2018 Crosstrek: Common Questions Power, CVT, Oil Consuption issues

Quick video discussing the 3 main topics I get the most questions on. Power of the car, CVT and oil consumption issues.
Lawsuit Link: www.girardgibb...
Method Race Wheels www.methodrace...
BFG KO2 Tires www.tirerack.c...
Subaru Center Caps in Black
www.hubcaphaven...
Mud Flaps www.gorillaoff...
Curt Hitch www.etrailer.c...
Camera's: Canon 6D, Canon G7 X mark ii, GoPro Hero 4

[@jameezbikes5943]

I love my 18 Crosstrek 😁 She is quick, easy to maneuver and fantastic in all weather especially snow and mud. 41k and no oil consumption problem. I have no complaints whatsoever. Everything you said sir is right on!!

[@AZdroptop]

Awesome! They are fantastic little cars!

[@Clark3406]

Rick. I just wanted to say. I really like your videos. I bought a 18 crosstrek for a commuter up here in Montana in November. Have almost 8k miles on it now. This winter has been a deep snow really cold year and I don’t regret buying my car one bit. I love it. Sold my 2015 ltz Silverado for it (which was tough) but I do not regret it. The car is so confident on nasty roads. Now that you’ve but your tires and wheels on I think I may have to copy you. Keep the videos coming.

[@AZdroptop]

Cody, that is awesome! Thank you very much for letting me know. You are cranking out more miles then me. :) Glad you are liking the car...they are great machines that do it all!

[@ssaj008]

I was a Escalade fan from the first model. I currently have a 2016 Tahoe LT for my wife and a 2008 Escalade SWB since new. I was gifted last October a 2017 Crosstrek Limited fully loaded. When my wife came home with the Crosstrek I didn't look at it or drive it for almost a week. Now I am in love with it and everyone wants to drive it, even my son that has a 2016 BMW M4. I love the Eyesight camera, auto drive and also it is great on gas. This is a very nice Crossover which is easy to park as well. The electronics is high tech as well, I been recommending this to anyone I deal with.

[@AZdroptop]

That is great Stephan, thanks for sharing your Crosstrek story. They really are fantastic little cars that can pretty much do it all. Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment.

[@andrewb4992]

thnks for the input, Cody. Im up in MT too and curious how it would handle up here on the dirt roads and also in a winter like we just had.

[@FlippinMike]

I am thinking about doing the same thing... selling my 2015 Tacoma for a Crosstrek. I just don't use my truck as a truck... glad to hear you didn't regret it. I live in the PNW... Subaru central! Lol

[@HowToLoves]

Great review, awesome explanation of power... amazing to think people today think 152hp is "not enough power" remember that back in like the early 00s things like the 4Runner had ~140-150 hp with a V6 and like 400lbs heavier and no one complained about getting up to speed on the highway or overtaking... Also easy way to get around CVT issues... manual hah

[@AZdroptop]

Thanks for watching! And thank you very much. It is definitely all relative. The 18+ cars are great.

[@lucasgonzalez1298]

Great vid! Fellow Tucson native with a '13 Crosstrek. I kick myself in the butt every day for getting the CVT. The engine wants to be responsive but the CVT really holds it back. Can't wait to get the 6 speed in a couple years!

[@AZdroptop]

Hey Lucas thanks for saying hello. Sorry to hear the CVT is letting you down a bit. My 18 has been good so far and other than being kind of loud, my 14 Crosstrek's CVT did ok as well. Have you driven the 6 speed? I have not had the chance as of yet. Cheers.

[@monikao.559]

Rick, thanks for addressing the power and oil consumption issues! You come across as being a very honest, contemplative and down-to-earth person. I really enjoyed your way of explaining things. Have a great day!

[@AZdroptop]

Thank you very much Monika for the very kind words and I'm glad the video was helpful.

[@justincormier1573]

Glad to see they've addressed the power and CVT issues. The 14 Crosstreks were downright dangerous at high elevation in Colorado.

[@AZdroptop]

Hi Justin, I never had my 14 up at really high altitude, but I have heard similar from other Colorado owners. The 18 and newer models definitely feel better, but I haven't had it up over about 9500 feet either. Stay safe!

[@scotchbudmeister9018]

Thanks for the review. I found a few Premium 6-spd manuals for 2019 ($23k-$24k range). I may have to take the plunge from Honda to a Subaru.

[@AZdroptop]

Very cool! Thank you for watching and best of luck!

[@ryankarisiu]

Did you end up buying it? How do you like it so far? I've been thinking about the same for 2020 model. Currently there's none 2019 manual model in SF bay area. What's your typical rpm at 70mph? Thanks.

[@johnrtugman1]

Rex I just got the 2020 premium 6 speed. Amazing car, lots of fun!!

[@heebs72gb]

I have just recently had the oil consumption at 75,000 ! Didn't know about this until watching this video!

[@moonsapling]

As long as you change the damn fluid the TR580 will last as long as a 4EAT. I mean it! But I still believe my manual Civic the most.

[@KallyJones]

I've got a 2019 and you're right; there is power there. For me though I hate lag in initial acceleration.. I'm still working on it being broken in. Once it realizes I'm going to leadfoot it from a roll up to 30 MPH it'll do better, but for now I drop it in low. until I'm closer to desired speed.

[@AZdroptop]

It will get better with brake in...I have noticed also that the car seems to like it better if you gently push the pedal down when wanting to accelerate. Vs just mashing the pedal. A controlled mash I guess. :) enjoy the car and thanks for watching.

[@klicke350]

I think the power is fine...it’s not a race car...

[@AZdroptop]

Amen Bro. Hope you have good weekend!

[@klicke350]

Rick Hutton Thx....I just upgraded the fogs and had the sports pedals installed

[@AZdroptop]

Very nice. Did you go with yellow? Or LED?

[@klicke350]

Rick Hutton Leds..

[@AZdroptop]

Nice!

[@yessure5291]

I like the ground clearance - I drive on forest access roads that have a center hump - there is a simple kit to raise the car 1 inch as well. ;)

[@joek5637]

Could you give me some info/direction on the 1 inch lift kit you mentioned? I've never lifted a car before but considering it (and doing some research) with the 2019 crosstrek?

[@rclark59701]

We have had our 2018 Premium Crosstrek now for a year (new license request came in the mail a couple of days ago). Car is about to turn over 10,000 miles. No issues have come up that are significant. Oh, the stupid touch screen will sometimes pop to life and have to turn it off again as we just don't use the functionality there. If there was a standard radio/cd player I'd be satisfied in that spot! Also being able to turn off the seatbelt alarm was a plus. Don't see any oil consumption. Change oil/filter every 3000 miles. Plenty of power to get around out here in Montana. Like the paddle shifters for holding back on the downward side of the passes. We can't be more pleased with the vehicle. What can I say? Joke about getting two ... a his and hers. BTW this is our first Subaru.

[@AZdroptop]

Very nice! Subaru's definitely grow on you for sure! Be careful or you will have a whole family of them soon. :) Thanks for watching!

[@awsomeassistantthebest1825]

Just an FYI I think you're changing your oil too early you should be able to go for about 6000 miles before an oil change that's the way its been

[@zb217]

11k on 2018 Crosstrek and no issues. Love the car. Great in the snow.

[@StunnaDroppedYou]

Lol nothing will happen in the first 30k

[@petervisima4798]

Yet another great video, Rick! I also have a 2018 Limited CVT and had a 2014 Limited 5-speed. I agree with all of your comments 100% re the CVT, power, oil consumption, etc. On another topic, it looks like you have a stuck pixel in your camera. It's on the right side of your face near your ear, and I'm pretty sure it's not dust on the lens! I know you are into video, and I just got the DJI Osmo Mobile 2 for use with my iPhone 8 Plus, and I think it's fantastic and bargain-priced. I'm also getting a DJI Mavic Air which will be my first drone. Your videos have inspired me to get into drone photography! Cheers from Peter in Toronto, Canada.

[@AZdroptop]

Hi Peter thank you very much for your kind words. I sincerely appreciate your here on the channel. Are you still enjoying the Crosstrek? How has your winter been up there? I was noticing a blue dot during that video and couldn't figure out exactly what it was. I was thinking it was a focusing light or something. I will did into it and figure it out. Thank you again. I have heard good things about the Air and it seems to have a decent range despite only using wifi. I have heard they are coming out with a Mavic Pro second generation fairly soon and it may have a 1 inch camera? I love the Pro, and the video is very good, but I would like to have the quality of the Phantom...at the Mavic price. :) Take car Peter. cheers.

[@jeffk464]

CVT's are shit, the only real transmission in these is the manual.

[@jeffk464]

Passing on the freeway, haahhaa haa, you ain't passing my GTI bitch.

[@take5DD]

Jeff K Pfft... GTI. I am sure lts a great car for a 20 year old.

[@groovymotion5706]

I am waiting for a test drive of a 2018, there is a huge backlog in Canada for the Crosstrek, especially in Ontario and Quebec! The CVT trying to select a gear is not an issue on my Crosstrek and my parent's Forester, however, there is a small issue with the RPM. Both cars don't run at the exact same RPM when on cruise control at a specific speed. For example, sometimes I am at 100km/h and the car will run at 2500RPM and sometimes at around 2100RPM! And this is with a completely warm engine. If you change the cruising speed by 2-3 km/h the RPM can drop by a good 300RPM. You mentionned the lag from reverse to drive, it is there also from neutral to drive. Definitely not a getaway car! :D

[@AZdroptop]

Hey Groovy, thanks for sharing the info. I noticed some of the rpm stuff you mentioned with my 14. It was like you had to trick it into shifting up sometimes. Then other times, like on the long grades I mentioned in the video, it would shift up and then down, up, down etc so you could maintain some power. Thus my using the paddles so I could keep the RPM's up. . I will say the programing on the 18 is much improved and I really like the "overdrive" gear. How's the snow situation? We have had rain since the 14th and still minimal snow up at 9,000 feet. I was really hoping to get some pics while it was snowing....

[@groovymotion5706]

Yes, sometimes going to 102 will make the CVT upshift! But overall, I can't believe a 2L 4 pot can run at 1800rpm on the highway!! Yeah you get an extra gear, so it should give an extra MPG! Since we last "spoke" we had a good foot of snow and then it was above 0C so it became lakes everywhere and humongous potholes!

