Almost A Wilderness Model? 2023 Subaru Crosstrek Sport
Subaru has teased us with more off-road focused models in the Outback and Forester Wilderness trims, but they have yet to give us a version of the Crosstrek Wilderness.
NEED TO KNOW
- The 2023 Crosstrek Sport is effectively a ‘Wilderness Lite’—it borrows key off-road treatments from the Wilderness-trim siblings without going full overland
- Writer tested the car and questions whether buyers should wait for a potential 2024 Crosstrek Wilderness or buy the 2023 Sport now
- 182 hp from the 2.5L BOXER engine with CVT and symmetrical AWD—practical for trails but not exciting on road
- Priced from $23,645; tested at $32,160—competitive for a capable compact AWD crossover with off-road-oriented tires and X-MODE
- Fuel economy of 27/34/29 (city/hwy/combined) is strong for a vehicle with genuine off-road hardware
We tested this 2023 Subaru Crosstrek Sport and found a lot of the same treatments were done to make this model stand out in the lineup. Think of the Sport model as being a “Wilderness Lite” with special grille and wheel arch moldings, added splashes of yellow throughout the cabin, even a dual-function X-MODE with Hill Descent Control. The Sport also gets similar Yokohama Geolandar tires from the other Wilderness models.
With the 2024 Japanese market Crosstrek already teased online, is it worth waiting for the new one and hoping they give it the Wilderness treatment, or finding a 2023 Sport and hitting the trails now?
2023 Subaru Crosstrek Sport Specs:
• 2.5L Subaru BOXER 4 Cylinder Engine • 182 Horsepower
• 176 lb-ft of Torque
• Lineartronic Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
• Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive
• Dual-function X-MODE with settings for snow/dirt and deep snow/mud
• Heated Front StarTex Water-Repellant Seats
• Seating for 5
• Manual Seat Adjustments
• 20.8 Cubic Feet of Storage Behind Second Row
• 55.3 Cubic Feet of Storage Behind Front Row • 8-inch STARLINK Multimedia Plus Infotainment
• Sport-Specific Grille and Wheel Arch Moldings
• Proximity Key with Push Button Start
• Manual Tailgate
• 17-inch Dark Finish Aluminum Alloy Wheels
• Yokohama Geolandar All-Season Tires
• EPA Fuel Economy 27/34/29 (city/hwy/combined)
• Starting MSRP $23,645
• Price as tested: $32,160
2023 Subaru Crosstrek Sport
PROS
- Dual-function X-MODE with Hill Descent Control adds genuine off-road capability not found on base Crosstrek trims
- Yokohama Geolandar all-season tires shared with Outback and Forester Wilderness models provide real trail credibility
- Sport-specific grille and wheel arch moldings plus yellow interior accents give distinctive 'Wilderness Lite' personality
- Heated front StarTex water-repellant seats practical for outdoor-lifestyle owners
CONS
- No true Crosstrek Wilderness trim exists yet—the Sport is as close as buyers can get, leaving some off-road capability on the table
- 8-inch infotainment is smaller than the 11.6-inch screen introduced on the 2024 model, and the 2024 redesign was already known to be coming