You’ve seen them everywhere. Those lifted hatchbacks with the plastic cladding, probably with a kayak strapped to the roof or a layer of dust from a weekend at a trailhead. The 2023 Subaru Crosstrek is a staple of the "outdoorsy" lifestyle, but there is a weird gap between what people expect when they climb inside and what the car actually delivers.
Honestly, if you're coming from a massive SUV, the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek interior might feel a bit tight at first glance. It is basically a raised Impreza, and it doesn't try to hide that heritage. But for a lot of us, that’s exactly why it works. It’s small enough to parallel park in a crowded city but rugged enough that you don't mind tracking a little mud onto the floor mats.
The Reality of the Cabin Layout
Step inside, and you aren't greeted by a futuristic spaceship cockpit. It’s functional. Some might even say a bit "old school" compared to the massive vertical tablets found in newer Subarus like the 2024 redesign or the Outback.
In the 2023 model, you still get physical knobs. Real, tactile dials for the volume and the climate control. For anyone who hates digging through three sub-menus just to turn down the AC, this is a massive win. The dashboard is straightforward, using a mix of soft-touch plastics and some harder surfaces that feel like they could survive a decade of abuse.
Is it actually "roomy"?
Subaru claims about 100.9 cubic feet of passenger volume. That sounds like a lot on a spec sheet, but let’s talk real-world. If you’re over 6 feet tall, the front seat is great. You’ve got 43.1 inches of legroom, which is more than some mid-size sedans.
The back seat is where things get interesting.
With 36.5 inches of rear legroom, two adults can sit back there comfortably for a two-hour drive to the mountains. Three adults? Only if they’re very close friends. The hump in the middle floor (thanks to the Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive hardware underneath) means the middle passenger is basically doing a yoga pose the whole trip.
One thing most owners mention is the visibility. Because of the upright glass and the thin pillars, the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek interior feels way more open than a Mazda CX-30 or a Toyota C-HR. You can actually see out of the back window. What a concept, right?
📖 Related: Finding the Perfect Imagen de Merry Christmas: Why Most People Choose the Wrong One
Trims, Fabrics, and the "Dog Hair" Factor
Subaru knows its audience. They know you probably have a dog, or at least a friend with a dog. This is reflected in the materials they chose across the different trim levels.
- Base & Premium: These come with standard cloth. It’s durable, but it’s a magnet for golden retriever glitter. If you go with the Premium, you get the heated front seats—an absolute necessity if you live anywhere north of the Mason-Dixon line.
- Sport Trim: This is the sweet spot for many. It features StarTex upholstery. It’s a synthetic, water-repellent material that feels a bit like a wetsuit. You can literally wipe mud or spilled coffee off it with a damp rag. It also features yellow contrast stitching that adds a much-needed pop of color to the otherwise gray and black cabin.
- Limited & Hybrid: Here is where you find the leather. It feels more "grown-up," and the Limited adds a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat. Just keep in mind that the Hybrid model sacrifices a significant amount of cargo space to fit the battery pack.
Technology: The Starlink Situation
The tech in the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek interior is a bit of a mixed bag.
Standard models come with a 6.5-inch touchscreen. It’s... fine. It has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which is what most people actually use anyway. However, if you can swing it, the 8-inch Multimedia Plus screen found in the Sport (as an option) and Limited (standard) is a huge upgrade. It’s faster, the resolution is crisper, and it just feels less like a budget tablet from 2015.
One quirk? The "triple screen" setup. You have the main touchscreen, a smaller color display on top of the dash for things like fuel economy or X-MODE status, and then the screen in the gauge cluster. It’s a lot of information in different places, but once you get used to where everything lives, it’s actually pretty helpful.
Cargo Space: The "Will it Fit?" Test
This is the part that usually surprises people—sometimes in a good way, sometimes bad.
With the rear seats up, you get 20.8 cubic feet of space. That’s enough for about four or five grocery bags and maybe a small cooler. It’s not huge. If you’re a parent with a full-size stroller, that trunk is going to feel very small, very fast.
But flip those 60/40-split seats down, and it opens up to 55.3 cubic feet.
Because the roofline is relatively flat, you can slide in a mountain bike (with the front wheel off) or a surprising amount of camping gear. The load floor is almost flat, too. If you're into car camping, you can sleep in the back of a Crosstrek, but you’ll need to be under 5'9" and sleep diagonally.
Small-Item Storage Woes
If there's one area where the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek interior fails, it's the "stuff" storage. The center console bin is tiny. The "cubby" in front of the shifter is barely big enough for a modern smartphone, especially if you have a bulky case. You’ll likely find yourself using the door pockets for things that usually go in the console.
Safety and the EyeSight System
You can't talk about a Subaru interior without mentioning the "eyes" looking out the windshield. The EyeSight Driver Assist Technology uses two cameras mounted near the rearview mirror.
While it provides great features like Adaptive Cruise Control and Pre-Collision Braking, the housing for these cameras is a bit bulky. It takes up some real estate at the top of the windshield. It’s rarely a dealbreaker, but it’s something you notice the first time you drive it.
Also, a quick tip: don't touch the camera lenses. They are incredibly sensitive, and cleaning them with a greasy thumb can lead to a very expensive trip to the dealership for recalibration.
Real-World Nuances
Owners often point out a few things that don't show up in the brochure. For instance, the cabin isn't the quietest in the world. At highway speeds, you're going to hear some wind noise around the side mirrors and a bit of "thrum" from the tires. It’s a trade-off for having that 8.7 inches of ground clearance.
Another thing? The climate control vents. The center ones are placed a bit low, so if you like the AC blowing directly on your face, you might find yourself adjusting them constantly.
Is it worth it?
The 2023 Subaru Crosstrek interior isn't for everyone. If you want luxury, look at a Mazda. If you want massive screens, look at a Tesla. But if you want a cabin that feels like it was designed to be used—to be lived in, to get a little dirty, and to hold up for 200,000 miles—it’s hard to beat.
It’s a "no-nonsense" space. It’s comfortable enough for a cross-country road trip and practical enough for a run to the hardware store. Just make sure you get the Sport trim if you have kids or pets; that StarTex fabric is a lifesaver.
Actionable Next Steps
If you're currently shopping for a used 2023 model, here’s how to vet the interior during a test drive:
- Check the Starlink Screen: Some 2023 units have had "ghost touching" issues where the screen acts like it's being pressed. Cycle through the menus to ensure it’s responsive.
- Test the Seat Bolsters: On the cloth seats, the outer bolster on the driver's side can get crushed over time from people sliding in and out. Check for foam degradation.
- Listen for the "Subaru Rattle": Subarus are notorious for small dash rattles. Drive over a bumpy road with the radio off to see if the plastic trim around the upper display is tight.
- Verify the EyeSight: Ensure no "EyeSight Disabled" warnings pop up on the dash, which could indicate a misaligned camera or a windshield replacement that wasn't calibrated correctly.