Subaru Viziv Adrenaline Concept Could Preview Next Crosstrek

Matt Posky
by Matt Posky

Subaru has unveiled yet another concept wearing the Viziv name. This time it’s called the “Adrenaline” and appears to foreshadow the next Crosstrek. Styling is suitably wild for a show vehicle, but enough of Subaru’s current design language remains to make us believe the model isn’t terribly far away from a production model.

However, no one can say anything definitive. Subaru provided no indication that the vehicle is anything other than an opportunity to test its new design concept — a spin-off of its earlier “Dynamic x Solid” styling theory, which the manufacturer calls the “BOLDER” design philosophy. Bolder is the word for it, too, because the vehicle features a pretty wild roof design and some of the most aggressive panel protection we’ve ever seen on a vehicle not entering a combat zone.

Of course, plastic cladding isn’t going to stop a bullet. Instead, the black panels on this Subaru are meant for deflecting rocks during those infrequent moments where you take it off-road. The Adrenaline is, most assuredly, a lifestyle vehicle intended for people who need a well-rounded commuter that can make do on wilderness trails. Subaru gave it all-terrain tires to further underline that point.

From Subaru:

Combining utility that supports active lifestyles with off-road driving capability that delivers enjoyment to go anywhere, the VIZIV Adrenaline Concept stimulates the driver’s mind, encouraging them to “drive freely in mother nature.”

Subaru will continue to evolve its distinctiveness of developing and designing vehicles that deliver the brand’s core value “Enjoyment and Peace of Mind.”

While Subaru hinted that the vehicle could use the company’s new hybrid e-Boxer powertrain (using tech on-loan from Toyota), the follow-up announcement didn’t mention the system once. That could change come production time, as the Crosstrek would be a likely recipient. There’s always a chance the Adrenaline could be the processor to the enigmatic Evoltis plug-in that’s rumored to debut later this year — though it would be strange to preview a concept under a different name if that were the case.

Whatever it is, we hope it enters production just so we can find out more. Assuming it does, expect the concept to be transformed into a slightly more traditional four-door vehicle that nixes the side-mounted cameras in favor of traditional mirrors.

[Images: Subaru]

Matt Posky
Matt Posky

A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.

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  • Thegamper Thegamper on Mar 06, 2019

    Yuck. Who let that out of the design studio? Instructions to designers: "Take inspiration from the Isuzu Vehicross and the Toyota C-HR and make it look like an absolute dumpster fire. As long as we shower it with "love" commercials featuring outdoorsy type stuff and dogs people will throw money at us to own one, so spare some expense and make sure we nix some of that sheetmetal and replace it with rugged looking plasticy bits"

  • Ryoku75 Ryoku75 on Mar 06, 2019

    Looks like your typical "never been wrecked" Craigslist special, it'll probably save Subaru money on paint.

  • Wolfwagen Is it me or have auto shows just turned to meh? To me, there isn't much excitement anymore. it's like we have hit a second malaise era. Every new vehicle is some cookie-cutter CUV. No cutting-edge designs. No talk of any great powertrains, or technological achievements. It's sort of expected with the push to EVs but there is no news on that front either. No new battery tech, no new charging tech. Nothing.
  • CanadaCraig You can just imagine how quickly the tires are going to wear out on a 5,800 lbs AWD 2024 Dodge Charger.
  • Luke42 I tried FSD for a month in December 2022 on my Model Y and wasn’t impressed.The building-blocks were amazing but sum of the all of those amazing parts was about as useful as Honda Sensing in terms of reducing the driver’s workload.I have a list of fixes I need to see in Autopilot before I blow another $200 renting FSD. But I will try it for free for a month.I would love it if FSD v12 lived up to the hype and my mind were changed. But I have no reason to believe I might be wrong at this point, based on the reviews I’ve read so far. [shrug]. I’m sure I’ll have more to say about it once I get to test it.
  • FormerFF We bought three new and one used car last year, so we won't be visiting any showrooms this year unless a meteor hits one of them. Sorry to hear that Mini has terminated the manual transmission, a Mini could be a fun car to drive with a stick.It appears that 2025 is going to see a significant decrease in the number of models that can be had with a stick. The used car we bought is a Mk 7 GTI with a six speed manual, and my younger daughter and I are enjoying it quite a lot. We'll be hanging on to it for many years.
  • Oberkanone Where is the value here? Magna is assembling the vehicles. The IP is not novel. Just buy the IP at bankruptcy stage for next to nothing.
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