• by Tanya Gazdik , Staff Writer, Yesterday

It’s not Subaru of America’s largest vehicle, but I found it to be bigger than it looks. 

I spent a week with a Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid and was pleased by the amount of cargo it holds, even without the second row folded down. 

The five-seat SUV offers 19.9 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up. Folding the 60/40-split rear seats flat expands the room to 54.7 to 54.9 cubic feet (depending on the trim). I loved the rubber mat that covers the entire cargo area. 

The vehicle I drove was exceedingly easy to find in a parking lot since it featured one of two new exterior colors for this model year. Citron Yellow Pearl joins the much more subdued Sand Dune Pearl.

I found the 11.6-inch Multimedia Plus system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility easy to use, and the perfect size. It felt well-integrated into the dashboard, and was easy to use when I had Waze up and running. It also was a good size for showing the view of the backup camera. 

Unlike a lot of vehicles that have them, the wireless phone charger worked consistently well and didn’t overheat my phone. .

The hybrid engine offers both good power (194 horsepower) and pleasing fuel economy (36 mpg combined.) 

Even more pleasing is the price. The base price of the Crosstrek Limited Hybrid is $34,995 -- and even with just about every bell and whistle you could add to it, the vehicle totals $38,410 (including an extra $395 for the lovely paint color.)

One ding is that the rear liftgate does not automatically open or close. I know this is a seemingly “first world problem,” but when you are used to being able to open and close the liftgate by pressing the key fob, it’s kind of a bummer. 

But there are solutions. A friend of mine who bought a 2024 Subaru Crosstrek was able to get the dealer to throw in and install a grab handle to make pulling down the hatch easier. 

Like me, she hauls rescue dogs quite frequently so I was curious what her dog-related experience has been. She reports that the Crosstrek offers more options. She likes that the backseats fold down to create flat surface. The split backseat offers choices in terms of either tethering a dog in the seat or putting a crate on the flat surface on the back. She’s able to fit a 32-inch crate, which is pretty generous.

I’m happy to hear that my dog-loving friend is happy with her purchase. Honestly, I’d expect nothing less. After all, Subaru has long been “Dog Tested. Dog Approved.”