digress. The Crosstrek was not meant to be a van.
Yep, totally agree.
And it's like the same mpg
CVT is fully overhauled and is very smooth. I took a Crosstrek for a ride today and it was very good premium package sticker was $25,000 worth every penny mpg 27/32 with 10 inches of clearance and ((FIVE)) Star crash rating....... LOVE that’s a SUBÍ
G’day Rick. I dig your videos, my 2018 XV (as they’re called here in Australia) is the same colour as yours so it’s cool watching your stuff.
I’ve had similar space issues on the rare occasion and this is my 4th Subaru. My last was a Gen 3 Outback.
Last time in my XV when it was full I had to tell the rear passengers ‘sorry, you guys are going to sit close for a couple of hours because the single side back seat is folding down for the trip to fit in your extra luggage’. Problem solved.
Howdy and thanks for posting. That is a good plan. :) I love the car 99% of the time it just get's a bit small when you have to carry people and stuff. I ended up getting a hitch basket and it has worked out great! Cheers my friend.
Nicely done - and fair video! I just replaced my old 2002 Subaru Outback Sport ("ruggedized" Impreza Wagon) with a 2018 VW Alltrack SE. Don't mean to make this a VW vs. Subaru thing (as the Crosstrek certainly "fits" a ton of people), but the Alltrack covers all of the Crosstrek's limitations in a package that's larger than the Crosstrek, but not as expensive as a similarly equipped Outback. I live in the greater Denver area, and the limitations of the normally aspirated Crosstrek's engine (and for me the CVT) ruled it out as a replacement for the older 2.5l Impreza engine, coupled with it's traditional auto. The Crosstrek's engine is just too limited the second you take it up into the mountains west of Denver. If Subaru were to offer a turbo option in the Crosstrek, I would have considered one. As for the Forrester - no thanks. It's defined the essence of a box on wheels with virtually no sportiness to it for years.
Thank you for the great comment! Someone was asking me earlier how the car does at altitude and I’ve only been to 9,000 feet with it. Cheers
You're a voice of reason regarding the negativity around the HP and CVT.
Thank you Ronald. Cheers!
I had similar issues with my 2015 Impreza on a camping trip. It's why I up-sized to an Outback.
Really not a bad "negative" if you had to choose. Great info as usual.
Thank you Egan Fo, The Outback is a very nice vehicle and glad you stayed in the Subaru family. How does it do mpg wise?
Rick Hutton I get about 22-27 in the city and about 30-33 mpg on the highway. I get lower city mileage because I do lots of delivery work on the side, many starts and stops.
I do love the car, perfect for my needs. The CVT is fine for me even though people gripe about it often. I don't have any complaints about how the CVT performs.
That is not bad at all. I have noticed with the Subaru's that I have owned that I can actually do a little better mpg wise in "city" driving vs 75 or 80 on the interstate. My city driving isn't stop and go through.
Rick, yes, I too, first looked at a 2019 CrossTrek for the styling. However, when I saw a 2019 Forester with the same ground clearance, better engine/gas mileage, superb visibility, and many cubic feet of cargo space, it just made more sense to us.
Cool Steve! They are great cars and I think you will be super happy. I saw that they have a double X mode now? Which model did you go with.
Rick Hutton Thanks, Rick! I got the “base” model...No “X Mode”, but I don’t off-road too much, so the “Sport” and “Intelligent” Modes should hopefully suffice. A question if I may...Do you find the OEM Bridgestone tires adequate for winter driving?
Very cool. The different modes should be fun to play around with for sure. To be honest I do not know a whole lot about the bridgestones and thankfully our winter driving here in Tucson is very mild. :) Hopefully someone else can chime in and help out. Enjoy the car they made some nice improvements on the Forester!
Agree with you for the power and especially the CVT. I love those transmission.No gear changing and smooth....As for the luggage if your are use to a car, this is more then enough 98% of the time. Good review.
Thank you Pierre, glad you enjoyed it. Love my Crosstrek and it is basically a perfect car for me. Cheers
The small space inside is exactly why we went with the Forester. 2 car seats and a stroller in the back and we can still do Costco shopping.
