The King of the Crossovers

Crossovers have become a go-to choice for drivers who want more space and versatility, without moving up to a larger SUV. They’re easy to drive, relatively efficient, practical for everyday life, and available in just about every price range.

And if there’s one vehicle that captures what makes a crossover work so well, it’s the Subaru Crosstrek.

So, what exactly is a crossover?

The line between a crossover and an SUV can get blurry, but the basic distinction is pretty simple.

Generally, SUVs are built more like trucks, with a separate body and frame. Crossovers use unibody construction, meaning the body and underlying structure are integrated more like a passenger car.

The typical crossover combines some of the best attributes of both cars and SUVs: a comfortable ride, better fuel efficiency, a roomy cargo area, higher ride height and extra capability when the weather or road gets rough.

Crossovers come in a variety of sizes. Popular compact models include the Honda HR-V, Toyota Corolla Cross and Subaru Crosstrek, while larger options like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 offer additional passenger and cargo space.

Why crossovers make sense right now

For years, car shopping trends have moved toward large SUVs and trucks. But bigger isn't always better, especially when you're paying to fuel it, park it and drive it every day.

Crossovers are smaller than SUVS, but still have room for your kids, groceries, luggage, dogs, sporting gear and everything else that comes along for the ride. Fold down the rear seats and you've got even more usable cargo space. 

At the same time, a compact crossover remains easy to maneuver around town and doesn't require the fuel of a full-size SUV. When gas prices rise, that difference becomes even harder to ignore.

And for a trip through rain, snow, on gravel roads or the occasional trail, a crossover can offer another advantage over a traditional sedan: extra ground clearance and available all-wheel drive (AWD).

Meet the king of the crossovers

There are plenty of good crossovers. But few embrace the basic idea quite as completely as the Subaru Crosstrek.

The Crosstrek is compact enough to feel like a car around town, but its hatchback design gives it the flexibility people expect from an SUV. Subaru's Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive comes standard, and its generous ground clearance gives it real capability beyond the pavement.

In fact, the Crosstrek has 8.7 inches of ground clearance, compared with approximately 7 inches for the Honda HR-V. That's a substantial difference for two vehicles in the same category.

It manages to do all of that while remaining compact. The Crosstrek is only a few inches longer than a typical compact sedan, yet it gives you a large rear hatch, folding rear seats and plenty of usable cargo room. 

That balance is what makes the Crosstrek stand out. It's simply a very good execution of the original idea: the efficiency and drivability of a car, with some of the space, clearance and capability of an SUV.

There’s also a Crosstrek for a pretty wide range of drivers. Depending on the model year, you'll find everything from straightforward Base and Premium trims to the better-equipped Sport and Limited. And there’s also the Wilderness trim, which adds more ground clearance, more rugged suspension and additional off-road capability.

Buyers seem to agree. In 2025, Americans purchased more than 191,000 Subaru Crosstreks, making it Subaru's best-selling vehicle and giving the model its strongest sales year ever.

Few other vehicles can match the king of the crossovers.