[@AZdroptop]

Yikes! That does not sound like fun. :) Snow is always beautiful until it melts. Be safe out there!

[@tc6578]

I had the same experience with my '17 Impreza hatch that the CVT would not shift into "7th" gear. There was one stretch of cold weather that the tranny did not shift into 7th gear for almost two weeks during my daily commute! As such, the gas mileage really sucked during cold spells! What I have noticed also is that the CVT would shift into "7" only when the engine oil temperature hits 80 deg. C (176 F). On cold days, it would take the engine close to half an hour of highway driving to hit that temperature. In stop and go traffic on cold days, the engine never sees 176 deg. F. Hence, the bad fuel consumption..., I guess! I am very disappointed with the poor gas mileage of my '17 Impreza because my '11 Legacy sedan (CVT) with the 2.5 boxer engine could get better fuel mileage than the Impreza which as a smaller engine, better drag coefficient, and about 400 pounds lighter! What gives?!

[@groovymotion5706]

Strom- Trooper that is weird since you have the brand new CVT! As for my 2016 I only get poor MPG when I do launches and drifts on snowy days. On dry pavement it gets better mileage than my Elantra GT was getting due to the low RPM at cruising speed!

[@Dogboy73]

I've just bought a used 2018 Crosstrek (XV here in Australia). Great car for me. Could do with a little more oomph. But, it's not too bad. Not a problem for me. Was looking at a Forester. But when I sat in the Crosstrek I thought it was roomy enough. Didn't feel like a needed the larger car.

[@AZdroptop]

They are great all around cars! If you occasionally need more room like I did you can pick up a hitch basket-works out great especially for camping. Enjoy and thank you.

[@ServetusTrumpsCalvin]

I think you are exactly right about the CVT learning your driving style. I let my wife drive my '14 Altima for a few months and it drives completely differently than when I had it. Drove it to the coast (450 mile round trip) and it got back to driving more aggressively.after a few days and 300 miles.

[@AZdroptop]

Thank you for the input Stephen. Much appreciated.

[@BigSam63]

I was very intrigued by the '18 crosstrek so I went and test drove one. There is a huge toll road that I frequently drive on to travel between Austin and San Antonio and the speed limit on that toll road is 85 mph. I definitely felt like the crosstrek did not have enough power to make safe and confident travel possible at those speeds.

[@AZdroptop]

Really? That honestly surprises me. Does the road have a big incline to it? The only time my 14 felt like it couldn't keep up was going to Flagstaff from Phoenix where you have decent grades, 7% for long stretches. Just had to downshift to get into the powerband and it was good. The 18 has no problem doing anything I need it to.

[@BigSam63]

Rick Hutton turning right onto an access road then getting directly onto the toll road. Felt like an eternity to accelerate from 0-80mph

[@AZdroptop]

Oh ok cool.

[@mrmortgage]

The 2018 Crosstrek is horribly underpowered compared to other's in the same class. Do not buy a 2018.

[@mk202]

I have the 2018 Crosstrek, and I noticed one of the forums online had an entire thread about using only super unleaded fuel in the Crosstrek. The thread was mostly in favor of this practice so I decided to try it for a while. I actually noticed a big difference in the performance. A friend filled it with regular unleaded a few months later and it drove like something was wrong with it. For a smoother ride with more get up and go, I recommend the super unleaded.

[@AZdroptop]

That is pretty interesting since any other car I have owned, read about, and tried super unleaded in. that was not required actually got less mpg? I'll have to check it out and appreciate the heads up!

[@richardepstein3494]

@@AZdroptop I have a 2018 Crosstrek Limited; It definetely responds better with 89 octane ethanol-free

[@carlospalooza]

Lots of comments here. And again I know this is from a while back but I’m struggling with the cvt on our ‘14. We love the car except for the cvt and navi system. The Navi is slow to respond. So frustrating that we usually end up using our phones. Strange how they can get so much in a little phone and bomb on such a huge radio. Anyway the cvt seems to work ok after a “transmission relearn”. Basically disco the battery, purge the electrical system, then go through a series of key off/on exorcises. Drive the car with light to moderate throttle for at least 20m and the cvt is normal. Last time I did it it lasted for about a month then back to its old ways. Has to be a software issue if the relearn “fixes” it temporarily. Thanks for the video.

[@AZdroptop]

Hey Carlos, sorry to hear your CVT is giving you so much trouble. Did you get the 10 year extended warranty where you are on your CVT? I know they extended it on late model Crosstrek's and thought they had done the same with earlier models. You shouldn't have to mess around with it so much just to drive normal. My 18 was very solid CVT wise, and my 14 was pretty good too though I did have a few issues. Best of luck to you!

[@Wachuko-1]

I took one for a test drive last night. I could not find any issues with power... car drove fantastic for daily day driving. Transmission felt great. I really could not find any fault. Loved the interior details. I am pretty much sold on it. And all thanks to your videos. And like Cody Clark mentioned below... going to copy a few of the mods you made :D

[@AZdroptop]

Awesome Jaime! Glad the videos helped out. If I can help at all let know!

[@Wachuko-1]

I will. Now on to checking what kind of deals are available.

[@AZdroptop]

Even though this dealer isn't close to you I have always been amazed at how cheap they car sell Subaru's for. Even with shipping it might still be worth it...better yet, fly and drive home. :) Huge dealer out of Co. www.bestbuysubaru.com

[@JohnSmith-xl4sx]

It’s def got merging and passing power, it’s safe for interstate. It’s def not fast though. Should have 15 more to be more fun. But I went on a 1000 mi road trip at high speeds and it will pass 60-85mph just fine and fast. It does everything well; not fast not flashy but doesn’t feel like a suv. Has a little bit of wind roll on open roads but that’s the sacrifice for ground clearance

[@AZdroptop]

Well said John.

[@omegalamda3145]

John Smith. I agree the gearing is aggressive when need be. 1rst & 2nd will bring you right to 60 mph, 3rd is a bit lower ratio 4th & 5th will guickly get you to 85mph. 6th & 80mph is 3000k rpms. I had to order my 2019 Crosstek as I wanted the manual. Any optional parts I I wanted we’re about 35% less when put on at the factory. Labor was soaked up by the fact it was installed while built. I opted for the Strut bar brace, it keeps the front end tracking very nicely at 85. My last car was 2006 A3 hatchback 6 speed it tracked better the faster you went! Lol. The crosstrek 6-speed is nice at a relaxed ride or a spirited cornering run. I recommend the strut bar brace. Oh yeah did the Rockford Fosgate audio upgrade @ factory $285 installed. Peanuts, the dealer wanted $625.

[@TurfSurf]

HP is not the only thing, HP/weight should be the gauge for power, what good is 250 hp when the car weights 3000lbs? This new Subaru has 5 more hp, but I heard it’s also lighter than the last version, so it should drive a lot better.

[@AZdroptop]

Yep, the difference is noticeable coming from the 14. Not light years faster, but you can feel it.

[@bradlybrewer6707]

I think the power is well balanced for this car.. Its not a sports car, but it's not nearly as bad as what some have said

[@bradlybrewer6707]

oh..yes I own an 18 Crosstrek

[@fredbillie]

?? Since The Crosstrek weighs over 3000 pounds i guess I have to ask what good is 152 HP.

[@greenman7126]

Driven my 2018 crosstrek/xv for 3600+ miles and I agree with you non of the issues mentioned have occurred. Although not a sports car it is very capable in all road conditions encountered by me.

[@MrVinicooper]

I love your videos! I just bought my first Subaru yesterday and loving it! Cool khaki grey just like yours. My last car was a 2013 Prius so this 2019 crosstrek limited has more then enough power for me. Keep the videos coming and thank you for the info.

[@AZdroptop]

Thank you very much and I hope you enjoy the Crosstrek. They are great cars.

[@mrmortgage]

I have a 2018 Subaru Crosstrek. 86k miles and currently at the service center undergoing a complete engine teardown to determine a hard idle low power issue. Prior to this, I've had to carry oil with me at all times to top off oil prior to scheduled oil changes. Unfortunately, Subaru did not find any oil consumption issues with my car. I'm currently working with Subaru advocacy to determine the core issue. I'm praying they cover all repair cost out of warranty. I truly wanted to like my Subaru, but it unfortunately has been one of the most expensive cars to maintain that I've ever owned. Couple this with the ongoing oil consumption issues and now the complete engine teardown, needless to say, I'm a bit skeptical about Subarus engineering.

[@AZdroptop]

Sorry to hear it. I have not heard of many 18's having oil consumption issues, but Lord knows it does go hand and hand with Subaru. Hopefully they will take care of you!

[@MNsaint]

I apologize for commenting or asking a question on such an old video but I just recently found your channel and I'm beginning to watch a lot of your Crosstrek videos because I'm thinking I may have to replace my aging 2005 Xterra in the next couple of years. Obviously, I'm considering a Crosstrek. When I first clicked on this video, I already had a question in mind to ask you since we live in the same state. You basically answered it but I would like to have you clarify something. I was originally going to ask if you had ever driven it up I-17 to Flag and you clearly answered that question. I was then going to ask if the car can maintain 75-80 MPH up those grades. Again, you did answer that by saying you used the paddle shifters to keep the revs up. So, I guess I'm just clarifying that if you hadn't used your paddle shifters, it sounds like you would not have been able to maintain those speeds up those grades. Is this true? I'm happy to hear you can compensate for it by using the paddle shifters, though. Thanks again for all the wonderful content - you're really helping me out (along with countless others too, I'm sure).

[@AZdroptop]

HI and thank you for the kind words! Just so you know exactly where I am coming from I have not actually driven up to Flagstaff in my 2018 Crosstrek as of yet. The story about using the paddle shifters was actually in relation to my 14 Crosstrek. And you are correct that the car will maintain the speeds up to Flagstaff, but the car with "shift" up and down through the programed gears to give you the power you need to do so. That get's kind of annoying because it is loud with the engine kicking into high RPM's on and off. I used the paddles to control it a bit better since the grades kind of go up and down. As you might know Subaru programs the CVT for fuel efficiency and it is always trying to find the best "gear" to provide that. As for the 18 it actually feels a bit quicker that the 14 and accelerates better as well. It is a huge difference, but it is definitely noticeable and welcomed. It is also a ton more quiet than the 14. All that to say that the 18 will make it no problem know ing how the 14 did. I even carried 2 29er mountain bikes on the roof, car loaded, and 2 people in the car and it did fine as well. If you come up with other questions feel free to post here on youtube or send me an email. Happy to help. [e-mail] And If you live anywhere near Tucson and plan to buy new give my friend Trent a call. askfortrent.com I don't recommend him because his my friend, but because he will treat you like family especially if you tell him you know me. He is at Tucson Subaru. We became friends back in 2011 when I bought me fist Subaru and I have purchased 4 cars from him now. Serious good guy, no games, no b.s.

