2016 Subaru Crosstrek | CarGurus Test Drive Review

The Crosstrek gains features and loses some letters for 2016, adding the Starlink telematics suite and safety features such as blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and lane-departure alert, while dropping the "XV" from the front of its name. To keep things fresh, it also gets a front-end restyle and some interior tweaks, but it’s the powertrain that really holds back this compact crossover. The Crosstrek's 2.0-liter boxer engine comes with a 5-speed manual as standard on the 2.0i and 2.0i Premium trims, and it does its best to make the most of the sparse 148 hp and 145 lb-ft of torque the engine produces. Optional for the Premium and standard for the Limited trim, a continuously variable transmission (CVT) struggles to put power down at highway speeds and offers aggressive delivery through the pedal at low speeds. While speed isn’t generally a concern with a compact crossover, here it becomes a borderline safety issue, with highway passing and merging requiring plenty of planning. Besides that, the powertrain is very loud and exhibits the worst of the “rubber band” qualities that can plague CVTs. Read more on CarGurus: http://cargur.us/8b5D_

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