The Subaru XV is one of Australia's prize-winning compact SUVs and is among the first ones on its roads. With its impressive design and cool wheels, the XV led to the start of a new category of cars, rivaling the Hyundai ix35, Mitsubishi ASX, Nissan Dualis and Volkswagen Tiguan. It is luxurious, polished and packed with the latest technology to allow passengers to connect both, with the car, and the world. A runaway success for the Japanese brand, it has drawn in plenty of buyers and comes in 3 versions, the 2.0i, 2.0-L and 2.0-S (though there may be variations according to region). Some markets call it the Subaru Impreza (fourth and fifth generations) or Crosstrek.
History
The Subaru XV was released in October 2012 as a vehicle meant to provide customers with “Enjoyment and Peace of Mind”. The car was to be suited for vigorous yet stress-free use in the city. And so Subaru balanced maximum performance and enjoyable driving with a sophisticated and distinct exterior. It would later be upgraded after a further five years with the all-new Subaru XV.
It pioneered compact SUVs in Australia and won Oz Roamer’s Best AWD SUV under $40K for two years in a row and a runner-up for Australia’s Best AWD SUV under $50K.
First Generation (2011-2018)
Introduced in 2011, the XV was Subaru's addition to the compact Sports Utility Vehicle market, offering something different, a crossover that was more a car than an SUV. It first appeared as a concept car displayed at the Auto Shanghai 2011 show. Although based on the fourth-generation Subaru Impreza, the XV broke away from the range to become a separate model in Australia. However, today, prices have dropped as low as $9,888 for the 2012 model.
The vehicle came with standard anti-lock brakes, four-wheel drive, hill start assist, vehicle dynamics control, front, side, curtain and knee airbags, disc brakes, alloy wheels, CD radio, power windows and climate control.
The trunk has a holding capacity of 380-1270 litres of luggage and the tank 60 litres of fuel. The smallest available engine was the typical 1.6-litre Subaru Otto boxer engine with 84 kW and 5-speed manual transmission. Above that ranked the 2.0-litre boxer engine with 110 kW and 6-speed manual transmission. Optionally, a continuously variable transmission was available for these engines and the vehicles had a standard start-stop system.
In June 2013, the Subaru XV Crosstrek Hybrid was released as the company’s first hybrid vehicle. The integrated hybrid system increased its sporty character and environment friendliness.
Powertrains available in Australia (2012-2016):
- (SUV) - 1995cc, 4cyl petrol engine, CVT automatic transmission (196Nm, 110kW)
- (SUV) - 1995cc, 4cyl petrol engine, 6 speed manual gearbox (196Nm, 110kW)
Second Generation (Since 2017)
The new model, which is the first full change since the original XV in 2012, offered a unique design and upgraded drivability on rough roads. The first preview of the Subaru XV was presented at the 86th Geneva Motor Show in March 2016. The production version debuted a year later, also in Geneva. Since 2017, this version went on sale in North America, and in November 2018, a variant with a plug-in hybrid drive was presented at the LA Auto Show. This version, XV Advance, was introduced in Japan as early as September 2018.
The XV was the first Subaru vehicle in Europe to be based on the Subaru Global Platform on which all subsequent models have been based. In January 2018, the new XV was introduced in the European market.
The boxer gasoline engines were the same as its predecessor, only with reduced weight. It offered a standard continuous transmission called "Lineartronic" with the car’s four-wheel drive, amplified by an off-road traction program called "X-Mode". MacPherson struts and wishbones serve as front suspension, while the rear is on double wishbones. There are serving disc brakes on all wheels, and a simple rack and pinion steering system. The Subaru XV also carries the maximum 5-star ANCAP3 safety rating.
The XV e-Boxer offered in Japan and Central Europe is powered by a 2.0-litre petrol engine with 110 kW and a 12 kW electric motor. For the US market, Subaru released a plug-in hybrid working in tandem with a 2.0-litre petrol engine of 102 kW with two electric motors. The system performance of the Crosstrek Hybrid is specified as 110 kW. For the full experience, Subaru suggests to step up to the XV 2.0-S AWD.
Powertrains available in Australia (Since 2017):
- (SUV) - 1995cc, 4cyl ULP petrol engine, CVT auto (196Nm, 115kW)
The pioneering XV has not lost its charm and remains shoulder-to-shoulder with its rivals. If you wish to buy or sell any of the parts to this model, or the car itself, we at Carpart.com.au are here to help. We're Australia's number 1 website for buyers and sellers of car parts and accessories so visit us now to connect to a buyer or seller online.
- Amara Z.