[@MNsaint]

Thank you so much for the detailed response. I live in Chandler but, if the deal (and buying experience) is better from Trent, then it'd be worth the drive. As I said, I'm just in the preliminary stages but this is what I do. I research and ruminate about a major purchase for a long time. I've only just scratched the surface of viewing your videos. I'll try to knock 'em out one by one. You've given KZbin viewers a ton of content on the Crosstrek! I also will be putting my 29er MTB on top of the Crosstrek should I get one so that's good to hear how well it did all loaded down. I'll admit that I'm no CVT fan at all - I mean, at all. That said, I've not driven Subaru's version of it so I'll withhold judgement. If I could buy a Premium model with the 6-speed, it'd be a no-brainer but, alas, only the CVT is offered on the Premium. Thanks again and I'll let you know if I have any more questions as I continue to contemplate my Xterra's replacement. Peace!

[@AZdroptop]

My pleasure, happy to help in anyway that I can. I was skeptical about the CVT as well, but Subaru in my opinion has done a great job at making them feel pretty close to an automatic. I will be interested in hearing what you think of it after the test drive. Take care and best of luck!

[@tim8148]

Thanks for answering my concern about doing at 75 mph on the highway.

[@HydraliskX]

I hear this type of thing all the time in reviews of modern cars with "moderate" horsepower - concerns with getting up to highway speeds and passing at highway speeds. I drove a 2011 CRV for 8 years. It had 160 HP and a worse 0-60 than this Crosstrek. I consider myself an above average aggressive driver. I like to get up to speed before merging, and I will commonly coast at 75-80 on the highway, passing slower drivers all the time. I literally never had any issues with driving that car. It literally never occurred to me that I would like more power. So I feel like this idea that you need some turbo powered 5 second 0-60 car to even drive on the highway is just an echo chamber with no substance.

[@MIkegrimm2]

I have noticed that my 2014 Outback with its CVT will feel like it is hunting for a gear at low speed (20 to 40 mph) but only on cold days. Once the car is completely warmed up, everything is fine. and it operates like I expect it to (No gear hunting).

[@AZdroptop]

Thanks Michael. Appreciate your commenting. Do you have the reverse to Drive hesitation?

[@MIkegrimm2]

From reverse to drive? Yes. I do not consider it a big deal, its just a short pause. In talks with the Subaru Maintenance folks at the dealership, they said is normal for my car with this CVT (2nd generation).

[@AZdroptop]

I got used to it as well in the 14 and it never got worse over the time I owned it. Just part of the car after awhile.

[@raululloa6894]

Cvt has no gears .belt driven .

[@robertshaw7132]

excellent video. my wife is thinking of trading in her car for a 2019 Crosstrek. she doesn't like to go to the dealers so I went to our local Subaru dealer a couple of days ago and test drove it. I did think it was very nice. yeah, the engine was a little weak but I think it would be fine for everyday driving. my car is a 2015 Legacy and it has been a great car. the only issue I've had with it is that the batteries only last about 1 year then I have to get a new one. the dealer always does lots of tests and they don't know why the batteries aren't lasting very long.

[@AZdroptop]

Thank you Robert! Best of luck with the New Crosstrek if you go that route. Nice to hear a personal review of the Legacy as my wife is thinking of getting one next year with the redesign. That is strange about the battery?

[@nodak81]

Main issue with CVTs is that they all have a given failure point, the belt WILL break, it's just a question of when. And you know it will happen in the middle of a road trip or something. Imagine having an engine with a timing belt except the belt is non-serviceable so you just have to wait and see when your engine will decide to blow up, and then have to replace the whole thing. I wouldn't have an issue if they'd just make CVT belts serviceable.

[@AZdroptop]

Thanks for your comment Nodak81, much appreciated. I haven't heard of a catastrophic failure with the Subie CVT's yet, but I am sure it has happened. My 14 only had 43K miles on it when I traded for the 18 so my long term experience is Limited.

[@JustinAbroad]

I had a wrx cvt with over 120k miles within 4 years. I commuted alot and had no issues. Only replaced the battery

[@thecoz91]

I had both belts replaced in my outback in 2011 after moving from CA to WA...If something catastrophically fails in your vehicle then you weren't paying attention to it lol

[@r.l.strange1897]

Rick Hutton I have a 2011 outback with 225000 miles with a cvt. I never even had the cvt oil changed. The only thing I did was one time I drained the 5 quarts in the trans pan and replaced with 5 new quarts. Holds about 13. I haven’t had an issue yet, but it feels a bit worn. The issue I have is if it fails, Subaru wants 5500 bucks for one and that means if the car isn’t really new, it’s just junk. I think this is going to hurt the sales of used ones in the future. Mine has been an oddball too, just in the fact that most people are seeing them fail at an average of 180000 miles. Not many make it past that.

[@chargercaddy]

I'm really enjoying your videos . I just purchased my 2019 crosstrek. Installing the method wheels with the bfgoodrich on the wknd . This is my first Subaru and I'm loving it .

[@AZdroptop]

Hey thank you very much and congratulations on your new 19. Hope you like the wheel and tire set up as much as I do. Cheers

[@rwfowler100]

My son had a 2012 Crosstrek and had major oil consumption issues. He also had the inside driver door handle break and the driver seat lumbar break. It was a beautiful black color inside and out. He unfortunately had to replace the vehicle under the lemon law.

[@AZdroptop]

2012 Subaru with Lumbar?

[@bobsamson7820]

Hey Rick nice video again! I bought a 2018 crosstrek , they are hard to get here in Ontario. But I did. Hoping to get it next week it’s still in transit. Your videos really helped me decide. Thx brother keep them coming.

[@AZdroptop]

Bob, that's awesome. That is very cool that the videos helped. What did you end up going with? Color? etc....Hope it shows up soon!

[@bobsamson7820]

Rick Hutton I bought the dark blue same color as your 2014. Sport with eyesight . Can’t wait pretty excited, it’s my first brand new car.

[@AZdroptop]

That's so cool Bob! Congrats. I really like that color a lot! It does however really show any chips or scratches you might get. I know they are kind of pricy, especially after buying a new car, but I highly suggest a clear bra on the front. If you are going to keep the car long tern it is worth the 7 or $800 to have it installed. I really regretted now getting one on my 2014.

[@bobsamson7820]

Rick Hutton Ok thx for the tip. I was thinking of getting the clear bra.

[@bobsamson7820]

Rick I took your advice and I purchased the clear bra for my crosstrek. Hoping to get it this week.

[@juliemark9040]

Thanks for your detailed info. I just test drove one and was impressed with how it handled. I was worried about cvt, but your overview about it kind of eased my concern. Thanks for making great, easy to watch videos.

[@AZdroptop]

Hi Julie, thank you very much. Happy to hear they were helpful. The CVT is much improved in 2018 and the fuel mileage is better too. Best of luck if you decide to go with the Crosstrek and let me know if I can help at all. Cheers.

[@UFO-35]

Hi Rick, an update on my low speed CVT shudder. I took the car back to the dealer for a diagnostic check. They hooked it up to a computer and drove it several times to capture data for the engineers in Japan. They also did a CVT relearn back to factory settings. I can report that the relearn did very little to fix the issues and I found out that many owners of the MY18 have reported this issues and Subaru Australia can’t fix it, they are forwarding as much data back to Japan so a software update can be made. I have been contacted by other XV owners who also have the same issue. My feeling is that this problem is wide spread on the MY18. I have also viewed a technical response from Subaru that was received by another customer where Subaru acknowledges the sensation and explained it as an effect caused from a combination of the fuel injection and the CVT selecting the correct gear fuel ratio at low speed to achieve fuel savings. I’m not sure why some owners aren’t having this issue however it’s clear that many are. Going by some of the forums it’s also being reported in the US, I really hope Subaru Japan take this issues seriously and come up with a software fix ASAP.

[@AZdroptop]

HI Peter, thank you for the update and sorry to hear that you have not had much luck as of yet. It is good to hear that your dealership is at least working with you to fix it. Have you driven any other Crosstreks at your dealership? it would interesting to see if they give you the same shutter. I can report that I do not have any instances of it at this point. So your next step is to just wait and see if they come up with a fix? What you describe kind of reminds me of my son's Ford Fiesta DCT transmission. I guess it is a manual transmission with out a clutch pedal so the computer acts like a clutch for you. We just had the transmission control module and clutch repacked under warranty as Ford has had a lot of problems with the DCT over the years. His car would shutter like crazy and have an audible clicking noise as well. Thankfully it is fine now. I wish you the best of luck and if I hear anything from my Subaru friend I will pass it along. Please keep me posted. Cheers Peter.

[@UFO-35]

Rick Hutton , yes at its first service I borrowed a loan XV and it had the same problem but not as bad. If it’s a programming issues I can’t work out why some have the problem and others don’t, you would think the programming is the same in all Of them. I love this car but it’s so dam disappointing to have this issue. If you do another update video it would be interesting to ask viewers if anyone else is experiencing the shudder. It seems to be most prominent when you take your foot off the throttle when accelerating stowly up to speed and you reach say 40kmh and then cruise it for a few seconds before accelerating again up the 60kmh. The sort of thing you would do in heavy traffic when you can’t accelerate straight up to 60kmh.

[@AZdroptop]

I was actually thinking about doing just that in a video. :) Great minds think alike. Is there anyway you can capture a video of your car when you get the shutter? It doesn't have to be very long. And then email it to me so I could play it for everyone? [e-mail] That would be great. I did talk to my Subaru buddy about it a little and he says he has heard of it over the years with the CVT, but I don't think it has been as prevalent as what you are finding. It is strange that all of the cars don't do it.

