New York 2023: All-new Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness ready for anything
2024 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness makes a rocking debut in New York
Subaru just launched a new Wilderness model at the 2023 New York International Auto Show (NYIAS). After making more rugged versions of the Forester and Outback in 2021, Subaru has now officially revealed the 2024 Crosstrek Wilderness.
Based on the all-new model that was revealed last year, the beefed-up Crosstrek not only gets an upgraded exterior, it also received a more rugged suspension system for taking on the road less traveled.
Starting with the obvious updates first, Subaru gave the Crosstrek's chassis and suspension a plethora of upgrades. It gets longer coil springs and better shock absorbers to help keep the vehicle planted to the ground. In addition, the Crosstrek Wilderness gains 240mm of ground clearance thanks to the aforementioned upgrades.
Complementing the taller ground clearance are the improved approach, departure, and break-over angles. From 18 degrees, the approach angle is now at 20 degrees while the departure angle has been increased from 30.1 to 33.0 degrees. Last but not least, the ramp break-over angle moves up from 19.7 to 21.1 degrees. Ensuring grip over any terrain comes from Yokohama Geolandar all-terrain tires wrapped in 17-inch matte black alloy wheels.
To keep the body protected from the rough stuff, Subaru made generous use of black body cladding. These can be seen on the bumpers, fenders, wheel arches, and door panels. There's also a metal skid plate to help protect the engine, a matte black hood decal to prevent glare, Wilderness badges all around, and a ladder-type roof rack rated at 80 kg on the road. However, it's rated to carry 318 kg while static which means it can support a roof tent when you're in the great outdoors.
Inside, it comes with water-resistant StarTex upholstery, all-weather floor mats, and a removable waterproof rear cargo tray. When it comes to amenities, it's packed to the brim as it gets the 11.6-inch touchscreen infotainment with wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto, a wireless phone charger, a reverse camera, dual-zone auto climate control, USB-A/USB-C charging ports, heated front seats, a power moonroof, a Harman-Kardon 10-speaker sound system, and the suite of Subaru EyeSight intelligent safety systems.
Under the hood, the Crosstrek Wilderness is powered by a 2.5-liter direct injection Boxer engine that generates an admirable 185 PS and 239 Nm of torque. It is then mated to a Lineatronic CVT and Symmetrical AWD system. To make it more capable of tackling uneven terrain, Subaru claims it has a shorter final drive ratio rated at 4.111:1 in order to give it better climbing ability. It even has an oil cooler as standard which Subaru says doubled the Crosstrek Wilderness' towing capacity to 1,588 kg.
The 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness is set to arrive in US dealerships later this year. While we can only wish that Subaru offers its Wilderness variants here, perhaps interested customers can get in touch with gray market dealers in order to get their hands on one.
