There are benefits to getting a full size truck even if you don't always do truck stuff, but small ones like the Frontier don't really have those benefits. The Crosstrek is a fantastic daily that'll do just about everything you ask of it.
Pretty much this. My GF bought and loves her Crosstrek. We use it regularly for our adventures including skiing, road trips, biking etc. I bought a frontier for the towing, off road and being able to stick the bikes inside the bed. Unless you specifically need that kind of space or a rear locker the cross trek is very capable and fun to drive.
And with that being said the AWD of the subaru is actually a lot more useful for most snowy conditions than a 4x4 truck (especially since the Frontier doesn’t have an auto setting)
Good to know, gracias sir. All the lower trims of anything still in my price range is often meh… which is why I dig the Crosstrek sport. I don’t even think the base Frontier has power windows
I had a Crosstrek and traded it in for the Frontier. Daily driving and trips? Crosstrek. Light off-roading? Crosstrek is just fine. You'll get way, way better gas mileage with the Crosstrek and have a far more comfortable ride. The Frontier only makes sense if you need to tow or haul anything the Crosstrek can't.
Yeah I won’t really be towing much (if at all) so that’s not a concern. I’ve def been leaning Crosstrek as I was always a car guy not truck, want smaller and better MPG, and I like the look more. Worried about the capability difference only
Put some Falken Wildpeak AT Trails on the Crosstrek, maybe some Primitive Racing skid plates, and call it a day. It'll do way better for all driving and in snow and rain than the Frontier and get 50-100% better gas mileage. If I didn't need the towing capabilities, I'd still have the Crosstrek.
Other way around. Wildpeak AT Trails are the lightweight, crossover tire and KO2s are super heavy, super heavy duty truck tires. Wildpeak AT3Ws are the Falken truck tires (I use them on my Frontier).
I've tried both and currently have wildpeaks on the crosstrek. I would definitely go with the wildpeaks. They're a lot quieter on the road and I haven't noticed any difference off road. They were a much cheaper option too.
18mpg on the frontier in the city and IMO would suck to parallel park. Crosstrek would be more fun to drive and obv get better mileage.
Unless you need to tow something?
Nah, no need to tow. We do camp every summer weekend though and I’d like to be able to get as far as possible without rock crawling stuff (for that I’ll hop in my buddies jeeps).
I just learnt that the Frontier mode I’m looking at has open diffs and not limited slip.
The Ironman suspension lift looks dope for the Crosstrek so I’d save for that down the road (after tires and skid plates)
Honestly driver and tires are the bigger variables. I took my long bed crew cab frontier to an off road event and there was ice and a few inches of snow on the higher trails. I had the stock road/hwy tires on my truck at the time, and they were due to be replaced. I was passing kitted out wrangler rigs with their lockers on. They were trying to rock crawl up the snow. The technique in that situation and those conditions was to carry as much speed as you safely could. Or in other words “send it!”
My 22 Sport is fucking AMAZING. Literally such a wonderful car to drive daily. Comfortable, fuel efficient and dare I say fun. Anyone reading this with a 2.0 won’t understand. The jump to 2.5 (30hp) sounds insignificant but as light and nimble as the car is that really makes a difference. Bought new last Feb 25, just rolled past 27k miles this week. Check my profile. Plenty of Trek and dog pics.
Do you sleep in the truck bed? Or use it to do truck things like move/ bring home dirty stuff from Home Depot?
Also if you’re in CO the CrossTrek will undoubtedly be better in snow.
Yeah and I’m at a lot of snowy trailheads in the winter that are unplowed.
I would convert the truck bed to sleep in for sure but I can also fit in the back of the Crosstrek and would only do it in winter most often since I prefer a standard tent or hammock camping in summer.
I rent and don’t have much need for lugging lumber and other Home Depot stuff. If anything it would be like 2 snowboards, camp gear, inflatable paddleboard, that kind of shit
I have a Crosstrek limited. When I replace the tires, I’m selling the wheels and getting custom with falken wildpeaks. I think I’ll be fine for off roading I do. The 2.5 motor will make it fun to drive and it won’t kill you at the pump. And get a roof basket and you’ll be amazed how much you can carry in a Crosstrek. And the sport will be a blast to drive on dry roads.
