Rival of Xforce set to debut in Vietnam with powerful engine but not at a cheap price

The official Subaru Asia Fanpage recently posted a picture of an SUV wheel with the caption "coming soon." Experts believe that this detail belongs to the Subaru Crosstrek, a B-SUV model that was previously hinted by advisers to be released in 2023.

Dealerships have started preparing to welcome customers to make reservations for this model. Sales advisors have shared that the Subaru Crosstrek may be launched in Vietnam in October. The expected price of the car is around 1.1 billion VND as it will be imported fully assembled from Japan.

On the other hand, in 2023, sales advisors previously disclosed that the Crosstrek will be imported from Thailand with an expected price range of 700-800 million VND. This change is due to Subaru Corporation's decision to close its assembly plant in the Land of the Golden Temple at the end of this year.

Although positioned in the B-SUV segment, the actual dimensions of the Subaru Crosstrek are slightly larger than the Toyota Corolla Cross, with lengths, widths, and heights of 4,480mm, 1,800mm, and 1,580mm respectively (Photo: Subaru).

In fact, the Subaru Crosstrek was previously distributed in Vietnam under the name XV. The car was also fully imported from Japan and had a selling price of up to 1.5 billion VND, equivalent to some luxury models, making it difficult to attract Vietnamese customers.

If this "lesson" is applied to the Crosstrek, this model may also face challenges in competing even though it is in the B-SUV segment, a group of cars receiving a lot of attention from Vietnamese customers.

The expected price of 1.1 billion VND, although lower than the XV selling price, is still higher than some C-SUV models like the Mazda CX-5 (749-979 million VND) or Hyundai Tucson (769-919 million VND), and even equivalent to the standard version of a D-SUV model like the Ford Everest (from 1,109 billion VND).

The Subaru Crosstrek has a wheelbase of up to 2,670mm, larger than other competitors in the same segment such as the Hyundai Creta or the Honda HR-V (both 2,610mm) (Photo: Subaru).

The configuration of the Subaru Crosstrek for Vietnam is still a mystery. Referring to the international market, the car's strong point is the 2.0L naturally aspirated engine, combined with a continuously variable automatic transmission and all-wheel drive system, producing 154 horsepower and 196Nm of torque.

Meanwhile, competitors of the Crosstrek such as the Mitsubishi Xforce or Hyundai Creta only use a 1.5L naturally aspirated engine with power ranging from 103-115 horsepower.

Some models equipped with a 1.5L turbocharged engine like the Honda HR-V or Lynk & Co 06 have more impressive specifications than the Crosstrek (over 170 horsepower). However, the Japanese car has the advantage of an all-wheel drive system, promising good off-road capabilities; while competitors use front-wheel drive systems.

The interior of the Subaru Crosstrek is quite similar to the Outback model. The central entertainment screen is up to 11.6 inches, but the instrument cluster behind the steering wheel is not fully digital (Photo: Subaru).

Looking at the products currently being marketed by Subaru Vietnam, it can be expected that the Crosstrek when it arrives in the country will also be equipped with the EyeSight technology package with many attractive safety features.

Active safety systems are becoming a mandatory feature in the B-SUV segment, as most models have driver assistance features. For example, the Creta has Hyundai SmartSense, the HR-V has Honda Sensing, the Yaris Cross has Toyota Safety Sense, and the Xforce has Mitsubishi Motors Safety Sensing.