Impreza + adventure = XV
The Subaru XV has been a firm favourite on our shores, with over 50,000 of the crossovers finding homes on our shores since 2012. Working out to an average of 10,000 a year, you can imagine just how important the XV is to the Subaru lineup in Australia, so getting the new 2017 model just right is even more critical.
Seemingly, all is well on that front. The XV arrives on our shores (with deliveries expected mid-June) with incredible value, with the buy-in price dropping to just $27,990 (down $1250 from the previous-gen entry model). Savings of $600 and $300 await buyers of 2.0i-Premium and 2.0i-S models respectively, despite adding more kit to the list than any XV before it.
Subaru points out that with 220mm in ride height (“likely a leader in its class”) and the inclusion of X-Mode (an off-road driving mode that adjusts various settings to provide better ability) will enable drivers to indulge in more adventures. Powering this adventure, on all models, is a new 2.0-litre Boxer engine (producing 115W & 196Nm) paired to a Lineartronic CVT automatic transmission as standard. Power goes to all four wheels via the brand’s ‘Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive’ system, which will reassure more nervous drivers on challenging conditions.
The XV lineup will now be priced:
- XV 2.0i: $27,990 (down $1250)
- XV 2.0i-L: $30,340 (up $100)
- XV 2.0i-Premium: $32,140 (down $600)
- XV 2.0i-S: $35,240 (down $300)
Built on an all-new platform (like the Impreza), the new XV claims “outstanding dynamic performance” and “benchmark safety,” which promises great levels of driver involvement and capability. The body and chassis are now more rigid than before, while reducing vibrations by up to 50%. This underpins the new exterior of the XV, which takes the design cues of the original and evolves to remain competitive in a tougher market. The new model adds more state-of-the-art tech like auto stop/start to improve efficiency, along with third-generation Subaru EyeSight driver assistance technology on higher-grade models.
The 2017 XV addresses certain key bugbears of the previous-generation model. For starters, the cabin is now wider than it used to be, offering better space for passengers as well as for loading and unloading cargo. The cabin also gets appreciable improvements in terms of the materials used, as well as an altogether more pleasant and ergonomic design, seen first on the Impreza range earlier this year.
The base XV 2.0i gets a decent amount of kit, with things like a 7.0-inch touchscreen (with smartphone mirroring, Bluetooth, and a CD player no less), climate control, paddle shifters, and cruise control. Active torque vectoring, rear view camera, X-Mode, tyre pressure monitoring and brake assistance comes on it terms of safety kit, and makes even the entry-level XV a really appealing package.
Here’s the XV’s kit list, broken up by trim:
XV 2.0i gets:
- All-wheel drive, with X-Mode and torque vectoring
- ISOFIX anchor points for child seats
- Front foglights with daytime running lights
- Rear view camera
- Tyre pressure monitoring
- 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, with smartphone mirroring, Bluetooth, and USB connectivity, played through six speakers
- Cruise control
- 17-inch alloys with a space-saver spare
- Rear privacy glass
- Roof spoiler with an LED brake lights
- Roof rails
- Colour-coded door handles
- Single-zone climate control
XV 2.0i-L gains:
- Dual-zone climate control
- Automatically-folding exterior mirrors
- Subaru EyeSight driver assistance systems
- Lane-keep aid
- Leather accents on the steering wheel and gear shifter
- “Premium” cloth trim
- 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system (with the same connectivity and mirroring capabilities as the smaller unit in the 2.0i)
XV 2.0i-Premium gains:
- Electric sunroof, and
- Satellite navigation
XV 2.0i-S gets all of the above, as well as:
- 18-inch alloy wheels (with space-saver spare in the rear)
- Alloy pedals
- Automatic headlights and wipers
- Chrome-finished door handles
- Heated exterior mirrors
- Leather cabin trim
- Powered drivers’ seat
- Swivelling LED headlights with integrated LED daytime running lights
- Subaru Vision Assist, which packs blind-spot monitoring, automatic high beam, lane-change assistance, rear cross-traffic alert, autonomous emergency braking (AEB) which works both forwards and in reverse.
Along with the added kit, the XV is now available with Subaru’s capped-price servicing program, which first debuted with the updated Impreza. With servicing now spaced out to every 12-months/12,500km, the cost of servicing now drops almost 40% to just $1298 per service, over the $2125 it would have cost without Subaru’s aggressive aftersales service strategy.
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