I test-drove eleven cars before I bought my Crosstrek. Eleven. I sat in so many driver's seats that the salespeople at three different dealerships stopped offering me water and just let me do my thing.
Here's why: I'm 5'3", and car interiors are not designed for me. They're designed for someone taller, someone with longer arms and a longer torso and legs that can comfortably reach pedals positioned for the average American male. I'm not bitter about it. Okay, I'm a little bitter about it. But mostly I'm practical. I know what I need, and I'm not going to compromise on it.
After six months and 7,000 miles in my 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Premium, here's my honest review — the one that has nothing to do with horsepower or torque and everything to do with what it's actually like to live with this car when you're built like me.
Visibility: Finally, a Car That Lets Me See
Let's start with the thing that matters most to shorter drivers: can I actually see out of this car?
The answer is yes. Enthusiastically yes. The Crosstrek has the best visibility of any vehicle I tested, and I tested a lot of them.
The windows are tall. Not just the windshield — all of them. The side windows, the rear windows, the rear windshield. Subaru clearly designed this thing with actual sightlines in mind, and as someone who's spent years craning her neck to see around massive A-pillars and tiny rear windows, this feels like a revelation.
The A-pillars — those are the posts between your windshield and front doors — are positioned in a way that doesn't create massive blind spots when you're making turns. I test-drove a Toyota RAV4 and genuinely felt like I lost an entire pedestrian behind the driver's side A-pillar at a crosswalk. The Crosstrek doesn't have that problem. I can see the corners of the car. I can see curbs when I'm parking. I can see the front of the hood, which in some SUVs feels like it extends into another zip code.
The rear window is large and upright — no dramatic sloping roofline that sacrifices visibility for style. The rear pillars aren't oversized. The side mirrors are actually useful and positioned where I can see them without turning my entire head. When I'm backing out of a parking space, I don't feel like I'm guessing what's behind me. I can actually see.
For a 5'3" driver who's spent years sitting on cushions and adjusting seats to their absolute highest setting just to feel like I'm not driving from inside a bathtub, this visibility is genuinely life-changing.
Seat Comfort: I Can Adjust It Enough (That's Saying Something)
Most car seats are designed for someone with a longer thigh than mine. This means that in a lot of cars, the seat cushion extends too far forward, digging into the back of my knees and forcing me to sit further back than I want. Either that, or I have to scoot so close to the steering wheel that I'm practically hugging it, which is uncomfortable and also dangerous — that's exactly where the airbag lives.
The Crosstrek's driver's seat has enough adjustability that I can find a position that actually works.
The seat height adjustment has good range. I don't have to max it out — there's still room to go higher — but I can raise it enough to see over the hood comfortably without my head brushing the ceiling. The seat cushion angle is adjustable too, which is the thing nobody tells you to look for but makes all the difference. I can tilt the front of the cushion up slightly to support my thighs without cutting off circulation behind my knees. This is the kind of detail that sounds boring but determines whether you're comfortable after hour one of a road trip.
The lumbar support is decent — not amazing, but decent. On longer drives, I sometimes add a small cushion behind my lower back, but I'm picky about that and most seats don't work for me without some modification.
The seat fabric is Subaru's StarTex, which is a synthetic material that's supposed to be water-resistant and easy to clean. I've spilled coffee on it twice, and both times it wiped right off. If you're a shorter driver who has to slide in and out of the seat in a very specific way — and you know what I mean if you're built like me — the seat bolsters on the sides are supportive without being so aggressive that you have to climb over them.
The one thing I'll note: if you're under 5'0", I'd definitely test this carefully. I have about two inches of adjustment room left at my height, and someone shorter might find themselves closer to the maximum settings than is ideal. But for me at 5'3", it's perfect.
Infotainment Screen: I Can Reach It (This Is Not Guaranteed)
Here's something tall reviewers never mention: in a lot of modern cars, the infotainment screen is positioned for someone with longer arms. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are great, but they're less great when you have to lean forward out of your driving position every time you want to tap something.
The Crosstrek's 11.6-inch touchscreen is mounted in portrait orientation in the center of the dash. It's big. It's vertical. And crucially, it's positioned close enough to the driver that I can reach the entire screen without leaning forward.
This matters more than you'd think. When I'm using navigation, I can tap the screen with my fingertip while my shoulder stays against the seat back. When I need to change the climate controls — which are integrated into the screen, a choice I have feelings about — I can do it without stretching. The most commonly used functions are within easy reach, and the screen's responsiveness means I don't have to tap things multiple times, which is good because reaching repeatedly gets old fast.
The steering wheel controls help a lot too. Volume, track skip, voice commands — I can do most of what I need without touching the screen at all. For a shorter driver, good steering wheel controls aren't just a convenience. They're an accessibility feature.
One complaint: the screen is glossy, and in certain lighting conditions — direct afternoon sun, mostly — there's glare that makes it hard to see. I've learned to tilt my head slightly to the side when that happens, which is annoying but not a dealbreaker.
What Surprised Me (Good and Bad)
The ride height surprised me in a good way. The Crosstrek sits higher than a regular hatchback but lower than a full SUV. For me at 5'3", this is the sweet spot. I can get in and out without climbing or stooping. The seat is at hip height, so I slide in naturally rather than dropping down or pulling myself up. After years of sedans where I felt like I was falling into the driver's seat, this feels dignified.
The steering wheel adjustment could be better. It tilts and telescopes, which is good, but the telescoping range is a little short for my preference. I'd like to bring the wheel a bit closer to me without moving the seat forward. As it is, I've found a position that works, but I'm aware that my arms are slightly more extended than ideal. If you have shorter arms relative to your height, pay attention to this during your test drive.
The rear seat is fine for passengers but would be tight for a rear-facing car seat. I don't have kids, so this isn't my problem, but I've had friends in the back who are perfectly comfortable for short trips. Anyone over six feet will want to call shotgun.
The cargo area is perfect for my lifestyle. The liftgate opens high enough that I don't hit my head on it — which has happened with other hatchbacks — and the load floor is at a comfortable height for sliding things in and out. The rear seats fold almost flat, and I've successfully transported a small dresser, multiple Costco hauls, and a very muddy dog back there. The low load floor means I'm not lifting heavy items over a high trunk lip, which my back appreciates.
Who This Car Is For
The Crosstrek is for the woman who wants SUV ground clearance and cargo space without the bulk and blind spots of a full-size SUV. It's for the shorter driver who's tired of sitting on cushions and craning her neck and leaning forward to reach screens. It's for the person who values visibility and ease of entry over horsepower numbers and aggressive styling.
It's not for someone who wants a powerful engine — the 2.0-liter in my Premium trim is adequate but not exciting. It's not for someone who regularly carries tall adults in the back seat. It's not for someone who needs a luxury interior with soft-touch everything.
For me, at 5'3", after six months and 7,000 miles, it's the best-fitting car I've ever owned. I can see out of it. I can reach everything. I can get in and out without looking awkward. Those things matter. Those things determine whether you love your car or just tolerate it.
My Question for You
I wrote this review because I want to read ones like it. So tell me:
What car fit you perfectly — or terribly — based purely on your height?
Maybe you're 5'0" and found a car where everything magically works. Maybe you're 5'10" and every sedan makes you feel like you're folding yourself into origami. Maybe you test-drove something and immediately noped out because the seat wouldn't go high enough or low enough or the steering wheel was in the wrong place.
Tell me the make and model. Tell me how tall you are. Tell me what worked and what didn't. These are the reviews I actually want to read — the ones that start with a body and a car and the space between them.
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