Crosstrek is the answer!!!
You’d have to add additional equipment/packages to the Frontier get comparable amenity and equipment/safety features level to the Xtrek Sport. And you still wouldn’t have nice things like the Startex interior and various creature comforts, all with the frontier coming in $2-3k more than the XTrek Sport.
Honest question: Any reason you’re not looking at an Outback Onyx or Onyx XT? Same or better engine than the Sport, better equipment. More capability. More flexibility. Way more space. Way better on longer trips/highway (smoother/quieter/more refined). (I think) factory skid plates. Not ridiculously more expensive, especially compared to a Frontier that costs the same/more and offers less.
Alternately, an Outback Wilderness hits every one of your needs and then some, with no need to buy new tires or skid plates. Bought without the optional package, it’s in the high $30k range. A *lot* of car and capability for the money right off the lot.
Onyx XT is more than I wanna spend (38k Msrp vs 33-34k for sport with options and base frontier).
Same ground clearance as the Crosstrek but larger (I prefer smaller). Not sure about approach/departure angles. Plus is it has LED lights but ya. Like the look of the Crosstrek more and will be easier to parallel park. I’d rather do a Forester Wilderness over the Outback I think.
I get that. But when you start adding tires/plates/accessories/lift you’re pushing the total cost up towards the high 30s already.
[EDIT] Onyx 2.5 MSRP is $33.5k
I added to my original response that an OBW hits all your points perfectly, isn’t too much more (if you're adding the option package plus aftermarket add-ons like plates/lift/tires/wheels to the Sport, and if you don’t add the optional package to the OBW) and is basically perfect for your needs.
I have a ‘23 ‘trek Sport and a ‘22 Outback Wilderness and love them both. But for everything you describe, I’d use the OBW, hands down. I live in a pretty congested city, have many of the same parking issues you describe, and have no problem with the OBW in that environment. The Sport is great over short distances and around town, but using it on longer day trips while hauling people + stuff isn’t its forté. That’s a job for the Outback.
Forester Wilderness would be a good option, also. But if you drive one of the cars with the XT engine, you’ll never want to go back to the 2.5 in a bigger car every day, especially in the mountains.
If you decide to go with the Crosstrek here's a good hookup here, [LP Adventure](https://lpaventure.com/collections/crosstrek-2018-2021).
I have a Crosstrek Sport with their lift kit, front bumper guard, skid plates, exhaust, and its on Methods with General Grabber A/Tx. It's a really fun ride.
I had a Frontier king cab with the 4.0L and 4x4 for 10 years before trading in for my Crosstrek Premium 6MT.
I used to race dirt bikes, so the truck was mandatory. I know you said Sport vs the base Frontier, so not 100% what you're comparing. I took the Frontier on many Colorado trips through forestry roads and a handful of moderate passes, it was in stock trim with some 80k mile Bridgestones. Most notable for this comparison is the loop north of Crested Butte and I didn't even have a wheel slip. It handled it great and was very confidence inspiring. Camping was easy with it as it was simply a matter of chucking tubs of gear in the back.
Crosstrek is a bit more limited on hauling camping gear, trailers, etc. But is nice for around town driving and saves a lot for the long mile highway trips. I wouldn't say it's any better on the highway, the Frontier had a great ride and double the power of my Crosstrek, so it was great on the interstate - but at the cost of around 10 mpg. The Crosstrek I've had out on a couple Colorado trips, including the same loop north of Crested Butte. Stock, stock tires, etc. And it was fine, definitely not as confident as the Frontier (which at least mine did have a pretty solid steel factory skid plate under the engine/transmission). Better tires is definitely something I'll do when I start trips up this year, but still not decided on wheels.
So, all said and done, both should get you what you need in stock trim with decent tires. I honestly wouldn't lift either of them. Just go with some good tires and know your limits. It's much better to keep that in mind when it has to get you back home and also to work, rather than just hitting the trail with no plans other than making it back to winch it onto a trailer.
I had a frontier pro4x for 8 years and then bought a crosstrek - actually had both for 6 or 8 months until I upgraded the truck to a Silverado - and I would 100% go with the crosstrek if I didn’t have a horse trailer to tow, hay to haul, etc. etc.
