Subaru XV 2.0i S 2018 off-road review

This is the latest XV, which was released in 2016 although you wouldn't know it if you owned the old one. When viewed side-on, in fact, both cars look absolutely identical. Even the wheel designs are similar. It's only when you get to the front and rear bumpers that you notice the difference in the tail lights and headlights as well as the signature Subaru grill. 

Well, when you're on a good thing ... If anything, the XV has grown into its design over the years. When it was first released in 2012, a lot of people really didn't know what to make of the XV, but it's since grown in stature - and sales - to become one of the Subaru's most popular cars. 

The XV sports plenty of plastic trim to help it protect its extremities.

That external design really points to the XV's quirky yet practical nature with low overhangs at the rear and front, a decent ride height, and black plastic trim to help protect its extremities. The external language carries on through into the interior, which has been lifted from the all new Impreza, which shares its platform with the XV. Funky vertical vents in the centre while the outer vents mimic the design for the air intakes at the front. 

The interior also echoes that of the new Impreza, with sweeping lines, well disguised cheaper plastics and a large multimedia touch screen, that's the heart of the car. This top-shelf version comes with leather seats which are offset with a well executed orange contrast stitch. Alternative stitching doesn't always work in more affordable cars, but in this case, it really gives the XV's cabin a lift.

The interior echoes the new Impreza also.

Based on a medium-sized sedan, the small five-seat XV isn't the biggest car inside, but neither is it the smallest. Up front, the driver and passenger are well looked after with nicely bolstered leather seats that perhaps could drop a little bit lower in the car. 

However, a cleverly designed head lining that incorporates the sunroof means there's plenty of space up top, and a steering wheel with a great deal of reach adjustment also helps taller drivers get comfortable. 

Our drivers of shorter stature are well catered for as well, thanks to a good deal of vertical adjustment in the front seat, which allow them to get close to the wheel without having to arch their ankles too far to get back to the brake and accelerator. 

Despite the addition of a large, simple-to-use and attractive touchscreen multimedia system, Subaru still insists on scattering buttons in and around the driver's area almost at random. The steering wheel, in particular, has 15 buttons - and that doesn't include the horn - and there are more controls down toward the driver's right hand as well as on the centre console. 

Front seaters have access to two USB ports, an auxiliary port and a 12-volt socket as well as two cup holders side by side and bottle holders in the doors with dividers

Rear seat passengers get plenty of headroom despite the sunroof.

Moving into the rear seat again, that clever head-lining means that the sunroof doesn't steal too much headroom away from taller rear passengers. The 60/40 split-fold rear seat also features an armrest with two cup holders, and small bottle holders also exist in the doors. Unfortunately, there are no vents for rear-seat passengers, nor are there any provisions for charging devices. 

The cargo floor sits very high in the XV, which our less tall testers quite liked; they felt they didn't have to reach in and down to lower bags of shopping or suitcases into the XV. At 310 litres, it does compromise on total volume of space although with the seats down, it offers 765 litres, which is enough to swallow a couple of larger mountain bikes with the front wheels removed. 

The XV could fit a couple of mountain bikes with the seats down.

There are no levers to flip down the front seats, but it's not much of a reach to get in and do it yourself. There's a space-saver spare wheel sitting underneath the boot floor, though Mrs Robbo did question the lack of a powered tailgate in this top-spec car.  

Overall, the XV is a practical four-seater for the average family, though if you had to ram in five bodies, it might be a little bit crowded. Babies are well catered for with ISOFIX baby seat mounts on the outside rear two seats, but that centre middle seat is a little bit bulbous, while the centre sash belt is incredibly awkwardly placed back over in the right-hand C pillar.

Only 310 litres are available with the seats up, so there is a bit of compromise with the higher floor.

The modest output of the two-litre engine also precludes the XV from towing much more than a large box trailer, and when it's pushed up hills, the CVT rev flare really gets quite intrusive.

Running the XV over moderately rough gravel roads proved absolutely no drama with the car's all-wheel drive system constantly in play, while the X Mode can be used to traverse more rutted, steeper sections.

We originally tested the XV in mud and snow in Japan and it excelled itself in very trying conditions, while our local rutted, gravel-strewn fire trail offered no resistance. A drop in tyre pressure will add traction, as well, while 220mm of ground clearance – 50mm more than an Impreza, for example – and a short rear overhang helps it clamber up short pitches.

The X Mode System essentially gives a low range mode to the XV.

The nose is a bit more prominent, but the front bar is nicely tucked in at the base, which helps a lot, while the prominent arches will keep at least some paintwork intact.

The steering weight is good and pedal feel is natural, though the SUV-specific 18-inch Bridgestone Dueler tyres on the XV means that you need to give it a little bit more brake pedal than you might usually think. Ultimate grip level at low speed isn't as high as something with a stickier tyre.

The Subaru's strongest card is its Eyesight system, which uses a trio of cameras to control all of the safety functionality of the car - and the S model actually features additional safety inclusions like blind-spot monitor and lane-change assist.

Subaru's Eyesight system includes AEB.

On top of that, the seven airbags means that the XV scores a maximum five star ANCAP rating.