Can't come to you from a Crosstrek direct review, but I can come from a Subaru and a WRX/Forester view.
Interior - WRX/Forester share the same interior, so I can talk about that. Interior is... plasticy, but so is everything at this price point. You can get it upgraded with all kinds of fancy toys, but it'll never blow your mind. My 16 WRX was a base model and my 17 Forester is the top of the line, so I can definitely say there's a huge leap between the two ranges. Expect rattles, even if you buy new. My WRX was rattling on the way home with sub 10 miles. The Forester is around 5k now and starting to develop some.
Offroad - Forester and Crosstrek share very similar attributes offroad. Forester is a bit better since you get some torque vectoring that I don't believe the Crosstrek gets. If you get the X-mode option (cvt only iirc), you'll get through the majority of moderate trails, assuming better tires. X-mode essentially locks the center diff, makes the traction control super sensitive, enables hill descent control and makes the throttle way less sensitive (mimics low range). Clearance is in the 9" range, and angles are fair, especially for a crossover.
Storage - Forester and Crosstrek are the same here. Interior is great! I'm amazed how much crap I can put in it. We managed to do a 3 person camping trip with 2 tents and all the gear (including wood) without much issue. We used a cargo box, but everything else was inside. Outside storage isn't as good of a platform as an Xterra simply because only a few people make offroad parts for it. For every day stuff, it's way more than enough, been very happy with it.
Drivability on road - Fairly smooth, the CVT was weird to get used to. Won't comment on the engine, since we're different. Wind noise isn't much of an issue in the Forester, it was pretty bad in the WRX. You will probably be closer to the WRX. Road noise was normal for a car in the price range.
Stereo - Always a special category for me. If you care at all about sound quality, GET THE HARMON KARDON!!! The stock stereo is garbage, might as well listen to your phone on speaker playing music. I upgraded amp + all speakers in the WRX before I could stand it. Haven't touched the Forester stereo since I got the Harmon Kardon option.
Reliability - The FA20DET engine is direct injected and has an EGR. They haven't quite worked that part out yet, so after ~60k miles, you might need to get your valves cleaned from all the carbon buildup. Outside of that, the engine has (so far) proven to be pretty reliable. You might have some oil burnage, but that's just how boxer engines roll. Make sure to check the oil every ~1500 miles and you'll be fine. I've had three Subarus and none of them have burned oil, so it might just be a symptom of people complaining when things are bad, and not saying when they are good. Other than these things, they are very reliable. The Crosstrek is Subaru's first hybrid (I think) so that might be something to think about.
Maintenance - Super cheap (Honda/Toyota/Nissan prices) unless you're changing a spark plug. Spark plugs face the engine bay sides, so it's impossible to reach them. Lots of shops just pull the engine up or relocate basically everything around it to get to it. Not sure how the FA20DETs are though, haven't had to change them yet.
All in all, I would have got a Crosstrek instead of the WRX (and therefore the Forester) if they had more power. Even with the hybrid, the thing is gutless. It's a super cool car if power doesn't matter!
