Subaru XV 2021 Review - BEST 4WD??

The XV E-Boxer represents Subaru's concession to electrification to suit the needs of the current market. This self-charging full-hybrid mid-sized crossover takes on segment models like Toyota's CH-R, Kia's Niro and Hyundai's Kona hybrid, cars that already have this technology. For a little more money, this Subaru offers more space, much more capability, but a little less efficiency. For years, Subarus have sold on tough, no-nonsense virtues like practicality and go-anywhere four-wheel drive. If that meant that they weren't quite as efficient as rivals, well, so be it. But customers aren't quite so forgiving these days. Even something very capable needs to have a degree of electrified efficiency in today's market, hence the need for the Fuji Heavy Industries brand to introduce its E-Boxer full-hybrid engine. Now, we've seen this in the company's Forester mid-sized SUV, but we look at it here in the brand's more compact XV crossover model. This second-generation XV, first introduced in 2018, was likely facelifted in early 2021, at which point the decision was taken to focus only on the E-Boxer hybrid engine variant. The XV E-Boxer can't be plugged in, but it is a proper self-charging hybrid. In contrast to the mild-hybrid engines currently being marketed by Ford and Volkswagen Group brands, which feature powerplants that can't at any time run independently on battery power, so they're nothing like as efficient as full-hybrids. So Subaru has done the job properly, but to what effect in this XV? Let's find out. The engine here is the brand's familiar, normally aspirated, 150 PS, two-litre boxy unit, sending power to all four wheels via a CVT belt-driven auto transmission. But what's different here is that it's assisted by a 16-brake horsepower electric motor built into that Lineartronic gearbox, the motor powered by a small battery under the boot floor. That's enough for all-electric driving at up to speeds of 25 miles an hour. The electric assistance doesn't have much impact on performance, rests to 60, takes 10.7 seconds on the way to a top speed of 120 miles an hour. More significantly though, peak pulling power isn't delivered until 4,000 RPM, so the engine needs to be stretched quite a lot if you want to make any significant progress, and the rubber band characteristics of the CVT auto gearbox can be a further impediment to rapid progress. Still, all will be forgiven when you get this car off-road. There's a decent 220 millimetres of ground clearance, and as usual with Subaru, there's a symmetrical all-wheel drive system that'll get you to places that other volume brand four-wheel drive mid-sized crossovers would struggle to reach. The E-Box's electric motor is used to help improve off-road ability. It provides extra low-down pulling power when X-Mode is selected using the rotary dial on the dash. This means the car can take on steep slopes and descents, shuffling power between its various wheels. Subaru says that the XV can lean over at up to 30 degrees, and that's an unheard-of stat for a car of this kind. For this updated model, Subaru has introduced enhanced X-Mode and SI drive functions to give drivers reliable control at the push of a button. X-Mode now features a dual-function button to select snow-dirt mode for slippery surfaces, covered with snow, dirt or gravel, or a snow-mud mode for especially treacherous road conditions where vehicles can become easily stuck, such as deep snow or dirt. There's also a drive mode system, Subaru Intelligent Drive, SI Drive, which allows the driver to select engine and transmission characteristics according to their driving style. Select Sport Mode for immediate throttle response, or Intelligent Mode for more fuel-efficient power delivery. The XV E-Boxer benefits from a revised front grille design for this model, featuring an active grille shutter. The exterior has received other discreet upgrades, including a smart fog lamp bezel which surrounds the LED fog lights. Here at the back, the rear spoiler end plate is finished in gloss black, and an E-Boxer badge has been added to the tailgate and to the wings. From a profile perspective, there are fewer changes apart from these restyled, more aerodynamic, low-profile roof rails. The smart 18-inch wheel rims help distinguish this E-Boxer 2.0-litre variant from the 17-inch alloys used on the conventional 1.6-litre model. For us though, the most significant thing here, and the aspect that really sets this XV apart from more usual family hatch-based mid-sized SUVs, is the significantly raised stance with its 221 millimetres of ground clearance. That's considerably more than is offered by most rivals. It all encourages you to take the usual crossover cues a bit more seriously. As before, this second-generation XV gets the billion-dollar Subaru Global Platform that we first saw showcased by the company's fifth generation Impreza family hatch back in 2018, a chassis that's a massive improvement on the previous model's rather crude underpinnings. Inside this E-Boxer model, it's just as in any other XV. In the centre of the instrument panel lies an 8-inch touchscreen display for the infotainment system with the usual smartphone connectivity via Subaru's Starlink media system. As you'd expect, this is the portal from which you access the six-speaker DAB stereo and the usual phone and media features, as well as the satellite navigation setup that you'll find fitted to plusher variants like this one. The screen offers a smartphone-style swipe-and-pinch control function for map displays and it houses a standard-fit rear-view camera which