[@UFO-35]

I wish I could, the tacho doesn’t really move and there is no noise at all, just a mild shudder through the throttle and your seat. A bit like someone giving the car a quick shake while your sitting in it. The closest thing I can relate it to is driving an old car with water in the petrol and you get intermittent miss and shake. Or driving a manual in the wrong gear and you get a shudder telling you to drop a gear. I don’t think it’s back firing it feels more like the CVT. What’s interesting though is the technical response I read from Subaru says that under de acceleration the fuel stops flowing through the injectors to save fuel. I wonder if we are feeling a fuel starving event at low speed and when you start to accelerate again you get the shudder or miss ? It does make some sense when you think about it. This would also account for no issues during fast acceleration when plenty of fuel is flowing.

[@UFO-35]

Rick Hutton Here is a response from a Subaru Australia rep that makes full admission to the issue but tries to explain it away as acceptable. “To maintain the fuel efficiency while driving the control system cuts fuel injection when decelerating and then on slight application of the pedal restarts the injection cycle. The CVT is wanting to move up a gear ratio but the light throttle input is fluctuating slightly and so holding it back the system constantly seeks the optimum position for both. At higher speeds this in not even noticeable as the momentum of the vehicle masks the effect. However at low speed under very light acceleration the subtle changes in fuel injection control and CVT gear ratio can be noticed if held continually around that shared control point. Currently there is no mapping update to counteract this feature. Please be assured this is absolutely normal and although you personally may not like this characteristic we believe it is a very minor low speed compromise for the amazing fuel efficiency and overall performance of the XV model.”

[@elliotsmith1670]

I just bought a 2014 Crosstrek 5 speed, (which I had to look far and wide for but found one). It's got about 74,000 and is still in good shape. Eventually I will trade up to a second generation when I have the ability. This is my first Subaru, and I look forward to driving them for years, as I plan on keeping it in the family....Thanks for the advice, as my current car is going to be needing some mileage maintenance in the next 30,000 miles most likely.

[@AZdroptop]

Very nice! I loved my 14 Crosstrek, a great little car. Best of luck with it and welcome to the family. 😃

[@elliotsmith1670]

@@AZdroptop Thanks man! Im going to take it up in some mountains here in Virginia and give that awd a test sometime this week. The previous owner put some boss tires on the thing.

[@AZdroptop]

Awesome! Have fun and let me know how it goes.

[@elliotsmith1670]

I will definitely provide some updates as the weeks go by and we see how she does.

[@stalo8]

Just bought an '18 then of the year (August), finally getting to watch this haha. Very informative and helpful to me, thanks for sharing!

[@AZdroptop]

Congratulations and thank you for watching. Enjoy the car!

[@Jo-bt3xr]

Thank you for your honest review! I just trade-in my other car for. a 2018 Crosstrek, against most of my friend’s advises! Well, those opposed are the ones never drives Subaru before😅. I believe in my researches and listened to many previous Subaru owners. When I get the car and dive it more I’ll let you know I made the right decision🙏🏼

[@AZdroptop]

Congratulations. I hope you like yours as much as I did mine! Great little car. Have fun.

[@dam54]

Crawford Air Oil Separator (Baja Edition) - 2018+ Crosstrek 2.0i that will offer protection against oil consumption

[@juliussmith4001]

Once again your videos are the best thank you so much! A great fan of yours.

[@AZdroptop]

Julius, thank you my friend. You are too kind.

[@paulmcmillan9101]

I own a 2013 Crosstrek and love it. No oil consumption issues and no issue with CVT or available power, however I was not looking for a fast car.

[@AZdroptop]

Nice Paul! Glad to hear your 13 is doing well. How many miles now?

[@paulmcmillan9101]

Well I am in Canada so in kilometers it has 55,000, or just under 35,000 miles. I do not have to drive very far. My wife bought a used (2012) Forester and it did use oil but the short block was replaced and it is fine now. She loves her car as well. Thanks Rick.

[@AZdroptop]

Very nice. Thank you Paul. They really are great vehicles.

[@robertgreen8213]

We bought the XV-S in September '17 being the '18 model year. Have done 20,000km now with no issues with the car apart from the radio...which for a $A40,000 car leaves bit to be desired on the am stations. Have had the software updated (for those who don't know there is an update available) and it is much better, but why Subaru haven't put a decent digital radio in there remains a mystery (update next year?) No other issues and the power, while not startling, is adequate....more power means it will probably need higher octane (higher cost) fuel and higher fuel consumption. The only time we had an issue is when we had to detour through back streets, because of road works, and when I went to turn onto the main road the engine appeared to have adapted to the just off idle it had been on for the previous hour and there was virtually no power available when required...was quite dangerous actually when turning across oncoming vehicles. After test driving just about all cars in this class the Subaru was easily the most comfortable and the most refined. Annoyed that shortly after buying they increased the warranty period from 3 years to 5, but I note it's back to 3 again locally (Australia).

[@AZdroptop]

Cheers Robert, thanks for sharing your experiences!

[@chriscomo6647]

I just purchased a 2019 Crosstrek Limited and I’m really enjoying it. I live in Minnesota where I get plenty of winter driving and can really appreciate the AWD. Prior to this vehicle I had a 2012 Outback that I bought new. My Outback at 97000 miles overheated. I brought it to the dealer and found out it had a blown head gasket and it was going to cost around $4000 to repair. I was lucky that the dealer had a lifetime Powertrain warranty and covered the repair. I decided to trade it and purchased the Crosstrek. Have you seen or heard of any head gasket issues on the Crosstrek engine? Thanks for your review. I also believe that the car gets better after getting broken in. The one thing I’m not sure about is the lane keep assist. I prefer driving with that off.

[@AZdroptop]

HI Chris congratulations on your new 19. I hope you enjoy yours as much as I have mine. Sorry to hear about your Outback and the head gasket issue. It seems that has been a problem over the years for Subaru. At this point I have not heard of anyone having head gasket issues with their late model Crosstrek. There have been a couple of owners who reported oil consumption issues however. My car does not have Eyesight so I have no experience with the lane keep. Enjoy your car and thank you for watching along.

[@brianrichard1768]

Fantastic video. We test drove today and were pleasantly surprised.

[@AZdroptop]

Thank you Brian. The Crosstrek's are great little cars and capable of so much with just a few tweaks.

[@ArcticHawk2003]

Great video as always Rick! I currently drive the ‘16 & think it is a great car! Perhaps it had to do with what I drove previously, a 2002 Honda Civic 4dr sedan! For me, the CrossTrek is a huge improvement in speed, comfort, noise, & modern amenities! Andre

[@AZdroptop]

Nice Andre. To be honest I loved my 14 even with the few short comings that it had. I think if I hadn't driven the 18 I would still be cruising the 14 l with a big smile on my face. They are great all rounders. Have a nice weekend...

[@jakepureblood7571]

I have a 2018 Crosstrek and I love it! This Crosstrek is very efficient in deep snow 16+ inches and on compact snow & ice it does very well, I feel safe in my car I know I will make it to where I need to go. The CVT is a bit finicky but ok. I have always been a Toyota owner as I had bought a 2017 Rav4 owned it 25 days and traded it in for the Crosstrek. I will never buy Toyota again the AWD in the Subaru is far superior.

[@AZdroptop]

Cool! Cheers and thank you for watching.

[@UFO-35]

Another good video Rick, my XV has just clocked up 3500km and sadly it still hunts for gears at low speed, some days it drives me crazy and others you hardly feel it. According to the dealer Subaru are currently looking into the issue. I really hope they come up with a programming fix soon because it’s the only thing that’s negative about the car. I hate to say it but it bothers me that much that if I’d known about it before hand I don’t think I would have bought one. When I raised the issue with the dealer they said it’s been widely reported however when I went back and spoke to the sales person he claimed he had never heard about the issue. I also borrowed another demo model from the dealer while mine was being serviced and it did exactly the same thing. Here’s hoping they come up with a fix soon. It sounds like you got a good one which is great. Keep the videos coming Rick.

[@AZdroptop]

Peter thank you very much for watching and contributing to the channel. Sorry to hear you are having so much trouble with the CVT. Does it happen every time you drive the car? I am curious to know what would happen if you used manual mode with the paddles? I will check with my friend at Subaru and see if he has a suggestion...Thanks for sharing Peter and please let me know if they find a fixed.

[@UFO-35]

It depends on how I drive it, if I’m in a hurry and have my foot down to get the limit I don’t seem to notice it, however normal driving to work each day in stop start traffic up to 60km per hour you really notice it. It almost feels like when it’s in auto mode it’s changing up the gears to quickly, yesterday I took off from a set of lights and when I hit about 50km per hour I stoped accelerating due to a car in front, I immediately felt the shutter, I instantly moved it over into manual mode to check what gear it was in and said 5. If i had been driving a manual I don’t think I would have passed 3rd gear at that speed. The annoying shudder at low speed seems like it’s changing from about 2 to 5 in one hit and car isn’t going fast enough. I wish there was a sport mode so It would stay in each gear longer. I have never owned a vehicle that has done this before so I am only guessing what the issue may be, I really don’t know. I have also played with the manual mode and it can be fun to drive that way but I prefer to keep it in auto. It’s a frustrating problem because you can’t video it or hear any engine change, you need to be in the drivers seat. My wife sitting in the passenger seat can also feel the shutter so I’m not going crazy....I hope.

[@UFO-35]

Hi Rick, I did some experimenting today with some interesting results. At low speed if I drive to 30kph in manual mode the highest gear I can select is 3rd, however when moved into auto mode at the same speed it jumps to 4th gear, again at 40kph in manual mode the maximum gear I could select was 4th but when moved into auto at the same speed it jumps to 5th gear. This behaved the same way through to 70kph in manual with the maximum gear selectable being 5th yet moving over into auto it jumps to 7th gear. It appears in auto mode the CVT is constantly selecting a gear much higher than needed, possible for fuel consumption I’m not sure. This appears to be a possible cause for the shutter at low speed similar to when selecting a too higher gear in a manual and the car bunny hops. It seems really odd that I can’t manually force the CVT to go into the higher gear but when moved into auto it immediately goes to the next gear. I’m convinced the auto programming has some serious issues. Using the manual mode with a bit of practice I think I could completely get rid of the shutter effect. To me this is unexceptable, if I wanted a manual I would have bought one to start with. I really hope Subaru read these comments. Thanks Rick.

