Subaru XV/Crosstrek review 2021: For when an Outback is too big, but a hatch is too small!
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 มิ.ย. 2024
- SUVs based on hatchbacks are all the craze at the moment. But Subaru has a formula they have stuck to for some time - when creating an SUV version of something, make it usable. Unlike most other high-riding hatchbacks, the 2021 Subaru XV has more ground clearance and the ability to actually do some light off-roading. Is it any good? Paul Maric tests it out to see.
Hardness tester results: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
Read the full review: www.carexpert.com.au/car-revi...
More Subaru content: www.carexpert.com.au/subaru
More Subaru XV content: www.carexpert.com.au/subaru/xv
Skip Ahead:
Intro: 00:00
Exterior: 00:57
Interior: 03:41
Infotainment: 05:06
Safety Tech: 06:28
Practicality: 07:51
On-road: 11:30
Off-road: 14:58
Verdict: 17:26
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#subaru #xv #review - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
I have a XV and I absolutely love it. The way I look at it is: it's a great little family car, safe, reliable, good quality and good looking (imho). We go camping and fishing a lot and I love the fact that I don't have to worry if the trail gets a bit bumpy or rough. No issues with taking it up to the snow as well. Deals with city traffic same as any other car, great on country roads as well. We did a 6000km road trip with two kids and there were no issues whatsoever. I think the engine suits the character of the car, it's like throw anything at me and I'll be fine. Yeah, it's not a sports car in terms of acceleration, but I don't think it needs to be. You get great fuel consumption because of that. And all that for mid $30k. I'm a fan 🙂
Did you buy or lease how is the pricing where your at? Thanks
@@michaels999 I bought it in Sydney - it was a 2.0 L, with added roof-racks, paint protection and a front dashcam. Final price was around $36k drive away. I test drove the Kona and the CX30, those 3 were then what I was choosing from.
Fuel economy?
how many kms do you get out of a full tank and does it need to take premium unleaded or will 91OCT be good enough. Thanks
I looked at a 2013 model and decided not to buy it because of the horror stories about the CVT failure. Still not sure I made the right call on this one
Keep the colours, it’s only a few seconds and after all, it is a detailed review
Thank you!
I agree, it's a unique touch to this channel. And honestly I wouldn't have thought so many manufacturers charge so much extra for different non-metallic colours
@@CarExpertAus Agreed. It's also interesting to hear which options are free/ how much the other colours are. Looking at your Kia Seltos with "Starbright Yellow" (vomit) the default, but every other colour an additional $520!!!
Very happy with my 02 Forester. Coming up to 400,000 km and still going strong
Do you have to service it every 6 or 12 months?
Do you still own it?
Love that you've also shown the car key! I also love that you've placed time stamps on parts of the video so that we'd know which parts to skip if ever we decide to skip!
No matter what car you own, driving a Subaru is really something else. Good review as always!
To me the XV is almost the perfect car, just lacking grunt for country driving. Such a shame Subaru won’t bring the XV 2.5 to Australia. Would be even better with a 1.6 turbo
Would be great to see more all wheel drive SUVs do that same light off road course - very interesting! Great review as always!
Yes colours are useful I like to know which companies give more options
Bought my Subaru XV back in 2016. Have done 185,000kms in that time. Serviced every time at the dealership. Couldn't be happier with the service and treatment over the time. Very much looking forward to updating to a 2022 edition
I’m on my second Outback, a 2005 3L model. I love it. The AWD is very good in snow, ice, gravel and sand. The traction control is basic but effective at controlling wheel spin. It’s comfortable, spacious and does everything I want with ease. I love it!
Best review I’ve seen so far on the XV. Love the off road test !
Yes I love that you mention the colour options
Hi Paul, I'm a proud owner of a 2020 WRX STI Spec-R & probably the best part of owning a Subaru - the build quality.
The car feels so well built & you can see that Japanese pride in the overall finish.
This is my first Subaru (was a lifelong Nissan owner) & the Nissan quality has plummeted over the last few years.
