As it was before - with dinosaurs, NEP, the Communists and in the 90s - Subaru cars are perceived as an integral part of the motorsport world. All this is the merit of the blue Impreza, which shone on the WRC. But this is a completely different story. Today we have a test drive compact crossover Subaru XV orange. A kind of orange worth two million rubles.
"Subaru XV. Created by engineers, ”a commercial tells us.
- In fact, one could not talk about this, a colleague shares with me. The appearance of a new generation of Japanese can not be called the top of aesthetics. This opinion has been expressed already by many, many after the car entered the market. Perhaps this is true, but firstly, it is all called the nasty word “taste”, and secondly, when you get into the hands of a pretty technological and interesting thing from the side of the mechanisms, the appearance is the last thing worth paying attention to Attention. Moreover, I would not say at all that XV can be called absurd. He is very good.
What has changed compared to the previous generation? The answer is simple - that’s it. Well, or almost everything, and especially the dimensions. It is worth noting the plus 30 mm to the wheelbase, which made the placement of passengers in the cabin more comfortable. XV became wider and longer, the size of the front and rear overhangs decreased, which favorably affected the geometric cross. In general, in order not to talk for a long time about overall changes, we note one important point - the new Subaru XV is built on the new SGP platform.
As for the exterior, there are also a lot of changes: optics, body panels, bumpers, radiator grille, that is, almost everything again.
Inside, Subaru is traditionally distinguished by the presence of a large number of buttons and toggle switches. We won’t say whether this is good or bad, everyone has different tastes in this regard, but the fact that it literally smells of the motorsport world and that it is very interesting is a fact.
Of the minuses, we note a small trunk. Here its volume is approximately 310 liters, very modest. But there is a big “but” that eliminates this point: due to the short trunk on the back sofa in this compact crossover, a person with a height of about 190 centimeters can easily fit in without even touching the front seat with his knees, where the driver sits about the same height. Checked.
- Ergonomics 8 points
Useful place 6- Front row 7
- Back row 7
- Workmanship 8
Note the rear view camera. The quality of the image transmitted to the monitor is excellent. A wide viewing angle is not only a cool moment for some action cameras, but also a great addition to the security systems of any car. Here, the wide angle allows you to use the camera in conjunction with the new EyeSight security system.
Subaru’s testers reported the following: EyeSight’s implementation lowered the Subaru XV accident rate on American roads by 61%. On the one hand, this is a truly excellent job by specialists from the Japanese automaker. On the other ... you involuntarily think about some negligence of American drivers when driving. According to statistics, after the introduction of the assistant when reversing, the accident rate during the execution of this maneuver sharply decreased (about 53%), that is, more than half of the drivers did not look back when reversing. It’s amazing.
In addition to safety, there is also a collision avoidance system that will help everyone, but first of all, just such scattered motorists. It works like this: a person leaves the supermarket parking lot and out of habit confuses R and D modes on the box selector. In this situation, the car will stop to give the driver three seconds to think. If he did not change his mind to ram the nearest concrete cabinet and does not remove his foot from the accelerator pedal, then - there are no obstacles for the client's desires, forward. Or back, how it goes.
Eye Sight - a driver assistance system that includes an automatic emergency braking system, adaptive cruise control, a warning from getting off the lane, emergency traction control, a warning system about the beginning of movement of a vehicle in front.
One of the main disadvantages of Subaru (and not only XV) is the price tag. Yes, there is something to argue with, but it makes no sense. Cars are sold at exactly the same price as anywhere else in the world, plus duties. The Japanese rightly believe that all customers are equal, that are Chinese, that American, that Russian.
So for what are the very two million here, you ask. There is an answer and it is quite convincing. In addition to the build quality, finish materials and everything else visual, this is the nature of the car. On the road, he behaves just fine, and here it is worth noting a relationship with that same sports “Impreza”. In cars, in fact, one base. The suspension fulfills one hundred percent, as does the steering. Plus, there is an active traction vector control system, which, depending on the angle of rotation and speed, slows down the internal wheels, forcing the crossover to literally crash into the rotation. Well, and, of course, the all-wheel drive system.
Under the hood of our sample there is a boxer engine (and who doubted) with a volume of 2.0 liters, having a capacity of 150 horsepower at 196 Nm of maximum torque. Note the direct injection, which gave the engine obstinacy. As a transmission, the Lineartronic CVT. Everything here is familiar and familiar to those who have dealt with Subaru before. For those who did not have, we separately note the good engine torque and the fact that the Subaru variator is not the variators of other models, that is, it works in a completely different way. This is perhaps the only representative of the family of such boxes that can convince opponents of CVTs in the opposite, at least try to do it. Claims to the node "engine - transmission" does not arise.
- Dynamics 7 points
Economy 7- Manageability 8
One of the main advantages of Subaru cars is traditionally build quality. It should be borne in mind that cars are delivered from Japan, since five out of six factories are located in the brand’s homeland, and one in the USA to provide for the local market.
Specifications Subaru XV new generation:
- Engine - boxer 2.0 liter;
- Power - 150 hp.;
- Maximum torque - 196 Nm;
- Drive - full;
- Transmission - CVT Lineartronic;
- Dimensions:
- length - 4 465 mm;
- width - 1 800 mm;
- height - 1,595 mm.
- Acceleration to 100 km / h - 10.6 s;
- The maximum speed is 192 km / h.
Who are the rivals? Of course, the Mazda CX5 and, for example, the best seller of the Russian market - Volkswagen Tiguan. But this, according to Subaru marketers, is too easy. They imagined a battle for the client with the Mercedes-Benz GLA and BMW X1. In principle, then we will add the Audi Q3 there, for a complete set.
Be that as it may, if you compare sales with the first two competitors, that with the German troika, there is not much difference - nowhere is the Subaru in favor. This confirms that the brand has its own customer. Yes, there isn’t so much of it. Yes, brand involvement is minimal. But, as those very owners of such cars like them say, “not pop music”. And rightly so, whatever one may say.
Subaru was, is and remains the original brand, unlike anything in the world of cars. Perhaps this is the main "chip" of the Japanese.