Why Subaru’s XV won’t be everyone’s cup of tea

Spending a week in the updated Subaru XV brought back memories. When this writer was young, handsome and strong – many, many decades ago – I set high standards when it came to girlfriends.

They had to be leggy, busty, beautiful and – in matters of carnal indulgence – bad, bad girls. Also, naive enough to fall for the particular line of subterfuge I was peddling at the time.

Back then, my motorsport friends and I agreed on our idea of the perfect woman. She would be the one who, apart from finding racers intensely desirable, would have the tendency to get delightfully smutty very early in a relationship. Later, she would also prove to be demure, wonderfully behaved and suitable for introduction to your parents. It has to be recorded that none of us ever met such a woman.

Soon after the initial excitement of dating a new aspirant, she would exhibit some shortcoming and I would move on, to continue a futile search for perfection that could never exist. Of course, by now I have realised that beggars can’t be choosers.

I have had better luck with cars. Having access to test vehicles, I am in the incredibly fortunate position to use, explore and judge them. Which brings us back to the updated XV 2.0i-S ES.

Rear view

The vehicle, that spent a week in my clutches recently, was pretty, able to get down and dirty and fitted with a wide array of attractive extras. Sadly, she also had a flaw that spoiled the relationship to a large degree. But before we get there, more about the specifications.

The XV has rather square lines, with its front grille and distinctive headlamps ensuring it will not be mistaken for anything but a Subaru. We thought it was very attractive offering.

Officially, it is listed as a passenger car crossover. It has a normally aspirated 1 995 cc four-cylinder boxer engine that produces 115 kW of power at 6 000 rpm and 196 Nm of torque at 4 200 rpm. This is sent via a CVT to the vehicle’s permanent all-wheel drive system, with alloy wheels in 225/55 R18 rubber.

Active safety systems are plentiful and impressive, ranging from ABS with brake assist, stability control, lane departure and blind spot warning, Then, there are directional turning headlights, plus the brilliant Subaru EyeSight system, that will prevent you from driving too close behind other vehicles.

Inside, the XV will accommodate five adults on leather-covered seats, and the driver’s perch is electrically adjustable with a memory function. It has keyless entry, automatic air-conditioning, rain-sensor wipers, electrically operated windows and a rear-facing camera for reverse parking.

XV interior

A sunroof and electrically retractable exterior mirrors are standard. So is an eight-inch touchscreen that allows access to a range of media options and smart phone applications, including a satellite navigation system and Bluetooth.

On the road, the 1 407 kg XV offers a sublime ride and it feels solid, even over Ekuhurleni’s potholed macadam. The steering is direct and the vehicle feels flat and sure in corners, which makes its shortcomings all the more regrettable.

Consequently, the XV felt sluggish under acceleration, and when overtaking on the open road. And the XV would not cruise comfortably on the highway at just under 130 km/h, with every upwards incline causing fluctuating revs. A manual gearbox would probably address the problem, but today’s car buyers no longer wish to operate things like gearboxes by hand. Progress, they call it.

Subaru say the XV will accelerate to 100 km/h in 10.4 seconds and that it has a top speed of just under 200 km/h. Perhaps, but it still feels overweight. On the positive side, the vehicle was frugal for its size, recording an overall fuel consumption figure of 8.2L/100 km over the duration of the test.

Overall, it is a well-built, attractive prospect, sadly ruined by its mass and transmission. The XV 2.0i-S ES will set you back R509 000 and comes with a five year/150 000 km warranty, plus a three year/75 000 km maintenance plan.