Subaru is in an enviable position among carmakers. Virtually all of them aspire to impress young, hip Gen Y and Z buyers who partake of an “active lifestyle”; Subaru actually does it. And this is the model aimed squarely at that demographic. Their parents buy the Outback; their grandparents buy the Forester; but the kids love the Crosstrek (or, if they’re not outdoorsy, the Impreza).

These particular “kids” are DINKS—double incomes, no kids (of their own, yet), with mountain bikes, skis, surfboards, backpacks and dogs. Must have a dog, preferably a rescue dog. They’re likely not business-school grads, but they have good jobs and enough disposable income and time to enjoy themselves. Monday through Friday, the Crosstrek gets them to the shop, the brewery, the hospital; on the weekends, it hauls them and their toys—and the dog—to the beach or the mountains, or to a secluded stream where trout are rising to mayflies. Enjoy it while you can, I say, for adulthood will quickly crash the party.

For this lifestyle, the 5-door Crosstrek Sport is admirably suited. Bigger than a hatchback but smaller and more wagon-like than most SUVs, this new third-generation Crosstrek is plenty roomy for two in front and a large pile of gear (and the dog) in the back, and the available raised roof rails can support another 165 pounds of kit while underway.

For 2024, the Crosstrek’s 2.5-litre, 182-horsepower Four, an option in Sport and higher trim levels, has been bumped up to 178 pound-feet of torque, yet still achieves highway mileage in the low 30s. (The base Crosstrek motor is a 152HP 2.0-litre Four.) Subaru also says it’s been able to make the chassis 10% stiffer and smooth out the continuously variable automatic transmission, which in Sport trim has eight manually selectable “gears.” The Crosstrek borrows the sporting WRX’s dual-pinion electronic power-steering rack, for better responsiveness. In addition, the front seats have been upgraded and the cabin has been better insulated against road noise.

Without a 2023 car to compare to, it’s difficult to assess these improvements, but suffice it to say that the new Crosstrek Sport is reasonably comfortable and quiet, but any sportiness comes into play off-road, not on. The suspension, with 8.7 inches of ground clearance, soaks up ruts and potholes well, and the standard all-wheel drive with torque vectoring and hill-start and hill-descent control offers good two-track, if not outright rock-crawling,capability. Last year’s manual gearbox is no longer available, a development that at least one Gen Y-er (my son) will mourn.

When our DINK couple becomes a young double-income family, with their own offspring, the Crosstrek becomes the second car and a Subaru Ascent moves into the garage. Meanwhile, there are five trim levels of Crosstrek to choose from: Base ($26,540), Premium ($27,440), Sport ($30,290), Limited ($32,190) and Wilderness ($33,290). The options that brought our sample Sport up to $32,210 were a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, a power moonroof and blind-spot and rear cross-traffic monitors. Subaru vehicles don’t win prizes for swoopy sheet metal or elegant interiors, but they are practical-minded owners’ picks for value and all-weather aptitude.

Next week: Toyota Tundra Limited Crewmax 5.5