Subaru XV Review 2024

The Subaru XV isn’t your average compact crossover. It’s actually a highly capable all-wheel-drive small SUV that’s as good on the road as it is off it. In this respect, the XV shouldn’t be confused with the countless front-wheel-drive crossovers on sale in 2020. It can handle the rough stuff like a four-wheel-drive version of the Jeep Renegade, with the potential to steal sales from premium cars like the Volvo XC40. Yes, the XV is expensive, but when you factor in the long list of standard equipment, the excellent warranty and Subaru’s reputation for reliability, it more than justifies the relatively high price.

Subaru is a niche player in the UK. Total registrations in 2019 amounted to around 1,500. Not per model – that’s the entire Subaru range. Which means the Subaru XV is unlikely to appear on many new car shortlists.

It deserves better, because in its current guise, the Subaru XV is one of the most underrated and underappreciated cars you can buy. It might lack the universal appeal of a traditional compact SUV, but look beyond the perceived weaknesses and you’ll find a car that makes more sense than you might think.

About those negatives. On paper it looks quite expensive, with prices ranging from £28,335 to £33,655. It can’t match the low running costs of its more conventional rivals, nor is it the most practical car in its class. Throw into the mix the absence of a diesel engine, a front-wheel-drive variant or a manual gearbox, and you’d be forgiven for clicking through to the next new car review.

But don’t be too hasty, because the Subaru XV impresses in other areas. It offers a comprehensive list of standard equipment, which more than justifies the relatively high prices. The standard-fit all-wheel-drive technology delivers excellent all-weather and all-surface capability. There’s even a new 2.0 e-Boxer hybrid, which makes the XV a little less costly to run.

In fact, the hybrid renders the 1.6-litre petrol obsolete by offering improved efficiency, stronger performance and more torque. It also makes better use of the CVT gearbox, with less of the frustrating whine you’ll experience in the 1.6 version. You even get a pair paddle shifters for a greater feeling of control.

Either way, the Subaru XV is a fine car to drive on or off-road. For everyday driving, the XV feels agile and surefooted, with hardly any body-roll. It’s also supremely capable when the going gets tough, tackling snowy tracks and grassy hills with ease. If you live in a rural area or at the end of a rutted track, the Subaru XV could be the difference between going out or staying at home.

Inside, the XV lacks the soft-touch plastics and plush materials you might find in a premium compact SUV. We doubt you’ll care, because the actual quality is very high, with Subaru focusing on delivering a robust and hard-wearing cabin that’s built to last. Your XV will feel the same in a decade as it did when it left the showroom.

Ultimately, the Subaru XV is hamstrung by a small dealer network, high running costs and finance packages that can’t rival the volume manufacturers. But look at the bigger picture and you’ll discover a car that is unlikely to go wrong, is backed by a five-year warranty, and will keep going in all weathers when other compact SUVs have been left stranded.

If you’ve made it this far into the review you’re probably seriously considering a Subaru XV. We salute you, because this is one of the undiscovered gems on the new car market. You’ll almost pray for bad weather.

How the Subaru XV performs off-road is just as important as how it behaves on the road. Although you’re unlikely to follow a Land Rover over a mountain, the XV is brilliant when traversing muddy fields or navigating snowy tracks. Little wonder so many North America buyers have come to rely on this vehicle to keep moving.

It’s all down to Subaru’s symmetrical all-wheel-drive system, which shifts power to where traction is needed most. You also get an ‘X’ mode, which behaves like a conventional differential lock, plus a hill descent mode for travelling down a snowy mountain pass or grassy hill. Put simply, the XV is a brilliant off-road vehicle.

It’s also surprisingly good on the road, feeling more like an elevated Impreza than a crossover. It’s a good car, this. It’s just that not enough people have noticed.

The 2.0 e-Boxer hybrid is the pick of the powertrains. It replaced the old 2.0-litre petrol engine in early 2020 and is superior to the 1.6-litre petrol in almost every way. Only the lower cost of insurance and the cheaper purchase price make the 1.6 worth considering.

You only get a minimum amount of all-electric power, but the additional power and torque make it a far better engine to live with than the 1.6. It’s not a quick car, but the 194Nm of torque is preferable to the 150Nm offered by the 1.6. It’s also more efficient, which should clinch the deal.

There are no diesel engines or a manual gearbox on offer, which means all cars come with Subaru’s Lineartronic CVT gearbox. It features fake gear ratios to mimic a conventional automatic transmission and, if you avoid flooring the throttle, it’s reasonably pleasant to live with, especially in the hybrid.

The Subaru XV was awarded a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating when it was crash-tested in 2017. The individual scores were impressive, including 94 percent for adult occupant protection, 89 percent for child occupant protection, 84 percent for pedestrian safety and 68 percent for safety assist systems.

Subaru developed the EyeSight technology in-house. The system uses two cameras to scan the road ahead, tracking vehicles and pedestrians.

