Making a surprise preview appearance on Malaysian shores is the 2026 Subaru Crosstrek, which arrives in 2.0i EyeSight guise. This will be a fully imported (CBU) model from Japan and it is expected to be priced under RM190k when it officially goes on sale in May this year. Previously known as the XV, and succeeding the previous-generation facelift that was officially launched in Malaysia in December 2021 continues to be essentially a lifted Impreza hatchback, with SUV styling elements such as the black plastic cladding on its wheel arches and bumpers. Little is officially known for the Malaysian-spec example for the time being, though given its model variant designation, the 2.0i EyeSight is presented as specified with the manufacturer’s 2.0 litre naturally-aspirated, boxer four-cylinder engine paired with the brand’s signature symmetrical AWD, along with the EyeSight suite of driving assistance systems. Built on an updated version of the Subaru Global Platform (SGP), the third-generation car grows 15 mm to be 4,480 mm long, becoming 40 mm lower to 1,575 mm, while its 1,800 mm width and 2,670 mm wheelbase dimensions are unchanged; ground clearance is 200 mm. Its powertrain can be expected to a carryover of the FB20D direct-injection unit that has served in the previous-generation facelift, where it produced 156 PS at 6,000 rpm and 196 Nm at 4,000 rpm, driving all four wheels through a Lineartronic CVT and the aforementioned symmetrical all-wheel-drive. The third-generation model – which succeeds the second-generation XV – wears revised styling on a familiar shape, starting with a chrome strip on the grille that joins the LED DRLs of each headlight. The hexagonal grille is visually more imposing than that of its predecessor, and C-shaped styling elements feature throughout, such as on the bumper corners, the headlamps’ DRLs, and tail lamp elements. Up top, the roof rails on the Crosstrek are more square-edged than the items on the second-generation XV, while rolling stock on this example photographed here are 225/55R18 tyres on 18-inch units of the turbine-style, two-tone finish as seen on the GIIAS 2024 show unit in Indonesia and the mild-hybrid in Japan. Dashboard architecture for the Crosstrek draws from the WRX/Levorg in much of its layout. A pair of analog dials flank the central multi-information display, while the centre infotainment unit is vertically oriented, with vertical air-conditioning vents on each of its sides. As such, the smaller display located atop the main infotainment display in the second-generation XV is no longer present here. Hardware connectivity in the Crosstrek comes courtesy of a 3.5 mm auxiliary audio input, with a 3.0 A USB-C port and a 2.4 A USB-A port as well as a Qi wireless device charging pad, plus a 12-volt power socket for the front occupants. Second row occupants get a 3.0 A USB-C port and a 2.4 A USB-A port. For smartphone pairing, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay can be expected here. The rear seats are 60:40 split-folding, with ISOFIX child seat anchors located on the outer rear seats. Beneath the boot floor is a space saver temporary spare tyre measuring 185/65R17. As its variant name indicates, the Crosstrek gets the EyeSight suite of driving assistance systems, including autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with stop and go, lane centring assist, evasive steering assist, reverse AEB and a camera-based driver attention monitor. The 2026 Subaru Crosstrek is expected to go on sale in Malaysia in May this year, to come in under the RM190k mark. This will be a fully imported (CBU) unit, in line with the brand’s direction towards a full CBU Japan product line-up for Malaysia from 2025. What do you think of Subaru’s incoming crossover for Malaysia? Compare prices between different insurer providers to save the most on your car insurance renewal compared to other competing services. Many payment method supported and you can pay with instalment using Atome, Grab PayLater or Shopee SPayLater. Use the promo code 'PAULTAN' when you checkout for 10% discount!
Liked by Mason Green, Benjamin Scott
Liked by Mason Green, Benjamin Scott
Liked by Mason Green, Benjamin Scott