So far, so good. Loving the Subaru ownership!
isn't it ironical that Subaru is part of GM!
@@mikeykeyes GM haven't owned a stake in Subaru/Fuji heavy industries for many years now
@@phonicfrog_ Yes, these days Toyota has a stake in Subaru, which is much more comforting than GM.
@@mauritsvw that's correct, Toyota have a 20% stake in Subaru now 😪
Have a 2013 XV from new, (now at 140,000kms) love it, solid, reliable and I love the planted feel of Subarus when driving on any surface. It’s been a great city runabout that can handle some pretty rough dirt tracks without any anxiety. Probably replace it with a new XV in the next 12 months or so. The 2.5 engine would make it even better package though! Still holding out hope they bring it to Aus.
Thank you Paul for a fair and detailed review of the Subaru XV for 2021. To me, it was a mustard yellow colour. Where has the bright orange gone? In future reviews, I am happy for you to mention the colour options. As the owner of a Subaru Outback 2020, I am quite excited to see the review for 2021.
This is THE BEST CAR REVIEW I've ever seen. Kudos!
I have a 2014 FXT now at 60,000 kms. Still running with not much major problems. Loved it so much that I bought a 2020 XV.
Love my 2003 Forester and planning to get the XV. I was glad able to check out colours and aiming for lemonny lime one. Safety features impressed me but was a little concerned with 2.0 engine but think as I am single 78yr old 5' female I won't need to stack up the weight as in the past in Forester.. Finally I hope there isn't a long waiting time for delivery for this vehicle.
Great review Paul, first time new Outback owner in late 2019 (Gen5 with Ivory Leather), very comfy & practical, local indy dealer fantastic service, zero options for heated steering in UK, which needs fixed. A turbo model would be great/more fuel efficient for all their cars and auto-folding door mirrors on lock would be the only changes to perfect the models. Keeping fingers crossed for the Gen 6 when it arrives. Eyesight is amazing and has saved me several times since i got the car (EB function).
Colour feature was a welcome surprise, keep it. Great presentation and review, my new go to channel for vehicle reviews
Love your videos! Very fun and entertaining. If you can, can you review the Land Cruiser 70 series please?
I can't fault them, I have a secondhand 17 Forester and it's been a real pleasure to drive. I get a lot of beeps that I don't know what for thought when I am driving, the voice assistant is unreliable but I love my car. really happy with the purchase. The only thing I wish they did was to increase the available power for the car.
*Very happy with our 2021 XV. Test drove a few of the small turbo rivals and actually prefered the 2.0 L non turbo.*
Really? A 2.0L N/A engine with a CVT sounds like a pretty horrible combination to me :(
That's surprising. It's one of the most lackluster engines in the small suv segment. What did you test drive?
@@lamborghini0610 we don't care
@@lamborghini0610 Its fine as a city car. only real issue i came upon is when climbing a decent grade hill.
The S could do with the 2.5 L motor like in US .
great little car, ive built mine up for overlanding and its been perfect for city 9 to 5 and the odd camping trip!. spent 30 days living out of the car offgrid and loved it! goes offroad better than i thought aswell!
Very nice! Glad you’re enjoying it 😁
Another super review. Yes, I do like information about styling and colours, althought that XV 'mustard / poo' colour is awful. Prior to this update, I was a passenger in the previous version and the engine tied with the discontinued manual was totally weedy and required constant gear shifting to keep it on song. The leather seats initially felt comortable but the seat-back was very flat so after a couple of hours, I was in a world of pain. Buyers should defintely take it for an extended test. On a positive note, I really liked the interior's chunky control controls and the visibility was great thanks to the generous amount of glass. (Great to see you on the news talking about the proposed tax on EVs).
Yes please keep the colour info in your reviews. Thanks Paul.
Thanks for the feedback!
I’ve had an outback for 15 years. Definitely the best car I’ve ever owned. Not the best car ever but so universal. Really underestimated I reckon. Nice one Paul!
