Subaru Crosstrek AWD Rip Curl Special Edition unveiled for Australia at $41,490 drive-away

What Subaru Australia has announced

Subaru Australia has unveiled the Crosstrek AWD Rip Curl Special Edition, an Australia-only limited variant developed with the iconic Australian surf brand Rip Curl, according to CarExpert. The model wraps the entry-level Crosstrek AWD 2.0L in surf-inspired accessories and branding, and will reach local showrooms from November 2026. ¹

Torque Cafe reports the vehicle is exclusive to Australia and arrives at selected dealers from November 2026, marking the second time Rip Curl has put its name on a car locally, after the 2007 BF Falcon Rip Curl ute. Subaru Australia frames the car as part of its adventure-focused positioning for the Crosstrek. ³

Inchcape Australasia managing director Blair Read, whose company is Subaru's local distributor, said: "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," and added that the special edition gives the Crosstrek "a very distinct personality," as quoted by CarExpert. ¹

Pricing and how the premium stacks up

CarExpert lists the Rip Curl Special Edition at $41,490 drive-away on an NSW postcode basis, which it notes is $2500 more than the entry Crosstrek AWD 2.0L at $38,990 drive-away under a promotional offer running until October 31, 2026; that base car is otherwise normally priced at $36,490 before on-road costs. Torque Cafe independently reports the same $41,490 drive-away price and the same $2500 premium over the current drive-away figure. ¹³

Within the wider Crosstrek range published by CarExpert, the Rip Curl edition sits below the Hybrid L ($45,100 drive-away), 2.0R ($45,822), Sport and 2.0S (both $48,942) and Hybrid S ($52,927), all on the same NSW drive-away basis for the 2027 model-year lineup. ¹

Tarantas News, analysing Subaru Australia's accessory catalogue, estimates the practical component of the package — cross bars at roughly AU$664, Thule surf pads at about AU$125, the cargo tray at AU$209, rubber floor mats at AU$253 and weather shields at around AU$284 — totals roughly AU$1535, rising towards about AU$2030 when a comparable standard front seat protector priced near AU$495 is included. That outlet cautions the comparison is indicative, since individual catalogue accessories are not identical to the special edition's parts. CarExpert separately calculates that optioning the Thule cross bars and surf pads on a standard Crosstrek 2.0L costs more than $3200, meaning the Rip Curl edition saves at least $700 on that basis. ⁴¹

Paint choice also affects the final price: CarExpert reports that only white and black are no-cost options across the Rip Curl edition's colour palette, and the Sand Dune Pearl finish shown on the car costs an extra $660, the same as every other premium colour. ¹

Equipment: what the Rip Curl package adds

Beyond Rip Curl badging, CarExpert lists a Rip Curl bonnet decal, exterior and interior badges, Subaru x Rip Curl front seat protectors and cargo tray, a resin cargo step panel, rubber floor mats, weather shields, front mud guards, a revised front grille and front nose garnish. Torque Cafe's equipment rundown matches these items, describing a bespoke grille, bumper garnish, mud flaps and the unique cargo tray alongside the Thule roof gear. ¹³

The roof system comprises Thule cross bars and Thule surf pads for carrying surfboards, which CarExpert notes would cost more than $3200 if optioned separately on a standard Crosstrek 2.0L. ¹

Underneath the special-edition items, the car carries the standard Crosstrek 2.0L equipment list reported by CarExpert: 17-inch alloy wheels, a space-saver spare, an 11.6-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, dual-zone climate control, a wireless phone charger, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera, single-mode X-Mode and active torque vectoring, among other features. ¹

No mechanical changes

CarExpert confirms the Rip Curl edition brings no mechanical changes. It retains the 2.0-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder boxer petrol engine producing 115kW of power and 196Nm of torque, driving all four wheels through a continuously variable transmission and Subaru's Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system. Torque Cafe reports the identical 115kW/196Nm outputs and CVT for the variant. ¹³

Because the mechanical package is unchanged, Tarantas News observes the car gains no additional off-road capability over the base Crosstrek AWD 2.0L, which already includes all-wheel drive, X-Mode and 220mm of ground clearance according to that outlet's reading of Subaru Australia's specifications. The vehicle remains a 2.0-litre petrol with a CVT and all-wheel drive, per both Torque Cafe and Tarantas News. ⁴³

Where it fits in the Crosstrek lineup

The Rip Curl edition is the second recent special-edition Crosstrek for Australia, joining the Crosstrek Sport announced in August 2026, as reported by CarExpert. That Sport variant is priced at $43,990 before on-road costs — $3000 above the mid-spec 2.0R on which it is based — and likewise brings cosmetic rather than mechanical changes, including gold exterior accents, 18-inch dark metallic alloys, an electric sunroof, unique tricot cloth upholstery and satellite navigation, in four no-cost colours. ¹⁶

Subaru Australia has not confirmed the more off-road-focused Crosstrek Wilderness for Australia, CarExpert reports, despite the model being on sale in the United States with a more powerful boxer engine and off-road upgrades; Subaru has also not confirmed local plans for the Strong Hybrid currently sold in Japan. In the US, Subaru of America's 2027 Crosstrek press kit details the Wilderness from US$33,795 MSRP with a 180-horsepower 2.5-litre boxer, 9.3 inches of ground clearance and all-terrain tyres, and lists the petrol lineup at 180 horsepower — specifications for a different market and not confirmed for Australia, where non-hybrid Crosstreks retain the 115kW 2.0-litre engine per CarExpert. ¹⁶²

The Crosstrek remains an important model for Subaru locally. CarExpert's showroom data records 4821 Australian deliveries year to date in 2026, behind only the Forester among the brand's models, and notes the current generation went on sale in early 2023 with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. ⁵⁶

Historical context: Rip Curl special editions before

Subaru is not the first manufacturer to team up with Rip Curl. CarExpert notes previous limited-edition variants including the homegrown 2007 Ford BFII Falcon Ute Rip Curl Edition, along with several Citroens sold in various markets including Australia. Torque Cafe identifies the BF Falcon Rip Curl ute as the only prior Rip Curl-branded car in Australia, launched in 2007 during the second-last year of the BF ute's production run. ¹³