I vote on the roof basket, it would be a nice addition to your cool looking XV
Thanks brother. The Crosstrek can get small quick, but its a great car! Hope all is well with you.
Agreed! After going driving up to CO in my friend’s Crosstrek, I decided to go with the Outback - total cargo area and ground clearance is the same as a Forester but more comfortable car IMO
Nice Cole! Great choice. I am happy that I do not need to carry that much stuff or people very often...Cheers.
2018 Crosstrek Premium Cool Grey Khaki.
My biggest beef is definitely the trunk space. This was my first Crosstrek but I knew going in that power would be on the low side and that it came with a CVT. I was not expecting the trunk space to be as small as it is for my needs. Oh well, it's still a great vehicle overall and I love it.
Agreed Daniel, seats up it’s a bit limiting, but it is great otherwise. Thanks for watching.
I agree.. it's powered just fine. I took my 2018 over the Cascade mountains on highway 2 last week and it had no problem climbing the pass up to the 4500 ft level. We had a full load, 2 adults and two big dogs..plenty of cargo space with rear seats down..but YES I have a Thule cargo box mounted on top!! You should too!!.. I knew when I bought it that was a no brainier !
Thanks Bradley. I do need to pick up a hitch basket or roof rack for sure for those occasions like my airport trip. 😃. My only issue wi5 the box on top would be loosing my roof bike racks. It seems that the roof carrier is a pretty easy on and off though. Thanks for watching.
Hey Rick, love all your videos, and your car is a beauty. You've probably answered this before, but would you recommend the 6MT version of the new 2018s? I currently have a 2015, and find that the entire interior is just lacking that modern comfortable feel that the 2018s have. So looking at upgrading in the next few months, and also going from an automatic to the 6 speed. What are your thoughts?
HI Jacob, thank you for your nice comments and for your comment. I do agree that the 18 is quite a bit nicer inside then the previous years, definitely nicer than my 14 was, and so much quieter. Keep in mind when you read my thoughts on the manual that I have never personally driven a Crosstrek with a manual, so everything is from what I have read.
Probably the biggest negative that I have read is that the manual isn't matched well with the power of the Crosstrek's motor. Other than that I really have not heard anything bad about it. Most who have the manual really seem to enjoy it. I like going off road and personally have always preferred an auto for doing so....my Jeep Rubicon was an auto and for me it was just easier. Throw in open diffs on the Crosstrek and even with X mode you are looking at making life a bit harder off road. I would say drive both and see what you think.
What are you reasons for wanting to go to the 6 speed? I can say that the CVT seems to be much better in the 18 as well for some reason. Not as much noise and smoother. Hopefully others can comment as well. Best of luck Jacob!
I'm looking at the 6 speed because I always enjoy driving a manual more than I enjoy driving an automatic. I am constantly feeling like the CVT in the 2015 is just missing some extra gears to be smoother. I am perfectly okay with the lack of power, since I am not taking the car racing anywhere and it goes plenty fast enough, but it seems like it doesn't mesh well right now. High RPM while cruising at normal highway speed, noticeably shaky idle while at a stop(the whole car shakes), and I feel like if I had the 6 speed I might be able to at least control my own shift points.
I test drove a 2018 a few months ago and I can say the CVT did seem to respond a bit better, honestly I haven't driven a manual crosstrek either but the idea just seems appealing to me. I can see what you are saying about off roading though, manuals are a bit touchy when it comes to off road driving. Ultimately, I think if I could test drive the 6 speed I might be able to see which I prefer. Obviously I won't be able to test it's off road capabilities, but maybe if it's snowing out in a few months and catch them on the right day, it may give me a glimpse of what might be in store for me. Thanks for your advice, I appreciate it. Keep up the great videos!
The nice improvement with the 18 is the extra "gear" they have programmed for highway cruising...seems to be helping mpg over the 14. Do you ever use the paddles in your 15? I had to use them in the 14 when doing long grades on the highway to keep the rpm's up for the climbs. I will be interested to see what you think of the manual after the test drive...I need to go over and drive one myself one of the these. Take Jacob and best of luck.
