Subaru XV 2.0i all wheel drive

Place it in front of the renovated Opera House, soak it in the first large puddle, can we afford dirt on the field or go looking for the last remnants of snow in the mountains? The Subaru XV will certainly prove itself in all of the above circumstances. Although dressed in a bright orange color and complemented by black 17-inch wheels, it exudes a certain freshness if you want an elegance that goes well with some not-so-lucky black addition to the Ljubljana Opera House. A permanent symmetrical four-wheel drive and a taller chassis (22cm off the ground, 21,5cm Forester by comparison, 20cm Outback) would be useful when, due to slippery terrain with many bumps, common sense would shout it was better to turn.

This time we had a 110-liter petrol version with a Lineartronic transmission for a short test (so no measurements or tests). Like all real Subaruji, it has a four-cylinder boxer under the hood that produces 150 kilowatts or more than 60 domestic “horses”. We don't know where they hid the whole stable as the engine is a more relaxed type, and part of its shortcomings can be found in the continuously variable transmission and the aforementioned all-wheel drive, where an electronically controlled multi-plate clutch distributes torque 40:10, which is fuel consumption ( about 380 liters in our country) rather expected than a surprise, because the XV is still a big car; The XNUMX-litre trunk, when looking behind the wheel, is actually quite far behind. Well, the home of luggage is not exactly a record, but the bottom of the trunk with the third part of the rear bench reclining by a third is completely flat ... Where did we stop? Yep, the gearbox. Lineartronic is perfect for city cruising, as you put the shift lever into D and enjoy the smooth operation of the transmission, which delivers perfect power every time. Annoying only when you boldly press the accelerator pedal, as the technique becomes quite loud. More dynamic drivers have also been given a so-called manual mode, where pre-set gear ratios (six to be exact) are controlled through the steering wheel lugs. Left for downshifting, right for higher gears. Since the ears rotate with the steering wheel, we missed out on the manual shifting mode even with the shift lever, which would allow for stress-free shifting even in corners. Saved or just forgotten? Even switching from D to R (reverse) and vice versa takes much longer than we are used to with good automatic transmissions. Therefore, when maneuvering in parking lots, a little more caution is required, because due to the very sensitive accelerator pedal, the car bounces when pulling away. Despite the streamlining of the engine, including the standard Auto Start Stop and hill start assist, I'll write again what I've already done after the international shift: I tried a manual transmission and a turbodiesel boxer, which is quite the right combination.

We praise the driving position, especially the generous longitudinal adjustment of the steering wheel, the workmanship and the equipment. In addition to the xenon headlights, this Subaru also used a radio with CD player (and USB and AUX inputs), cruise control, two-way automatic air conditioning, heated front seats, a rearview camera, ESP and seven airbags. The chassis turned out to be quite comfortable, although sometimes on a bumpy road it seems cramped, and the steering wheel quite clearly hints at what is happening with the front wheels.

The dilemma of which backdrop to use when photographing only points to the car's versatility. If you've been interested in Subaru's technology so far but haven't quite appreciated the design of their cars, perhaps the XV is the right answer.

Text: Alyosha Mrak, photo: Sasha Kapetanovich

Subaru XV 2.0i all wheel drive

Basic data

Technical information

engine:	4-cylinder - 4-stroke - in-line - boxer - displacement 1.995 cm3 - maximum power 110 kW (150 hp) at 6.200 rpm - maximum torque 196 Nm at 4.200 rpm.
Energy transfer:	the engine drives all four wheels - continuously variable automatic transmission - tires 225/55 R 17 W (Continental ContiWinterContact).
Capacity:	187 km/h top speed - 0-100 km/h acceleration in 10,5 s - fuel consumption (ECE) 8,8/5,9/6,9 l/100 km, CO2 emissions 160 g/km.
Mass:	empty vehicle 1.415 kg - permissible gross weight 1.960 kg.
External dimensions:	length 4.450 mm – width 1.780 mm – height 1.570 mm – wheelbase 2.635 mm – trunk 380–1.270 60 l – fuel tank XNUMX l.