Photo Gallery:
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek
Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4
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Ah, the green Subaru XV Crosstrek Hybrid, the very vehicle in which Jacob achieved a very poor 10.4 L/100 km over the course of a week, earning him the “lead-foot wonder” title at the the Autos.ca water cooler. This week I’m setting out to best his achievement… I mean improve on his result, of course, and to try to get this Hybrid to achieve at least better fuel economy than I personally observed in a non-hybrid XV CrossTrek back in October 2012.
In that October test, which would have had very similar weather to what we expect this week, I averaged 7.8 L/100 km – decidedly better than Jacob’s 10.4. So I have a feeling I’m going to win this battle – but will I be able to beat my own results in the standard XV? That’s the real question.
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The Crosstrek has been somewhat of a success for Subaru as far as I can tell; I see a lot of them on the road. I’m not a huge fan of the semi-suv/semi-wagon look but I guess for some the rugged looks, extra ground clearance and wagon utility are very appealing features of the XV Crosstrek.
Historically Subarus have never been very economical when it comes to fuel consumption because of the all-wheel-drive systems and performance-optimized boxer engines, although that has changed in the last few years. This Hybrid XV Crosstrek comes to market to reduce Subaru’s overall fleet fuel consumption average.
What makes the XV compelling as a Hybrid is that very little space is lost, utility is still good with 60/40 split-folding seats with the hatchback/wagon design. Funnily enough, Subaru’s press materials emphasize more the convenience factor of a Hybrid (filling up less often) and the reduced wear and tear of the engine (running it less) than fuel savings.
Pricing: 2014 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid
Base price: $29,995
Freight: $1,650
Other: $417.50
Price as tested: $32,062.50
Competitors:
Chevrolet Trax
Kia Sportage
Nissan Juke
Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4
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Many seemed to feel that the Jetta I drove last week had a cheap interior for a $30,000 car, but it was down right luxurious compared to the Subaru XV Hybrid that is certainly spartan, certainly plain and decidedly boring at this price bracket.
The all black interior makes life a little dull on the inside of the CrossTrek. Very little accenting or fancy trim certainly leave a lot to be desired, the most appealing part of the interior is the shiny red hazard switch at the top of the dash, other than that you could fall asleep pretty quickly in the XV.
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There is somewhat of an advantage to the simple interior though, it is all business. Simple radio controls and simple HVAC controls with automatic climate control leave you to your driving instead of fooling around with electronic gizmos and settings. No available Navigation on the Hybrid (an odd omission) makes sure that there are no options to spruce up the inside either.
The small screen on top of the dash that displays fuel economy and drivetrain information also doubles as the screen for the backup camera. The camera works well, oddly though this vehicle is one of the few I’ve driven recently where the visibility is good enough I find it is not really required.
Cargo space is great in the XV, as mentioned the 60/40 split seats fold flat and offer excellent cargo carrying options. The XV is smaller than the regular Impreza hatch though so despite the “SUV” intentions utility is compromised slightly. Passenger space is great and there is a ton of leg room — I tend to have issues with Subaru’s seats in terms of comfort but after a few days of driving I’ve become accustomed to the seats and they are supportive and comfy so far.
Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4
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Despite the spartan interior and minimalist design there seems to be a lot to like about the way the Crosstrek drives. However, it isn’t all coming up smelling like roses because this Hybrid version seems a little contrived.
Parking and piloting the Crosstrek around tight confines is one of its strong points; the large greenhouse and good turning radius make maneuvering easy and the back-up camera does help. The large side mirrors also offer a good view for heavy traffic situations — I like me a large side mirror.
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Out on the highway the Crosstrek Hybrid is surprisingly quiet with very little road noise or wind noise that intrudes into the cabin. The ride is soft and compliant as well so if you are looking to be isolated from the ruts and bumps of our Canadian roads this may be a good choice.
That soft ride though does have some consequences – I noticed immediately when I picked up the vehicle that the soft ride means that it wallows about a little and can feel like it is going to wobble off the road on larger undulations. It doesn’t feel unstable and you do get used to it, but I prefer a taut suspension more than a marshmallowy one.
The Hybrid powertrain is the really confusing part about this vehicle. The Hybrid system rarely if ever runs in EV mode, unless you are stopped or nearly stopped with your foot on the brake. Release the brake and the engine starts rights back up again and when it does it is rough and very intrusive. At one point I was sitting at a light and the engine shut down and restarted a few times and it felt like someone kept bumping into the back of me as the car swayed back and forth on each stop and start.
So far I am less than impressed by the Hybrid system that seems to be getting no better fuel economy than the standard Crosstrek while offering a very rough idle and annoying start/stop refinement.
Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4
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After a week of driving I did warm up to the Crosstrek a little but a few shortcomings turn me off and they mostly pertain to the drivetrain.
When I drove the standard Crosstrek I averaged 7.8 L/100 km and this week I averaged 8.0 L/100 km, a very poor result when you consider this vehicle is a hybrid. Last week I got better mileage in the Volkswagen Jetta 1.8TSI – although the Crosstrek does have all-wheel drive, which is an advantage in winter but liability for efficiency.
The Crosstrek is comfortable, though, and it does offer all-weather performance and capabilities with a good amount of cargo space, which can be compelling.