We used to take my FIAT 500T on long road trips. We have definitely mastered the art of packing light.
That is awesome! Well done sir! This was a 10 day trip to Hawaii, but I have no doubt you could teach me a thing or two. Thank you for watching.
@@AZdroptop Ten days in Hawaii sounds amazing. It's been a while, but I do believe we took the same amount of luggage on our 10 day Hawaiian vacation. In fact, my mother in law brought an empty suitcase just to bring back souvenirs.
I've got a luggage box for any overflow. It's rated for 50Kg. I only put it on when I need to, and it's fine!
Our Suzuki SX4 is smaller than a Crosstrek. We have a Yakima full-width roofbox that can fit 6'6" surfboards. A narrower box doesn't block a sunroof as much. Our MPG is about 1 less with it.
We also have a 3' x 3' roofbag that can be rolled up and stowed when not in use. Use waterproof duffels inside it. Paint the roof with bed liner if you're concerned with scratches.
I've also seen a collapsible roofbox that folds flat when empty.
We have a hitch too. A hitch basket or box can carry stuff. Harbor Freight also sells various light trailers. I have a foldable 4' x 8'. It can haul 2 dualsport motorcycles and then some.
Noted!! Thanks for this video! As far as my situation, it’s only me and my Girlfriend so everything fits fine. I am planning to get a roof trunk or basket for when we go camping.
Thank you so much. I'm glad you got the just of the video as it seemed to upset a lot of people. :). Such a great car!
Between our'18 Crosstrek or '17 Outback, This video confirms my choice of what to drive to Montreal this summer. For 2-parents and 2-twenty something, we'll take the Outback. They are quite different to drive and as I enjoy the Crosstrek for the same reasons as you, for multi hours on the highway, the Outback is stellar. Plus it'll fit all the stuff 3-females 'need'.
Last week my FiL gifted us a nice tray basket he picked up at a garage sale. Since we have factory hitches on both cars our options just increased.
My nit-pick with the Crosstrek is the lack of places to keep stuff handy and safely accessible and easy to reach. These vertical Air vents are useless to hang a pouch/pocket. Loose items don't stay in the center space.
I'm dealing with it but it's a complaint about Space
Thank you Matt, nice to have the choice between the two cars you have. My wife has a WRX so not much more in the way of room. And those darn vents...agreed. :) Have a safe trip!
Great insight!
Thanks very much!
Do you need everything your packing? I know everyone has their own necessities, like camera equipment, baby supplies, or etc. I used to travel with big suitcases and a big carry on. Now my wife and I each carry our own medium sized backpack. Were able to travel for any length of time with our set up. It's so much easier when you don't need to worry about checking in bags. Packing is so much more organized when we use packing cubes.
Probably didn’t need it all...in Fackler a couple carry ones were basically empty so we could bring home gifts. I need your packing guide. 😃. Cheers
I'm getting the Forester after my tour in Japan just for that reason, more space. But I would have to agree that the Crosstrek looks way better than the Outback and Forester. Nice video!
Thank you Kristian for your service, God Bless. And good choice on the Outback. Glad you enjoyed the video!
Good video, lots of good insight. Sounds like the basket is the way to go. I have a 14 Outback and a 18 Crosstrek. I have to say the Crosstrek drives much nicer than my 14 Outback. It eats up most potholes and road irregularities so well you hardly notice (my wife has claimed that as her car). The only thing my Outback has over the Crosstrek is the cargo room.
Thanks Michael, appreciate it. Thank you for the input on the Outback vs Crosstrek. Cheers.
Thanks for info.
Rick,
What rims and tires are those? They look sick. And also do they throw your speedometer off? If so how much. Thanks Sir. Great video.
Kind Regards
Nicholas Douglas
Hi Nick, thank you. The wheels are Method race wheels. Mr 502, 15 inch vt spec with 215/75/15 BFG ko2’s. Here is a link to one of my earlier vids: czcams.com/video/gJx8drqxH-g/video.html And a link to the wheels. www.methodracewheels.com/products/mr502-rally-vt-spec Cheers Nick.
