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Subaru XV

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Subaru XV Review, For Sale, Colours, Specs, Interior & News

Based on the Impreza small car, the XV shares its 2.0-litre petrol 'boxer' engine and all-wheel drive configuration, but cloaks it in a higher-riding body with exceptional ground clearance.

Performance isn't a strong suit, but the handsome styling, compact dimensions, easy entry, quality interior and low running costs make the XV a favourite among crossover buyers.

This vehicle is also known as Subaru Impreza, Crosstrek elsewhere. The cheapest grade starts from POA, rising to POA for the most expensive version.

This vehicle is also known as Subaru Impreza, Crosstrek.

Subaru XV Models Price and Specs

The price range for the Subaru XV varies based on the trim level you choose. The model range is available in the following body types starting from the engine/transmission specs shown below.

Year Body Type Specs Price from Price to
2023 SUV 2.0L, —, CVT AUTO
2022 SUV 2.0L, ULP, CVT AUTO $26,180 $45,650
2021 SUV 2.0L, ULP, CVT AUTO $25,520 $43,340
2020 SUV 2.0L, ULP, CVT AUTO $24,530 $42,130
2019 SUV 2.0L, ULP, CVT AUTO $22,770 $35,200
See All Subaru XV Pricing and Specs

Subaru XV Colours

The XV Hybrid is available in two new colours for 2021 - Lagoon Blue and Plasma Yellow - while Cool Grey, Ice Silver, Pure Red, Crystal Black, Magnetite Grey, Horizon Blue, Dark Blue and Crystal White are also on offer.

  • Lagoon Blue Pearl
  • Plasma Yellow Pearl
  • Pure Red
  • Dark Blue Pearl
  • Horizon Blue Pearl
  • Cool Grey
  • Crystal Black Silica
  • Magnetite Grey Metallic
  • Ice Silver Metallic
  • Crystal White Pearl
To confirm current colour availability, please check the manufacturer's website. Shown above are the colours for the Subaru XV 2021.

Subaru XV Accessories

The XV Hybrid L includes AWD, adaptive cruise control, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Sway Warning, Lane Keep Assist, Lead Vehicle Start Alert, Pre-Collision Braking System, Pre-Collision Brake Assist (essentially Subaru’s Autonomous Emergency Braking system that falls under the proprietary ‘EyeSight’ technology), Pre-Collision Throttle Management, Brake Light Recognition, rain-sensing wipers, auto-on/off headlights and front fog lights.

There’s also an 8.0-inch touchscreen, reverse camera, digital radio, climate-control air-con, leather-trimmed steering wheel, power-folding mirrors and 17-inch alloy wheels – though no spare due to the hybrid system taking up space under the boot floor.

A puncture-repair kit is your lot.

Shown above are the accessory details for the Subaru XV 2021.

Subaru XV Interior

Entry/egress through the front doors is easy. Wide doors and a sizeable aperture allow for that. High cushions and loads of seat travel also make finding the right driving position a piece of cake while thin pillars and a low dash cowl enhance forward and side vision, aided of course by large mirrors and a reverse camera.

The dash is generic modern-day Subaru, down to the clean and clear dials, rudimentary climate control system and very straightforward multimedia system. The latter is simple but a little clunky and dated, but gets the job done as far as functionality is concerned.

There’s no escaping the acres of well-made but slightly sheeny plastics, but they don’t rattle or zizz. They’re also quite soft to touch, so don’t seem cheapo either.

Ventilation is ample, and there is plenty of storage, including for smaller bottles in the doors, a medium-sized glovebox and a large centre bin between the front seats.

Meanwhile, sat comfortably high in the back seat, occupants enjoy an airy environment offering more head and legroom than the compact crossover proportions suggest, backed by exceptionally long doors (they open to almost 90 degrees), a sturdy centre armrest with cupholders, and storage in the doors for small bottles and phones.

What is missing are overhead reading lights – though the central ceiling item isn’t too far out of reach – and face-level air vents – but, again, the huge dash-sited ones have no problem reaching the second row. And, the windows wind all the way down too to boot.