[@AZdroptop]

Hi Peter, thanks for all of the details. I can tell you that I have never had an actual shutter before on either my 14 or the 18. The 18 has had more of a pause, or confused shift, but never an actual shutter I could feel. Your experiment is very interesting for sure. Do you happen to remember what your RPM's where like in manual at 30kph and 40kpm where the car would not let you go up? Do you have another Subaru dealer in your area you could try? :) To me it seems like an obvious programing issue like you mentioned. I have not heard from my friend yet, but will post if I can gather some info for you. Thank you again very much for the info. Hopefully we can get this figured out and help anyone else who might have the problem. Cheers Peter.

[@thomastaylor3517]

I'm so glad I found this comment! Have you received any updates or clarity about this? My 2018 Crosstrek has this exact same issue, but it's hard to find other threads or comments about this. I took it by the dealer but couldn't reproduce the issue during the drive (although he mentioned this issue has been widely reported), so I have been just trying to get used to it since the car is perfect in every other way but ended up having to schedule another appointment. Friends that have non Subaru CVTs say they're pretty smooth rides and have not experienced the shuddering/jolting/searching for a gear. Hopefully my next appointment will provide some clarity, if not I'll likely sell or trade it for something else.

[@myroadtours6147]

Enjoyed the video and appreciated your genuine honesty. My wife and I are first time Subaru owners, first import for me. We have a 2016 Limited 3.6R and 2017 Touring 3.6R Outbacks. I can't recall off the top of my head but I want to say the Limited has 30k and the Touring 9k. Anyhow, we live up in the Rocky Mountain foothills and the Outbacks really shine come winter time! The only issue we've had is an alignment issue but nothing serious. Oil is fine as well. I don't mind the CVT either being a general passenger vehicle trans but I would probably shy away from it in a performance vehicle. Anyways, out son is about to get his license and was thinking about a Crosstrek. I figured its a decent vehicle being a Subaru but wanted to check out some reviews. Did they by chance put X-Mode in the Crosstrek's? Our son likes that feature when the weather is bad. Thanks again!

[@AZdroptop]

Hello and thank you for your great Subaru story! And thank you for watching the video and for your kind words. The Crosstrek did get X mode in 2018 and it has been a nice addition to the car.

[@billharris7235]

While not the car for me (I need more fun factor, have a 2018 Mazda 6 turbo), but my brother in law has a 2018 and loves it! He drives between Colorado and So. Cal and says power is fine.

[@jasoneaves6488]

My 2014 Subaru Forester had an unintended sudden acceleration. Jumped to 42 mph in less than 4 feet. What’s up with that? Mats were fine, I pressed the brake as we were at a stop. As we sat there with the brakes applied… the forester made a loud roar and we shot off. Only codes I got were C1531, C1532, C2521. Subaru has a recall on BLS… denies brake switch control over anything besides the brake lights. Ugh, got screwed on that one! But why would BLS codes just show up?

[@ArietisofRigormortis]

1 year owner, enough power for road no issue for me. I think it drives so great no complaints. Type of oil has been a game, we do a lot of city driving, stopping and going and the oil needs to be kept up before 8k intervals. The walmart supertech brand oil actually works great for me seems to get better gas milage. the transmission has been ok no real issue here. i agree with your assesment on that. '18 premium 45,000 miles love it drive everywhere. looking to do some similar upgrades thanks for your vids.

[@AZdroptop]

I agree with all of your statements there...great little car that is a joy to drive on a daily basis. I am curious about the 8K intervals for your oil change...isn't it 6k or 6 months? Good info on the Walmart oil and mpg...very cool. Thank you for watching along and give me a shout if you have questions about the upgrades. [e-mail]

[@ArietisofRigormortis]

@@AZdroptop It may be 6k, which is a good point for this engine. I have had to put about a quart in after 8k and Of course the longer you go the blacker the oil will be.

[@davgahan8245]

Правильный мужик и правильные вопросы. Спасибо.

[@AZdroptop]

Большое спасибо. Я рад, что это было полезно

[@jhillyt]

Good info Rick, just rolled 1k miles on my 2k18 and zero complaints on the cvt. I came from a 2k8 2.5 outback and the crosstrek is a much smoother, quicker (relative) car and no issues as a daily driver. No issues on the fluids either as I'm keeping an eye on that. Keep the knowledge flowing... Thanks...

[@AZdroptop]

Thank you and thanks for sharing your comments! Great info on the comparison between the outback and Crosstrek. Cheers

[@TubeBrowser2]

Excellent review...your experience with WRX supports your OK with the Crosstrek power. I have a 17 OB 2.5 and plan to get either a WRX or Cross in a few months. 2 Subies for fun ski and long dirt driveway trips.

[@AZdroptop]

HI Eric thank you. Honestly the Crosstrek has all the power I need for a daily driver and it is improved over my 14 so that is a bonus. The thing that amazes me even still is that I actually enjoyed driving and owning the 2014 Crosstrek over the 11 STI. The STI was fun, but just never lived up to all the expectations I had for it. Ordered it from the factory with all I wanted too and was still somewhat let down by it. My wife has a 17 WRX as mentioned in the video and it is a quick little car, but runs out of steam quickly. It is kind of difficult to drive it mellow...The STI was different in that you could just cruise if you wanted to...The WRX feels like it is on or off. I need to do a review of her car. Let me know if I can help anymore Eric. Cheers.

[@TubeBrowser2]

Excellent reply Rick, thank you. Sad how people run from the Subie CVT. My 17 OB 2.5 CVT is my first CVT. I was concerned about the "rubber band" "drone" blah, blah, blah. My history includes Mercedes S class, E class 4matic, 911 Turbo, Ferrari 328 GTSi, 928S4, Dodge Cummins 5.9 and 6.7 chipped-both manuals, Buick Le Sabre !, Ford Focus, Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.9 and 5.2, and many more. Now older and just slightly wiser, I say The CVT is NO ISSUE in my 17 OB. It shifts like an automatic most of the time and NEVER bothers me with drone or rubber band weirdness. When I choose, I drive it like I stole it. I wish the rumors of underpowered engine and lousy CVT would cease. If I get the WRX instead of the Cross I will get an ECU tune to wake it up and smooth the driveability. Looking forward to a review on your wifes car. You have already helped a bunch as I aim for Method 18's for the Outback and tires a bit quieter than the TA's.

[@AZdroptop]

Very nice car line up there Eric. :) Love it. Agreed, no issues with the CVT here either. My 14 was louder and had more "weird" shifts, but it was still great overall and I didn't mind it. A tune would be fun on the WRX. I wanted one for the STI, but at the time the 'ringland" issue was still happening so I didn't want to void my warranty just in case. You will be happy either way, both are great cars in their own way. I honestly love this Crosstrek and think it is just about the perfect daily driver..The 911 fills the void when I want to have a lot of fun. :) Very happy I could help with your tire choice. The KO2's are definitely on the loud side.

[@rallymaster001]

Hey Rick, Another great report! Lots of issues dealt with really well. I agree with all of your comments. I love my XV here in Aus. CFDU, Martin

[@AZdroptop]

Maartin, you're the best, thank you. Cheers my friend.

[@Sup3rCRF]

From 0-35mph the cvt is programmed for "city acceleration" so it uses a more cvt approach. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd has a 2-step feel in them, where it where it rev's and drops rpm without shifting. So that section of acceleration can "act" weird according how smooth and fast the pedal is pressed. Also like to note that with the '18, when in manual mode, you can shift into 2nd gear while stopped for smooth takeoffs in loose/steep situations. Part of the new low speed traction button.

[@AZdroptop]

I’ve not tried the 2nd gear start, will jphave to give it a shot. Cheers Dexter

[@chopchop1437]

Thanks so much for this video, I live in Tucson and I'm looking to get the Crosstrek. Good to know it'll be a nice ride up to Mt. Lemmon! 👍

[@AZdroptop]

Awesome. They are fun little cars and we have a ton of great off roading options. Give Trent at Tucson Subaru a call if you plan to purchase locally. He is a good friend and will treat your very well. Just tell him you know me. Thank you for watching!

[@radzer0966]

The cvt searching is something with programming. Who knows if they will ever fix it. It’s something with lower temps until it gets warmed up. And it’s a pain in the ass. Cruise control at 40mph the car will surge at a steady speed because of the cvt operating separately from the engine doing that crap. But yea, on a cooler morning go on a flat strip and try 40mpg cruise and you should see it for the first couple miles.

[@AZdroptop]

Thanks Edward. I've not used cruise much at this point...is it an eyesight thing? I've had a couple weird slow speed shifts, but not many.

[@radzer0966]

Rick Hutton I don’t believe is eyesight related. Because the speed doesn’t change. It just appears to be at the point I guess where when cold it wants to upshift but decides it’s too high a gear. I dunno.

[@AZdroptop]

Ah, that makes sense. Kind of reminds me a bit like when you have accelerated up to speed and are cruising, but it hasn't made the last shift to drops the RPM's. The 18 doesn't seem to do it like the 14 did...maybe the overdrive gear they added?

[@radzer0966]

Rick Hutton transmission I believe is identical. There isn’t a gear in it just the car says there is another gear. Simulated gears, I guess you can say it’s like old school video games that keep shifting as you go faster and faster lol

[@7wt]

I love my 2021. The Subaru does better off road in most cases than my Tacoma did and is way more comfortable around town and on the highways. It's a hoot to drive on 89A.

[@AZdroptop]

Very nice! They are great fun and capable for sure! I am currently in Sedona and have been on 89 a bunch. 👍🏻

[@michaelwas8549]

I've seen other vids where people say that the vehicle learns how you drive and then adjusts accordingly making for a nicer driving experience.

[@AZdroptop]

Hi Michael, I would tend to agree with that and think I might have said something similar. My 14 for sure was that way. Thank you for watching.

[@ibdustin15]

CVT by Subaru are top tier. I still would like to see how the 6M feels with this power train.

[@AZdroptop]

Agree. Me too on the manual. From what I have read there are mixed reviews. Some like it better, some don't. In motor trend the driver that did the 1/4 miles and 0 to 60 said he got off the line .7 seconds faster with the manual, but only beat it in the 1/4 mile by .2. So I think maybe the CVT works better with the engine or something?

