You may have something loose or worn in the driveline – such as a driveshaft – that is causing the thump. Looseness or wear means the drive from the engine doesn’t travel smoothly to the wheels, and that’s why you hear a noise and feel a clunk when you engage a gear. A check underneath should easily spot the problem.

But you may also be dealing with a worn transmission with internal wear. The Subaru XV uses a CVT transmission which, while a very efficient design, is also known for developing wear. This isn’t just a Subaru problem, either; many makes and models with CVTs have the same issues. CVTs are definitely stronger than they used to be, but they’re not always the most robust type of transmission.

It's true that suspension bushes, like brake pads, batteries and tyres are subject to normal wear and tear and, therefore, are generally not covered by a new-car warranty. And, to be honest, I don't think almost 50,000km is an outrageous interval for replacing front suspension bushes on a front-wheel-drive car. It's not brilliant, but not terrible.

But it would be worth going over the dealership's head and speaking directly to Subaru Australia's customer service department to see if it would be interested in helping out with the cost of repairs. You should point out that the car has always been serviced by Subaru and that the problem occurred within the warranty period. Meantime, driving style can affect the life of components like these and (just like tyres) if you corner fast and drive on rough roads, anything will wear out faster.

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.