Cheers mate
Had original 2014 and now have 2018 XV’s as second car, power is adequate for regular driving (it improves noticeably after 30k km) very comfy, very reliable. But if they had a WRXV I’d be first in line.
YES Please include the available colors. It would be great at the end of each video images of all colors... THANKS!
Got my first Subaru (and first car) a month ago; a Subaru Forester 2.5I-S! Great car to drive and a great ownership experience so far👍
Great to hear!
Good review as usual. I saw the new Navara bakkie in rear view camera. Looks forward to that review.
It’s already live 😁
@@CarExpertAus you guys are legend!
Paul could you please add the engine sound segment too. Just like you add how the key looks like. We also want to know how the engine sounds like when it start up.
Thanks Paul and keep up the good job👍
Great video very informative have been looking at the XV for a while now makes the decision easy now. Cheers
Please keep the colours. I like to know what they offer and how much without having to go look for it.
At the same time I bought my RAV4 2021 after your RAV4 review so yea may not be looking for a new car for a while
Thanks, will do!
Amazing! You even tried to measure the softness of the cushions! New subscriber here!
What is the audio system , Paul? But a fantastic review!
I have a legacy and my wife has a crosstrek. We love them! Great in snow and crap weather. Comfortable to drive and great turning radius. Downsides of ownership are; higher price to get into the brand both new and used, remote start is an option and is cumbersome. CVT is loud and slow. Overall though, great brand to be in
'Available colours' is a valuable piece of information to include. Thanks
I got an XV from work 2 years back for few weeks and loved it. Wife come for a drive in it few months later got the forester due to bigger boot.
Love it!
I am driving my third Subaru in a row. In 2006, I bought a MY05 Subaru WRX base model with a 4 speed automatic transmission and owned it for 6 years. In 2012, I bought a new Subaru XV 2.0i base model with CVT which I took to an aftermarket tuner and had it turbocharged. I owned it for 7 years. In 2019, I bought a new WRX Premium with CVT and I am very happy with it. I intend to keep it for 10 years.
Thanks for the feedback, Andrew!
My first Subaru was a 2012 XV (diesel, 6MT). After a long and passionate relation I changed to a 2018 XV. I use it for work, sport, leasure, quite a lot off road - just because that is the kind of place I live. Snow, mud, dust, sand, gravel, motorway - same good. All my other cars used to be like tools for me, Subaru was the first that I actually started to develop feelings to.
My family’s got a 2021 XV/crosstrek here in Australia and a 2019 back home in Canada. They are excellent cars in rain, mud, and snow. No reliability issues so far and Subaru customer service has been outstanding. I think the dual screen setup in the XV is by far more useable than the single larger screen in the outback. And I like that it had actual dials for the climate control instead of the stupid buttons or tapping on the screen. My only “complaint” is that the Australian spec cars don’t have the option for the upgraded sound system that the North American cars get.
Have a 20 XV, besides it being a bit gutless and short on boot space, I’m pretty happy with it... looks nice and is an easy car to get around in...
I have a 2019 Forester Premium and find it comfortable especially on long drives. Like the long travel suspension that sucks up all the pot holes and of course the all wheel drive that is excellent, especially in the wet. I would really appreciate a turbo especially for over taking on country roads. The start stop system is annoying and would like to have a way of turning it off permanently. The eyesight works ok until you try merging to get around someone stopped in front doing a turn and eyesight decides a collision is imminent and slams the brakes on nearly getting you killed by following traffic. Overall glad I bought it and will probably replace it with another one when the time comes ...
Keep the colours Paul. And agreed, I wish here is Oz we got the 2.5L option and a full size spare. In the absence of these the Forester makes more sense for me.
I don’t know why you don’t get the 2.5 in OZ. Maybe next year? You do get extra cameras that we don’t get in the US though.
We’ve been Subaru owners (3 Foresters) since 2008. Absolutely love them. Just miss the turbo with bonnet scope.
