2.0 XT Lineartronic

Excellent drive with a few quirks

9 months into my XT ownership so enough time to have formed some solid impressions of the car. I prefer less mainstream vehicles so this fits the bill perfectly. I entered Subaru ownership expecting a well engineered car and it broadly delivers on this front in terms of the fundamentals (eg all wheel drive system & roadholding), but also has some user features that are at best quirky and at worst quite frustrating.

I'm enjoying the drive, it's sure footed in all conditions and I make use of the three engine modes; the sport and super sport modes are great when real acceleration is needed and I suspect it surprises many at its turn of pace. I quite like the gruff engine note that the boxer engine delivers as well. However, enjoyment of these modes comes pretty rapidly at the expense of mpg, dropping quickly with judicious use. Around town I average 30-31mpg, on a long motorway run this can climb to 38-40mpg in cruise. I started off running it on regular 95RON but now use Tesco Momentum 99, it's much better on the latter; smoother, more punchy and better mpg in all types of use.

The interior might lack the plushness of some less off-road orientated rivals but I find it practical and easy to use. I'd like a little extra length in the driver's seat cushion but find the seats are comfortable on long journeys. The leather also appears robust and hard wearing, despite initial reservations as it's quite soft. Everything falls within easy reach including the sat nav / ICE. The boot is well sized and it's easy to put the rear seats down at the push of a button when needed; it's swallowed old bbq's and other waste on trips to the waste centre.

Now to the interesting quirks that others have also picked up on. The double click on the key fob needed to unlock all doors is annoying in the extreme. Likewise the auto door lock means you have to physically unlock the doors again to let passengers in ( I use a garage). The power door mirrors can't be operated without ignition on or the car running. The powered boot seemed like a useful feature but it's quite slow - in truth a manual tailgate would be quicker. I wish the sunroof had tinted glass like the rear doors and boot - in hot weather it lets far too much heat through meaning the shade is needed and defeating the point of the sunroof.

Biggest disappointment has been the alarm system. I've posted previously on this via the forum and seems others have had the same issue of activations caused by poorly located sensors (eg under cubby boxes) failing. Mine's been the dealer twice for this.

So, a mixed bag; the car is really good fun to drive being sure footed and fast and distinctive for its rarity but the quirks are also annoying when using the car on a daily basis; especially given they could be easily addressed.

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