Redesigned 2018 Subaru Crosstrek Will Cost You a C-note

An extra one, that is. As Subaru prepares its second-generation Crosstrek for a trip to dealers this summer, just-released pricing shows buyers won’t have to dig much deeper into their wallet.

To get into a new Crosstrek, which adopts the stiffer Subaru Global Platform and massaged 2.0-liter Boxer four of its Impreza sibling, customers will need to pull out just one extra bill: a Benjamin. With an MSRP of $21,795 for a 2.0i base model, the 2018 Crosstrek costs just $100 more than the 2017 model. A destination and delivery charge of $915 brings the price to $22,710.

However, if you’re simply not up to the task of rowing through the new six-speed manual transmission, Subaru has a deal for you.

Unlike the previous Crosstrek, Subaru’s Lineartronic continuously variable transmission will now be available on the base model, saving buyers the expense of adding a $1,000 option to the mid-level 2.0i Premium. The 2018 2.0i CVT carries an after-delivery price tag of $23,710. Dealer specials aside, the cheapest 2017 Crosstrek a buyer can find with a two-pedal setup will set them back $24,370 after delivery.

For that lower price, a 2018 Crosstrek buyer with an aversion to manuals gains four horsepower, a stiffened body structure, improved rear suspension, a longer wheelbase and more rear seat room. A 6.5-inch multimedia touchscreen now holds Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capabilities. Subaru claims the CVT model will return an extra mile per gallon in city driving, for a rating of 27 mpg city, 33 highway.

If a six-speed and a higher degree of content fits the bill, a new 2.0i Premium — like the base model — will cost $100 more than last year. Going Premium brings drivers into contact with Starlink connected services, an all-weather package and available butt-saving EyeSight driver assist technology. However, adding an extra cog to the stick shift has a downside. With a rating of 23 mpg city and 29 highway, manual-equipped models see highway mileage drop by 1 mpg compared to last year.

Of course, buyers of the range-topping Limited model needn’t worry themselves about stick shifts. There isn’t one, just as there wasn’t one last year. There is, however, a new price, and it isn’t as mild an increase as seen on the 2.0i and Premium models. At $26,195 before delivery, the Crosstrek 2.0i Limited’s MSRP is $1,100 higher than the 2017 model’s $26,295 starting price.

The Crosstrek, basically a jacked-up Impreza 5-door with 8.7 inches of ground clearance, remains an increasingly popular model. American sales have risen each year since its introduction, hitting 95,677 in 2016.

[Images: Subaru]