2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek Review

Review: 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek

Building a better Impreza

With the introduction of the new Impreza, Subaru has killed off the small and rugged Outback Sport, and has left a gaping hole in the lineup. When we first drove the Impreza, we were OK with that because we didn’t like the Impreza and didn’t want to see the Outback Sport ruined. Now Subaru has created a new car to overtake the Outback Sport and it has given it a new name. Meet the 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek. Does this new car live up to its predecessor or do its new Impreza bones soil the package? Read on to find out.

First let’s take a look at the exterior. Subaru does not make pretty cars, but the new Impreza is beyond ugly. Thankfully the new ride height and new plastic body pieces do much to spruce up the exterior. The plastic bumpers feature a nice matte finish and look very sharp with our Dark Gray Metallic exterior paint. It is a huge improvement over the silver and beige body cladding used on the older Outback Sport. The nicest part of the exterior is the two toned geometric wheels. They are unique and stunning and we love them. Make no mistake, the car is still ugly, but in that quirky Subaru style of ugly.

The XV’s small size makes it seem like the perfect choice for college kids looking for a versatile high-riding city runabout, but it is more than capable when the road becomes less traveled. The increased ride height is a massive 8.7-inches, for reference a Grand Cherokee is 8.6, and means that you need not worry if you trek off into the wilderness. Don’t get too overzealous with the deep mud though, as the Yokohama Geolander tires will work to drag you through a few fields or rock paths, but anything more will need some more aggressive rubber.

That ride height comes with its share of problems, when trying to use the XV in day to day scenarios. Any aggressive driving is met with extensive levels of body roll. Those Geolander tires offer very little grip on tarmac and cause the XV to understeer in a fit of tire squeal at the slightest provocation.

The XV is powered by Subaru’s new 2.0-liter flat four and torque vectoring AWD system, also borrowed from the Impreza, and you will be quick to notice that the XV weighs more than the car it is based on. 0-60 sits towards the 10 second range of the scale and any grade causes strain on the system. We took a trip into the mountains for the weekend and the Subaru felt very taxed on some of the steeper roads. This feeling could be exacerbated by the CVT that came equipped on our tester. With the slightest throttle input under load, the CVT would spin the engine well above 3500 rpms to provide the necessary power. We appreciate Subaru dropping the old four-speed automatics, but these CVTs are not much better. Do yourself a favor and pick up the XV with three pedals. You will thank us later.

There are some advantages to the anemic engine and CVT, however, as EPA estimates sit at 25 city and 33 highway. With our heavy load and vertical driving, we found ourselves hitting an average of 31, quantifying Subaru’s math and easily beating most competition in the segment.

When we reviewed the new Impreza we derided its boring feel and lack of Subaru character, but we then praised the Legacy for correcting these issues. Which side does the XV fall on? Thankfully on the Legacy side of things. The XV does not quite have the “chunky” feeling of the Legacy, but much of the off-road and rugged nature that Subarus are known for has been built in.

The interior of the new XV is easily one of Subaru’s better attempts, but that is not saying much. Everything, but the stereo which will be discussed in a moment, is very easy and intuitive to use. The Crosstrek does not come covered in fancy buttons, but sticks to very simple large knobs to handle most functions. This is something that we still appreciate seeing in a new car, as too many auto makers are moving to convoluted systems that you need an engineering degree to comprehend. The only hitch in this armor is the stereo. The large touchscreen unit with navigation is controlled almost completely through a touchscreen interface that is slow and unresponsive. If you want to select an XM station that is not in your presets will result in a fascinating display of anger and foul language.

The surfaces are a mix of decent plastics and leather. We were pleasantly surprised to see how well it stood up after our encounters with some of Subaru’s more fragile interior trim pieces in older cars. That mountain journey we mentioned included our two 40 lb. dogs. They were able to sit happily in the back seats and after 3 hours, the car was no worse for wear. The leather seats where unmarred, and aside from some stray hair and few nose smears on the windows, you couldn’t tell they had been inside.

There are lots of reasons to buy an XV, but unfortunately there are a few reasons to look elsewhere. Our Limited trim tester came with a price ringing in at more than $27,000. That is about $2,000 shy of a 4×4 Grand Cherokee, a much larger and more capable SUV. Even the base price of the XV seems a little high. At $21,995 a base Crosstrek is $700 more than a base Forester. True, the Forester is miles uglier than the XV, but it comes with more room and the more capable 2.5-liter engine found in the Legacy. Another issue could be the XV’s svelte exterior. With a maximum cargo capacity just shy of 52 cubic feet, it falls behind the Jeep Compass and the new Mazda CX-5 for capaciousness.

We find ourselves torn when it comes to the little XV Crosstrek. We really enjoy the way it drives and it is one of the best-looking Subarus available, but an inflated price makes it hard to recommend. In the end it comes down to preference. If you would like some more space and better on-road demeanor, the Mazda is a better choice. If price is a large factor, look to the Forester or the Jeep Compass. As an all-rounder, though, the Subaru XV seems to hit the perfect middle ground of off-road and on-road presence with enough space to go camping for a weekend. Just make sure you get one with a manual transmission.