Rick Hutton thank you Sir saw that after I asked the stupid question lol my bad for the repetitive question. Looks good have a black crosstrek those are going to look sick on! Thanks again.
No problem at all Nick. Send me a pic if you get them on your car! Cheers
I have a 2018 Crosstrek with a roof rack (Yakima brand, Road Warrior model)
The roof rack is great for this issue. However I would like to pass along a couple of thoughts on the roof rack.
Again, like your video, not so much negatives just food for thought.
The first thing is the reduced fuel economy. It’s much more significant than that lift and Method wheels reduced the fuel mileage. I would guess “several” MPG reduction - maybe as much as 5. (using the computer and not actual measurements).
The second thought is the increased road noise. That was very significant. Didn’t measure the decibels, but at highway speeds you could not carry on a conversation. Now, I did make some changes and now the noise is only slightly more than without the roof rack on. It is a tolerable noise level after the mods.
I also had problems with the Apple carplay. I asked the dealership and they told me to use a genuine Apple usb cord and i also did the update. My husband has an android and his cords work intermittently - He said he has a genuine Samsung usb cord but seems to still be having issues. Also, my touch screen does not always work- again the dealership said there are no known issues and to make sure to keep
Current on updates- this is a new technology and I’m
Hoping over the next few months the glitches will
Subside. The good news is that Waze will be available sometime this fall with Apple car play! (So I’ve heard). I am new to Subaru and love my crosstrek! Thank you!!!
Hi Christina, thank you for watching. Is your CarPlay working now with the cable and update? The update has cured all of my CarPlay problems thankfully. The touchscreen can be a bit slow to respond and I remember it getting better over time. I think we get used to how good the apple touch screen is and anything else is a bit sketchy compared. Have fun with the car and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do mine.
Rick Hutton - yes, my Apple carplay is working well (so far) with the new Apple cable. Still have to figure out the android issue- I may get a brand new cable then test it- but he doesn’t drive it as much as i do. However I do want want it to work for him as well
Love the video!
Thank you my friend.
Hey Rick, never even given the basket idea a second thought on my cars. Usually gone with the roof rack which is a pain on a Toyota Landcruiser. Big cargo area yes, but always filled to capacity for a trip in the Aussie outback..
Nice one.
Jimmy
Thank you Jimmy. My biggest problem with using a roof carrier would be losing my roof mounted bike racks and having to take them off each time I needed the carrier. They are a bit of a pain to get on and off and I use the bike racks all of the time. Thank you for watching and for your comment.
Good info, that’s why my son sold his Subaru and bought the biggest GM SUV made. He said he needed more room. Later he told me his family was growing. He had to make room for another baby seat. Mine is perfect for me. It’s all good.
Thanks Tom! I love mine too and I'm the only one in there most of the time too. Cheers.
As a fellow 18 crosstrek owner, I completely agree with you on everything you said in this video!
Thank you! Appreciate it very much.
Rick, I couldn't agree more, Subaru's latest CVT on this Crosstrek has been the best automatic transmission I have owned. At 47 years of age it's the first auto I've owned in in over a decade.
I'm 46 and driven stick-shift all my life. I tried test driving the stick and CVT on the new Crosstrek and CRV. They feel nice. Not rubber bandy as previous CVTs. I bought the Honda since it had more room and power, while getting the same MPGs and being roughly the same price once you get CVT and active safety gear. I did prefer the Crosstrek's size for urban use and it's styling.
We just went on a 4400 mile road trip in mine, 2 adults 2 kids, brought luggage snacks and a cooler, got it all crammed in there, even had a hole to look out the back, awsome road trip car. We actually choose the crosstrek over taking my wife's cr-v
Brad, nice. Sounds like a fantastic time?
My biggest complaint on our Limited is the directional signal. It only returns with a 90 degree turn. Took it in to Subaru but they said it’s normal for the Crosstrek.
