Road Test : Subaru XV (CVT)

Review by Anthony Ziella - 20 June 2012

The 2012 model XV from Subaru is the latest edition in to the already very competitive and extremely lucrative compact SUV market, and let me tell you, it is about to make a serious impact.

The new XV and Subaru’s 2010 Impreza have a lot in common. In fact it looks like Subaru have locked the Impreza in a gym for two years with eight hundred tubs of protein powder, a boot full of steroids and told it not to eat carbs after two p.m.

When I first laid my eyes on this bronzed-orange beauty, my initial reaction was I wanted to buy it a drink and ask it what sort of movies it likes. But once it sank in that the XV is a car and not a potential sex partner, I started to wonder what sort of drivers is this car aimed at?

So I enlisted some help. First from Dom Ziella, my fifty one year old, chain smoking, mechanic of a father and for balance my not so car savvy auntie Anna. I thought that they may both fall right into Subaru’s target audience, or at the very least I’d get some entertainment from driving around with my dad in a bright orange car.

Drive: 3.5/5

This is one area of the XV that Dom really didn’t rate, but before we continue I should mention that Dom doesn’t like much. Even when the Blues win we’re still no good and no one in my family, extended family or even friends have been able to buy a car in the last twenty years without the blessing of Don Dom, and in most cases it isn’t their first choice (For my first car I wanted a Honda Integra, I ended up with a Mitsubishi Lancer).

So what did he think of the XV, surprise, surprise he didn’t like it. First he didn’t like the suspension, it was too light. His next beef was with the steering wheel, he felt the gear change tabs on either side were too big and he couldn’t grip the wheel properly, but to be fair to the Subaru design team, his finger are the size of bratwursts’.

For me, it handles great. It has a really low centre of gravity, it chews up the corners and it handles bumps and pot holes like they aren’t even there. But what do I know, I haven’t been working on cars for the last thirty five years.

Check out our review of the XV 6-Speed Manual here.

Engine: 4/5

Under the hood the XV is rocking a 2.0litre DOHC horizontally opposed Boxer engine that pumps out 110 kW of power at 6200rpms and 196 Nw of torque at 4200rpms. These stats don’t exactly knock your socks off but I drove it around for a week and didn’t find it lacking at all.

The engine is responsive, gutsy and accelerates quite well, although I did find that the old heal and toe works much better than your standard foot to the floor if you’re in a real hurry.

Another interesting feature that comes standard over all variable models is the stop start engine. What it does is when you are at a complete stop with your foot on the brake the car will shut off the engine. Take your foot off the brake and the engine restarts in no less than 0.35 seconds.

This feature is becoming more common for new cars. It is a great idea that will save you fuel, money and CO2 emissions in traffic.

Exterior: 5/5

The key to this whole production is undoubtedly its looks. It is what at first attracted my auntie Anna. When she saw me pull up in it I was greeted with a ‘hello sailor.’ That was unnerving until I realised she was talking to the car.

But in all seriousness the XV is a real head turner. Driving this Christian Bale Batmobile with a bad spray tan around will do well to fill chiropractic waiting rooms.

The front fog lights and grille really work and the XV also comes with roof rails, a rear spoiler and LED brake lights.

Opinion was divided over the all black 17 inch alloys. Most said ‘mad!’ while some thought they were doing a bit much.

Overall the Subaru XV looks like it could do anything, like your standard Sunday entails you dropping the kids off at soccer then you racing over to the nearest train station to graffiti the platform walls. It’s tough, rugged and stylish. Like Angus Stone dressed in Kanye West’s clothes.

Safety: 5/5

This is where the XV totally whitewashes the competition. Subaru studied hard and seriously smacked up their safety exams bringing home a 35.3 of a possible 37, meaning that it graduates at the top of its class.

A ring shaped safety cell adds extra protection for the occupants. It also comes with ABS, EBD, vehicle dynamics control system and seven SRS airbags. Needless to say, 5-Star ANCAP safety rating.

Interior: 4/5

Auntie Anna had some interesting points on the interior of the XV. First she didn’t like the non-electric seat adjustment, well excuse me but that is kind of a bourgeois call. The second thing she noticed was that there was no light in the boot, not sure if mine was just defective but that actually isn’t a bad pick.

Everything else about the XV’s cabin is totally above board. All XV’s come with leather bound seats, Bluetooth connectivity, a six-speaker CD player with i-Pod and USB integration and a multi functioning display that couldn’t work out but that apparently has all manner of options including a sat nav for all but the entry level model.

There is plenty of space in there too. I managed to fit four, fully grown, drunk, jack-arses in there one night and not one of them complained about anything but where to stop for food.

Boot space is sparse though. The back seats do fold down for a 60/40 split but if you’re travelling with more than one passenger that only leaves you with 310L of boot space.

Overall: 4/5

The XV is by far one of the most enjoyable drives I’ve had. Given Subaru’s focus on fuel efficiency it is surprising that there is no diesel option but nevertheless, when teamed with the Forester and the Outback, Subaru are looking likely to dominate the compact SUV market.

A seriously fun ride, the funky, dynamic design of the Subaru XV makes it one of the most unique cars on the road.

* Prices are manufacturer list prices only, for the drive away price please contact your local authorised Subaru dealer.