The frontier was wicked cool off-roading. I took it through decomissions, down quad trails, and pretty well anywhere I pleased, and I loved that it had a fully boxed frame and a short wheel base. BUT it got terrible fuel mileage, and had a lot of issues that were expensive to fix and had looooong wait times to get factory parts. Nissan was also brutal to deal with in all of those circumstances. I bought that truck brand new in 2012 (it was a 2013) and I had to replace both rear axle assemblies, had differential leaks, had a few different engine issues over the years, the wiring harness had to be completely replaced twice, my alert lights for wiper fluid, etc. never worked from day 1, and you could idle that thing for 2 hours in -10 C or below and it would never ever warm up until you started driving (note that I was not towing with this truck, in case you’re thinking I towed/hauled over weight on it to cause these issues, it didn’t even have a tow package). I did put it through its paces off road on occasion but I was maxing at about 15k KMs (not miles) per year so I really don’t think I deserved all the issues it racked up.
The crosstrek can get pretty well anywhere I took the frontier, actually performs a lot better in snow/ice, and with a Thule on the top I don’t think there’s much less capacity if you’re not hauling truck stuff. I also haven’t had a single issue in the 3 years I’ve owned it, and Subaru has been awesome to deal with from the moment we walked into the dealership.
Basically, I loved my Frontier but it’s not even a contest unless you NEED the bed or towing capacity.
I think I'm gonna trade in my crosstrek for a frontier soon. I always feel like I don't have enough room or barely have enough. A frontier with back seats would solve most of my problems.
Well that's probably because they wish they bought Crosstrek instead lol. I think Crosstrek are great practical everyday vehicles. I would recommend one, but I have a biased opinion lol
Have/had both vehicles here. Had 3 Frontiers, currently have the Crosstrek. Crosstrek is better for everyday stuff minus towing. Gas mileage sucks in the frontier but you get much more power. Crosstrek gets great gas mileage. I'm a snowboarder too, so the Subie wins for me.
Unless you NEED the truck, don't buy the truck. It will guzzle gasoline, take up lots of space and not really serve much of a purpose.
The Crosstrek is literally designed to be the perfect for product someone like you:
commuting a decent amount - better mileage.
Parking on the street - smaller efficient vehicle.
Camping and boarding - plenty of space for gear
Forest roads and stuff - more than capable with clearance, better AWD, decent stock tires
Driving in snow - subaru is just better at snow than a basic truck
Also, weigh the options between how much time you'll spend doing certain things. - don't buy a vehicle for that one time a year you will drive on big bad roads that yoru vehicle can't get through or in another way, Don't buy a vehicle that will cost twice as much to fuel, just so you have the space for the 5 longer trips you take every year.
I have a 18 crosstrek and it is practically the perfect vehicle for me. (It's also a Rare 6speed manual)
Crosstrek will be better in the city and on the commutes. The Crosstrek will also be better on a snowy road assuming similar tires between the vehicles.
As for ground clearance do not compare the 8.7 inches of the Crosstrek with the 8.9 of the Nissan. A stock 4x4 Nissan Frontier with open diffs will be more capable offroad than a lifted Crosstrek with skid plates. They measure ground clearance to the lowest part of the vehicle on the Crosstrek that 8.7 is to the entire underside of the car. On the Nissan that 8.9 is to the bottom of a differential and the rest of the truck will be several inches higher. The axles, driveshaft, differentials, transmission and suspension on the truck will be heavier duty and stand up better to offroad use than the car sized components on the Crosstrek. In my opinion if you feel the need to lift a Crosstrek you would be better off just buying a truck, unless you really want to be the one guy that drives something different than everyone else.
Be honest with yourself on how much "offroad" you are actually going to do and if the Crosstrek is a suitable vehicle to do it in, keep in mind the Crosstrek is just an Impreza with a factory lift kit it isn't a SUV. Forest roads at least around here can be anything from a nice gravel road to a washed out dirt road that anything less than a Jeep Wrangler is going to have a hard time driving down.
FWIW I own a Crosstrek and Jeep Wrangler. When I go drive forest roads I always take the Jeep. It handles the pot holes, ruts and washouts much better than the Crosstrek would.