[@ibdustin15]

Rick Hutton CVTs are great for racing once you are moving. They keep your engine in the top of your power curve where automatics and manual lose RPM each shift. The manuals will forever be king of launching until you get into high end automatic transmissions like my DSG for example.

[@AZdroptop]

If and when I am able to buy a newer 911, it will have an auto. They are so good these days. I enjoy the 6 speed in my current 911, but if I had to do traffic every day I would not be happy.

[@vs8580]

Electronics controlling the throttle and rev and the engines being tuned for a CVT make the new manual model Subarus a disappointment. I bought a 2014 with CVT (after owning 2 other older Subarus with MT) but didn't like it because it causes normal binding, shuddering , vibration and what ever owners are calling it . The 2014 Crosstrek started falling apart at 50K miles. Rear wheel bearing hubs, front left CV axle shaft, AC compressor (and condenser). Low one quart of oil between 5K oil changes. So much for reliability, I test drove a 2018 and the quirky CVT issue was still there and chose a brand with conventional automatic. Long time Subaru owner not impressed with the newer design. Sorry.

[@kellbell78745]

I enjoy my 6MT and believe it to be quite adequate with speed and pick up. And I drive in a city where it is important to get going quickly most of the time - only to hurry up and stop again. Ugh. I will mention it did take quite awhile to get use to how the Crosstrek shifts after driving a a 6-speed Cooper for 7 years. One thing that was really annoying for the first two months or so was the RPMs would stay up between shifts - especially between 1st to 2nd. Not a big deal if you are intending to get up to highway speeds. But it was quite irksome for in town driving, slowly cruising a neighborhood, or looking for a parking spot, when I would have the clutch pushed in and just kind of coast to where I want to go. I was even a bit concerned that something was out of sync. The dealership said to bring it in, but I didn't because it's hugely inconvenient to get to the dealership (traffic - ugh!). I tried to do a little research on the issue and I watched a KZbin blogger mentioned that he thought his new Crosstrek was actually adapting to his driving. So I gave it a few more weeks and it's kinda worked out for me that way too. At least it doesn't rev up anymore when I push in the clutch to coast slowly, or when I'm slowly picking up speed between 1st, 2nd and 3rd gears.

[@montebeerbower7796]

i never considered one but i am going to take one hopefully this weekend to test drive.

[@AZdroptop]

Nice, let me know what you think.

[@garetht1236]

Hopefully we all can welcome to the crosstrek community!

[@kpwrz350]

Rick (possibly) sells another Crosstrek! Hahaha, all joking aside, I have a 2018 and I love it. I just did my first oil change (@3,000 miles, did the first one earlier than the 6k interval) and I can honestly say I like it even more now! Kudos to Rick for bringing a very informative series of videos on the Subaru Crosstrek, He's the one that convinced me to test drive one.

[@AZdroptop]

Hey brother, I think Subaru should be sending me some kickbacks. LOL :)

[@kpwrz350]

I think they should too. I'm going to post a comment soon, trying to get a count on how many Crosstreks you have sold via your channel... Watch for it!

[@fredguerin5395]

Thanks for the video. I have an 18 Crosstrek with CVT and mine does have some lag when i go from drive to reverse and the opposite as well.

[@AZdroptop]

HI Fred, thank you for watching and for you comment. Is it a significant pause? My 14 was really obvious. My 18 is pretty crisp.

[@fredguerin5395]

Rick Hutton I wouldn’t say a significant pause maybe just enough to notice it. CVT is a new thing for me, i am still getting use to it, one thing i really like is when in deceleration the car has like an engine brake similar to what semi trucks has. MPG is important to me, i am currently averaging about 29MPG and the car is brand new. So far loving it!

[@AZdroptop]

Great to hear you are loving the car Fred. I think you will find the mpg increase over time and the car seems to just feel better acceleration and shifting wise. Thanks for the clarification on the pause when you shift. The one I had on the 14 was definitely significant so I think yours is normal. Have a great rest of the weekend.

[@fredguerin5395]

Rick Hutton 29MPG considering the vehicle is AWD i am already a happy camper. Thanks and you have a good weekend as well.

[@trustgtr33]

overall subaru's really feels tight when new, even had wind noise which gradually improved as the rubber seals gets used ..i noticed this is more prevalent on subaru's..Not an issue obviously, it just loves to be used..

[@AZdroptop]

Agreed! They are great little cars.

[@DustyCowdog]

Awesome video! I appreciate the candid opinions. How is the air conditioning? I live in Texas... it gets hot as hell, you know... it's not a dry-heat... I hate sweating in my car! Thanks again! Those tires/wheels look sweet. If I get one, I'm getting that same wheel set-up!

[@AZdroptop]

DustyCowdog, first off, I love that name!. 2nd, thank you very much. My AC worked great here in Tucson where it gets toasty in the Summer as well. I didn't get the car until the real nasty heat was over last year, but my 2014 Crosstrek's AC was great and the 18 seemed to be just as good. I am loving the wheels and tires as well. Cheers and let me know if you get a Crosstrek.

[@ivanbotello2269]

Fellow Arizonan! Loving the channel and got yourself a new subscriber!

[@AZdroptop]

Hey Ivan, thank you! Where about are you in AZ? Thank you for watching and subscribing...cheers

[@ivanbotello2269]

Rick Hutton here in Phoenix and love random road trips. That’s a reason I’ve been looking into the Crosstrek. You’ve really helped me in answering basically all the questions I have regarding the car, so again thank you!

[@AZdroptop]

Very cool. My pleasure. If you come down to Tucson let me know and we can drive through Reddington or some other off road drive. :)

[@meowmers7085]

Great video Rick! I bought the 18 last week in sunshine orange standard transmission. Love it so far but still getting used to the new clutch, I’ve only driven a 90 crx with a standard transmission and it was as old as the car haha

[@AZdroptop]

Hey congratulations that’s great! You’ll get it down in no time. Thank you for watching and best of luck with the car. Cheers

[@meowmers7085]

Rick Hutton thank you ! I’m getting better haha I subscribed by the way, do more crosstrek :) !

[@AZdroptop]

Meowmers awesome thanks very much. Lots more to come

[@PerfDayToday]

I always lock my cvt into manual mode when driving mt passes or two lane highways to manage the rpms better. Drives better, meaning more responsive w higher revs. '15 2.5 prem OB

[@AZdroptop]

Thanks David, agreed. Definitely works better that way!

[@kenhoward3512]

Thanks for your views, Rick - as an owner - of these specific issues that've caused me to hesitate to buy a new Crosstrek. I've been wondering if the still-considerable oil consumption issue (Subaru still insists 1,200 mi-per-qt is "normal") is the result of break-in procedures, i.e., the possibly too-passive Subaru-recommended procedure vs a somewhat more-aggressive routine you may have used for your Subarus? Specifically, how did you break-in your Subaru engines and whether you've decided to use a different (slightly-heavier) weight of engine oil? Thanks!

[@AZdroptop]

Hi Ken, I personally have not experienced any oil consumption issues across the 3 Subaru's I have owned. Granted, I only put about 35K on my STI and 43K on my 14 Crosstrek so my experience is limited. I have heard from one 13 Crosstrek owner who does use oil...I believe the car had 130K miles or something along those lines. I am still just using the Subi oil, but have seen many who use the Eurospec Subaru oil weight. I think it you really want a Subaru than just go for it....You always have the warranty to fall back on.

[@kenhoward3512]

@@AZdroptop Thanks for the reply, Rick! The oil consumption issue seems to be related to lower-tension piston rings used these days (somehow related to the use of direct injection), so the ideal break-in procedure over the first few hundred miles is critical - and not necessarily what Subaru recommends. Thanks for the tip about Eurospec oil weight; Subaru of America is forced to prioritize fuel economy by using super-thin oil, while I am not, if it means sacrificing a degree of oil consumption and/or long-term engine protection. Cheers!

[@hnnotyy]

I may get one but I still like my CX3 an I don't have Oil consumption issues and also no CVT. Still on the fence as the AWD system in the CX3 has done great in every condition I have had it. We shall see when I test the 2019. My mother has had no issue with Oil consumption issues in either 2015 or her 2018 Outback so.. Not sure why people are having issues with oil consumptions, as I know Synthetic oil is needed in these cars and required now.

[@AZdroptop]

Thanks for watching and for your comment. Best of luck with your choice down the road. Mazda makes some nice vehicles and to be honest I do not know a lot about their AWD system, but Subaru's is difficult to beat until you start getting into Audi money. I guess I am used to the CVT as it feels very normal for me now and over 3 Subaru's I have not personally had any problems with oil consumption though I know it is out there. The Crosstrek works for me because it allows me to do all of the on road and off road stuff I like to do with no compromises. Thank you again Cheers!

[@dreiz.]

I wish they would put the 2.5L in the new '19 Forester into this to give it more power. It does it need it when you have 3-4 people in the car.

[@AZdroptop]

That would be fun for sure!

[@mattsoup4121]

Video's a bit old, but I thought I'd let you know I had the consumption issue in my 2012 forester. Had to get my small block replaced and all my gaskets.

[@AZdroptop]

Thank you for your reply on your oil consumption. It is good to hear Subaru took care of you at least. Hopefully they have a handle on the issue.

[@johnfretz1938]

I dig mine. It just feels like a little Swiss Army knife of a car. It just does anything you might want to throw at it without much complaint.It's not too big, it's not too small, it's not the fastest thing around, but it has no problem moving through traffic without any tense moments. If your into knifing through traffic, or pushing the limits of your vehicle from time to time, then this wont be your thing. But if you want a simple, safe, comfortable, capable, funky little lifted wagon, and you just want to comfortably cruise to your next camping spot with your dog, some gear, come sun, rain, snow, dirt, or what-have-you, then this car is just the ticket.

[@AZdroptop]

John, Excellent post. Couldn't agree more.

[@mikealexander390]

Looks like it's time to replace the in car camera, seems you have a dead pixel on the sensor. The little pink dot was driving me nuts. Thank you for the videos they are much appreciated. I ran across your channel while researching the 18 and it looks like we have similar taste in vehicles. I got rid of my 13 special edition sti for the crosstrek so I could have a solid daily driver/offroader and hoping to pick up a 997 for the fun drives.