Speaking of which, the cargo area is defined by its width and craftsmanship, but not depth due to the hybrid gear lurking underneath the near boot-lip level floor height.

Shown above are interior details for the Subaru XV 2021.

Subaru XV Dimensions

The dimensions of the Subaru XV SUV vary according to year of manufacture and spec level.

Year Body Type Height x Width x Length Ground Clearance
2023 SUV 1615x1800x4465 mm 220 mm
2022 SUV 1615x1800x4465 mm 220 mm
2021 SUV 1615x1800x4465 mm 220 mm
2020 SUV 1615x1780x4450 mm 220 mm
2019 SUV 1615x1780x4450 mm 220 mm
The dimensions shown above are for the base model. See All Subaru XV Dimensions

Subaru XV Boot Space

The 345-litre cargo area wins with its width and craftsmanship, but loses valuable depth due to the hybrid gear lurking underneath the near boot-lip level floor height. Capacity stretches to 919L with the split/fold backrests dropped down. A tyre-inflation kit is fitted in lieu of a spare wheel.

Subaru XV Boot space
Shown above are boot space details for the Subaru XV 2021.

Subaru XV Q&As

Check out real-world situations relating to the Subaru XV here, particularly what our experts have to say about them.

  • Subaru XV Timing Belt or Chain - Which One Does It Have?

    Subaru’s engines over the decades have used both popular methods of driving the engine’s camshafts, but what about the mid-sized cross-over Subaru? Is the Subaru XV timing belt or chain?

    Actually, all XVs from the arrival of the model in Australia in 2012 to now, have all used the same FB20 engine. Which means every Subaru XV sold here has used a timing chain rather than a timing belt.

    For most owners, this is good news as the timing chain should be maintenance-free for the life of the car, while a timing belt needs periodic replacement.

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  • What's a good hybrid car to buy?

    The default purchase for somebody looking for a mid-sized hybrid SUV is the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. But if that’s too big, there’s the Toyota Yaris Cross Hybrid, C-HR Hybrid and even the Corolla Cross Hybrid which sounds like the marketplace is getting crowded but is really just a reflection of the appetite right now for cars like these. And that’s the catch; the waiting times for a brand-new example of some of these cars is out to many months and even years. So your plan to shop second-hand makes plenty of sense, but don’t expect any bargains in a market currently being dominated by lots of demand and less supply.

    Beyond the Toyota brand (which has been doing hybrids longer than just about anybody else) there’s also the Mazda CX-30, Subaru XV Hybrid, Haval Jolion Hybrid, Kia Niro, Subaru Forester Hybrid, Nissan Qashqai e-Power, MG HS, Honda HR-V e and more. For something a bit bigger, try the Kia Sorento or Hyundai Santa Fe hybrids. There are others out there, too, that are probably bigger or more expensive than you need, but it's very much a growing scene in the Australian marketplace.

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  • How do I remove possum urine stains from my Subaru XV's windscreen and bonnet?

    By far the best thing to do with anything like animal urine, bird droppings, tree sap and industrial fallout on your car is to remove it with hot, soapy water as soon as you notice it.

    Windscreen glass is not such a problem as it's more or less impervious to such stains, even though they can contain large amounts of acid (bird droppings are particularly acidic). But the car's paintwork, being potentially porous, is another matter altogether and plenty of paintjobs have been ruined by allowing these contaminants to sit on the car for longer periods. Leave them long enough and they'll eventually leach into the paint itself, leaving permanent stains.

    You can use all sorts of detergents, but make sure they're designed for cars and painted surfaces. Don't be tempted to use household dishwashing liquid, as this has high levels of salt which can actually scratch the paint.

    If the stain is already proving difficult to shift, you can try a cutting polish that might move it, but be careful that you don't remove too much paint, especially in the case of a metallic colour with its clear top-coat. A better bet might be to take the car to a specialist in what's called paint correction, who might be able to reverse the damage already done.