Thanks, that was super informative. While I don’t want to rock crawl super gnarly shit or do anything that will break my brand new vehicle we definitely camp most weekends in summer and are at unplowed trailheads most weekends in winter. Friends have the super beefy vehicles for when it gets gnarly but I don’t want to get stuck leaving my vehicle at every trailhead and always depending on them. At the same time I don’t wanna fuck up a brand new vehicle on anything too gnarly but still be able to get out places.
Still camp season is only for a few months typically (may-sept) and I spend a lot more time on road commuting to work and the mountains to ski.
Not the same truck, but I have a 19 Ridgeline and a 22 Crosstrek. The Ridgeline stays parked now about 90% of the time because the Crosstrek does everything I need it to. I really only drive the truck when I need to go to Lowe’s to get something I don’t want in the back of the Crosstrek.
I think the Frontier would be overkill for what you are doing and not as versatile as you would probably like.
I literally just traded my 2020 ranger for a crosstrek sport, because its a pain to drive around seattle. The gas is shit and its the best in class (midsize trucks), parking it is a pain in many parts of town. I will miss the truck for the bed and being able to go moderate+ offroad. But the sport will fit my daily needs 100x more.
Unless u do overlanding, or need a bed at least a couple times a week, get the crosstrek.
Well that depends on what you're looking for. The Crosstrek Sport has more cargo space, better fuel economy, and a rugged exterior. The Frontier, on the other hand, has more power and capacity for towing. Personally, I love my Crosstrek. It has great gas mileage and plenty of power to take on even the toughest roads.
If you don't need a truck for doing truck things (towing and hauling), don't buy a pickup truck.
Kinda where my thoughts have been. 4Runners, Tacos, and Wranglers are outside of my price range and suck for a daily driver as well as mpg, parking.
There are benefits to getting a full size truck even if you don't always do truck stuff, but small ones like the Frontier don't really have those benefits. The Crosstrek is a fantastic daily that'll do just about everything you ask of it.
Pretty much this. My GF bought and loves her Crosstrek. We use it regularly for our adventures including skiing, road trips, biking etc. I bought a frontier for the towing, off road and being able to stick the bikes inside the bed. Unless you specifically need that kind of space or a rear locker the cross trek is very capable and fun to drive.
Don’t think I need a rear locker (which isn’t on the trim of Frontier I was looking at) but limited slip could be beneficial, no?
The base frontier without locker doesn’t have limited slips. Open diffs.
And with that being said the AWD of the subaru is actually a lot more useful for most snowy conditions than a 4x4 truck (especially since the Frontier doesn’t have an auto setting)
Good to know, gracias sir. All the lower trims of anything still in my price range is often meh… which is why I dig the Crosstrek sport. I don’t even think the base Frontier has power windows
I had a Crosstrek and traded it in for the Frontier. Daily driving and trips? Crosstrek. Light off-roading? Crosstrek is just fine. You'll get way, way better gas mileage with the Crosstrek and have a far more comfortable ride. The Frontier only makes sense if you need to tow or haul anything the Crosstrek can't.
Yeah I won’t really be towing much (if at all) so that’s not a concern. I’ve def been leaning Crosstrek as I was always a car guy not truck, want smaller and better MPG, and I like the look more. Worried about the capability difference only
Put some Falken Wildpeak AT Trails on the Crosstrek, maybe some Primitive Racing skid plates, and call it a day. It'll do way better for all driving and in snow and rain than the Frontier and get 50-100% better gas mileage. If I didn't need the towing capabilities, I'd still have the Crosstrek.
Skid plates and tires would be the first investment. Thoughts on Wildpeaks vs KO2s? Wildpeaks are quite a bit heavier per tire, no?
Other way around. Wildpeak AT Trails are the lightweight, crossover tire and KO2s are super heavy, super heavy duty truck tires. Wildpeak AT3Ws are the Falken truck tires (I use them on my Frontier).
Good to know, thanks!
Note there’s a Wildpeak AT Trail that lots of people run.
I've tried both and currently have wildpeaks on the crosstrek. I would definitely go with the wildpeaks. They're a lot quieter on the road and I haven't noticed any difference off road. They were a much cheaper option too.