[@AZdroptop]

Hey Mike, I noticed the dot myself when editing. The camera is new so hopefully it isn't a dead pixel. I will be messing with the camera today to figure it out. Glad you enjoy the videos and funny and about our car tastes. I enjoyed the STI, but I just never fell in love with it. I guess I was expecting a bit more on the performance end as well, but it was fun and practical at the same time. You will love the 997 if you get one. Amazing cars! I was nervous after wanting one since I was a kid that it wouldn't live up to my expectations...but it did. Love it.

[@jjr007]

looked like a small drop from the rain, made it onto the lens.

[@AZdroptop]

Hi jjr007, I think Mike was correct on the dead pixel. I sent the camera to Canon for repair since it is under warranty and only 2.5 months old. We shall see. Cheers

[@mikealexander390]

It sucks having to send it back but at least it's under warranty. The pink dot is usually a tell tell sign of a sensor issue. Dust and liquid will look more like a blur. If you're shooting with a dslr and think it's on the sensor and not the lens you can take the lens off and shoot a picture of a clear blue sky. If you still have blurs in the picture then you probably need to clean the sensor.

[@AZdroptop]

Mike, sorry for the slow reply. For some reason youtube does not always alert me when I have a comment. Thank you very much for your insight. The camera in question is my G7X mark ii. I like it because the screen flips forward and I can tell if I am recording and how the focus looks. It is also fairly well stabilized for non tripod use and the build in mic works pretty well. I also use a Canon 6D, which is fantastic, but from the front you can not tell if you are recording and many times I thought I hit record, talked for 5 minutes, only to find I didn't. :) Dork alert. LOL Thank you again for your help and info...very cool.

[@mannyechaluce3814]

Had a Ferrari setting next to me in traffic next to my Hugo last week, I say we are at the same rate of speed for about 3 hours and got home about the same time :D difference ? looks and price :D

[@AZdroptop]

LOL! Nice. A Ferrari would be nice though. :)

[@SourCandy436]

And gas

[@whiterhinooutdoors4572]

Just had the first oil change on my wife’s 2018 we love it got bout 6 k miles on it now only complaint is not enough storage prolly gonna trade it December with the buy back plan Kelly Subaru offers but all the review videos I see about the krosstrek is throttle response I guess I’m use to cars with no power lol but if I wanted a race car or sport car I would have bought one but we are satisfied with Power and everything bout our Subaru except storage space

[@AZdroptop]

Well said Brad. The Crosstrek can run out of room if you have passengers and need to carry stuff. I am planning on picking up a basket for the hitch incase I need the room inside. What are you thinking of getting in its place? Thank you for watching!

[@whiterhinooutdoors4572]

Rick Hutton prolly forester cause the cost but maybe out back just really don’t like how the out back to me feels like not much head room

[@SergeyKasimov]

Can you drive to a snow area? maybe sixflags got some snow to test out this car in the snow I love your videos and the drones

[@AZdroptop]

Thanks Sergey, appreciate it very much. We have a local mountain here that get's snow, but I didn't make it up there when it snowed this year and Flagstaff is just about 4 hours away. I have a close friend who lives up there, but I haven't made it up this winter either. From what I have heard from subscribers who drive in the snow they do great! Snow tires are very helpful as well..

[@wax333]

i have a 16 impreza and i agree with you this car is pretty good the only time i wish the car had more power is when it came to the hills.

[@wax333]

for 30k nzd its a good car

[@AZdroptop]

They are great! Thank you for watching.

[@ValentinArzola]

I just bought a 2016 Crosstrek. The power is farely decent with the 5 speed manual. Specially on the 1st and 2nd gear. Don't know about the CVT.

[@AZdroptop]

Congrats! They are great cars. I have not driven a 5-speed pre 18 Crosstrek, just the 6-speed on a 19. Enjoy the car!

[@archiebunker3654]

Excellent, informative video as usual. Thanks for your insight and taking the time to post it. Wish I could give ya more than just one like. :)

[@AZdroptop]

Archie, thank you very much. Mean a lot. Thank you for watching and have a nice weekend. Cheers

[@UFO-35]

I felt it was slowly getting worse however after the CVT relearn it fells a little bit better but still there when in slow traffic. As a work around I am trying to drive quicker off the line until I reach the speed limit. I’m normally a slow driver so having to plant it all the time is a complete pain. My fuel economy has also gotten worse due to the driving style. If Subaru supposedly designed this for fuel economy then they really got it wrong. Subaru can try and smooth over the issues as much as they like but there is definitely an issue 100%. Thanks Rick.

[@AZdroptop]

That is a bummer Peter. This morning when leaving work I tried to accelerate really slowly and see if I feel anything unusual and I didn't notice anything. It really is odd that it doesn't affect all of the cars.

[@AZdroptop]

Peter, just had a reply from Andy Morsell regarding his CVT problems. They sound similar to yours if you want to check out his post. I also gave him your username so he could read what you wrote. Cheers!

[@UFO-35]

Can you please pass on a link to his post or his user account. Thank you

[@AZdroptop]

I can not figure out how to link the post but here it is. CVT City driving problems here. We have a 2018 Limited and I absolutely hate how the CVT behaves in regular city driving. It’s hard to describe but I’ll try. A good example is turning from a 4 way stop. When you first accelerate, it responds well but shifts to ”2nd” in the middle of the acceleration causing a lugging feeling unless you continue to depress the accelerator further during this shift time. Usually it ends up feeling sort of like turbo lag. And it seems to shift into too high of a “gear” too quickly causing that luggy and laggy feeling. If I move the gear selector from D to M while it’s feeling luggy at about 35 mph it says it’s in 6th “gear”. I’ve tried to change my driving style and get used to this but I’m wondering if it’s a problem and can be changed with dealer programming? Have you heard of this same issue? Thank you and keep up the good work with your videos. Link to Andy. m.kzbin.info

[@UFO-35]

Yes that definitely sounds like the same issue I’m having.

[@Tanglangfa]

Nice review! Thanks for addressing the oil issue and including the link!

[@AZdroptop]

Thank you very much and I appreciate your watching.

[@larryrobbins8476]

Rick, you are insane but about the CVT I think you are right on😊ps: if you see pigs flying then I'm lifting the Impreza.(fat chance, right) 😱👍😊

[@bobtranquilli9985]

Good video. I don't feel too bad about trading in our 2015 Crosstrek in on a 2019!

[@AZdroptop]

Definitely! They have really improved them.

[@ianpolo5673]

Perhaps you could update, after some mileage being put on, on the carbon buildup issue on the intake valve since this is a direct injection setup. Thank you.

[@AZdroptop]

Ian, sure, I can look into for a future video. Cheers!

[@ianpolo5673]

@@AZdroptop Thank you very much.

[@mikebell1961]

my wife and I bought our son a 2019 Outback to drive around while attending NAU in Flagstaff. I cannot fault the Subaru. Its fun to drive good in snow and other hazardous road conditions. A Crap load of car for very little money. As you said if your looking for a sporty canyon carver, this is not the car. But fun to drive, reliable, cheap to maintain and confidence boosting in in crappy weather.... You wont find a better car for the money

[@AZdroptop]

Nice Mike, I agree 100%. Subaru's are hard to beat for the money! How is your son liking NAU? I graduated from there many years ago now. :) Great fun up there and they have improved the campus big time since I was there.

[@mikebell1961]

Quite a bit colder than he was a custom to but he eventually came to love the area. He finished school this past semester and our youngest will start his Junior year at NAU in the fall. Which gives us a reason to go spend the weekends when it's hot as hell down here

[@AZdroptop]

Very nice! The cold and snow did take some getting used to for sure...especially riding my bike in it. :) Glad your kids have enjoyed it up there.

[@hughthomas5996]

Hello Rick. I too have a 2018 Cross Trek Limited (mine is orange-easy to find in a parking lot) and I have some questions that perhaps you or your forum members may be able to answer. First I seem to recall that when we first took delivery on this vehicle that the side mirror defroster icons lit up yellow when activated. My dealer says they never did light up. Yes I know I'm getting up there in age but who is right? Second:The Welcome icon has seemed to stop working. I have gone through the procedure to check that it shows as being "ON" but no" Welcome". I tried to set "Goodbye" to "OFF" but that remains on despite the setting showing "OFF". All of the other setting are programmable however and I'm wondering why just these two setting have gone AWOL? Finally. Once again I'm relying on memory which at the best of times can be faulty, I seem to recall that when we first took delivery on this vehicle the LED daylight running lights would turn off when either the left or right signal was activated. Mine does not. Perhaps you or other Limited owner could shed some light on these issues.

[@AZdroptop]

Hello Hugh, thank you for stopping by the channel and for your questions. As far as the yellow indicators on the side mirrors go the small yellow lens on the inside of the mirror is the blind spot deception indicator. As far as I know they are not related to defrost. There is a small switch near the traction control button that allows you to turn the function off I believe. I do not have eyesight, so mine light up if I turn on my signal and a car is in my blind spot, or if I am backing up and a car enters from the side it lights up and beeps. As for the Welcome screen I am not 100% sure on that, I will have to check out my car and see. I am not sure what the welcome screen looks like. :) What is missing on yours exactly. My setting are set to on for both welcome and goodbye. Off the top of my head I do not believe the driving lights turn off with the signals, but I will have to double check that as well. The DL come on once in gear so I couldn't check that one right now. Hopefully I have helped a little. Let me know if I have clarified or muddied the waters for you and I will check on my welcome screen. Cheers Hugh.

[@AZdroptop]

Thank you for your nice compliment Hugh I really appreciate it. I have really had a good time making the videos, but interacting with others on here is my favorite part. Sorry about my confusion on the heated mirrors. :) I just went and turned my defrost on and the little symbol did not light up on mine so maybe it doesn't ? I can not recall ever seeing it light up, but I live in AZ and thankfully do not have to use defrost very often. ha ha. When I turn the car on I get the date and when I turn it off I did get "goodbye" There is always the reset to factory settings option in the menu, like the dealer mentioned, but that would erase all of your settings. Thanks again Hugh and have a great weekend.

