We drive the adventure ready Subaru XV
By khulekani / on Aug 29th, 2018 / in Car Reviews, featuredBy Sala Masindane
Traditionally, Subaru has always been an enthusiast or the correct motoring term “petrol heads” manufacturer. This may not be entirely the fault of the manufacture itself but the fast cars, gold rims and boot spoilers have created that perception in the South African market. On the other side, Subaru are also famous for the Symmetrical All Wheel system and reliable SUVs that are adventure ready. These include the Forester, Outback and XV. We spent time with the Subaru XV, to find out if all the hype is justified.
Exterior and Interior
The XV is not your typical looking SUV and it might not be everybody’s cup of tea in terms of the exterior. The tested XV 2.0i-S ES is loaded with standard features such as LED headlamps with daytime running, automatic rain-sensing windshield wipers, shark fin antenna, roof spoiler and for those that may need for additional luggage space, a roof rail is available.
The XV is decent in terms of the interior space, there is easily enough room in the rear seats for three medium sized adults or two kids, with dual ISOFIX anchor boards. The only downside of the back seat is the middle rear seat belt that requires a bit of effort to use. The boot space is listed as 310 litres in capacity, this is a bit smaller compared to its direct competitors like the Mini Countryman which is claimed at 450 litres. The Subaru XV does have a wider boot opening and the increased 1220 litres capacity when the back seats are folded down. This made it easier for us to load a mountain bike. Up at the front you will find an easy to use 8-inch touchscreen on the infotainment system. The big icons on the screen also makes it simply for anyone to navigate through. Focus on the road will be more as the Subaru XV is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capable.
Safety
Subaru has not taken the safety of the XV lightly, with the Eyesight safety pack on the top spec. This is camera system that works with the adaptive cruise control. There is also blind spot detection and rear crossing alert as standard. In fact, that is not all, Eyesight will enable the XV to apply the brakes if it thinks that you will hit something. I must say it’s very strange when this happens. No wonder the XV scored a five-star rating on the well-regarded Japanese New Car Assessment Program.
The Drive
The XV has a smooth 2.0-litre direct-injection flat-four Boxer petrol engine that peaks out 115kW and 196 Nm of torque. This is paired with a CVT gearbox that has a 7-speed manual mode that can be used through the paddle shifters located behind the steering wheel. These came in handy during the time spent with the Subaru XV as at times we felt the CVT gearbox was robbing the SUV of power, especially during stop and starts. However, it is also worth mentioning that the CVT works well and effectively at freeway speeds. We took the crossover SUV on a drive out to the country to test the Subaru’s X-mode, that was previously on the Outback and Forester. X-mode assists in enhancing the performance of the XV’s off-roading (electronic diff-locks and hill-descent control) capabilities, with just a touch of a button. The ride quality was comfortable on all surfaces. Throughout all these trips we managed a fuel consumption of 7.9l/100 km, which is not a far cry from the claimed 7.3l/100 km. This makes the Subaru XV less thirsty and competing with 2.0-litre turbodiesels. Look, the crossover segment is highly contested and the Subaru XV is packed with standard goodies that are optional to others. So, if you are looking for adventure, the XV should be on your shopping list.
Pricing
XV 2.0i CVT R389,000
XV 2.0iS ES (Eyesight CVT) R445,000
These prices include a five-year/150 000km warranty, and a three-year/75 000km maintenance plan with 15 000km service intervals