2024 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness Yearlong Review: Making Do With Small Trunk Space
The subcompact Crosstrek doesn’t offer much cargo volume. A few simple exterior storage options can help address that.
If you’ve followed along for the past year, you’ll know we’ve found a lot to love about our 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness. It’s a comfortable daily driver and road tripper. It has real off-road chops. It’s been virtually problem-free for 12 months (short of a floormat with some minor damage), and we’ve genuinely struggled to find anything to complain about. But there is one thing we don’t love: It’s just not very big.
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This is, to be clear, not the Crosstrek’s fault. It’s a subcompact SUV, and they’re all going to make you compromise on space. If you’re a single person or a couple with no kids, it’s rarely going to be an issue. But what if you find yourself faced with a new reality and a vehicle suitable for two is no longer sufficient?
On our recent camping trip to Colorado, the Crosstrek readily swallowed everything two people would need for two weeks on the road. But thinking about carrying all that plus what a third would need had me reconsidering how I felt about the Crosstrek’s overall versatility. If you unexpectedly need to find space for a car seat and diaper bags and toys and books and everything else a child might need, “just get a bigger vehicle” might not be an option. This is when I started seriously thinking about roof racks.
Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness Roof Rack Installation and Capacity
Every 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness comes with roof rails from the factory (as does every trim level except the base model), but to load anything up there (a cargo carrier or basket, a bike, a kayak), you’ll also need to install crossbars. Subaru offers a set of Thule crossbars for $649.95 when building your Crosstrek, but if money is tight, you should be able to find a suitable set for less (including what appear to be identical crossbars bought straight from Thule). Installation is a simple process. Thule’s crossbars, for example, install via a straightforward 12-step process. If you can build an Ikea nightstand or follow a banana bread recipe, you should be able to install these.
Many roof racks from Thule or others will have a weight limit exceeding 200 pounds, but the Crosstrek itself has a max dynamic carrying capacity (i.e., how much you can carry while in motion) of 176 pounds, including the weight of the crossbars themselves. While stationary and on level ground, the factory-installed rails are rated for up to 700 pounds (so no need to worry about that 176-pound limit if you’re sleeping in a rooftop tent). It’s also worth noting the Crosstrek’s gross vehicle weight rating; the door jamb sticker on our Crosstrek Wilderness notes a maximum weight for occupants and all cargo of 900 pounds.
With the crossbars installed, your next step is figuring out how to actually stow anything up there. Again, Subaru provides options straight from the dealer, including two covered Thule cargo carriers (a 13-cubic-foot carrier for $649.95 and a 17-cubic-foot option for $799.95) and an uncovered cargo basket ($579.90). As with the crossbars, you can find numerous cheaper options elsewhere if you are so inclined. The cargo carriers themselves weigh 20–30 pounds, give or take, depending on exactly what you choose.
Because the Crosstrek is relatively small—about the same height as the average American adult woman and 6 inches shorter than the average American man—installing crossbars and loading a cargo carrier should be within reasonable physical ability for most people, but we advise working with a second helper, especially if your Crosstrek has the optional moonroof, as ours does. Shattering that glass while installing the crossbars would ensure your vacation gets off to a poor start.
If 17 cubic feet doesn’t sound like much, well, it isn’t. But it’s only 3 cubic feet short of the Crosstrek’s cargo volume with the seats up (and in this scenario, you’ll need at least one seat up for that third person). The combined volume of the rear cargo area plus a rooftop cargo carrier surpasses the rear cargo volume of the larger Subaru Outback or Forester, and the $1,450 or so Subaru will charge for crossbars and a carrier is a fair bit less than upgrading to a bigger SUV. You will, however, pay for the added storage with increased aerodynamic drag and decreased fuel economy.
Other Cargo-Extending Options for Your 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness
If an extra 17 or so cubic feet or 176 pounds isn’t sufficient, you can also take advantage of the Crosstrek Wilderness’ dealer-installed trailer hitch (a $689 option our Crosstrek did not have but which U-Haul will install for $450) to further extend your carrying capacity.
Subaru doesn’t offer a hitch-mounted cargo carrier directly (it does offer several hitch-mounted bike carriers), but there is no shortage of aftermarket solutions. The hitch has a tongue weight limit of 350 pounds (150 on other Crosstreks), so any non-trailer hitch option will need to remain under that limit.
If that’s still not enough, the Crosstrek Wilderness has a 3,500-pound towing capacity. In theory (we have not towed with a Crosstrek Wilderness to vouch for its capability), that’s enough to pull a small trailer or even some campers, though if you’re springing for the latter for extended cargo capacity, it might be time to give that Outback or Forester another look.
For More on Our Long-Term 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness
- Ready for Adventure?
- An Unplanned Road Trip and Surprise Snow Present Learning Opportunities
- On-Road Compromises?
- Interior Pros and Cons
- Over-the-Air Updates Add a Feature We Won’t Use
- Contemplating the Meaning of Wilderness
- Testing the Upper Limits on Mountain Trails
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