[@jmen8888]

My 18 Crosstrek's gas mileage when it really got cold in January, low teens, was averaging only 19 mpg. When it's in the 30's, getting 26 mpg in short commutes over a small mountain. 18 much better then the 16 in terms of the CVT.

[@AZdroptop]

Wow jmen, that is pretty wild! Did you have to leave the car to idle a lot to warm up or something? Totally agree about the CVT, much improved.

[@jmen8888]

Rick Hutton No, didn't idle long, drove it with the blue light still on. It was about three weeks of really cold weather when I had that bad mileage.

[@AZdroptop]

That's crazy. I wonder why it dropped so low? Did you ever see similar mileage with your 16?

[@jmen8888]

Rick Hutton No, but we didn t have a real cold spell that lasted three weeks. Engine sounded normal in that cold weather. I'm checking Crosstrek forums to see if anybody else had this low of a mileage.

[@AZdroptop]

Howdy, on the way to work yesterday I was watching my rpm's and switching into manual mode to find out which gear my car was in and noticed it would not 'shift' into 7th gear. Another subscriber mentioned that his car would not shift into gear until his oil temp reached a certain temp. It was chilly yesterday morning, 37 to 39 F, so I was watching my oil temp. My car didn't shift into 7th until the oil temp was over 135 or 140. Maybe that is part of the issue?

[@amorsell]

CVT City driving problems here. We have a 2018 Limited and I absolutely hate how the CVT behaves in regular city driving. It’s hard to describe but I’ll try. A good example is turning from a 4 way stop. When you first accelerate, it responds well but shifts to ”2nd” in the middle of the acceleration causing a lugging feeling unless you continue to depress the accelerator further during this shift time. Usually it ends up feeling sort of like turbo lag. And it seems to shift into too high of a “gear” too quickly causing that luggy and laggy feeling. If I move the gear selector from D to M while it’s feeling luggy at about 35 mph it says it’s in 6th “gear”. I’ve tried to change my driving style and get used to this but I’m wondering if it’s a problem and can be changed with dealer programming? Have you heard of this same issue? Thank you and keep up the good work with your videos!

[@AZdroptop]

HI Andy and thanks very much! Actually this sounds pretty similar to what Peter, a subscriber is dealing with. I tried to figure out how to link to his comments, but could not. :) Sorry. If you scroll through the comments on this video and look for user name Peter, we have been discussing it quite a bit. He has had his car into the dealer and reset to factory specs and had data taken for engineers in Japan. See if you can find his comments as they were pretty recent...the last day or two. I will try to figure out how to link to them as well. If you want to email me at [e-mail] I can try to send the link to you that way, or at least cut and paste what he said.

[@amorsell]

Thanks Rick. I just read through his posts and, yes, it does sound very similar. But it is discouraging that his issue was not fixed by a learning reset. I will raise this issue with the dealer as it’s due for its first oil change soon. One thing I forgot to mention is the behavior when you take your foot off the gas to coast. It often feels like it is downshifting to slow velocity. I want it to coast, not slow itself down unless I hit the brake.

[@AZdroptop]

It is discouraging for sure especially since the engineer said it was "normal" behavior. I think when I am going at a slow speed, 20mpg or so and let off the gas I do feel the bit of braking you are mentioning..kind of reminds me of an electric car brake regeneration. Please let me know what the dealer says and if they have any ideas. Really appreciate your sharing your experience.

[@amorsell]

Okay, I’ll post back here if I hear anything. One last thought: both my wife and I drive the car and we have very different driving styles. She drives relatively slow around town whereas I enjoy accelerating and going more quickly. I wonder if the system finds the combination absolutely baffling. 😀

[@AZdroptop]

LOL. Hard to say. :) My 14 Crosstrek sure seemed to learn my driving style over the 43,000 miles I put on it...either that or I adjust to how it shifted so maybe there is something to that. With the 18 I had a few strange shifts when I first got it, but since it has been spot on.

[@bluemaz6]

hi ...i just recently purchased a 2018 Crosstrek Limited and want to do an upgrade on the tires after seeing your video , when you did yours to the Method Wheels and BFG KO2's . my concern is by doing the different set up , did it interfere with the Eyesight? also , how was the gas mileage afterwards? and one last question...can you give me the exact set up information as yours? i just love the look!!! and i love your videos...super helpful and fun to watch...thank you..----Monika

[@AZdroptop]

Congrats on the new Crosstrek and thank you for watching some videos. You will not have any issues with the new wheels/tires and your eyesight system so you are good to go there. The wheels are Method Race Wheels VT spec 15", 5 x 100. Tires are BFG 215/75/15's. The new set up is almost exactly the same circumference as the stock set up so no issues with the speedometer. You will need to either buy new TPMS sensors, if your car has them...depends on your country, or switch the stock TPMS sensors from the stock wheels/tires to the new ones It will same you about $100 or so. There was no significant change in gas mileage with the new wheels/tires. Here is the link to my wheel/tire playlist if you want to check in out. Let me know if I can help out in any other way and best of luck.kzbin.info/www/bejne/oXekk5-Hfah4p8k

[@bluemaz6]

@@AZdroptop thank you so much, i really appreciate your help!! where did you purchase your tire and wheels?

[@AZdroptop]

My Pleasure. I bought mine here in town at Discount Tire. You can find them at tirerack.com for just a little bit cheaper including shipping, but I didn't want to deal with their warranty program. You have to send in a tire for inspection or repair and I thought it was worth the extra $150 to have it all local.

[@TheTheSilverPhoenix]

What to do with cvt on low speed when you feel it can’t find the right ratio? It annoys me in traffic on my 2021 crosstrek in traffic

[@AZdroptop]

You can always use the paddles even when in "auto" mode. You can just flick it down to push up the rpm's.....I didn't have that issue with my 18, but the 14 was a bit of a different story.

[@clou1969]

Rick Hutton I have exactly 4349 miles on my 18 and the oil already getting real dark. Not to the point I cannot see through it but gets seriously dark. That being said I had a Toyota with 300k miles on and the oil between oil change was still looking super clean. And as 28 years working as a mechanic I know when an engine is super good or just average.

[@clou1969]

The clarity of the oil mostly confirms the quality of the engine. If you talking about high performance car then it’s another story but for casual normal car that means everything.

[@clou1969]

Let’s see how the oil will looks like after my first oil engine change. By the way I really like the 18 Crosstrek over the first generation. It’s just like day and night improvement.

[@AZdroptop]

Very interesting. I can't say honestly what mine looked like at the actual oil change..around 4K miles, because I had the dealer do it. Up to that point it was looking good on the dip stick at least. Were your 4349 miles just regular driving? No high rev or towing etc?

[@AZdroptop]

I agree, it is a fantastic car and very much improved. Cheers.

[@frankg.7675]

I've had the same experience. Our 2009 Toyota always has clean oil even at 4000 miles between changes and it never uses a drop of oil. But its totally the opposite with our 2 Subaru's... With the Subi's I have to change the oil at no more than about 2k miles due to dirty oil.. but with the Toyota I can confidently get 4k before oil changes and its still clean. So for my next vehicle I'm considering the new RV4 even though it might not be best in snow and ice compared to Subaru's. fg

[@atomicwendy]

I'm trying to decide whether to get the manual or, CVT. I keep hearing things that make me hesitate about the CVT. but, I'm going to buy a Crosstrek, for sure. any input would be appreciated. I LOVE my 2003 Forester. (of course, that was before CVT)

[@AZdroptop]

I know there are problems with some CVT's out there and thankfully Subaru has extended the warranty to 10 years or 100,000 miles to give everyone piece of mind. My 14 Crosstrek's CVT was loud, but over all shifted pretty well. The 18 has been great and is much improved especially when it comes to noise. I really have learned to like the CVT and after driving a real auto on vacation last year was surprised to find I like the CVT over an auto. I do enjoy the manual on may 911, but at this point I am just not into driving a stick everyday. We went up to Phoenix for Barrett Jackson and by the time we made it home after Phoenix traffic, freeway traffic and then Tucson traffic I was happy to be done. :) Manuals are great though and those who have them on the Crosstrek seem to really like them. I would just give them both a drive and see what you think. Cheers and let me know if I can help at all.

[@brocklanders6969]

We have a 2013 Xv Crosstrek Premium. Overall, it has been good and we like it. But, it is underpowered -- especially off the line. Our biggest gripe. They should have put the base Forester 2.5 engine in it.

[@AZdroptop]

A turbo would be nice too. 😃. The 18 is a bit quicker than my 14 was all over the rev range...really feels better.

[@vs8580]

2.5 won't help much, problem is the CVT. Test drive a Forester it 400 lbs heaver but it don't feel much better.

[@Sero12245]

I'm currently deciding between a crosstrek and impreza manual trans but I'm curious about the cvts for my gf

[@AZdroptop]

I have only driven a manual Crosstrek for a few miles. It was actually better than I expected. Nice clutch, easy to move through the gears as well. I do feel like the CVT matched the car a little better. I actually learned to really like the CVT after driving one for about 5 years. The 18's CVT was much improved over the 14 I had. Best of luck with your choice.

[@kurtchan217]

I have 2014 crosstrek premium. I lost about 1 quart of motor oil after driving 6000k after last oil change, of 1 jug of 5 quart of mobil1. I didn't know there is a lawsuit about that. I wondering if that includes my car. Thanks for info about lawsuit; I'll now look into it.

[@AZdroptop]

Thanks Kurt, best of luck to you...I know Subaru considers some oil loss normal, but I am not sure how much

[@fredharvey2720]

People need to do their research on oil consumption. Piston redesign was for the 2015 model. Case closed.

[@LarryRichelli]

I am trying to buy a 2019 premium with a 6 speed manual trans but hard to find. I have talked to a few mechanics that all say that Subaru makes the worst automatic transmissions (CVT) and to stay away from them if you are keeping your car for a while

[@AZdroptop]

Hey Larry, they have had their issues over the years, but both of mine have really been good so far. Only 43K miles on one and just over 9K miles on another. Good thing is now they have a 10 year, or 100K mile warranty....The 6 speeds are hard to find and from what I understand Subaru may be getting rid of them completely here soon. Kind of a bummer for those who want a manual, but with mpg requirements CVT's are the way to go I guess. Go over to askfortrent.com and contact my buddy Trent. He is here in Tucson, but can probably help you find a manual. Tell him I referred you!