2013 Subaru XV CrossTrek Review

[Rally]

They could start by making cars like the Forester and Impreza smaller and lighter. The difference in weight between my Impreza and the current one is well over 100kgs. There is no advancement in technology by just adding metal to make a car safer. Real advancement is making it safer without adding weight. Now I realise that weight can help in an accident, but this is also where better design and better legislation can help. Weight is bad for fuel economy no matter how good your engine technology may be.

Fuel economy in cars has improved because of better fuel injector technology and placement, superior ECU's and programming, reduced friction within the engine, better transmissions and better aerodynamics- leaving aside hybrids. But cars have all become heavier, negating part of the gains in this area. But there have been drawbacks to this.

Drive by wire has allowed engineers to over ride driver input, while conventional throttled cars have in built hesitation, and both can take ages to return to idle. This can also be blamed on emissions compliance. The result is that cars are increasingly not responding to the inputs of the driver in the quest for emissions and economy and this is not a good sign of things to come.

another reason for the 2.0 is the fact that subaru aims to cuts its fuel consumption across the range but 20% by 2014 i believe it was

 

[aware]

I am amazed reading through the threads in relation to the XV just how much some of you know about a car you probably haven't driven. Shouldn't you apply for a job with Subaru so you can help them improve what you suggest is a flawed car.

I will reserve my comments until I have driven one, but based on figures alone, for a car that will spend 90% of its time crawling in traffic, it should do the job nicely. For a lot of people, I'd suggest that it would be their second car - friends of ours have the last gen XV (Impreza with plastic body panels) and they say it's brilliant for their commuting. Big trips are done in the 2.5 Outback they have.

 

[thunder039]

They could start by making cars like the Forester and Impreza smaller and lighter. The difference in weight between my Impreza and the current one is well over 100kgs. There is no advancement in technology by just adding metal to make a car safer. Real advancement is making it safer without adding weight. Now I realise that weight can help in an accident, but this is also where better design and better legislation can help. Weight is bad for fuel economy no matter how good your engine technology may be.

Fuel economy in cars has improved because of better fuel injector technology and placement, superior ECU's and programming, reduced friction within the engine, better transmissions and better aerodynamics- leaving aside hybrids. But cars have all become heavier, negating part of the gains in this area. But there have been drawbacks to this.

Drive by wire has allowed engineers to over ride driver input, while conventional throttled cars have in built hesitation, and both can take ages to return to idle. This can also be blamed on emissions compliance. The result is that cars are increasingly not responding to the inputs of the driver in the quest for emissions and economy and this is not a good sign of things to come.

i like to compare my brumby to my forester with fuel economy my best drive in the brumby soar a fuel consumption of 7.5l per 100km yet my best in the forester is 8.2l per 100km. the lighter construction (about 200kgs) and the smaller engine would both contribute.
i would to see a brumby with a 2.0 na conversion fuel consumption figures. to see whether is the weight of the car, or engine capacity that effects the fuel consumption.

 

[taza]

I am amazed reading through the threads in relation to the XV just how much some of you know about a car you probably haven't driven. Shouldn't you apply for a job with Subaru so you can help them improve what you suggest is a flawed car.

I will reserve my comments until I have driven one, but based on figures alone, for a car that will spend 90% of its time crawling in traffic, it should do the job nicely. For a lot of people, I'd suggest that it would be their second car - friends of ours have the last gen XV (Impreza with plastic body panels) and they say it's brilliant for their commuting. Big trips are done in the 2.5 Outback they have.

I wasn't an auto person at all but after driving both an XV manaul and XV auto I was sold on the CVT.
Plus with my mother buying one she travels a good 500+km a week communting thus wants the good fuel economy yet a safe car (AWD, ABS, plenty of overtaking power). The car ticks all the boxes for her needs.
I would be quite happy with one too but again my needs are very different. I would install 2" strut lift, upgrade the stereo, put on some AT tyres and a metal sumpguard, UHF and a few other things.
I found it had plenty of pulling power for the highway but again the car wasn't loaded up or towing and it probably isn't the right car for the job if you plan on towing something around australia.
I would pick it over any other new Subaru on the market today. I find the new Foresters and Outbacks too big.

 

[thunder039]

I wasn't an auto person at all but after driving both an XV manaul and XV auto I was sold on the CVT.
I would pick it over any other new Subaru on the market today. I find the new Foresters and Outbacks too big.

i wasnt an auto fan untill our new forester which has converted me :lol:
i am the same the only other car in subarus line up would be the wrx (obviously) and a diesel forester (or s edition im not fussy :lol

 

[waggaclint]

When i bought my FB25 Powered forester i looked at the XV as well, and overall i found it to a great little car, my only downside was i thought it was bit gutless (i only test drove the manual version) If it went as good as my Forester i would have bought one hey..

I can see why Subaru has gone this way also Mazda with the CX5 (yes ive driven one of those as well) Both Subaru and Mazda are looking for good ecconomy over performance, which in the end sell cars...

