A truly rewarding ride
Subaru XV Crosstrek performs well in a variety of conditions
Subaru drivers are some of the most loyal customers in the car business. And the more time I spend driving a Subaru, the more I come to understand why.
The warm and fuzzies often start with an agreeable starting price. The 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek I recently drove starts at $24,495 for the Touring model. That price included some decidedly sassy styling — an Impreza WRX on steroids, if you will — plus a sprightly 2.0L 4-cylinder boxer engine and Subaru’s symmetrical AWD system. It also came with 17-inch aluminum alloy wheels, heated cloth seats and some of the biggest side mirrors I have seen in small car.
Those mirrors only served to make the Crosstrek one of the easiest cars I have driven in a long while, its long, raking front windshield and plenty of side glass providing excellent visibility all around. And the raised height of the Crosstrek (70 mm higher than a regular Impreza five-door) made it not only easy to see traffic ahead but easy to climb in and out. While the manual transmission might be better at a manipulating the Crosstrek’s 148 horsepower 2.0-litre engine, the second-generation, Lineartronic Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) makes the car feel plenty quick off the line. The CVT also gets a so-called “manual mode” with paddle shifters. It’s good enough that manual mode seemed redundant in spirited driving. The other benefit of the CVT is that it gets coupled to an AWD system that automatically and seamlessly adjusts the torque to the front and back according to need. The manual model gets a different, limited-slip centre differential that splits power 50/50 front to rear and can lock during wheelspin.
Steering is quick with good feedback. The ride can feel firm and almost jouncy over rough patches, but the Crosstrek corners like a champ. There is a noticeable amount of engine noise under hard acceleration, and some wind noise at speed, but the car feels light and tossible, able to negotiate rough terrain without fuss. The traction control system is sensitive, though, engaging with even the slightest wheel slip. Still, I have zero doubt this Subaru could handle a snowstorm without a shrug.
Stepping up to the Sport Package, which increases the cost by another $2,000, seems well worth the expense. The package provides a sunroof, leather-wrapped steering wheel and Xenon HID lighting, among other things.
The rest of the interior is utilitarian enough. There’s good storage space and most controls are easy to operate, with the exception of an overly complicated multi-function display. The standard audio system doesn’t deliver spectacular sound either. The cloth seats seem exceptionally durable, however, and Bluetooth audio and phone is standard, as is automatic climate control, plus a media hub in the centre console for the iPod.
The cargo hold, while expandable to 1,470 litres with the 60-40 split seats folded flat, can be a bit snug with the seats up. Roof rails are standard. Rear seat room isn’t terribly tight, and the front seats had ample travel.
Fuel economy was relatively good in city driving, not straying far from 8.8 L/100 km, while highway driving saw a sustained average of 7.8.
Crosstrek owners putting them to work day after day under a variety of conditions get back an honest reward. No wonder loyalty is so strong.