TBH, I've only had my XV a year, but the way it drives for me. I think it's a combination of permanent AWD paired with a very low center of gravity. It just handles like a dream. It's much slower, can't put my finger on it, but it's a hell of a lot more fun to drive than my Ford ST. I just keep on grabbing the Subaru keys... My ST used to be my daily driver, and the scooby wasn't intended to replace it, but it did.
XV Wish List:
1. 2.5L Engine
2. More comfortable seats
3. Larger Integrated touchscreen (like the outback)
And most importantly:
4. The ability to PERMANENTLY disable engine auto-off at idle.
Give us those 4 things and I will buy one.
Yes, I like it when you tell us how many colours there are to choose from. Beautiful, perfect, I was happy with you. To be clear, my husband is writing this, and I have had too much wine.
Please review the stereo and speakers in your reviews
Look at the savagegeese channel - they have reviewed this in US spec and they cover stereo performance
Great review Paul. I prefer these jacked up hatchbacks and wagons to an suv. 99% of suv buyers would never take their car true off road so cars like this is perfect for most people. I also like the colour. I'm over the silver and grey
Yes, colour info is useful. And all colours are free, I don’t understand the extra cost for other colours given it’s just a different pigment! Metallic maybe.. but just colour? And those wheel arch cladding looks wonky...
Great point!
I love that you tell us about the extra colours but if you could Show them aswell, the XV in deep blue looks very nice for instance
Love hearing about colours and price range ☺️
Thanks!
I am a Subaruer. Ownership experience has been good after 20 months. The car was three years old and had done 37k when purchased. Servicing has been good but the cost is higher than average.
Have owned 3 Subaru cars. Currently own a Outback 6 cylinder super happy with it. Been happy with ever Subaru I have owned
Had my 2015 XV since new. Great car. Could do with a bit more oomph. Never had any issues with suburu as a company.
Fuel economy
Thank you for a good review.
Thanks for watching!
@@CarExpertAus Your comprehensive review, I must have watched 3 or 4 times. I have places an order for a 2.0s ice silver. Really swayed ny choice so thank you
I have a base 2017 XV. I agree with Paul the engine (110kW) is too slow on take-off or when overtaking, also the CVT takes a few seconds to engage from Reverse to Drive. I would have liked the X Mode in all specs. This means I have to stay on level gravel roads :(. The boot is small compared to my Impreza hatch, I would have liked a larger boot. Also, the cargo blind cannot be stored under the cargo floor as the spare wheel takes up the space, as in the Forester. But I do like the full wheel spare (not full alloy) which came with the car. The A-pillar sometimes blocks your view during parking. Other than that I enjoy the AWD and the ground clearance. On the negative side, the vehicle has to be serviced every 6 months which to me is a nuisance. On the colours, I do think a small palette of the common ones would be a much better choice. Thanks, Paul for the review.
Subaru forester driver for 5 years now. Absolutely love it. It will drive virtually anywhere in any weather, and costs way less than Range Rovers and Land Rovers. 🔥👊
Im looking in buying another SUV vehicle and this one looks nice. I'm really dying to have a sunroof. One thing Paul, I fitted a pedal box throttle responder in my Renault Arkana and it was amazing!
I think fitting one with this Subaru will enhance the driving experience. Give it a go next time on your car review.
Thank you for making this video. I love watching all your videos.
Great Review, my parents are about to be Surbaru Owners so it will be interesting to see how that goes.
Will you be reviewing the Skoda Scala>f
Eye opening video.
In my area it is a bit of a granny car. Detest the flowery rims but love the way it can smash rough roads. Great resale
Big fan of your Videos
I own a 2016 Forester, a 2.0 Boxer diesel. This car is without doubt the most reliable and incredible car I have ever owned. I regularly get 50+mpg and frequently get 55mpg. On a few occasions I have seen 60mpg on a run. Furthermore it has only needed the following in 93,000 miles:
One new set of glow plugs
One new set of brake discs and pads
Two rear wheel bearings.
I have maintained it at my local Subaru dealer (Daventry, UK) and the customer service is excellent.