2018 traded in my Crosstrek for an Outback. Sometimes you outgrow things, and you need more options to do things.
So true. Congrats on the Outback.
Hey Rick! Any plans of lifting the crosstrek anytime soon? Or none at all?
Hi John, a lift is on the list for down the road, 1.5 inch. But probably not real soon. Thanks for watching
Still thinking about getting one... all of my cars before had over 200K+ miles easy but thinking about getting something other than a Honda. I was told these are a little bit more maintenance so some friends I spoke to said that leasing is more preferred than financing in that scenario? Let's say I drive less than 12k annually. Which option did you do? Or maybe a video about it? Thanks!
Hi Nhan, My experience has been pretty good maintenance wise with my Subaru's, but I haven't put a ton of miles on them either. All of them came with 24 K miles of free maintenance as well so it has been easy for the most part. No major mechanical issues to report and I never experienced any oil consumption problems. I bought my 18 and do plan to keep it...I planned to keep the 14 as well though. Ha ha. Subaru just improved it so much I had to go with the 18.
Great video and review. We have a WRX (2017) and we really enjoy it. We have been thinking about a Crosstrex for my wife. Shoe does do a lot of hauling stuff. Right now she drives an Excursion so yes it will be a huge change! But not knowing your full story ( how long of road trip or how big your son and friend are). Why not use the 60 40 split? Would there not of been enough room for the boys? This is a true question as my wife and I will be giving major thought to a crosstrex. Thank you for you time.
Hi Mike thank you for your question and your kind words. For quick reference my wife has a WRX as well and all the people and bags would not for her car either
The drive was up to Phoenix, about 2 hours and 130 miles. My son is 5’8’ about 150 or so and his friend is 6 or 6’1” 175. So it would not work with those guys and the one seat down. I could have put bags on the roof, but just didn’t want the weight up there.
With just me and the seats down there is a ton of room for Costco etc. I put on a hitch so I am leaning towards a hitch carrier basket just for ease of use. I also like the roof carriers, but do not want to lose my bike racks from up there.
Let me know if I can answer any other wuestions for you. Here or email. Azdroptopyt@cox.net
This fellow 2018 crosstrek owner states: I really dig this car!
Gregory, Me too! It is fantastic.
Hey Rick, I know you live in Tucson and its really hot now how is your A/C cooling in the hot weather? I live in phoenix and mine feels like it takes a while for it to start getting ice cold. It just blows cold but not ice cold like it used to.
Hey there fellow Arizonian. Funny you should ask as I just talked about this in my 6,000 mile update vid. I'll link it if you have time to watch. Basically it is doing good, no complaints really. If I forget to put my window shade up and the car is baking all day in the sun it takes some time to cool down, but nothing out of the ordinary. Might be worth a trip to the dealer incase you have a small leak or need to recharge the system? Are you guys hitting 110 yet? We have been 105 to 107 of late. Looking forward to the rain.
In my 18 Crosstrek I've noticed if I'm in traffic when first cooling off the car it takes ages. Once I'm out of the traffic and moving the AC works just fine.
Thank you for the input!
When I was a kid we had laps and that's what they were for :) ....lolz but that's what your get with a compact crossover! and it sees it's wayyyy more room than a lot of the competition.
Honestly.. a roof rack is probably the greatest expense for this thing that I've added. It cuts a bit of mpgs but nothing too crazy for a whole extra trunk.. or ski carrier.. or kayak carrier.. bikes... it goes on really haha
That's why I bought a little 4x8 trailer. Customizing it to hold all my families camping gear. Two kayaks on top of the trailer and the two kids kayaks on top of the crosstrek.
Awesome. Those 4 x 4 trailers are really sweet. I ended up with a hitch basket for the few times a year we need to carry extra gear.
love the shirt!
Thank you!
The 6 speed is a great option, iv'e daieyed on in nyc for the last 2 years and 20k miles. It's not as much of a hassle in traffic. But I'm 23. New knees help. Lol. But other then the rev hang on the 1-2 shift the transmission is phenomenal, significantly better than the 5 speed in the first gen crosstreck and the Impreza.
