Subaru Crosstrek
Just as the Mazda CX-30 shares pieces of its guts and body panels with the Mazda3, the Subaru Crosstrek does the same the Impreza. Which is no bad thing - the Impreza offers a ton of interior space (especially in the back seat) and is a great drive to boot.
The Crosstrek adds a taller ride height and more exterior body cladding to that formula as well as an rough n’ tumble Wilderness version with even more off-road goodies like specialized tires and suspension tuning.
Power comes from two engine choices, both naturally aspirated flat-4 cylinders: a 2.0L unit good for 152 hp and 145 lb-ft, and a 2.5L unit good for 182 hp and 178 lb-ft.
See: 2024 Subaru Crosstrek First Drive: (Extra)-Urban Legend
See: Car Specs Subaru Crosstrek 2024 Wilderness
Toyota Corolla Cross
Not much is known about the 2025 Corolla Cross past the fact that Toyota is planning on revealing an all-new version soon. Expect it to get a hybrid powertrain (perhaps as standard) and provide more interior space than pretty much all of the competition, just as it did previously.
Given our experience with the Toyota Corolla Cross up to now, we feel it earned a spot here. Just because.
See: 2024 Toyota Corolla Cross Review: The ABCs of Automotive Design
See: Car Specs Toyota Corolla Cross 2024 LE