Subaru unveils its third off-road Wilderness model with new Crosstrek SUV

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While most car companies are rushing to get electric vehicles to market, Subaru is taking another road – one that’s rougher and tougher. At the 2023 New York Auto Show, the Japanese automaker introduced the all-new 2024 Crosstrek Wilderness SUV. It’s the third Subaru model to wear the Wilderness badge, following in the footsteps of the Outback and Forester.

“Wilderness is about taking the things that Subaru does well and amping them up a little bit. All of our cars are pretty capable already, but people enjoy long travel suspension and having the off-road ability but still having pretty good manners on the road as well,” said Anton Pawczuk, senior director of product management and connected business at Subaru Canada, ahead of the unveil. “The Wilderness is not meant to be a complete off-roader where it’s miserable to drive on the road. We wouldn’t do that. It’s giving the Crosstrek customer who wants to get out there just a little bit more ability,” he added.

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Pawczuk said that for the Wilderness models in the other vehicles, customers have been younger than average buyers in the past. He expects the trend will continue with the Crosstrek Wilderness and estimates 10 per cent of Crosstrek sales will be Wilderness versions.

The list is long for what separates it from a regular Crosstrek. It has Subaru’s symmetrical all-wheel drive system, a revised drivetrain and upgraded suspension components, and 23.5 centimetres of ground clearance – that’s 1.5 centimetres more than the traditional Crosstrek. It’s the highest ground clearance of any Wilderness or Subaru model.

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The 2.5-litre Subaru Boxer engine, which delivers 182 horsepower and 178 lb-ft of torque, has more than double the towing capacity of a regular Crosstrek. Maximum towing is now 1,588 kilograms owing to the addition of a transmission oil cooler. Engineers also worked on improving the off-road performance by installing a revised differential gear ratio and retuned continuously variable transmission (CVT).

For off-roading adventures, it has a driver-selectable X-mode as well as Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud modes to tackle any terrain. The approach angle has increased from 18 degrees in other Crosstrek models to 20 degrees on the Wilderness, the angle of departure increased to 33.0 degrees from 30.1, and the ramp breakover angle moved up to 21.1 degrees from 19.7. It also has a standard Hill Descent Control system, which acts like a low-speed downhill cruise control, automatically engaging individual wheel braking control on downgrades when the vehicle is driven less than 19 kilometres per hour so the driver doesn’t have to touch a pedal.

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Looks wise, the Crosstrek Wilderness can’t be missed on the Subaru stand because of its rugged exterior design plastered with Wilderness badges. At the front, a bold hexagonal grille is flanked by hexagon-LED fog lights and has a front towing hook in an anodized yellow shade. On the hood, there’s a matte black hood decal designed to reduce glare from the sun. The front and rear bumper corners have been stripped down slightly for better clearance over rough roads. At the rear, the large Subaru name appears across the rear bumper. There are also large wheel arch claddings, black paint on the door mirrors, a metal front skid plate and a body-coloured roof spoiler. Seven colours are available, with two that are exclusive to the Crosstrek Wilderness in Canada: Geyser Blue and Alpine Green.

Inside, the Wilderness theme continues with upholstered seats wearing the Wilderness logo on the front headrests and anodized yellow accents throughout the cabin. A 11.6-inch tablet-style touchscreen infotainment system is on the small side compared to some competitors, but it is equipped with wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, a wireless phone charger and over-the-air updates.

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The cargo area has a removable water-resistant rear cargo tray to protect the load floor from wet, dirty and muddy gear. For transporting camping items like a rooftop tent, it has a ladder-type roof rack system with a 176-pound load capacity and a 700 pound static load limit. It also comes with standard safety technology including Subaru’s EyeSight Driver Assist Technology, which includes adaptive cruise control, precollision braking, precollision throttle management, lane departure and sway warning, and lead vehicle start alert. Blind-spot detection with lane change assist and rear cross-traffic alert are also standard on this model.

The 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness will be built at Subaru’s manufacturing plant in Lafayette, Ind. It will be available in dealer showrooms this fall. Prices aren’t available, yet.

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