I have only driven a manual once and it felt good! I’m lazy these days and enjoy the CVT 😊.
This popped up in my feed because I'm in the market and looking for off road capabilities . Nothing major but for some undeveloped wooded property . Which subaru is the most capable.
They all have the same AWD system these days so you can't go wrong with the Ascent, Outback, Crosstrek or Forester. I suggest buying one that has X mode. Just depends on how big of a vehicle you are looking for.
My wife and I were just looking over the weekend at a 2018 Crosstrek and a 2015 Forester 2.5i Premium and my wife said that the Crosstrek just looked too small in the back. So what did we do? We got the 2015 Forester and have lots of room.
Nice Bob! Congrats on the new Outback. If I had to move people and stuff all the time I would have gone bigger too. The Crosstrek works 99% of the time and thankfully my "problem' is an easy fix. Cheers.
I'm looking at a 2018 I plan on dispersed camping, I don't have a lot of gear, will make it in the spring/summer PNW?
Howdy, I'm not sure what PNW is?
If people don’t like the lag from CVT/computer shifting isn’t the crosstrek also have the paddle shifters they can use?
Yep. Personally, I really like the CVT.
The engine is fine.
The CVT is fine as long as you change the fluid.
But cargo space really is a bit limited, thats why i got a Forester.
Rick, with my old Legacy wagon and VW GTI's and Rabbits, whenever I had luggage or stuff near the hatchback glass I always used an old blanket so that the stuff I was hauling would not rub the glass so that it wouldn't harm the defroster wires or break the glass if it would move in transit.
Hi Dave, great advice! Have a good week.
That's A LOT of luggage for 2 adults and 2 kids! How long was your hols?
10 days. The kids are 18 and 16 so you can imagine the hair care products lol. The two carry ons were for bringing gifts back .
I agree with everyone's general comments... this is a SUB compact suv.
My biggest negative is the lack of any hidden storage. (To put jumper cables and emergency kit).
"biggest Negative" as in, there really is nothing else wrong with the car. As mentioned there are many ways around the problem that only happens for me a few times a year. Ended up with a Hitch Basket. Problem solved. Car is perfect 99% of the time. Anyway, hidden storage would be great.
Agree with an earlier reviewer: travel light. I've seen folks bringing along waaaay too much stuff well, everywhere.
I hear ya..hard on a 10 day trip with many different things involved. But, I am sure I could dump some gear. :) I just need to be better prepared and get a hitch basket. :)
I hugely recommend the topper. When you put the thing on the back your gonna get the rear to sink and the front will pop up. Also you can't open the back hatch usually with gear in place. Yea topper is way expensive but I had mine fully loaded driving 80 mph into heavy winds where yes tough bikers had to pull over it was too windy for them. No sound issues. It was a Thule. Granted it will sell high and easy when you have to if you ever do.
Thanks for the insight, very appreciated since I have no experience with either the hitch basket or topper. Cheers and good luck with the Forester.
Rick, when I try to carry an adult water buffalo in the bed of my 1/2 ton truck, I really struggle...Oh wait, is that a subcompact? OK, I'm done ; ).
LOL, now that’s funny. Well done
Ok so.... where did you go that required that much luggage!? I guess I'm a minimalist? Good info though.
ha ha. Well each of us had a big suitcase and a carry on. Then throw in my camera gear and laptop. Actually both carry on's were empty, but we use them to bring back gifts for family and friends. I could probably make it with just a carry on, but not so sure about my wife. :) Thank you for watching.
And i go on 2 week trips with just an old bookbag style backpack lol
What if you folded one of the split rear seats down for more cargo room and then had the rear passengers sit in the middle and side?
My son and his buddy are a little too big unfortunately...Thank you for watching
Do like the Chevy Chase movie and put granny on the roof ha ha
I just get all of your logic. It's a small car. Live with it. Or, get a Ford Expedition
Live with it, you bought a small car. Want to bring your whole wardrobe , buy a Ford Expedition.
