Right on schedule, Subaru has dropped details on the refreshed version of its hot-selling Crosstrek crossover. There’s plenty we still don’t know, not the least of which is if there will be any powertrain upgrades for the U.S. market, but from what we can tell, the Crosstrek benefits from changes and updates seen across the Subaru lineup. For starters, Subaru says its new “full-inner-frame construction” design, implemented already on the most recent WRX and Levorg, strengthens the already proven Subaru Global Platform underpinnings. That welcome improvement should incrementally improve ride and handling.
There are some changes to the exterior — a sleeker grille shape and enlarged and reshaped cladding over the fenders being the most noticeable — but the biggest design updates are seen inside. Subaru’s latest infotainment system lives on an 11.6-inch vertically oriented touchscreen, similar to what’s found in the WRX. New seats are said to be more supportive and are mounted on rails that reduce vibration. Standard instrumentation includes traditional gauges instead of a digital cluster, but there are fewer physical buttons than before, meaning things like climate and audio control are controlled via the touchscreen. The new Crosstrek is roughly the same size as before, so don’t expect any more room for passengers or their cargo.
The Japanese Crosstrek that Subaru initially debuted uses a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine mated to an “e-BOXER” electric motor. We’re not sure if that tech is coming to America or if we’ll get the same 2.0-liter and 2.5-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder options as before. We’re also not certain if the dedicated plug-in hybrid model will carry on. But as soon as we know more, well, so will you.
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Source: www.autoblog.com