I have no intention of changing it, but if I was to get another vehicle to replace it I would not look beyond another Subaru.
good review. having had a few drives of my daughter's XV I would add to the review that the road holding/cornering is top drawer obviously inherited from the Impreza. 2.0l engine in S mode seems fast enough and you know it will be good for years since it is unstressed, lots of parking cameras and active cruise control is brilliant once you have confidence!
Good Day Paul and CarExpert team! Just a quick question, Why I haven't seen you reviewed the Lexus SUV models so far? Thank you 😊
CD player and a full spare? I'm sold
It has a CD player. That slot just below the screen.
Unfortunately it's now a space saver spare, so it's not that great for country buyers.
good review, any chance you could include boot dimensions with a tape measure , rather than, or in conjunction with, showing the suitcases?
I did want to buy one, as it ticked nearly all my requirements, but the lack of power & small boot space turned me off. Ended up with a new Escape Vignale that is great (Also test drove the Forester, but it was a bit gutless too).
2 things I would like. 1.They need a latch to open the rear hatch from the inside. 2. USB C ports instead of USB A, and they should include a short cable for the head unit to phone connection.
colour info is great
When can we expect the in depth review of LDV D90?
Would have loved to see a bit of off road in the Outback review! And a 0-100 for the outback also
We have 0-100 in our review I'm pretty sure. We'll try and get one again for some light off-roading!
@@CarExpertAus You are correct! I missed the 0-100 but it is there
Hi there. When you look at the boot with the seats folded down, can you let us know the maximum length you can fit in, useful when putting in large items. Cheers
I love ❤️ the X v. Subaru Paul . Great engine.
Well..... U showed us the colors in less than 10 secs so I don't mind. It can only help. Good stuff
Thank you for the detailed and unbiased review. I'm considering the XV Premium and also the Toyota Yaris Cross Hybrid. Which would you rather have ? Love the full size XV and its features, but not loving the fuel efficiency and the sedate acceleration. The Yaris is new and funky, rides very well, but small and the build quality is plasticky. Ignoring differences in pricing, which would you rather own ? Truth be told, I will never off road either. I like the XV drive better, but its still a 2018 tech car - simple but very solid. Its almost choosing between a timeless Seiko automatic vs a Casio g shock (Yaris).
I would go with the XV mate
Love my XV ! Best car I’ve own and not disappointed with the power 🇳🇿
Looks awesome
This colour is fantastic! but just a doubt, how about the reliability of Subaru xv? Looking forward to count on it for daily drive
Thank you ! Thee cross trek Subaru premium 2021 is that a good car to buy ?
We own a 2012 Subaru Forester diesel. It is and awesome car when it's working. Lovely to drive, good fuel economy and power but we have had a lot of problems with it such a DPF, timing chain, and the viscous coupling. Subaru was absolutely terrible when trying to fix these problems. They said that everything was our fault and would not recommend anyway to fix them so we now rely on a local mechanic who has learnt what the car likes.
Looks good that car. A strong and smooth V6 and a proper transmission would make it amazing. Also the choice of a manual transmission would be great.
I would think Subaru would design a flat 6 before putting in a V6. The CVT seems to work fine. It took a little getting used to but it’s fine really, plus It’s got paddle shifters on the wheel, or at least they do in the US, and it does simulated gear shifts when you’re on it hard.
Second too!😂 My brother & a good mate have this model, albeit the previous model. Whilst they both love them, both say the engine is just ordinary when anymore than 2 people are on board.👎🏼 The simple fact there are no rear air vents these days is pretty much inexcusable! Styling wise I’ve always loved the look. Stick a turbo on it then “They will come!...”🙏🏻
Like the inclusion of colours in the video so please keep it. Also request you to think about including child seats in your review. Gives people with kids an idea of what the rear space with child seats looks like.
Thanks
The XV is the overseas version of the Crosstrek ... and it's so popular, it's everywhere!
I do get a bit jealous when i see them hooning through the snow. I wonder if they get a different power train cos they seem a lot quicker in US videos.
