For 2021 the Subaru Crosstrek Sport was added to the lineup with more power, a more off-roady flair and more tools to driving in the rough.

All Subaru Crosstreks received a number of updates for 2021 including a redesigned front fascia and a few feature tweaks but the big news is the addition of the new Sport trim grade.

Slotted just below the Limited, the Crosstrek Sport starts with unique exterior trims and visual enhancements such as unique fender flares and dark metallic accented wheels, mirrors and grille.

Inside is where the Sport really shines with a unique water repellant seat fabric and lots of yellow accents throughout.

A new 2.5-liter “Boxer” four-cylinder engine powers the Crosstrek Sport and the top Limited trim grade now with 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque. The boost in power is a welcome one over the standard 2.0-liter engine.

Mated to the Lineartronic CVT, power is delivered to all four wheels through Subaru’s “Symmetrical All-Wheel-Drive”. In the Sport there is an enhanced X-Mode with some additional settings for traction challenged situations.

In our testing we found that the new X-Mode did well in our light off-road rock crawling, though we didn’t try sand and snow.

Around town the Crosstrek impresses with its light steering and quiet refined ride. It was off the pavement that everything looses its luster.

The Crosstrek’s chassis just isn’t up to the rigor of washboard roads and unpaved trails when it comes to delivering the same level of solid refinement you get on the road. Vibrations and rattling were in the suspension over rocks and ruts surprised us from a vehicle that trades so heavily on its off-road character.

In the end, most Crosstrek owners will likely buy it for its looks and rarely discover this deficiency.

Our Crosstrek Sport tester was priced at $29,145