Great video, and very informative. I totally agree Rick, for 4 people and travel gear it's a bit much for the Crosstrek. That would also impact gas mileage, and power in a big way. For solo or 2 people, the Crosstrek is a great car. The roof cargo box would be my choice but, the hassle of taking it off and on and storing it would be a problem. The trailer hitch basket sounds like a good option. Those Outbacks are great for people who travel with more than 2 to 3 people regularly. I often see a lot of them when visiting the National Parks, and often they are packed with people and gear. Anyway, thanks for the info, and keep up the great work.
Thank you my friend. Much appreciated and I always value your input. Enjoyed your last eat video as well. Have a great weekend
95% of the time the xTrek is great size wise, but for me when short on space we take the wife's Forester. I have been thinking about a cargo box for the hitch for my xTrek. I think I'll want something I can place the snowblower on when helping out family/friends come winter time. Space is not a negative for me as its my daily driver and I'm solo most of the time; love the milage and the tech in the car, still love GG aka Gray Ghost aka DGM Crosstrek Limited
Thank you Jim, great comment. Agreed, 99% I am solo as well and the car is nearly perfect. Only issue is when you have to take 4 adults and stuff with you...but thankfully a roof box or hitch carrier is an easy fix. Cheers and thanks for watching.
This is why I have a Jeep JLU. Gas mileage sucks, but the Subaru is way too small & won’t work for my weekend needs unless I were to have a rack up
top & on a hitch. At that point, the Bikes & other gear still won’t fit. I’m a minimalist, but the cooking setup would still take take half that little car’s cargo area. Test drove one & way underpowered.
If i were buying now I'd go for the forester, I do have one now. For someone who is deciding between forester and xv/crosstrek I'd say 2 people for crosstrek and 2 up forester.
The Crosstrek isn't a "big" car as we all know. When we want to travel, my wife and I have no trouble BUT it's just the two of us........however, 4 adults plus all of their luggage is probably a bit too much to expect the car to accommodate, Rich.......even with your imaginative packing of the bags in the car, it is what it is.........great video as usual.
Thank you Steven. :) Yep, I love her, but if I had a bigger family I would probably have to get a Forester or Outback...either that or prod my wife into getting something bigger. Cheers Brother.
My wife also LOVES hers....now, she bitches every time she sees another CT in the same color......apparently, very hard to find, the orange is more available. I'm waiting for the Gen 6 OB next year as I was stupid enough to pass on the ES in favor of NAV on my 2015 OB. Nav is useless, I don't even use it, in favor of WAZE........not making that mistake again next year! Enjoy vacation and travel safely! First responder? Thanks, man..........people like you save idiots like me!
Steven Reiss Steven Reiss Ha ha. Your wife sounds like mine and her red WRX. When I bought my first Subaru in11 I did a lot of reading on Subaru Nav and universality it was said to be garbage. Now these days with CarPlay and Apple maps I don’t think I would spend the money on it either. I have heard Subaru has improved it at least. What is wade exactly? Someone wrote about that on here awhile back and I forget to check it out. Cheers man, and thank you.
Actually, when I tried to update the maps in my 2015's Factory NAV, the office that serviced the sale was in....are you ready?....HUNGARY! ...and the download ruined my Micro SD card in the NAV!!! SOA made it right but it was a drag. WAZE is an app for your cell that is CONSTANTLY updated by other drivers in REAL TIME, points out traffic situations, cars on side of road, etc........and it's free. I think that it's based on Google maps.......you would LOVE it......
Steven, thank you for that. I will check it out. Hungary. Yikes.
If you already have cross bars, I would use a rooftop cargo container. Ours was $300 years ago. It is the dimensions of the Thule shown. Thule costs more. But basically, you can put 85 lbs safely in it and the volume would have taken the two large cases or all of the small ones shown in the video. You will take an MPG hit - but you will not lighten the front end and they are secure. We do leave things in ours over night. Also, they don't block the camera and they don't make backing up more dangerous.
Truth is, the lack of space is a negative - Subaru could have done better using all the space up - like they did in the mid 2000's outbacks. But recall, this is a lifted Impreza 5-door. 3 more inches on the floor plan and better use of the underdeck would have gone a long way for this.
