The new system is compact and more efficient, but there’s no word on whether the powertrain will come to Canada
- Subaru has a new-generation hybrid system that goes on sale in Japan in December
- The system uses a new compact engine with improved thermal efficiency
- But there’s no word on when, or if, the powertrain will be coming to North America
The series-parallel hybrid system uses either the gasoline engine or the hybrid system’s electric motor to power the wheels, depending on driving conditions. The new engine, developed for the hybrid system, includes high thermal efficiency for reduced fuel consumption; and an integrated power control unit on top of it manages the electric power from the battery, which is located under the cargo floor. On previous hybrid systems, the control unit was close to the fuel tank, and moving it to the engine bay allowed for a 63-litre fuel tank.
The new hybrid system also includes Subaru’s signature all-wheel-drive (AWD), with a mechanical coupling rather than a rear electric motor as many hybrids use. The new transaxle, also developed specifically for the hybrid system, contains an 88-kW traction motor, motor-generator, front differential gear, and electronically-controlled coupling.
Subaru said the new system is about 20% more fuel-efficient than the hybrid system it uses on its current vehicles in Japan. The new engine is rated at 158 horsepower and 154 lb-ft of torque. The hybrid traction motor is capable of 118 horsepower and 199 lb-ft of torque, and Subaru said it “can serve as the vehicle’s main source of power in a wide range of situations, with the engine covering areas where the motor is not well-suited.”
The new Crosstrek hybrid goes on sale in Japan in December 2025. There’s no word on if or when the new hybrid system will be coming to Subaru vehicles in North America, and the 2025 lineup already announced is all gasoline-only.
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