offers a super-wide 160-degree field of view behind the car when you're reversing. Voice control is standard and owners will be able to download a wide range of apps. Other manufacturers will also build the various vehicle informational functions you'll need into a monitor like that, but Subaru continues to prefer to separate those out into a separate smaller colour screen at the top of the centre stack. From this display, you can oversee the various eyesight safety systems, plus there's a clock, a compass, trip computer readouts and a useful off-road-orientated screen which shows you the current body angle and the ongoing status of the symmetrical four-wheel drive system. Anything that both these main monitors can't tell you will probably be covered off by the further screen that sits between the two clear instrument dials that you view through this tactile, three-spoke, multifunction steering wheel. This covers off things like fuel usage and tyre pressures, plus it includes a digital speedo. There's plenty of adjustability in the driving position, but the seats could use a little more support. Still, we do like the way that the heater controls continue to be large and chunky enough to be used by a gloved hand and cabin storage is reasonable. Yes, the door pockets do look a bit small, but they have been shaped to allow for the placement of large bottles. Accessibility to the back is helped by doors that open wider than those fitted to many competitor models. Once inside, Subaru talks of room for three adults, but the high central transmission tunnel will make that difficult to achieve on all but the shortest journeys. It'll be fine for three children, though. If there are only two of you, you'll be able to use the dual cup holders in this fold-down central armrest. The XV's comparatively long wheelbase gives a really decent amount of rear legroom. The space available is helped by front seats that you can get your feet comfortably under. Out back, the 340-litre boot. It's pretty compact for this size of car, but fold the rear seats down and things improve quite a lot, with 765 litres on offer, or 1,173 if you load up to the roof. Prices for this XV E-Boxer start at around £32,000. That's for the SE version. If you want the plusher SE Premium, then you'll need £2,000 more, but at least you get plenty of kit. Standard equipment includes keyless entry, full LED headlights, those are equipped with high beam assist, privacy glass on the rear windows, roof rails and automatic air conditioning, and 18-inch alloy wheels. There's also a reversing camera and an 8-inch centre-dash touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring. And you also get Subaru's X-Mode off-road driving mode, complete with hill descent control. Plus there are plenty of camera safety features too. EyeSight, Subaru's camera-based safety package, delivers features such as pre-collision braking control, adaptive cruise control, and a lane keep assist function. There's also an improved high beam assist system for steering responsive headlights, which are able to move their beam right or left when you're cornering or at junctions to illuminate the direction of travel. In addition, there is also a rear vehicle detection system which offers blind spot detection, lane change assistance, and reversing assistance to enhance all-round preventative safety. If you're hoping for significant efficiency gains from the E-Boxer powertrain, then you might be a bit disappointed. Let's get to the WLTP figures. These are quoted at 35.7 mpg on the combined cycle and 180 grams per kilometre of CO2, which is a little surprising because at low speeds, the XV E-Boxer sticks with all-electric power rather more readily than some rival self-charging hybrid models. You just have to be a bit careful with your right foot, although the engine will chime in to start charging the battery after about a mile. That engine automatically assists the battery and charges it up above 25 mph before taking over all duties once you reach cruising speeds. The setup also recharges the battery when the car is braking or when you're coasting. A decently-sized 60-litre fuel tank gives all models a useful touring range and there's an eco-meter in the multi-function dash display that helps you to optimise your driving efficiency over time. Residual values, well, they're certainly not going to be on a par with BMW or Audi, but Subaru is committed to doing what it can to make the ownership experience as painless as possible. To that end, you get a comprehensive five-year, 125,000-mile warranty, which is one of the best in the industry. We had hoped that the E-Boxer engineering on offer here might be more transformative to the XV than it actually is. The gains in efficiency brought about by this switch to a degree of electrified power aren't huge and they certainly aren't big enough to offset the weight penalty that this XV has over obvious mid-sized volume brand crossover rivals. But it has that weight penalty because it has a far more sophisticated and capable four-wheel drive system than those competitors can offer. The brand's symmetrical all-wheel drive setup continues to be this car's biggest draw. Most alternatives in this class don't offer four-wheel drive at all, except sometimes on ridiculously pricey variants. And even then, it simply won't get you to the places that this Subaru can go. If you live out in the country or you regularly tow, it's going to be a huge attraction if you're shopping for this class of car. And if you are, the fact that Subaru can now offer it with a modicum of extra efficiency will be welcome news.