There are six parts, with each one working to prevent a collision. You also get multiple airbags, a reversing camera, LED headlights and high-beam assist, while the all-wheel-drive system also provides excellent all-weather reassurance.

You should consider the Outback or Forester if you’re after a Subaru for towing duties. The XV offers a towing capacity of 1400kg in the 1.6, or 1270kg in the 2.0.

Practicality isn’t a Subaru XV strong point. A boot offering 385 litres of luggage capacity puts the XV well below the some of space heroes at this end of the market, including the Seat Ateca (510 litres) and Renault Kadjar (472 litres). Things are even worse in the hybrid version, where the luggage space drops to 340 litres.

The rear seats split 60/40 if you want more space at the expense of carrying passengers, while the XV scores well for its low loading lip and wide opening. You also get underfloor boot storage in the standard 1.6-litre version.

Up front, the cabin offers seating for four adults, or five at a push. The sloping roofline means headroom is at a premium in the back. It’s perfectly fine up front, which leads us to the conclusion that the XV is ideal for young couples with an active lifestyle. You’ll want a Forester or an Outback when children arrive.

You don’t get swathes of soft-touch plastics and expensive materials, but the perceived quality is much higher than it was in Subaru models of old.

Crucially, everything has been built to last, with Subaru using hard-wearing and robust materials that deliver a feeling of longevity. The interior of the Subaru XV is likely to look the same after 100,000 miles of use as it does when it leaves the showroom. The SE Premium model leaves the best impression, helped in no small part by the leather seats with contrast stitching.

All versions of the Subaru XV come with an eight-inch colour touchscreen infotainment system with a CD player. Highlights include Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, DAB radio, audio controls on the steering wheel, Bluetooth, six speakers and two USB ports (one in the hybrid).

The system is easy to use, with helpful buttons below the screen. The screen is a little dated, but switching to Apple CarPlay or Android Auto helps. Although the SE Premium gets navigation, it’s not a reason to upgrade, because the maps look dated and the system is slow to respond to inputs.

The Subaru XV 1.6 SE Lineatronic costs £28,335, with the SE Premium trim adding £2,000 to the price. It’s a similar story with the XV 2.0 e-Boxer, which costs £31,655 in SE Lineartronic trim, or £33,655 in SE Premium trim.

At these prices, the 2.0 e-Boxer hybrid almost renders the 1.6 version obsolete, because the additional expense is outweighed by the improved fuel economy and enhanced driving experience. We’d also argue that the SE model provides all the essential equipment, so you might not need to upgrade to the SE Premium trim. All things considered, a 2.0 e-Boxer SE is the sweet spot of the XV range.

Expensive cars? In the context of compact crossovers costing between £20,000 and £30,000, yes, but there’s more to it than that.

The XV features a tried and tested all-wheel-drive system, a long list of standard equipment and the kind of reputation for reliability that other cars cannot offer. It’s also worth remembering that a basic Audi Q3 costs £32,500.

Subaru cannot compete with the volume manufacturers when it comes to affordable PCP deals. An XV 1.6 SE Lineartronic costs £399 a month over three years after a £4,000 deposit. This monthly fee is nearly double what you might pay for a regular crossover. That said, an XV 2.0 e-Boxer SE Premium is just £60 a month more expensive than the basic model, so upgrading isn’t out of the question.

Old versions of the Subaru XV start from as little as £6,000, but you’ll need to part with at least £17,000 to secure a current model. Because it didn’t arrive until January 2020, you’ll pay at least £29,000 for an e-Boxer hybrid.

The 2.0 e-Boxer hybrid is the most efficient version, with the potential to deliver 35.7mpg on a combined cycle. This is slightly better than the claimed 35.3mpg in the 1.6 version.

Data from the Honest John Real MPG study suggests that you could see as much as 38.4mpg in the 1.6 version, which is more than the official figure. We’d expect you to achieve a similar result in the hybrid, although it’s too new to feature in the Real MPG study.

The XV 1.6 slots into insurance group 10, which puts it on a par with some superminis. The relatively small engine helps, but the EyeSight safety technology plays an even bigger role in this excellent result. The e-Boxer hybrid is more expensive to insure, but group 16 is still low for a car of this type.

Relatively high CO2 emissions mean you’ll pay a lot in first-year ‘showroom’ tax for the Subaru XV, but the rate of VED drops to £150 in year two. There’s also a £10 saving for choosing the hybrid version.

The Subaru XV isn’t a car you purchase on a whim. It’s relatively expensive to buy, lacks the low running costs of the less talented crossovers and only really makes sense if you have the need for an all-wheel-drive car. It’s a niche vehicle.

That’s part of its appeal. If you live at the end of a gravel track or in an area which suffers from inclement weather and rough roads, the Subaru XV is one of the best small SUVs you can buy. The high running costs are offset by a long warranty, a general toughness and a feeling that the XV is unlikely to let you down.

We find it hard to recommend the 1.6 version, so opt for the SE version of the 2.0 e-Boxer hybrid. It features all the kit you could ever need.