Subaru that could trounce rivals in a mud fight

Subaru Crosstrek drive by Steve Rogers

And now for something completely different. A family runaround that just loves playing in the mud.

What else could it be but a Subaru? The Japanese company has built its reputation on all wheel drive cars, whether it is winning world rally championships with the Impreza, or tackling the most difficult terrain in a Forester.

And it is ditto for the Crosstrek, a compact SUV that would trounce its many rivals in a mud fight.

Subarus are a bit thin on the ground in the UK, the company has just celebrated 250,000 sales and that milestone has taken 48 years, but that does not tell the whole story.

The cars sell well in colder countries like Sweden and Finland where four wheel drive is top of a driver's priority list, but it is across the Atlantic where Subaru is a household name. I travelled down the east coast of Canada into Massachusetts and was stunned by the number of Crosstreks and Foresters. They filled the roads and seemed as popular as Ford.

Crosstrek was launched in January as a replacement for the XV and has the same rugged credentials Subaru owners love. The symmetrical all wheel drive system has gained legendary status and can almost match off roaders costing 20 grand or more than Crosstrek.

Ironically that can dent its appeal. The cost of a permanent all wheel drive system makes Crosstrek a pricey car and buyers have to consider whether they need such an elaborate system. Apart from that all the mechanicals take up space, you have only got to look in the boot to see how small it is compared to the opposition.

For the record the Crosstrek’s off road capabilities are immense, even with the entry Limited model, which has hill descent control in its armoury to control the wheels on icy surfaces. That is certainly worth having. Move up to Touring and the X-Mode system provides more safety features.

Crosstrek also has 220mm of ground clearance should you find yourself on a rocky forest track and the plastic moulding around the wheel arches are there for a purpose, not just decoration.

It can do normal as well with a decent amount of room for five adults and, in spite of its high riding stance and firm off road suspension, is comfortable easily blocking out pothole thuds.

A look around the cabin gives out the message that it is hard wearing with lots of wipeable surfaces so do not expect any carpet lining the boot walls. The 11.6in vertical screen is a bold statement and suggests a high tech makeover but the driver display is analogue which looks dated when everyone is switching to digital, yet for us old ‘uns there is a certain charm to a good old speedo and rev counter.

The infotainment is easy enough to work out and linking a smartphone via wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto takes no time at all. Adjusting the heating is a mixture of physical buttons or tapping into the touchscreen so no real stress.

You will be happy with the level of equipment with the entry Limited, heated seats, LED headlights, rear view camera etc, while Touring’s extras include leather seats and trim, navigation, powered driver seat, and steering wheel paddle shifters. Both models get the excellent Eyesight safety system which has been upgraded to include rear automatic braking, cross traffic alert and front seat centre airbags.

Performance and economy are a bit of a mixed bag. One engine: the tried and trusted 2-litre Boxer which, surprisingly, musters a paltry 134bhp. Acceleration from standstill is behind the best of the rest, yet stab the throttle for a quick overtake and it responds through the CVT gearbox with its eight preset ratios.

By today’s standards the economy is some way behind the opposition although I managed to beat the official average clocking 42mpg on a 200 mile round trip. On a positive note the handling is sharp and drama free.

In the UK Crosstrek is something of an enigma. It does not hit the heights we expect on performance, economy and carrying space, yet exceeds them on safety, customer satisfaction and reliability. The challenge isn’t keeping existing customers, it is tempting new blood into the Subaru fold.

Fast facts

Crosstrek Touring CVT

£36,290 (starts £34,290)

2-litre petrol; 134bhp.

0-62mph 10.8secs; 123mph

39mpg combined

174g/km. 1st VED £1,085

Boot: 315-922 litres

Insurance group 20