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This is an old car model that is no longer for sale by the local distributor since Jul 2017.
Editor Review
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Subaru XV 1.6i-S (A) vs Suzuki Vitara 1.6 Panoramic Roof 4WD Premium (A)
18 Mar 2016  |  Suzuki Reviews
The all new, fourth generation Suzuki Vitara goes toe to toe against Subaru's facelifted XV in an all-wheel drive Japanese shootout.
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   Consumer Reviews of Subaru XV
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4.0
 
12 Consumer Reviews
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Comfort
4.0 Reliability
4.0
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Handling
4.5 Features
3.5
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Exterior Styling
4.0 Interior Design
3.5
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Value for money
4.0 Engine Performance
3.5

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anshumank
Neutral Newbie
1 reviews
0 points
0 forum posts Joined on 20-Jan-2017
A Wonderful Car!  Posted on 20 Jan 2017
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Comfort 5.0 Reliability 5.0
Handling 5.0 Features 4.0
Exterior Styling 4.0 Interior Design 4.0
Value for money 5.0 Engine Performance 4.0
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Review
I've been driving the XV for a year now and I love it! Great driving comfort, excellent handling (it's a heavy car, so stays planted on the road), spacious seats, good interiors.

Decided on it after checking out Vezel, Qashqai and test driving Mazda 3, Corolla, Vitara & Elantra. While Mazda 3 had the best drive, I felt the XV ticked many more boxes.

The overall drive is very engaging. The car feels very sturdy and stable on the road. I've taken bends at 70+ km/h without feeling any slip of control. The engine is sometimes slow to respond to sudden acceleration, but makes up for it quickly (I guess this is CVT at work and also due to the weight of the car).

Fuel efficiency is not the best, but not bad at all. I drive almost 1,500 km per month and manage about 12 km/l.

Interiors are quite good and all the buttons and knobs are easy to understand. It has all the standard features that most cars offer nowadays, except the electronic parking brake button and electric seats. Those are 'nice to have' for me, but that's a personal choice. Voice response system could be better.

The seats are spacious and comfortable. 3 people can sit very comfortably on the rear seat. Boot space is not very large, but can easily fit 2 big suitcases. The 60:40 rear seat split gives very flexible boot space management.

Overall, this car is a very good buy and you won't regret it. In my opnion, it's the best value for money in the CAT A SUV segment.

What I like
Driving position & comfort
Engaging drive
Road handling
Interior space
Safety features

What I do not like
A little more boot space would be nice


JaysenTan
1st Gear
1 reviews
53 points
114 forum posts Joined on 07-Nov-2015
A surprise which I did not expected  Posted on 05 Dec 2016
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Comfort 4.0 Reliability 4.0
Handling 5.0 Features 4.0
Exterior Styling 5.0 Interior Design 4.0
Value for money 5.0 Engine Performance 5.0
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Review
I was looking around for a compact SUV, shortlisted a few including the popular Honda vezel. Then I came across Subaru XV, decided to head down to the showroom as I was staying nearby. First impression was pretty impressive. When for a test drive and the handling was amazing.

What I like
6 speed cvt
Boxer engine
AWD
7 SRS airbags
Automatic rain-sensing wiper
PIN code access

What I do not like
Head unit - doesn't support non alphabetic characters.
Lack of choice for leather colors
DRL - too outdated


Klchua
1st Gear
1 reviews
30 points
177 forum posts Joined on 29-Jul-2004
Good handing and good sound insulation  Posted on 21 Sep 2016
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Comfort 4.0 Reliability 4.0
Handling 5.0 Features 4.0
Exterior Styling 4.0 Interior Design 4.0
Value for money 4.0 Engine Performance 3.0
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Review
Try out Honda Vezel, Nissan Qashqai and XV before i decide on XV.Test drive all of them. The difference as below;
Vezel = Godd FC, Good pickup but lost out on space and sound insulation.
Qashqai = premium look and feel, interior and style nice, lost out on turbo lag and ride comfort.
XV= nice interior, good ride comfort, noise insulation and handing compare to the other 2. But lost out on FC
if your like a comfort ride and good handing. XV is the one but not for FC.

