Crosstrek intro to UK market

[David-B]

I evaluated the new 2024 eBoxer Crosstrek Limited this week and feel that Subaru marketing has made a mistake. I was comparing it against my 2022 eBoxer XV SE, as a possible trade in.

Downsides:

1. Engine bhp down to 136 from my XV's 147.  2. CVT paddle shift not available.

Shortcomings:

1. Front camera dropped. 2. No wheel jack. 3. Much reduced number of power connectors for gadgets - only one 12v socket that is awkwardly located (XV has two, one at front, one in arm rest). Two USBs, one A & one C for rear passengers. Two USBs, one A & one C at front. (My XV has four USBs, two at front & two in arm rest. These can be adapted to Cs via the connecting cable, which of course is essential to connect the gadget whether SatNav, dash cam, phone). 4. The roof bars have a different shape so my XV roof rails aren't compatible. 

Then comes styling and the awful touch screen, that is enormous at over 11 inches in portrait height.

5. The headlight bezel has been given a frog-eye form factor, like Nissan Juke. It is ugly against the more aerodynamic, smooth bezel of the XV headlights.

6. Surely, every driver now knows how difficult it can be to tap a touchscreen icon sweetspot in a moving car? Why is this? Because, the majority of our population is right-handed. So, for UK drivers, brain/hand coordination for one's left hand is less developed.  Similarly for muscle development and coordination. So many (too many) function controls have been moved from knobs and switches onto the touch screen, with some being two tiers in.  This means that a driver must take eyes off the road to effect their desired change, perhaps more than once in succession. Legislators have ruled against this with severe penalties for being distracted by using a mobile phone, for example. So it has always surprised me that this technology has been permitted within vehicle homologation applicable in UK. Knobs and switches can be used without needing to look at them - a bit like giant brail.

Subaru made another big mistake in the Levorg. I bought one of these in 2016. It had a great 1600cc turbo engine, as I recall about 150-60 bhp. When I looked at this model a year or two later the turbo had been deleted leaving the engine with a miserly 89 bhp. No wonder it did not survive.

I have owned six Subaru since 2006 - Impreza STi UK Spec, diesel Forester, XV, Levorg, XV, eBoxer XV.  I might now be looking to change my allegiance if Subaru continues to design in disappoint.