    Once that's done, keep the paint protected with a good layer of automotive wax (which forms a physical barrier between the paint and whatever's trying to stain it) and try not to park under trees.

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  • What is the height dimension of an open tail gate from ground level to top on a 2021 Subaru XV?

    Let me guess; you have either a shorter family member or a car-port or garage with limited height clearance. You might have thought it would be as easy as phoning Subaru Australia and asking the question. Which is what I did, but Subaru Australia couldn’t give me the answer. It’s just not included in the specifications supplied by the Subaru factory. Apparently.

    So, I grabbed a tape-measure and headed to a Subaru dealer who allowed me to measure the XV’s tailgate. So here’s how it pans out (bearing in mind I didn’t have a ladder, so the measurements might not be millimetre-perfect): The distance from the ground to the highest part of the open tailgate is 2100mm (as I said, give or take a few); the distance from the ground to the lowest part of the grab-handle that closes the tailgate is 1960mm. Hopefully that helps you out.

     

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See All Subaru XV Q&As
Disclaimer: You acknowledge and agree that all answers are provided as a general guide only and should not be relied upon as bespoke advice. Carsguide is not liable for the accuracy of any information provided in the answers.

Subaru XV Towing Capacity

The Subaru XV has maximum towing capacity of 1400kg for the latest model available.

Year Body Type Braked Capacity from Braked Capacity to
2023 SUV 1250kg 1400kg
2022 SUV 1250kg 1400kg
2021 SUV 1250kg 1400kg
2020 SUV 1250kg 1400kg
2019 SUV 1270kg 1400kg
See All Towing Capacity for Subaru XV

Subaru XV Wheel Size

The Subaru XV has a number of different wheel and tyre options. When it comes to tyres, these range from 225x60 R17 9 for SUV in 2023.

Year Body Type Front Tyre Size Front Rim Rear Tyre Size Rear Rim
2023 SUV 225x60 R17 9 225x60 R17 9
2022 SUV 225x60 R17 9 225x60 R17 9
2021 SUV 225x60 R17 9 225x60 R17 9
2020 SUV 225x55 R17 17x7 inches 225x55 R17 17x7 inches
2019 SUV 225x55 R17 17x7 inches 225x55 R17 17x7 inches
The dimensions shown above are for the base model. See All Subaru XV Wheel Sizes

Subaru XV Fuel Consumption

The Subaru XV is available in a number of variants and body types that are powered by —, Hyb/ULP and ULP fuel type(s). It has an estimated fuel consumption starting from 7L/100km for SUV /— for the latest year the model was manufactured.

Year Body Type Fuel Consumption* Engine Fuel Type Transmission
2023 SUV 7L/100km 2.0L CVT AUTO
2022 SUV 6.5L/100km 2.0L Hyb/ULP CVT AUTO
2022 SUV 7L/100km 2.0L ULP CVT AUTO
2021 SUV 6.5L/100km 2.0L Hyb/ULP CVT AUTO
2021 SUV 7L/100km 2.0L ULP CVT AUTO
2020 SUV 6.5L/100km 2.0L Hyb/ULP CVT AUTO
2020 SUV 7L/100km 2.0L ULP CVT AUTO
2019 SUV 6.5L/100km 2.0L Hyb/ULP CVT AUTO
2019 SUV 7L/100km 2.0L ULP CVT AUTO
* Combined fuel consumption See All Subaru XV Pricing and Specs for 2023

Subaru XV Speed

Subaru states that the XV Hybrid L in European-specification can hit 100km/h from standstill in 10.7 seconds, on the way to a 200km/h top speed.

Shown above are speed details for the Subaru XV 2021.

Subaru XV Seats

High cushions and loads of seat travel also make finding the right driving position a piece of cake, on seats that are wide and flat but not uncomfortable. They recline all the way back, offer plenty of legroom up front, and provide sufficient lumbar support

Meanwhile, sat comfortably high in the back seat, the backrest is at a pleasant angle, the cushion has sufficient under-thigh support and there's a decent amount of legroom.

Shown above are seat details for the Subaru XV 2021.