Subaru XV Problems

Depending on what you want in a car, then the Subaru XV can certainly be a good car. If you're after a jaw-droppingly glamorous supercar that can do 0-100km/h in 2.0 secs and top out at 400km/h then you're in for bitter disappointment. If you're after a well-equipped, quirky premium small crossover SUV then the XV is going to be your jam. Highly practical, fairly cheap to run, easy to drive and not offensively priced the Subaru XV is a great suburban runabout or highway mile-eater.

Without knowing what you mean by casual weekend drives, I will assume they’re not off-road, so either one would be a good choice.

For a start, some owners are not mad about the Subaru’s CVT transmission. It’s not that it’s necessarily unreliable, they just don’t like the way it works with an occasional hesitation and a slight jerkiness at light throttle applications. Some people never notice it, but others find it a real distraction. The Kia meanwhile, has been getting good reviews across the trade, largely thanks to the Australian-input into the model’s suspension settings.

Of course, you need to personally drive all three cars on your short-list as there will be things you like and dislike about each one, some of which will be deal-breakers.

The SsangYong is certainly the unknown quantity, but mainly because of the brand’s on-again-off-again relationship with the Australian market. But now, with head-office support (the Australian operation is the only factory-owned distributorship outside the brand’s native South Korea) things are looking a bit brighter for buyers and that’s backed up by the factory seven-year/unlimited kilometre warranty that also includes fixed price servicing and roadside-assistance for seven years. That’s got to represent peace of mind.

Subaru's constant all wheel drive is not considered true 4x4 or 4WD as it does not have a selectable low-range option in the transmission. Power is divided evenly between all four wheels through a constantly-driven centre differential, which is why all wheel drive is considered different to 4x4.

Use a good quality 5W-30 A3/B4 oil.

The auto in your car is a continuously variable one, and the sound you describe sounds like the noise you get from a CVT. If it has become louder in recent times it might be a good idea to have the transmission replaced.