@@MLife1972 They get the 2.5L, we only get a really crappy 2L.
@@MLife1972 it’s 182hp here in the states and that makes it decent
@@michaels999 Darn it. That would certainly make a difference. Subaru Australia refuse to give us the 2.5 L in the XV (Crosstrek).
@@MLife1972 The 2.5 is new for 2019 here so maybe they will offer it next year in OZ. It’s 135kw. Adequate but not super fast. I guess that’s better than slow.
Have a Crosstrek Outdoor (Canada) with the 2.5 and it's a great little car.
This car is way more capable off road then you'd think, it's a fantastic cross vehicle for a small family
Hi Paul. I'm torn between Kia Seltos and the XV. Gimme a tip, mate. Love driving dynamics and stuff. Any other considerations appreciated. TIA
I have two Subaru vehicles. The cars are economical, reliable, practical, and to an extent fun to drive. Subaru’s after sales support is limited compared to, say, Toyota. They can only be serviced on weekdays, and parts are not readily available (except general consumables such as oil, filter etc.). I do agree that the engine in the Gen. 4&5 Impreza / XV is under powered. I too wish Subaru would fit the 2.5L engine in the XV but that seems unlikely since their development roadmap indicate they are heading towards electrification by the end of this decade.
However it is rumoured that the new Levorg will have the WRX engine with adaptive suspension and a CVT. Watch out Golf wagon R? We’ll just have to wait and see. Thank you again for an informative video.
keep the color options. it's nice to expose the manufacturers charging for basic paints. We call it a Crosstrek here, but it used to be the XV Crosstrek. Funny how your country got the XV and we got the Crosstrek designations.
I've got a 2020 XV Premium in Thailand, made Malaysia and lots of the hitech stuff is missing - eg auto braking, lane keeper etc, - they must have thought (prolly correctly) that stuff is gonna have a fit in Thailand what with the crap or zero line marking and motor cycles everywhere. One annoyance for me is the rear spoiler - it needs a vent at the leading edge to shoot air down the rear screen to blow the dust off - it's immediately very dusty all down the rear end after washing! It's a good car to live with here with the extra ground clearance to cope with crap roads and occasional flooding. The usb socket location in the front is stupid - hidden there in the dark - you hafta plug in for your phone to do gps etc. And there is only one socket - should be two. The engine/transmission performance is totally fine, you can't really plant your foot much in this country. Love the headlight washers and in particular the headlights which look around the corner as you're turning - fantastic! Happy with my choice!
Love our MY20 Foz... had for 2 years now... comfiest ride ever... people who say the Subaru engines are underpowered probaby get lots of speeding tickets. No problem overtaking.
Hey paul, all reviews are great 😍😍😍, but that first sentence which says about time map instead of telling it again and again in all videos can you put a banner underneath the video? It becomes monotonous and little bit work to skip it all the time.😜
We just bought both an Outback (mid spec) and a base XV. The Outback because it has more cargo space than an MUX and/or CX8 and we don't need 7 seats for 2 people. The XV is just a shopping trolley but we traded a six month old Tucson because the XV just rides better. As I write this we haven't picked them up from the dealer yet, roll on tomorrow. Never thought about Subaru and they weren't on our short list. We were in a dealership that had Kia and Subaru and them not having a Sorrento to drive caused us to look at the Subaru. The drive and comfort and space sold us, the slight lack of power being the only drawback but not a deal breaker. Maybe add a turbo?
Am I the first person to notice that Paul’s boots are the exact colour of the ground?
I have a 2004 Subaru Forester I love it...its reliable. However, I would love to get a Subaru Outback...starting from the 2017 model to the current one.
I have a Subaru 2021 XV premium, I absolutely love it
I’m a Subaru owner.
Bought a brand new BRZ in 2018. Had brake issues and intermittent pre-stall issues (RPM drops to
Another great review Paul! Just found your channel not too long ago and love your videos! Always professionally made, easy to understand, time stamps included and you live up to your name “Car Expert”! You know your stuff!
Looks Gold to me 😎