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» Home » Articles » New Car Reviews » Add - New Car Reviews » 2010 Subaru Impreza XV
2010 Subaru Impreza XV

19/08/2010 By MURRAY HUBBARD

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After a week in Subaru's Impreza XV I have to admit I simply do not get it. The XV is essentially a jacked-up Impreza aimed at a younger market who want a commuter during the week and may require sporty soft-roader at weekends.

2010 Subaru Impreza XV rear side image

If that sounds familiar, it should. Isn't that the same job description for the Subaru Forester? For an extra $3500 you get an award winning Forester 2.5 litre wagon – one of the most acclaimed cars on the road today. The Impreza XV will set you back $27,490 compared to $30,990 for the entry-level Forester. If you want the auto XV it will take you within a whisper of the Forester at $29,490. Elect to take the optional sunroof at $1500 and guess what: That's a ticket of $30,990.

Unlike the tarted-up Impreza XV the Forester wagon is a looker with good off-road credentials for beach and bush tracks. The Impreza XV is not a car we dislike as such. We just don't get the concept. Forester also comes with plenty of grunt from a 2.5 litre engine, compared to the Impreza's 2.0 litre which is a little asthmatic in it's Mr Hyde guise as an SUV.

Dash board styling 2010 Subaru Impreza XV

In reality the Impreza is a `crossover' vehicle that looks like an SUV. The XV rides 30mm higher than the normally aspirated Impreza stable which does provide a slightly higher driving height – something many drivers prefer. It has done this without impacting too much on ride, road holding and handling.

The addition of the black plastic moulded wheel arch extensions is fairly polarising. You like 'em or hate 'em. Reminds us of what Holden did with the Adventra (remember that!) some years back. The XV also gets a new grille, front and rear bumpers, roof rails and rear spoiler. Some of the extras from the predecessor Impreza sportwagon and RV are also carried over including fog lamps, 16 inch alloys and a cover for the exhaust tip.

Rear seat space 2010 Subaru Impreza XV

The interior boasts sports bucket seats with mocha accents to set the XV apart from other Impreza variants. The XV is clearly aimed at the younger market being Bluetooth enabled and comes with an iPod compatible USB connection in the front centre console. This links you favourite music to the 10 speaker AM/FM/MP3 CD stereo system. Now, that we like.

On road at night Subaru Impreza XV

To allow for the jacked up body Subaru have tuned the suspension for the extra ground clearance: the stabilisers, spring rates, dampers and rear subframe bushes have all been adjusted. Apart from feeling slightly elevated and a small amount of body roll, the XV still feels like a garden-variety Impreza. Mechanically, nothing sets the XV apart from the rest of the Impreza stable – sharing engine and transmission with the normally-aspirated R, RX and RS. The current Impreza is the best-selling generation of the Subaru small car so far, so the XV is seeking to capitalise on that popularity.

front side view 2010 Subaru Impreza XV

Verdict: Nothing inherently wrong with the XV but if we were making the call we'd stretch the budget and fork out $35,990 for the Forester 2.0 D litre diesel.

MODEL RANGE AND PRICING Subaru Impreza 5D Hatch

R 2.0 litre $23,990*

RX 2.0 litre $26,990

RV 2.0 litre $27,490

RS 2.0 litre $28,990

WRX 2.5 litre $39,990

WRX STI 2.5 litre $61,990

WRX STI spec. R 2.5 litre $69,980

(Does not include dealer or government charges)

FEATURES

ABS Brakes: standard

Air Conditioning: standard

Automatic Transmission: optional

CD Player: standard

Central Locking: standard

Cruise Control: standard

Dual Front Airbags: standard

Front Side Airbags: standard

Stability Control: standard

Traction Control: standard

SPECIFICATIONS

ENGINE:

Capacity: 1,994 litres

Configuration: flat-four boxer style

Head Design: DOHC

Compression Ratio: 10.2

Bore/Stroke: 92.0 mm x 75.0 mm

Maximum Power: 110 kW @ 6400 rpm

Maximum Torque: 196 Nm @ 3200 rpm

DRIVELINE:

Driven Wheels: AWD

Manual Transmission: Five speed

Automatic Transmission: Four speed

Final Drive Ratio: 0.825

DIMENSIONS, WEIGHT AND CAPACITIES:

Length: 4430 mm

Wheelbase: 2615 mm

Width: 1770 mm

Height: 1570 mm

Turning Circle: 10.6 metres

Kerb Mass: 1350 kg

Fuel Tank Capacity: 60 litres

Towing Ability: 1200 kg (kg with braked trailer)

SUSPENSION AND BRAKES:

Front Suspension: McPherson strut

Rear Suspension: Double wishbone

Front Brakes: ventilated disc

Rear Brakes: solid disc

PERFORMANCE:

0-100 km/h Acceleration: 10.3 seconds

FUEL CONSUMPTION:

Type: 90RON

Combined Cycle (ADR 81/01): 8.9 L/100km

GREEN VEHICLE GUIDE RATINGS:

Greenhouse Rating: 6/10

Air Pollution Rating: 6.5/10

STANDARD WARRANTY:

3 years/ unlimited km

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