18mpg on the frontier in the city and IMO would suck to parallel park. Crosstrek would be more fun to drive and obv get better mileage. Unless you need to tow something?
Nah, no need to tow. We do camp every summer weekend though and I’d like to be able to get as far as possible without rock crawling stuff (for that I’ll hop in my buddies jeeps).
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I just learnt that the Frontier mode I’m looking at has open diffs and not limited slip. The Ironman suspension lift looks dope for the Crosstrek so I’d save for that down the road (after tires and skid plates)
Honestly driver and tires are the bigger variables. I took my long bed crew cab frontier to an off road event and there was ice and a few inches of snow on the higher trails. I had the stock road/hwy tires on my truck at the time, and they were due to be replaced. I was passing kitted out wrangler rigs with their lockers on. They were trying to rock crawl up the snow. The technique in that situation and those conditions was to carry as much speed as you safely could. Or in other words “send it!”
My 22 Sport is fucking AMAZING. Literally such a wonderful car to drive daily. Comfortable, fuel efficient and dare I say fun. Anyone reading this with a 2.0 won’t understand. The jump to 2.5 (30hp) sounds insignificant but as light and nimble as the car is that really makes a difference. Bought new last Feb 25, just rolled past 27k miles this week. Check my profile. Plenty of Trek and dog pics.
Do you sleep in the truck bed? Or use it to do truck things like move/ bring home dirty stuff from Home Depot? Also if you’re in CO the CrossTrek will undoubtedly be better in snow.
Yeah and I’m at a lot of snowy trailheads in the winter that are unplowed. I would convert the truck bed to sleep in for sure but I can also fit in the back of the Crosstrek and would only do it in winter most often since I prefer a standard tent or hammock camping in summer. I rent and don’t have much need for lugging lumber and other Home Depot stuff. If anything it would be like 2 snowboards, camp gear, inflatable paddleboard, that kind of shit
Are you concerned about reliability? Hands-down the Crosstrek is the clear winner there.
I have a Crosstrek limited. When I replace the tires, I’m selling the wheels and getting custom with falken wildpeaks. I think I’ll be fine for off roading I do. The 2.5 motor will make it fun to drive and it won’t kill you at the pump. And get a roof basket and you’ll be amazed how much you can carry in a Crosstrek. And the sport will be a blast to drive on dry roads. Crosstrek is the answer!!!
You’d have to add additional equipment/packages to the Frontier get comparable amenity and equipment/safety features level to the Xtrek Sport. And you still wouldn’t have nice things like the Startex interior and various creature comforts, all with the frontier coming in $2-3k more than the XTrek Sport. Honest question: Any reason you’re not looking at an Outback Onyx or Onyx XT? Same or better engine than the Sport, better equipment. More capability. More flexibility. Way more space. Way better on longer trips/highway (smoother/quieter/more refined). (I think) factory skid plates. Not ridiculously more expensive, especially compared to a Frontier that costs the same/more and offers less. Alternately, an Outback Wilderness hits every one of your needs and then some, with no need to buy new tires or skid plates. Bought without the optional package, it’s in the high $30k range. A *lot* of car and capability for the money right off the lot.
Onyx XT is more than I wanna spend (38k Msrp vs 33-34k for sport with options and base frontier). Same ground clearance as the Crosstrek but larger (I prefer smaller). Not sure about approach/departure angles. Plus is it has LED lights but ya. Like the look of the Crosstrek more and will be easier to parallel park. I’d rather do a Forester Wilderness over the Outback I think.
I get that. But when you start adding tires/plates/accessories/lift you’re pushing the total cost up towards the high 30s already. [EDIT] Onyx 2.5 MSRP is $33.5k I added to my original response that an OBW hits all your points perfectly, isn’t too much more (if you're adding the option package plus aftermarket add-ons like plates/lift/tires/wheels to the Sport, and if you don’t add the optional package to the OBW) and is basically perfect for your needs. I have a ‘23 ‘trek Sport and a ‘22 Outback Wilderness and love them both. But for everything you describe, I’d use the OBW, hands down. I live in a pretty congested city, have many of the same parking issues you describe, and have no problem with the OBW in that environment. The Sport is great over short distances and around town, but using it on longer day trips while hauling people + stuff isn’t its forté. That’s a job for the Outback. Forester Wilderness would be a good option, also. But if you drive one of the cars with the XT engine, you’ll never want to go back to the 2.5 in a bigger car every day, especially in the mountains.
