Surf's up! Subaru Australia teams up with Rip Curl to create summer-ready Crosstrek special edition

New Australia-only special edition Crosstrek combines Subaru's legendary all-wheel-drive capability with surf-ready practicality in a new partnership with iconic surf brand Rip Curl

Subaru is teaming up with iconic surf brand Rip Curl to create an Australia-only Crosstrek AWD Rip Curl Special Edition, bringing together Subaru's adventure-ready capability with the gear needed for a day chasing waves.

The new special edition, based on the Crosstrek AWD 2.0L, adds a range of surf-focused equipment, including Thule cross bars and surf pads, Subaru x Rip Curl seat protectors and cargo tray, rubber floor mats and weather shields.

The Crosstrek AWD Rip Curl Special Edition arrives at participating Subaru Retailers from November 2026, just in time for summer.

The collaboration brings together two brands with longstanding Australian roots and a shared connection to life outdoors. Rip Curl was founded on Victoria’s Surf Coast and has grown into one of the world’s leading surf brands, while Subaru has built its over 50 years’ reputation around vehicles that give Australians the confidence to explore beyond the bitumen.

For surfers, the result is a Crosstrek equipped for the realities of a day at the beach, with dedicated equipment to carry boards, protect the cabin and make it easier to pack everything needed for a surf trip, backed by Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive and X-Mode capability.

Inchcape Australasia Managing Director Blair Read said the partnership brings together two brands that understand the Australian appetite for getting outdoors and enjoying an active lifestyle.

"Rip Curl started on Victoria’s Surf Coast and has become a world-leading surf brand, while Subaru has been helping Australians get out and explore for over five decades. There's a natural fit between the two brands," said Mr Read.

"Crosstrek is already designed to take you beyond the beaten path, and this special edition gives it a very distinct personality."

The Crosstrek AWD Rip Curl Special Edition has already been put to the test, with Rip Curl team riders Paul Moffatt and Willow Hardy taking the wheel for a surf trip from Sydney to Phillip Island.

The journey combined highway driving, coastal roads and dirt tracks, putting Crosstrek's Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive and X-Mode capability to work along the way.

"We scored great surf along the way," said Moffatt. "The car is comfy on the highway and versatile down the dirt tracks and it got us everywhere we needed to go."

Based on the Crosstrek AWD 2.0L, the Special Edition adds:

• Subaru x Rip Curl seat protectors for the driver and front passenger

• Rip Curl bonnet decal

• Rip Curl exterior badge

• Rip Curl interior badge

• Subaru x Rip Curl cargo tray

• Thule cross bars

• Thule surf pads

• Rubber floor mats

• Front grille

• Front nose garnish

• Front mud flaps

• Resin cargo step panel

• Weather shields

The Crosstrek AWD Rip Curl Special Edition is the latest expression of Subaru’s adventure-ready approach, bringing together the capability of Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive and X-Mode with equipment designed around the practical demands of a surf trip.

The partnership will extend beyond the vehicle, with Subaru and Rip Curl rolling out content across both brands’ media channels, alongside a partnership with iconic Australian surf publication Tracks from October 2026 through to April 2027.

Eligible entrants will also have the chance to enter a Rip Curl consumer promotion launching in mid-October. For more information, keep an eye on Rip Curl's official channels in the coming weeks.

To find out more about the special edition visit https://www.subaru.com.au/special-offers/crosstrek-awd-rip-curl-edition or contact your local Subaru Retailer.