The most efficient Crosstrek ever? Subaru’s hybrid gets a bit rugged.

Even at a brief glance, the Subaru Crosstrek clearly prioritizes rugged design and personality over any semblance of aerodynamic efficiency. Subaru’s best-seller also comes only in all-wheel drive, to stay true to customer expectations of all-weather confidence and the appeal of an aspirational adventure lifestyle. And yet, the latest-generation Crosstrek’s new hybrid variant improves power and torque output significantly, while simultaneously resulting in the most efficient Crosstrek to date.

Any consideration of aerodynamic improvements for this generation can best be thought of as minor. And yet, the wheel well vents do reduce turbulence and pressure while more cleanly skirting air around the side panels. And some mild smoothing versus the previous generations include tiny elements like the forward-facing edge of the roof rail mounts. However, reduced plastic cladding on the hybrid Crosstreks that might seem intended to improve airflow counterintuitively came about only because Subaru builds the hybrids in Japan for all international markets, and only Americans prefer going overboard on tacky plastic trim pieces.

More importantly than aero, the Crosstrek now shares a hybrid powertrain with the Forester SUV. If a naturally aspirated 2.5 L horizontally opposed Boxer four-cylinder engine sounds familiar from Subarus over the past four decades, in reality, this hybrid system significantly works over the flat-four versus even current internal-combustion siblings. This year introduces a host of mechanical modifications to the cylinder head, block, camshaft, crank pulley, fuel system, intake, exhaust, cooling, and more. But more importantly, the engine now runs on an Atkinson cycle, which holds the intake valves open longer to reduce piston resistance during the expansion stroke, resulting in reduced power output but improved fuel efficiency.

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