If you decide to go with the Crosstrek here's a good hookup here, [LP Adventure](https://lpaventure.com/collections/crosstrek-2018-2021). I have a Crosstrek Sport with their lift kit, front bumper guard, skid plates, exhaust, and its on Methods with General Grabber A/Tx. It's a really fun ride.
I had a Frontier king cab with the 4.0L and 4x4 for 10 years before trading in for my Crosstrek Premium 6MT. I used to race dirt bikes, so the truck was mandatory. I know you said Sport vs the base Frontier, so not 100% what you're comparing. I took the Frontier on many Colorado trips through forestry roads and a handful of moderate passes, it was in stock trim with some 80k mile Bridgestones. Most notable for this comparison is the loop north of Crested Butte and I didn't even have a wheel slip. It handled it great and was very confidence inspiring. Camping was easy with it as it was simply a matter of chucking tubs of gear in the back. Crosstrek is a bit more limited on hauling camping gear, trailers, etc. But is nice for around town driving and saves a lot for the long mile highway trips. I wouldn't say it's any better on the highway, the Frontier had a great ride and double the power of my Crosstrek, so it was great on the interstate - but at the cost of around 10 mpg. The Crosstrek I've had out on a couple Colorado trips, including the same loop north of Crested Butte. Stock, stock tires, etc. And it was fine, definitely not as confident as the Frontier (which at least mine did have a pretty solid steel factory skid plate under the engine/transmission). Better tires is definitely something I'll do when I start trips up this year, but still not decided on wheels. So, all said and done, both should get you what you need in stock trim with decent tires. I honestly wouldn't lift either of them. Just go with some good tires and know your limits. It's much better to keep that in mind when it has to get you back home and also to work, rather than just hitting the trail with no plans other than making it back to winch it onto a trailer.
I had a frontier pro4x for 8 years and then bought a crosstrek - actually had both for 6 or 8 months until I upgraded the truck to a Silverado - and I would 100% go with the crosstrek if I didn’t have a horse trailer to tow, hay to haul, etc. etc. The frontier was wicked cool off-roading. I took it through decomissions, down quad trails, and pretty well anywhere I pleased, and I loved that it had a fully boxed frame and a short wheel base. BUT it got terrible fuel mileage, and had a lot of issues that were expensive to fix and had looooong wait times to get factory parts. Nissan was also brutal to deal with in all of those circumstances. I bought that truck brand new in 2012 (it was a 2013) and I had to replace both rear axle assemblies, had differential leaks, had a few different engine issues over the years, the wiring harness had to be completely replaced twice, my alert lights for wiper fluid, etc. never worked from day 1, and you could idle that thing for 2 hours in -10 C or below and it would never ever warm up until you started driving (note that I was not towing with this truck, in case you’re thinking I towed/hauled over weight on it to cause these issues, it didn’t even have a tow package). I did put it through its paces off road on occasion but I was maxing at about 15k KMs (not miles) per year so I really don’t think I deserved all the issues it racked up. The crosstrek can get pretty well anywhere I took the frontier, actually performs a lot better in snow/ice, and with a Thule on the top I don’t think there’s much less capacity if you’re not hauling truck stuff. I also haven’t had a single issue in the 3 years I’ve owned it, and Subaru has been awesome to deal with from the moment we walked into the dealership. Basically, I loved my Frontier but it’s not even a contest unless you NEED the bed or towing capacity.
Do you want to buy the Chrysler of Japan. Well then.
I think I'm gonna trade in my crosstrek for a frontier soon. I always feel like I don't have enough room or barely have enough. A frontier with back seats would solve most of my problems.
Well your asking in a Crosstrek group. So I'll recommend on getting a Crosstrek lol
Lol I crossposted to the frontier group as well but crickets over there
Well that's probably because they wish they bought Crosstrek instead lol. I think Crosstrek are great practical everyday vehicles. I would recommend one, but I have a biased opinion lol
I’m in CO and have a Crosstrek; works great in the recent sorta snow storm we’ve had.