What I like
Comfort, interior space ok , wonderful handing, Auto rain and light sensor.
premium feel and it come with 7 air bags and quite a lot of safety features.

What I do not like
FC.no LED light. no latest eyesight sensor which Subaru XV from US have it.


mrkkhk
Neutral Newbie
8 reviews
0 points
0 forum posts Joined on 21-Aug-2016
Went for test drive  Posted on 20 Aug 2016
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Comfort 2.0 Reliability 4.0
Handling 1.0 Features 3.0
Exterior Styling 1.0 Interior Design 3.0
Value for money 2.0 Engine Performance 1.0
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Review
No power hence need to rev engine up to 3500rpm to get it to overtake other cars or accelerate.


Backseat up straight hence may not be ideal for long rides


Unsuitable for drivers who use the ns highway.

Fc is very high as most drivers may rev it to high rpms,hope that there will be a turbocharged version comes out.

Was told that subaru parts are extremely expensive.

If you are looking some suvs like the xv, please seriously consider the mit asx for its reliability and amount of horses under the hood

What I like
1.FEATURES
2.7 AIRBAGS

What I do not like
POOR ROAD FEEDBACK
BAD NOISE INSULATION
NOT PRACTICAL
PLASTICKY
HOLLOW DOORS
VERY LESS POWER


avguy23
Clutched
1 reviews
11 points
38 forum posts Joined on 05-Apr-2016
Once you tried "AWD", there's no turning back from "Confidence in motion"!  Posted on 30 May 2016
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Comfort 4.0 Reliability 4.0
Handling 5.0 Features 3.0
Exterior Styling 4.0 Interior Design 4.0
Value for money 5.0 Engine Performance 4.0
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Review
A quick review of my XV after driving for 1 month and hitting 1000km...

Conclusion:
Was comparing Altis/Wish/Vezel/QQ before getting XV. No regret going with AWD. It's really "Confidence in motion", especially when it's raining or wet roads! :)

What I like
- superb handling and drive feel
- spacious interior cabin
- good noise insulation (coming from Toyota Wish). Even my colleagues driving Honda Vezel & Nissan QQ said it's quieter than their rides.
- good road visibility due to height
- sufficient engine power (was initially concern if it will be sluggish or underpowered)

What I do not like
- achieved ard 10km/l due to almost 100% city driving
- old school DRL instead of LED


baoyuan
1st Gear
1 reviews
17 points
22 forum posts Joined on 28-Mar-2016
Value SUV for money  Posted on 28 Mar 2016
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Comfort 5.0 Reliability 4.0
Handling 5.0 Features 4.0
Exterior Styling 4.0 Interior Design 4.0
Value for money 4.0 Engine Performance 4.0
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Review
I have been evaluating many car brands to replace our 9+ years old car (Chevrolet Aveo)

Browsing cars during Jan 16 Motor show at Suntec, but I didnt even give a peep on Subaru due to its image on my mind as expensive and outdated car looks (except Subaru sport car).
In fact, I didn't even notice that XV exist. Finally shortlist Qashqai and plan to buy at the right time.

Until one day my friend introduced Subaru XV to me, and I was impressed by its macho looks, boxer engine, 4WD and features.
Then I start to study and compare this car with Qashqai.

My wife heart was still with Qashqai and my heart has started turning to XV.

I cannot deny that Qashqai Exterior and Interior might looks more expensive than XV in certain way.

However, the more I studied on XV, the more I fall in love with this car, and shared my finding on XV with my wife and she trusts me.

Then I decided to test drive both cars together with my wife on last Thursday.

First of all, I tested Qashqai and I felt that pickup was slow, and when I test-drive XV I can feel the different.

XV pickup more power and very smooth. Finally, I cannot tahan to booked XV yesterday.