Good video
HI Christopher, thanks much for the nice words and for watching along. I also appreciate your advice on the roof top carrier. Check out my new video, just finished editing it, that will be up tomorrow and what I ended up choosing to solve the "problem" Cheers and thank you again.
Crossbars and a rack is one of my first mods
Nice! I would have considered a roof rack, but since I had the bike racks up there a hitch basket took care of the few times a year when I have to carry 4 adults and a lot of stuff.
Would putting one side of the spit fold down have helped? I think putting the narrow side down would have given you the room you needed without sacrificing rear passenger comfort as you would still have the wider seat back up.
Hi and thank you for the suggestion... my son and his buddy are 16 and 18 so it was pretty cramped. It really was just poor planning on my part by not getting a hitch basket or carrier...coming soon though.😃. Still love the car
I'm glad to hear that there are no issues with the 152HP 148LB torque has in power for passing on the highway. 75MPH to 85MPH? Wow, I was doing over 140km per hour which is about 80MPH on the highway and keeping up with traffic. I was pulled over and got a whopping ticket and lost 3 demerit points which put my car insurance up the next year. If I was going over 140kms per hour? The police officer would have had my car towed to the pound. Costing me close to $200 to get it out. Our speed limits don't go over 70MPH. That's on just a few of our highways here in Ontario, Canada. Main highways speed limits are at 60 MPH..Some at 90KMs per hour. Anyways, you need the power to get onto highway speeds adequately, it's dangerous to not have adequate power otherwise. The Crosstrek has more space than any of its subcompact class SUV competition. Definitely more length width to put a set of golf clubs in without turning them to an angle and losing more space. I don't see many negative issues with the new global platform Crosstrek. A huge improvement from the last generation, and even the last generation was very good. You even said you really liked your 2014 but opted for the newer version because it was that much better than the previous. Great videos you do have convinced me that the Crosstrek is my next daily driver when I purchase in 2020. Thanks for all your in depth and not just giving all the pros, but letting me know the negatives too. Which there are, but too few to be a deal breaker. No vehicle is perfect, as we all know.
I guess I shouldn't have said more space than any of the subcompact class SUV competition. Honda's HRV apparently has a bit more. Excellent idea with the "magic seating". Although it is quite slow, as is the Toyota version which only offers FWD. Mazda has a smaller engine and faster off the mark. Yet, not near the cargo space as the Honda HRV or Crosstrek.
Thank you so much for the kinds words about the videos and for watching along. It really is a fantastic car and very versatile. Really the only thing to consider is the car can run out of cargo room if you have to carry 4 passengers and can not put the seats down. Best of luck with your 2020 and I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoy mine.
Yeah it's like the smallest crossover that exists and that is why I would not buy it. I'm liking everything the Forester has to offer me for my family of 4. It will be a welcome upgrade in size over our current Vue which we barely make it going camping
Nice gcn t-shirt !
Thanks Felix! The channel has changed a bit the last year, but it’s still fun.
I think the basket on top would be the better way to go than the roof carrier. Mostle from a storage perspective.
Also looks better.
Hi Rick, I have the Australian / New Zealand version and we have a full size spare tyre. By the look of the video and space I presume you have a space saver spare tyre? Love the car by the way, mine is same model as yours but called an XV down here.
Cheers
Allan.
Hi Allan, we have a full size spare as well..it isn't a doughnut spare anyway. Love mine too! :) You know it is weird about the XV name..my 2014 Crosstrek was an "XV Crosstrek", then Subaru went to Crosstrek here for some reason. Thanks for commenting! Cheers.
Bought my first Subaru/Crosstrek in June. I dig every thing but the power for me and the driver assist stuff can be a little annoying. If you remove the cargo floor mat cover you may get some more room.
Nice Brandon. The lower HP does take some time to get used to, but the 18 is much better than the 14 I had previously so I am happy with it. I do not have the eyesight package so no driver assist issues for me...Thanks much for watching!