The 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek may be new, but the idea of repurposing the venerable Impreza isn't. The latest addition to Subaru's lineup is aimed at all those buyers who complained that the five-door Impreza hatch was too small and the Forester too big.
The designers at Subaru took the Impreza, raised it up 76 millimetres to give it a purposeful stance, slapped on larger, 17-inch wheels, a generous dollop of body cladding and more aggressive front and rear fascias and clothed it with bright, youthful colours.
The result is surprisingly successful. Everybody who saw the car during my test drive commented on how attractive it looked. Nobody noticed that the Crosstrek shares many of its body panels with the Impreza.
It has been done before. Subaru used to sell the Outback Sport. It was an Impreza with an off-road appearance package, but unlike in the Crosstrek, the suspension was not altered.
For some reason, Subaru has decided not to link the history of the two vehicles, but the concept is the same.
Anyone who has owned a Subaru will be instantly comfortable in the Crosstrek. The frameless door windows may be gone, but that's about the extent of the changes over the years.
We drove the $26,495 Crosstrek Sport, the middle model of the lineup. The base model starts at $24,495.
Shoppers will immediately notice the Crosstrek's starting price is substantially more than the $20,000 Nissan Juke, one of its closest competitors. While a different equipment level comes into play, the main reason is Subaru's adherence to offering only an allwheel-drive platform. The Juke is available as an AWD as well, which brings the two vehicles closer in price.
The Crosstrek is about $1,700 more than the plain Impreza five-door.
Under the hood, the Crosstrek is identical to the Impreza, with a 2.0-litre 148horsepower four-cylinder opposed engine mated to a manual or automatic transmission. The Crosstrek gets larger brakes and revised transmission gearing to compensate for an increase in weight. Manual-transmission cars (like the one I drove) get a viscous-coupled mechanical system that appropriates torque split 50/50 front/rear. A CVT automatic is an option.
Power is adequate, but the 1.8-litre turbo in the Juke is definitely the more entertaining engine of the two.
The Crosstrek is equipped with a Hill-Holder feature. This holds the vehicle when stopped on an incline, preventing the vehicle from rolling forward or backward for a second or two, a handy quality on any manualtransmission car.
The clutch of the manual transmission has a long travel before engaging - not my favourite. It is very light, however.
Subaru likes to keep the front windshield pillars on all its vehicles narrow, giving drivers good front-side visibility and making the cabin very airy. The Crosstrek follows this trend. The result is excellent visibility all around, in stark contrast to the Juke.
But the biggest difference from the Impreza, and to a smaller degree the Juke, is the on-board information system offered in the Crosstrek.
There are three information screens: two larger ones, stacked on top of each other in the centre console, separated only by air vents, and one tucked between the speedometer and tachometer.
The screens can simultaneously display a variety of information, including the trip odometer, radio station, vent used, fresh or recirculated air, AC usage, time, outside temperature, average fuel economy, distance to empty, drive wheels in use, average kilometres, trip duration and estimated time to arrival.
The amount of information is impressive - for those who want to know.
For others, it can be a bit overwhelming, although I found no problem navigating between the screens after only a few minutes. For those who get frustrated, there is an option for a blank screen as well.
The heated cloth seats are comfortable, with good support. On the Sport, both the steering wheel and shift lever are covered with leather. Leather seats are found only on the Limited model.
The Limited package, a $2,500 bump in price, also comes with navigation and back-up camera, both nice features to have.
The rear seats split 60/40 and fold mostly flat. A cargo cover covers valuables and a net keeps small items from rolling around the cargo compartment.
It's amazing what a bit of cosmetic and mechanical surgery can do to an existing vehicle. In the case of the 2013 XV Crosstrek, the changes have managed to transform an ordinary, practical family hauler into an impressive CUV (crossover utility vehicle).
Buyers will have to decide if the changes are worth the premium Subaru is charging, but given the growth in the CUV market, Subaru is hitting the right buttons at the right time with the Crosstrek.
THE SPEC SHEET
Type: Compact crossover utility vehicle (CUV), front-engine, allwheeldrive
Engine: 2.0-litre horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine, 148 hp at 6,200 r.p.m., 145 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,200 r.p.m.
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Dimensions (mm): Length, 4,450; width, 1,780; height, 1,615; wheelbase, 2,635
Curb weight (kg): 1,400
Price (base/as tested): $26,495/$28,190 (includes freight and PDI of $1,595 and $100 AC tax)
Options: None
Tires: 225/55 R17 on alloy wheels
Fuel type: Regular
Fuel economy (L/100km): 8.9 city/ 6.7 highway
Warranty: Three years/60,000 km new car, five years/100,000 km major components
