Why buy a hybrid when gas is cheap? To go faster, of course.
A bit more speed is among the benefits you'll get if you buy the new plug-in hybrid version of the 2019 Subaru Crosstrek.
It gets to 60 mph one full second sooner than the non-hybrid version of Subaru's very popular littlest crossover, which is a nice perk. Usually, the hybrid version of a car is slower.
The plug-in Crosstrek can also go about 17 miles in electric mode — and as fast as 65 mph — without burning any gas at all, and without forcing you to wait for a recharge.
What It Is
The Crosstrek is a compact-sized five-door crossover SUV based on the Impreza five-door hatchback wagon.
The two are almost exactly the same overall length (175.8 inches for the Crosstrek versus 175.6 for the Impreza), but the Crosstrek gets lifted almost 4 inches off the deck (8.7 inches of clearance versus 5.1 inches for the Impreza). This ups the Crosstrek's off-road (and poor road) game as well as its snow day game, especially on days when the plow comes to plow the road.
The regular Crosstrek costs $21,895 to start; the plug-in version starts at $34,995.
What's New
The plug-in version of the Crosstrek is a new addition to the lineup for 2019.
What's Good
It's quicker and easier on gas.
It has almost 9 inches of ground clearance
All-wheel drive is standard.
What's Not So Good
Gas is cheap; hybrid gear isn't.
Some cargo space is lost to make room for hybrid gear.
There's no spare tire (an inflator kit instead).
Under the Hood
Don't be fooled by the Crosstrek plug-in's lower advertised horsepower.
Subaru says the non-hybrid Crosstrek's 2.0-liter boxer four-cylinder (so-called because the engine lays flat, not upright, with one cylinder "boxing" its opposite across a common crankshaft) has 152 horsepower, while the plug-in hybrid's version of the 2.0-liter engine only as 137 horsepower.
And yet, the hybrid is the quicker Crosstrek.
This seems incongruous until you factor in the plug-in hybrid's additional power source, as well as the nature of that power source.
There are two electric motors — motor generators, actually — that, along with an 8.8-kilowatt battery pack, amp up the total power of the combined powertrain to 148 horsepower. This is, of course, still less power than the non-hybrid's 152 horsepower.
But power delivery is decisively in favor of the hybrid because those electric motors make immediate torque — there's no revving to get there.
You can also drive for 17 miles or so on just battery power, just like an electric car but without the range anxiety. When the battery runs low, the Crosstrek doesn't have to stop for a recharge so long as there's still gas in its tank.
On the Road
One second quicker to 60 mph doesn't tell the story properly.
The Crosstrek plug-in feels a lot quicker than that because of the immediacy of the torque delivered by those electric motors. The difference is especially noticeable when accelerating from a dead stop; if the Soobie were to not have AWD, it would probably chirp the tires.
Midrange power delivery is also superior.
The 8.7 inches of ground clearance are more than that of many four-wheel-drive SUVs (a standard-issue Chevy Tahoe has just 7.9 inches) and at least as important as AWD as far as not getting stuck when it snows.
You'll also get standard AWD. It's extra cost in almost all of the Crosstrek's rivals.
At the Curb
Size-wise, the Crosstrek falls in between smaller crossovers like the Mazda CX3 (168.3 inches end to end) and larger ones like the Toyota RAV4 (180.9 inches) and Honda CR-V (180.6 inches).
As you'd probably expect, it has more cargo room behind its second row than the stubbier Mazda, but you might be surprised by how much more room it has.
How about 35.5 cubic feet behind its second-row seats and 73.3 cubic feet all told versus 12.4 and 44.5 cubic feet (respectively) in the CX3?
Perhaps even more surprising, the smaller overall Subaru has almost as much cargo space as the noticeably larger RAV4 (37.6 and 69.8 cubic feet, respectively) and CR-V (39.2 and 75.8 cubic feet).
The Rest
Subaru includes almost all of the regular Crosstrek's available amenities, such as heated leather seats and the otherwise optional turns-in-the-curves adaptive headlights (bundled with the EyeSight suite of driver-assistance tech) as part of the plug-in's standard equipment list. Among the few options are a premium Harman Kardon audio system, heated steering wheel and sunroof.
So in addition to more speed — and more mileage — you're also getting a lot more luxury.
The Bottom Line
The Crosstrek is already one of Subaru's best-selling models. It probably won't hurt anything to make it faster — and more fuel-efficient, too.
Eric's new book, "Don't Get Taken for a Ride!" is available now. To find out more about Eric and read his past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.
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