It took the Crosstrek a few times before it beat one of Moab’s most difficult obstacles.
Are you skeptical that the Subaru Crosstrek can be used as an off-road vehicle? This video of a Subaru Crosstrek equipped in a CVT transmission tackling one the most difficult obstacles on the famous off-road course at Moab, UT, might change your mind. Off-roading doesn’t require locking differentials or an air suspension, as it turns out.
In 2012, the Subaru Crosstrek was introduced as a ruggedized version of the Subaru Impreza hatchback. It features a higher suspension and more rugged exterior than the Impreza. Subaru’s Symmetrical all wheel-drive system allows the Subaru Crosstrek to send power to wheels that have the best traction, making it an excellent off-road partner.
The Subaru Crosstrek is not a powerhouse. It has to work with only 148 horsepower (110 Kilowatts), and 145 lbft (196 Newton meters) of torque from the 2.0-liter FB20B 2.0 liter flat-4. Subaru introduced the Crosstrek Sport in 2021. It features a 2.5-liter flat-4 engine with 182 horsepower (136 Kilowatts), and 145 lbft (196 Newton Meters).
This Subaru Crosstrek owner modified his Subaru to improve their approach angles by adding a lift suspension, an off-road wheel, and tire setup. These minor modifications were enough to enable this Subaru to conquer the Devil’s Hot Tub. This obstacle has been a challenge for off-roaders for many decades.
This little Subaru Crosstrek managed to get out of the Devil’s Hot Tub despite having full tire pressure and open differentials. It needed some momentum management to pull it out. Open differentials make it difficult for the Crosstrek to manage power while a wheel is in the air.
Is this proof that the Subaru Crosstrek can be used off-road? Is it just an Impreza hatchback with a slight improvement?