New Subaru XV 2018 review
New Subaru XV 2018 review On the eye it may not look all that new, however. Subaru’s design team has penned a mild evolution of the previous model for what is a second-generation car sitting on a new platform. With little change in form the XV’s boot grows marginally to 385 litres, still on the smaller side for a car of this size. Cargo capacity still swells up to an impressive 1,270 litres with the rear seats folded flat though. It’s a similar story in the cabin. The layout of the dashboard and infotainment displays is very similar to what has been before, but there’s a definite sense of improvement thanks to new soft touch materials and a more modern profile for the centre console stack. The fit and finish inside seems solid as well, while the eight-inch colour infotainment system – standard on all models and fitted with sat nav on SE Premium cars – is sharp and reasonably easy to use. Though the XV’s slim range will leave buyers with little choice, the level of standard equipment, even on the base SE model, is good. Alongside that infotainment system, automatic LED headlights, power-folding heated mirrors, heated front seats, and a reversing camera are all standard fit. The XV’s list of standard driver assistance features is strong too, with adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking and lane keep assist all enabled by the EyeSight cameras placed either side of the rear view mirror. That system plays a big part in the XV’s five-star Euro NCAP rating. Blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert is also standard, as is the new X-Mode setting for off-road driving, complete with hill descent control. It means that the XV adds to its rugged looks with off-road competence that is often missing from crossovers this size. With diesel dropped from the line-up, a new 1.6-litre petrol joins the range. However, the 2.0-litre boxer petrol driven here will account for the overwhelming majority of sales. The new XV is limited to a CVT transmission only, regardless of engine and spec. Alongside the 2.0-litre unit it ensures smooth and linear power delivery, making the most of the modest 196Nm of torque on offer. However, the same quirks that have always blighted CVT transmissions remain. Step harder on the throttle and the boxer unit under the bonnet loses its cool, revealing a less refined side to the XV as the revs soar uncomfortably. Wheel mounted paddles enabling you to artificially ‘shift’ the CVT transmission’s ratio do help control the din to a certain degree, but they still don’t make the driving experience particularly engaging. It is comfortable, however - this new model rides with more composure than before. The steering itself is sharp, but there’s a fair amount of weight in the wheel that feels artificial. Altogether, the new XV is certainly a more enticing option than the previous generation model. However, little is being done to incentivise new customers into considering it, especially when looking at the pricey finance deals Subaru touts. Low dealer deposit contributions and relatively high interest rates compared to the competition mean that you’re likely to find similarly specced rivals for less per month, while this range topping SE Premium 2.0-litre model wades close towards Audi Q3 territory. Key specs Model: Subaru XV SE Premium 2.0 Lineartronic Price: £28,495 Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl Boxer Power/torque: 154bhp/196Nm Transmission: CVT automatic, four-wheel drive 0-62mph: 10.4 seconds Top speed: 121mph Economy/CO2: 40.9mpg/155g/km On sale: Now image source : http://www.autoexpress.co.uk article source : http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/subaru/xv/102032/new-subaru-xv-2018-review
New Subaru XV 2018 review On the eye it may not look all that new, however. Subaru’s design team has penned a mild evolution of the previous model for what is a second-generation car sitting on a new platform. With little change in form the XV’s boot grows marginally to 385 litres, still on the smaller side for a car of this size. Cargo capacity still swells up to an impressive 1,270 litres with the rear seats folded flat though. It’s a similar story in the cabin. The layout of the dashboard and infotainment displays is very similar to what has been before, but there’s a definite sense of improvement thanks to new soft touch materials and a more modern profile for the centre console stack. The fit and finish inside seems solid as well, while the eight-inch colour infotainment system – standard on all models and fitted with sat nav on SE Premium cars – is sharp and reasonably easy to use. Though the XV’s slim range will leave buyers with little choice, the level of standard equipment, even on the base SE model, is good. Alongside that infotainment system, automatic LED headlights, power-folding heated mirrors, heated front seats, and a reversing camera are all standard fit. The XV’s list of standard driver assistance features is strong too, with adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking and lane keep assist all enabled by the EyeSight cameras placed either side of the rear view mirror. That system plays a big part in the XV’s five-star Euro NCAP rating. Blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert is also standard, as is the new X-Mode setting for off-road driving, complete with hill descent control. It means that the XV adds to its rugged looks with off-road competence that is often missing from crossovers this size. With diesel dropped from the line-up, a new 1.6-litre petrol joins the range. However, the 2.0-litre boxer petrol driven here will account for the overwhelming majority of sales. The new XV is limited to a CVT transmission only, regardless of engine and spec. Alongside the 2.0-litre unit it ensures smooth and linear power delivery, making the most of the modest 196Nm of torque on offer. However, the same quirks that have always blighted CVT transmissions remain. Step harder on the throttle and the boxer unit under the bonnet loses its cool, revealing a less refined side to the XV as the revs soar uncomfortably. Wheel mounted paddles enabling you to artificially ‘shift’ the CVT transmission’s ratio do help control the din to a certain degree, but they still don’t make the driving experience particularly engaging. It is comfortable, however - this new model rides with more composure than before. The steering itself is sharp, but there’s a fair amount of weight in the wheel that feels artificial. Altogether, the new XV is certainly a more enticing option than the previous generation model. However, little is being done to incentivise new customers into considering it, especially when looking at the pricey finance deals Subaru touts. Low dealer deposit contributions and relatively high interest rates compared to the competition mean that you’re likely to find similarly specced rivals for less per month, while this range topping SE Premium 2.0-litre model wades close towards Audi Q3 territory. Key specs Model: Subaru XV SE Premium 2.0 Lineartronic Price: £28,495 Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl Boxer Power/torque: 154bhp/196Nm Transmission: CVT automatic, four-wheel drive 0-62mph: 10.4 seconds Top speed: 121mph Economy/CO2: 40.9mpg/155g/km On sale: Now image source : http://www.autoexpress.co.uk article source : http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/subaru/xv/102032/new-subaru-xv-2018-review