Another thoughtful feature bundled into EyeSight is the polite little beep that alerts you when the car in front has moved away if you remain at a standstill. It saves you from being “that guy” at a traffic light, tuning his radio station when the rest of the world has moved on.
Since the cameras only look forward, there is no blind-spot warning (BSW) with EyeSight in the XV Crosstrek. BSW is available on the Legacy and Outback.
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety gives any Subaru with EyeSight its highest rating of Top Safety Pick+.
Back seat accommodation in the XV Crosstrek is fine for all but the tallest of adults, and with its increased ride height, sliding in and out of both front and back seats is a breeze. The 60/40 split rear seat folds flat and included is a retractable cargo cover.
The XV Crosstrek is tow rated for 680 kg (1,500 lb) and the roof rack will hold up to 68 kg (150 lb). For those who care about such things, this little scrapper has an 18-degree approach angle and a 28-degree departure angle.
It’s a pretty sanctimonious fuel-sipper too. My week concluded with a reading of 8.0 L/100 km, although it should be noted much of that was highway and secondary roads.
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Warranty: 3 years/60,000 km; 5 years/100,000 km powertrain; 5 years/unlimited distance corrosion perforation; 3 years/unlimited distance 24-hour roadside assistance Competitors: |
In this business, we drive a lot of vehicles – some hit the right notes, some don’t, and some are forgotten as soon as they leave the driveway. This funny little hatch on stilts never fails to make me happy. Granted, the XV Crosstrek is not particularly fast nor refined, and the stereo kinda’ sucks, but it is eager, extremely capable, comfortable and very user-friendly. It’s an honest critter with no pretenses, bags of character and an urge to please. Like that Malamute puppy.
Pricing: 2015 Subaru XV Crosstrek
Base price (Touring): $24,995
Base price (Sport): $26,995
Options: $2,500 (Technology Package: Eyesight, steering-responsive fog lights, proximity key with push-button start, CVT with paddle shifters)
Destination charge: $1,650
A/C tax: $100
Price as tested: $31,245
