SUBARU NZ INTRODUCES NEW E-BOXER HYBRID MODELS
Subaru NZ has joined a growing list of local car companies offering hybrid versions of popular models – in its case the AWD Forester and XV SUVs.
But if you are keen on owning one, Subaru of New Zealand’s Managing Director Wallis Dumper says you’d better be quick.
“Between limited factory production and global demand, New Zealand has only managed to secure small quantities of around 10-20 per month, with an initial allocation of 20 to be delivered in September and October,” Mr Dumper says.
The innovative e-Boxer SUVs have identical petrol-electric power-plants – a 2.0 litre horizontally opposed Boxer engine linked via Motor Assist to a high voltage lithium ion battery – offering fuel economy benefits, particularly in congested city driving.
XV Hybrid offers over 14 percent improvement in fuel efficiency over equivalent petrol variants in the urban cycle and an over seven percent improvement in the combined cycle. Forester Hybrid offers an improvement of over nine percent (compared to 2.5-litre petrol variants) in the combined cycle and over 19 percent in the urban cycle (when tested in accordance with ADR81/02).
Forester Sport e-Boxer Hybrid is priced from $ 47,490, through to the range-topping Forester Premium e-Boxer Hybrid at $ 54,990. The hybrid version of Subaru’s top-selling XV model, meanwhile, has an RRP of $ 42,490 and comes in an exclusive new colour option – Lagoon Blue Pearl.