 

[Rally]

I think when I get home, I'm going to jump in my WRX, find a nice stretch of road and enjoy what 200+Kw ATW is all about, and bugger the economy! (I know economy is important, but whatever it is, cars need to be fun to drive as well.)

 

[aware]

I wasn't an auto person at all but after driving both an XV manaul and XV auto I was sold on the CVT.
Plus with my mother buying one she travels a good 500+km a week communting thus wants the good fuel economy yet a safe car (AWD, ABS, plenty of overtaking power). The car ticks all the boxes for her needs.
I would be quite happy with one too but again my needs are very different. I would install 2" strut lift, upgrade the stereo, put on some AT tyres and a metal sumpguard, UHF and a few other things.
I found it had plenty of pulling power for the highway but again the car wasn't loaded up or towing and it probably isn't the right car for the job if you plan on towing something around australia.
I would pick it over any other new Subaru on the market today. I find the new Foresters and Outbacks too big.

Certainly not doubting you - you've at least driven one. Which is more than nearly all here, including myself. Each person will choose the best car based on their individual needs, not whether someone on the internet doesn't like it. Again, with reviewers, I find it's good to see what they say, but at the end of the day, when I test drive a car I know which is the best for me, no matter what a reviewer may think. Whether someone may like it or not, it's obviously successful looking at sales statistics.

I'd have a tough decision between a new XV or Forester. My Forester isn't going anywhere for a while so no need to be too worried yet.

Best automatic I have driven is the DSG with Diesel. Great combination there. Closely followed by the ZF 6spd. (Used it in 4.0 I6, 3.0I6 Diesel, 2.0 I4 Diesel and 2.5 I6)

 

[mr turbo]

I think when I get home, I'm going to jump in my WRX, find a nice stretch of road and enjoy what 200+Kw ATW is all about, and bugger the economy! (I know economy is important, but whatever it is, cars need to be fun to drive as well.)

Hell yes.
You're making me want to get back into my XT & take that for a spirited little drive

I will reserve my comments until I have driven one,

I have seen them, looked at them, sat in one, but am yet to take one for a drive. So I too will reserve my decision until I get to drive one :iconwink:

Each person will choose the best car based on their individual needs, not whether someone on the internet doesn't like it. Again, with reviewers, I find it's good to see what they say, but at the end of the day, when I test drive a car I know which is the best for me, no matter what a reviewer may think.

Very true.
It's me (if I did buy one) that has to live with it & drive it.
So at the end of the day, I buy a vehicle that suits my needs not theirs.

Regards
Mr Turbo

 

[NachaLuva]

They could start by making cars like the Forester and Impreza smaller and lighter.

Couldnt agree more! I cant stand the current trend of just making all cars bigger, heavier, bulkier...uglier lol

 

[thunder039]

Couldnt agree more! I cant stand the current trend of just making all cars bigger, heavier, bulkier...uglier lol

i the sg forester's were the best the updated the sf but now there more of a bubble

 

[Douglas Ferrier]

Sales show it is popular, and I can see why.

Good clearance, car like driving, AWD, low centre of gravity, a good combination between versatility, capability and fuel economy.

Sure does not have the touring comfort and power of an XT foz, but for a lot of people it will make for a very versatile car.

Keep in mind the FB series's engines are not long out of R&D, so will get many improvements over time such as torque/power spread, efficiency just like the EJ series.

Being based in an R&D, (not automotive) I grapple daily with compromises between cost, the dream, the reality and getting something viable (can be sold) out the door without sinking the company, and with that in mind think FHI have done very well in laying down the future foundations of subys.

There are compromises in everything with Pros and cons and varying opinions on the value of either side of debate.

Given the weight savings fuel efficiency and performance being achieved on the generation 1 FB series engines, I would suspect the future is looking bright for our loved subys.

Yes the XV is not for everyone, but for a lot it will be a ripper car.

I give it thumbs up, albeit I am not racing out to buy one.

As for the auto comments, don't get me started many options many pros and cons. Needless to say the right choice of auto, CVT, manual, ratios needs to be mated to the appropriate torque/power curves from the engine. The comments about the drivability difference between the manual and CVT highlight what the optimum selection is.

We will continue to see more CVT, because you can have lower power/torque levels and engines operating at their optimum resulting in lower fuel and emissions, while still being drivable.

It will be interesting to see how much longer it will be before we see a CVT that can reliably handle the output from the higher power engines and also allow for the drivers desire to control the specific ratio in place and thus engine speed.

Yep I love my SG, but I am sure it is just matter of time, before there is a more desirable replacement, XV is not it but the direction I think is good.

 

[bobbotron]

I think I'm definitely going to get one of these in 5 years, when my SG dies. Unless subaru comes out with a crosstrek XV pickup (ie, Brumby/BRAT v2!)

(Not holding my breath, but I can dream.)

 

[saf]

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NPq4kv9k7E&feature=g-vrec"]2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek vs Land Rover Defender - YouTube[/ame]