Should I buy one?
If a five-seat family car that prioritises a grippy chassis over comfort and interior quality appeals, or if you live in an area where AWD is essential, the Subaru XV might fit the bill. But there are other more rounded, and more keenly-priced competitors that will prove much easier to live with day-to-day.

We've driven Subaru's answer to the Nissan Qashqai - can it cut it in the already congested compact SUV market?

After you’ve finished throwing it around in the bends, refinement on the motorway is also a plus with barely a whisper from under the bonnet and only a faint rustle from the wing mirrors. It’s a shame then that the ride is a touch too firm, especially at low speeds on bad surfaces around town – precisely where Subaru sees the XV spending most of its time.

A Utility Knife For The Sensible Shoes Crowd

Can it handle some off-roading? Sure. We drove the XV through a vineyard on a dirt road, but we're sure a 1970 Dodge Coronet could have handled it without getting stuck. And that's likely the most demanding conditions owners will throw at it. But the XV is a solid, all-wheel-drive utility knife with a smooth, satisfying ride – just like most Subarus.

Subaru of America thinks it can sell between 25,000 and 35,000 XV Crosstreks a year – even without offering a turbo or a diesel. Why can't we get the better hardware that Olivier, Sven and Klaus get? We hear that Subaru of America is selling everything Japan ships to the U.S. and that the Japanese honchos don't see the need in sending over anything they aren't sure about (diesel) or that drives the cost up (turbo). Maybe Subaru executives know something we don't, but if the brand's famously adventurous buyers got the chance to experience the diesel model's superior drivability and economy for themselves, we have a feeling they'd find even more to love... and buy.

A New Interpretation of the Impreza Outback

First Impression: A useful blend of size, capability and features. Just don't expect much in the way of performance.

Standing out, or not
That’s also largely true on the exterior. Here the biggest change, beyond the ride height, is standard black-spoke, 17-inch wheels. Beyond that, we have restyled front and rear bumpers and the black cladding along the lower body. And that’s pretty much it, as far as the styling goes.

Subaru could do more to create a distinct identity for the Crosstrek. And it would be nice to get the latest and greatest powertrain items. But we suspect that even as it is, the Crosstrek will find a warm reception—particularly in the chilly states. The compact crossover market is blossoming—witness new entries like the Nissan Juke and Mini Countryman, and the booming popularity of slightly older nameplates like the Hyundai Tucson and the Kia Sportage.

A crossover with a lower price than a Forester and better fuel economy is likely to be well received when it arrives at Subaru stores next fall. The fact that an Impreza hatchback is essentially the same car for less money may not mean anything. After all, that was the case for the Legacy wagon, and it got blown out of the water by the almighty Outback.