Subaru solves winter with another wagon

Looks like it’s going to be a Subaru kind of winter. Snow early and often. The kind of winter that has folks casting an envious eye on the neighbor’s four-by. This is Subaru’s stock-in-trade, of course; its family of AWD vehicles are the darlings of Northern Tier drivers from Washington to Maine. Now there’s a new one: Revisiting the template that gave us the Outback, Subaru introduces the XV Crosstrek, a jacked-up version of the Impreza wagon. With 8.7 inches of ground clearance (plus-3 over the base Impreza, and higher than most small crossovers), standard AWD and best-in-class efficiency, the XV Crosstrek should be warmly received by its youthful, adventure-bound target market. A modest base price ($22,790, including transportation) fetches roomy cabin and cargo areas, and the standard-features list includes premium items like heated mirrors, a windshield-wiper deicer and heated front seats. Don’t come to the Crosstrek expecting glitz, though; utility is the default mode. Durable soft-touch materials cover the dash and door panels and the switchgear has a sturdy feel. Understated trim bits add visual variety but minimal flash. Subaru loyalists will find comfort in the low-key, low-tech ambience. Gray hues and large rotary knobs mark the instrument panel as old-school — even the small navigation display seems to have been squeezed somewhat grudgingly into place. Regardless, Bluetooth phone and streaming audio are standard and the optional navigation system brings voice-activation, iTunes tagging and SMS text-messaging. A 148-horsepower, 2.0-liter flat-four powers the Crosstrek. In the optimistically named Premium base trim, it’s paired with a five-speed manual gearbox, with a CVT optional. The up-level Limited trim gets the CVT as standard gear. CVT-equipped models are rated at 25 mpg city/33 mpg highway. The manual is rated at 23/30. The stick would seem the best choice; the Crosstrek weighs a relatively beefy 3,100 pounds and, while the stick doesn’t produce any extra power, it allows the driver to maximize all the available 145 pound-feet of torque. There’s a catch, though; the stick and the nav system are incompatible. The Limited can’t be had with the stick, nor can a nav-equipped Premium. On the upside, the CVT is paired with a more sophisticated version of Subaru’s Symmetrical AWD System. To enhance fuel efficiency, Subaru adds a small “spoiler” lip to the end of each roof rail, improving mileage by a not-insignificant 1 mpg. Despite its elevated stance, the Crosstrek feels nimble and stable underway. The low-in-the-chassis weight of the AWD teams with the low-profile mass of the flat-four “boxer” engine to create a low center of gravity that maximizes stability and minimizes body lean. The ride that can be choppy on rough surfaces and under some conditions at speed cabin noise is evident. Steering is direct and positive, with good on-center feel, but doesn’t communicate much from the road surface. With the ski season upon us and countless snowy drives lying in wait, the allure of AWD raises its comforting head. Leave it to Subaru to give us another affordable, attractive choice. 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek Premium Vehicle base price: $21,995 Trim level base price: $21,995 As tested: $22,790 Optional equipment: Our tester included no optional equipment. EPA ratings: 23 city/30 highway Regular unleaded fuel specified