Subaru of America presented the Wilderness version of the Crosstrek at the New York Auto Show. Increased off-road capabilities are complemented by richer equipment.
The Subaru Crosstrek was introduced in mid-September last year as a replacement for the existing XV model, and now the brand’s American representation at the New York Auto Show has revealed the Wilderness design, which is supposed to cope with more demanding terrain. For this purpose, the body was protected, the ground clearance increased, the drive system was modified or the equipment expanded.
The Crosstrek Wilderness received springs and dampers with a longer stroke, thanks to which its ground clearance increased by about 15 millimeters to a final 236 mm. At the same time, there was an increase in the approach angle to 20° (+ 2°), the transition angle to 21.1° (+ 1.4°) and the descent angle to 33° (+ 2.9°). The body received additional plastic coating, while the power unit is protected by a skid plate under the bow.
For the Wilderness version, Subaru has prepared specific 17-inch alloy wheels that will be fitted with off-road Yokohama Geolandar tires. Cross-country ability should also be aided by a shorter transmission on the rear axle or torque vectoring. For example, the side tilt indicator will provide the driver with a better overview of the current situation, while Hill Descent Control will help with hill descents and X-Mode will assist when moving off-road.
The novelty is powered by a 2.5-liter boxer with direct injection, which produces 136 kW and 239 Nm. The Lineartronic gearbox settings have also been adjusted to make the car feel better on longer low-speed drives and have better traction on slippery surfaces. A new transmission oil cooler was added, thanks to which the trailer towing limit (approx. 1600 kg) could be more than doubled.
The load-bearing capacity of the roof was increased so that the owners could go on longer journeys and perhaps sleep in nature. When driving, the Crosstrek Wilderness can handle around 80 kg and more than 300 kg when parked, so it can handle, for example, a roof tent. The off-road version of the Crosstrek model also gets richer equipment, which includes more safety assistants, such as Automatic Emergency Steering, which is supposed to help avoid an imminent collision, up to a speed of 80 km/h.
Inside the car, there are seats upholstered in waterproof Subaru StarTex material with orange (according to the brand’s press release copper) stitching and the Wilderness logo on the front headrests. Orange (“copper”) details are also found in other places in the interior and on the exterior. The bodywork can be painted in a Geyser Blue shade specific to the Wilderness version.
The standard equipment includes, for example, keyless access to the car and starting, infotainment with an 11.6-inch touchscreen and support for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, rotating LED headlights, heated front seats and other elements. Sales of the Crosstrek Wilderness in America will start in the fall, and interested parties will pay at least 688,000 crowns, which is the amount without taxes and fees.
