2021 Subaru Crosstrek vs 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Velar

The 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Velar was a stylish addition to the Range Rover lineup, positioned between the compact Evoque and the larger Range Rover. Its design featured a low roof and steeply-raked windshield, giving it a unique profile compared to the traditional upright Range Rover. The Velar maintained an intimidating presence with its broad front end and short overhangs, which also improved its off-road capabilities. The SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition added sportier elements like larger air intakes and quad exhaust tips, enhancing its aggressive look. Inside, the Velar offered a luxurious experience with high-quality leather and metal trim, creating a cockpit-like feel that was more suited to urban environments.

The 2021 Subaru Crosstrek took a different approach, transforming the Impreza hatchback into a crossover with rugged looks and standard all-wheel drive. It featured black body cladding, model-specific wheels, and a taller ride height, providing 8.7 inches of ground clearance. The Crosstrek's design changes gave it a more SUV-like appearance and character, with vibrant color options like Plasma Yellow Pearl. While the interior remained functional and somewhat plain, the Crosstrek Sport trim added unique accents and water-repellant upholstery. Despite its compact size, the Crosstrek offered a comfortable ride and good visibility, making it a practical choice for both urban and outdoor adventures.

The 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Velar introduced a significant performance upgrade with the SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition, featuring a 5.0-liter supercharged V8 engine producing 550 horsepower and 502 pound-feet of torque. This engine, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard four-wheel drive, allowed the Velar to accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds, with a top speed of 177 mph. Despite its impressive power, the Velar's performance was not class-leading, as competitors like the BMW X3 M Competition and Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 S were quicker. The Velar's aluminum platform provided a solid and refined driving experience, but its size made it less agile on tight roads. The rest of the Velar's powertrain lineup included a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four and a 3.0-liter supercharged V6, both offering respectable performance.

In contrast, the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek offered a new 2.5-liter boxer-four engine for the Sport and Limited trims, delivering 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque. The base and Premium trims continued with a 2.0-liter boxer-four engine, producing 152 hp and 145 lb-ft of torque. The Crosstrek's boxer engine design provided a lower center of gravity, enhancing handling, although the raised ride height negated some benefits. A six-speed manual transmission was standard on lower trims, while a CVT was available and standard on higher trims. The Crosstrek's all-wheel-drive system included torque vectoring and X-Mode for improved traction on loose surfaces. While not a performance powerhouse, the Crosstrek offered predictable handling and a comfortable ride, making it suitable for everyday driving.

The 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Velar occupied a unique position in terms of size, being larger than small luxury SUVs but smaller than midsize counterparts. Despite its size, the Velar's interior space was not as generous as some competitors, with limited headroom and a somewhat cramped cockpit-like front seating area. Cargo space was competitive, with 15.7 cubic feet with the rear seats in place and 48.9 cubic feet with them folded. The Velar's avant-garde styling contributed to a claustrophobic feeling inside, and visibility was hindered by the tall hood and limited side glass. Towing capacity was respectable, with the SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition and V6 models rated at 5,511 pounds.

The 2021 Subaru Crosstrek offered similar front and rear legroom to the Impreza hatchback, with slightly more rear headroom. Cargo space was competitive for its class, with 20.8 cubic feet with the rear seats in place and 55.3 cubic feet with them folded. While the Crosstrek offered more cargo space than some rivals, it lagged behind others like the Honda HR-V and Kia Seltos. The Crosstrek's interior featured practical storage solutions, including a cubby hole with USB and auxiliary ports, although rear-seat passengers had limited access to USB ports. The driving position was higher than the Impreza's, providing good outward visibility, but it didn't offer the commanding view of traditional SUVs.

The 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Velar featured the InControl Touch Pro Duo infotainment system, with dual 10.0-inch touchscreens, a WiFi hotspot, Bluetooth, SiriusXM satellite radio, and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility. The upper screen handled smartphone, navigation, and media functions, while the lower screen managed vehicle settings and climate control. While the system boasted high-quality graphics, it suffered from slow response times. Additional tech included a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a head-up display, and capacitive steering-wheel controls, although these reflected sunlight easily.

The 2021 Subaru Crosstrek used the Starlink infotainment system, with a standard 6.5-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility, and Bluetooth. Higher trims offered a Multimedia Plus setup with WiFi, SiriusXM, and an optional 8-inch touchscreen with navigation. The Crosstrek's infotainment system was user-friendly, with large analog knobs and buttons for essential functions. Subaru's unique second screen displayed additional information, although it seemed redundant. The Crosstrek's tech package included EyeSight driver-assistance features, controlled by chunky steering wheel buttons for ease of use.

The 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Velar lacked safety ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA, as low-volume luxury vehicles were not prioritized for crash testing. Standard safety features included automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, and front and rear parking aids. Adaptive cruise control and blind-spot monitoring were available as part of an option package. However, Land Rover's driver-assist offerings were less sophisticated than competitors, with only lane-keep assist available.

The 2021 Subaru Crosstrek received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA, with five stars in side crash tests and four stars in frontal and rollover tests. The 2020 model, virtually identical to the 2021 version, earned the IIHS "Top Safety Pick" award. Subaru's EyeSight system offered standard adaptive cruise control with lane centering, automatic emergency braking, and lane-departure warning on CVT-equipped models. Additional features like automatic high beams, reverse automatic braking, and blind-spot monitoring were available on higher trims. While EyeSight's cameras had limitations, they were better protected than grille-mounted systems.