Subaru Crosstrek Ditches Its Weakest Engine, Gains a Hybrid, and the Cost Is Worth It
Most 2026 Crosstreks cost about a thousand bucks more than last year. That’s OK.
Subaru has been listening—one of the things we had complained about the Crosstrek was its rather weak base engine. Well, for 2026, all Crosstreks will get the upgraded 2.5-liter boxer-four previously restricted to the Sport model—as well as a new hybrid powertrain option. Predictably, the 2026 Subaru Crosstrek costs more, with the entry-level version seeing its MSRP jump $1,300, with some other models seeing smaller increases and others seeing up to $1,600 bumps.
Worth it? Absolutely. The Crosstrek’s standard-issue 2.0-liter flat-four was gutless, with a mere 152 hp and 145 lb-ft of torque. The bigger 2.5-liter that replaces it isn’t, with 180 hp and 178 lb-ft of torque. Even with the price increase that upgrade brings, the 2026 Crosstrek starts at a still reasonable (given its standard all-wheel drive and adventurous appearance) $28,415, though it’s on the rich end of the subcompact SUV segment along with Jeep’s Compass. Still, to get this same powertrain on last year’s Crosstrek, you’d spend over $32,000, making the new price of entry more than palatable.
For those keen on more power and better efficiency, there is the new hybrid variant, which electrifies that 2.5-liter engine. It’s an option on the Crosstrek Sport and Limited trims. It would be nice to see this option on the range-topping, maximum-off-road-capable Crosstrek Wilderness, but it seems Subaru opted to keep things all-engine for that one.
Every 2026 Crosstrek will come standard with Subaru’s EyeSight driver assist technology, steering-responsive LED headlights, dual-zone automatic climate control, and tire pressure monitoring with individual tire pressure displays. The dual 7.0-inch infotainment touchscreens are also standard; the top screen controls smartphone integration, audio streaming, and other standard radio features, while the lower display handles the HVAC and vehicle settings.
Step up to the Crosstrek Premium trim, and those dual displays are replaced by a single 11.6-inch multimedia system. Also added in are USB-A and USB-C charging ports in the front and rear center consoles, ladder-type roof rails, and LED foglights. From there, the Sport trim adds 18-inch wheels, sport cloth upholstery with yellow contrast stitching, a leather steering wheel and shift lever, simulated carbon trim accents inside, and yellow metallic finish on the tach and speedometer trim rings.
The Sport will also come with a standard wireless phone charger in the center console, the all-weather package, and upgraded headlights that come with LED front signals.
Hopping up to the Limited gains you a standard heated and leather-wrapped steering wheel in addition to more driver assistance features such as lane keep assist, DriveFocus distraction mitigation, rear cross-traffic alert, auto emergency steering, automated emergency braking in reverse. There also is a 10-way power driver’s seat with two-way lumbar support, and the seats are covered in perforated leather with orange contrast stitching that extends to the shift lever, center console storage lid, door armrests, and the instrument panel. There’s also chromed features like the interior door handles and window switch trim, while the exterior mirrors add integrated turn signals.
As the top-of-the-line model, the 2026 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness is the outdoorsy option for Subaru owners looking for a compact crossover. While it costs $1,300 more than last year—for a $35,215 MSRP—and does not include the new hybrid setup, it’s still the coolest Crosstrek available. It boasts 9.3 inches of ground clearance, revised ratios in the continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), exclusive body protection, and a 3,500-pound towing capacity. The non-Wilderness trims can only tug 1,500 pounds.
While the Wilderness steps down to smaller 17-inch wheels, it does wear a set of Yokohama Geolandar all-terrain tires with chunky sidewalls. If you’d like just a bit more creature comfort, the Wilderness can be optioned with a power moonroof, 10-way power driver’ s seat, and the Harman Kardon 10-speaker audio system for another $2,270. The Wilderness’s only direct competitor in the market is the Jeep Compass Trailhawk, another off-road-tuned subcompact SUV; it starts at $34,390.
