Car Detailing for Subaru Crosstrek

Detailing your Subaru Crosstrek

The Crosstrek is a lifted Impreza for people who hike, bike and bring the dog, and the two things it needs most are hair removal in the back and restoration of the black cladding that wraps the whole lower body and goes grey in a couple of winters. The orange-stitched seats on base trims get a colour-safe cleaner. Up top the roof rails hide sap. A sealant on the paint and a restorer on the plastic make the car look new in an afternoon.

What we watch for on a Crosstrek

• The black cladding around the arches and bumpers is extensive and fades; a trim restorer is almost always part of the job
• Orange-stitched cloth needs a colour-safe fabric cleaner
• Dog hair in the cargo area and rear seats comes out with a rubber brush before extraction
• Roof rails collect sap and grime underneath and are cleaned from above
• Plug-in hybrid versions have a charge port whose door seal needs wiping clean of salt

Compact SUVs: cargo areas that do everything

Compact crossovers are family cars, gear haulers and dog taxis in one. The cargo floor, the rear seatbacks and the door sills collect the most dirt, while taller bodies catch more road spray along the sides.