Six Star Magazine Six Star Magazine Fall 2017 | Page 35

The next generation of Subaru vehicles is here—and
it’s proving to be more competitive than ever before.
While the Subaru brand has always enjoyed unwavering
support from hardcore enthusiasts, these latest
offerings are destined to draw even more drivers to six-
starred showrooms from coast to coast.
The next wave started off strongly with the Subaru
Impreza, a compact car that has, over the past few
years become increasingly appealing compared to the
immediate competition. The all-new version, introduced
for the 2017 model year, is an absolute class-leader,
combining excellent driving dynamics, standard all-
wheel drive and an incredible bang-for-the-buck ratio.
One of the keys to the leap forward in competitiveness
for the Impreza was the new Subaru Global Platform
(SGP), a modular design that will eventually be used to
underpin the entire Subaru line-up. This revolutionary
new design delivers four key advantages over the
previous generation platform: increased safety, greater
comfort, better handling and more interior space.
All of these qualities were evident in the latest
generation Impreza—surely, the best Impreza to
date—and they’re also on display in the new, second-
generation Crosstrek. (Spoiler alert: The new platform
will also be stretched and massaged to accommodate
the forthcoming Subaru Ascent, the much-anticipated
three-row SUV that will debut in 2018.)
In driving the new Crosstrek, it soon becomes clear
that this compact crossover is different from the average
compact crossover. There’s an immediate agility to the
driving experience; a sense that if the driver is quick
enough to respond to something in the road ahead, the
Crosstrek is equally up to the challenge. The steering
is light and direct, inspiring confidence by confirming
that it’s right there with you, every step of the way, every
mile, on every type of road surface.
Of course, this all-road capability comes courtesy
of the legendary Subaru Symmetrical Full-Time All-
Wheel Drive system, which is standard on all versions
of the Crosstrek. Most compact crossovers feature
on-demand AWD systems that only react to changing
traction conditions. The Subaru system, on the other
hand, is always engaged and ready for changing
conditions before they have the time to change. Then,
of course, the new Crosstrek also benefits from having
an even lower centre of gravity, high ground clearance
and an expansive greenhouse area—qualities that serve
to create even more driver confidence.