Subaru XV
2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek at the motor show in New York
Looking at the industry statistics in the United States, only about 10% of SUVs are used to negotiate rough off roads aside from the occasional trip to the beach or to the family cabin thru a gravel road up the hill.
Subaru knows the numbers so the car manufacturer have actually made a business with AWD wagons and their crossovers which look tough and rugged but still offers good handling and fuel mileage. The Subaru Outback, for example, will not get you thru the Rubicon Trail but surely it can handle the everyday rigors of driving from home to office and back in any kind of weather.
The 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek can also do this and a lot of people were impressed when it was showcased at the auto show in New York recently. The new XV Crosstrek uses the platform of the Impreza with all the capability you will expect from it plus a decent fuel mileage of 33 miles per gallon.
The heart of this machine is a 2.0L 4-cylinder boxer engine which gives out 148 horsepower which is mated to a either a manual transmission with six speeds or a Lineatronic CVT, which comes standard for the Limited units. The power of the engine is transferred to all of the wheels to make sure that the XV Crosstrek will be able to manage thru the most challenging condition Mother Nature might bring its way.
The suspension of the Subaru XV Crosstrek is also slightly lifted so this new version gets a better clearance off the ground. The 8.4 inches of clearance might not match the Jeep’s but it is pretty good if you will talking about handling potholes, some off-roading, and rought roads like peanuts.
The Subaru XV Crosstrek will be hitting dealerships come fall and will be released in Premium and Limited versions. There is no announcement yet as to the pricing of the XV Crosstrek but we can expect figures to come out as the release nears.
New Subaru Crossover set to hit U.S. market by 2013
Subaru Crossover
By 2012, Subaru will be retiring the Outback Sport and will let the Impreza Sport that has several options take the reign. The Subaru XV that was unwrapped during the auto show in Frankfurt a few weeks ago will be heading to the United States under a different nameplate.
According to Subaru, the XV will be under the wings of the Impreza brand as part of the 2013 MY lineup.
This will widen the Impreza range and give it a distinct model that has off-road capabilities, higher ground clearance, and unique wheels. The specifics about the Subaru Crossover has not yet been revealed but the US version will sport a new fascia and front grille.
The XV Crossover will most likely be renamed when it is launched in the U.S. to conform to the Subaru tradition of having proper word names for their car models. The only alphabetic tag is the upcoming sports car, Subaru BRZ.
The Subaru XV production version that will also be marketed in Europe in Asia was previewed as the SV Concept during the auto show in Shanghai this year.
The 2012 Imrpreza sport meanwhile is a transitional model for the brand and is a 5-door hathback which has a combo of Impreza options coming with it. The Sport will roll on 17-inch rims for some package options including an All-Weather setup. It will also have options for fog lights, roof rails, and rocker panels.
The Outback Sport is considered as a last generation 5-door Impreza that was marketed with several options and body accents. It did not utilize the Legacy platform used by others in the midsize lineup of Subaru.
The 2013 XV will add some brute force to distinguish its all wheel drive system and abilities off road which will be adding depth to the Impreza line.