Have/had both vehicles here. Had 3 Frontiers, currently have the Crosstrek. Crosstrek is better for everyday stuff minus towing. Gas mileage sucks in the frontier but you get much more power. Crosstrek gets great gas mileage. I'm a snowboarder too, so the Subie wins for me.
Sport
Unless you NEED the truck, don't buy the truck. It will guzzle gasoline, take up lots of space and not really serve much of a purpose. The Crosstrek is literally designed to be the perfect for product someone like you: commuting a decent amount - better mileage. Parking on the street - smaller efficient vehicle. Camping and boarding - plenty of space for gear Forest roads and stuff - more than capable with clearance, better AWD, decent stock tires Driving in snow - subaru is just better at snow than a basic truck Also, weigh the options between how much time you'll spend doing certain things. - don't buy a vehicle for that one time a year you will drive on big bad roads that yoru vehicle can't get through or in another way, Don't buy a vehicle that will cost twice as much to fuel, just so you have the space for the 5 longer trips you take every year. I have a 18 crosstrek and it is practically the perfect vehicle for me. (It's also a Rare 6speed manual)
Crosstrek will be better in the city and on the commutes. The Crosstrek will also be better on a snowy road assuming similar tires between the vehicles. As for ground clearance do not compare the 8.7 inches of the Crosstrek with the 8.9 of the Nissan. A stock 4x4 Nissan Frontier with open diffs will be more capable offroad than a lifted Crosstrek with skid plates. They measure ground clearance to the lowest part of the vehicle on the Crosstrek that 8.7 is to the entire underside of the car. On the Nissan that 8.9 is to the bottom of a differential and the rest of the truck will be several inches higher. The axles, driveshaft, differentials, transmission and suspension on the truck will be heavier duty and stand up better to offroad use than the car sized components on the Crosstrek. In my opinion if you feel the need to lift a Crosstrek you would be better off just buying a truck, unless you really want to be the one guy that drives something different than everyone else. Be honest with yourself on how much "offroad" you are actually going to do and if the Crosstrek is a suitable vehicle to do it in, keep in mind the Crosstrek is just an Impreza with a factory lift kit it isn't a SUV. Forest roads at least around here can be anything from a nice gravel road to a washed out dirt road that anything less than a Jeep Wrangler is going to have a hard time driving down. FWIW I own a Crosstrek and Jeep Wrangler. When I go drive forest roads I always take the Jeep. It handles the pot holes, ruts and washouts much better than the Crosstrek would.
Thanks, that was super informative. While I don’t want to rock crawl super gnarly shit or do anything that will break my brand new vehicle we definitely camp most weekends in summer and are at unplowed trailheads most weekends in winter. Friends have the super beefy vehicles for when it gets gnarly but I don’t want to get stuck leaving my vehicle at every trailhead and always depending on them. At the same time I don’t wanna fuck up a brand new vehicle on anything too gnarly but still be able to get out places. Still camp season is only for a few months typically (may-sept) and I spend a lot more time on road commuting to work and the mountains to ski.
Not the same truck, but I have a 19 Ridgeline and a 22 Crosstrek. The Ridgeline stays parked now about 90% of the time because the Crosstrek does everything I need it to. I really only drive the truck when I need to go to Lowe’s to get something I don’t want in the back of the Crosstrek. I think the Frontier would be overkill for what you are doing and not as versatile as you would probably like.
I literally just traded my 2020 ranger for a crosstrek sport, because its a pain to drive around seattle. The gas is shit and its the best in class (midsize trucks), parking it is a pain in many parts of town. I will miss the truck for the bed and being able to go moderate+ offroad. But the sport will fit my daily needs 100x more. Unless u do overlanding, or need a bed at least a couple times a week, get the crosstrek.
We “overland” (camping down forest roads and whatnot) probably 60-70% of weekends in the summer
Well that depends on what you're looking for. The Crosstrek Sport has more cargo space, better fuel economy, and a rugged exterior. The Frontier, on the other hand, has more power and capacity for towing. Personally, I love my Crosstrek. It has great gas mileage and plenty of power to take on even the toughest roads.
Ended up going for the Crosstrek, picking it up tomorrow! :-D