What I like
- Its manly looks
- Smooth ride, good handling
- Auto stop/start engine when idling
- The safety features
- 4WD
- 7 airbags
- Seat belt for rear centre passenger
- Rear leg room more spacious than our current car
- Much cheaper than Qashqai, but higher PARF
- Features comparable with Qashqai and no point to pay extra

What I do not like
- no GPS, but can install portable GPS
- Antenna, I prefer the one on new Forester
- rear hump quite high


Bezz
3rd Gear
1 reviews
268 points
89 forum posts Joined on 09-Mar-2003
My Take  Posted on 28 Mar 2016
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Comfort 4.0 Reliability 4.0
Handling 4.0 Features 3.0
Exterior Styling 3.0 Interior Design 4.0
Value for money 4.0 Engine Performance 4.0
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Review
Test drove the XV yesterday.

Exterior
First look did not impress. Checking the car in the showroom also did not inspire much urge to give my money to the SE. The car looks plasticky.

Interior
The interior is spacious though the headroom is less due to it being shorter than Qashqai or Vezel. The boot space is only 310L compare to Qashqai (430) and Vezel (435).

Drive
The pickup was slightly lacking which surprised me. Wasn't too bumpy over humps.


Overall, I like the XV but wife didn't like it.

What I like
- Good handling
- The safety features
- The beat center seat belt
- The gadgets (most cars in this range have the same gadgets)
- The non-pushy, no-frills sales person

What I do not like
- Pickup is slow (maybe partly due to the auto start-stop?)
- Small boot
- The ugly wheels
- Have to top up for everything


ngsgmg
Clutched
1 reviews
10 points
5 forum posts Joined on 02-Nov-2015
Subaru XV - Recommended (Oct 2015)  Posted on 01 Nov 2015
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Comfort 4.0 Reliability 4.0
Handling 5.0 Features 4.0
Exterior Styling 5.0 Interior Design 5.0
Value for money 4.0 Engine Performance 5.0
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Review
I owned Toyota and Honda car (latest being Honda Fit). As my Toyota Altis is almost 10 years old, it is time to shop for a new one. Subaru was not in my initial list and I went to the popular Jap car showroom but was not impressed with them. My wife complained of front visibility for the new Toyota model which was our hot favourite and did not like another hot model for its front air-con layout. Went to see S-cross model but ruled it out due to interior feature/decoration. Finally visited the Toa Payoh showroom and was impressed with XV at first sight.

What I like
1) Exterior design with funkie wheel
2) Smooth engine and comfortable during the test drive (compared to a diesel car engine car model)
3) Aircon facing which is blowing at the side and centre (not right in front as I have a sensitive nose)
4) Sale executive was patient as she explained notwithstanding we went twice to the showroom to be convinced of our purchase decision. Was not pushy type which I have seen at another showroon.

What I do not like
1) Front door height clearance was not as good as some other models but able to live with it.
2) need to top up as prefer some other colour for the interior leather (other than standard black)


Shoelevy
2nd Gear
3 reviews
156 points
84 forum posts Joined on 02-Oct-2013
Top on our list of 4 cars  Posted on 06 Jul 2015
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Comfort 5.0 Reliability 4.0
Handling 4.0 Features 5.0
Exterior Styling 5.0 Interior Design 4.0
Value for money 4.0 Engine Performance 4.0
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Review
I've posted an in-depth review with pics here: http://www.Mycarforum.Com/topic/2672539-new-subaru-xv/page-24

But let me share a brief summary:

My wife and I originally shortlisted a few cars based on depreciation of ~10-100k/year.

I should point out that the XV was not on our original shortlist. We went through our shortlist as follows

1. Mazda 3: really nice looking when it was launched. But we didn't like the interior, especially the way the touchscreen system was mounted. It didn't help that we got used to the commanding view you get on our terios. So we eliminated this car early on.

2. Vezel: nice looking exterior. However, my friend drives one and complains about noise from engine and wheels. I saw same comments on sgcarmart reviews. The interior just didn't wow us - we really don't like the long passenger air con vent to the left. Concerns about after sales service from PI.

3. Nissan qashqai: I think we would go for this car for its small engine size to save on road tax. Closest contender to the XV. But my wife has heard of air con problems on other Nissan cars from her friends etc so I couldn't get her buy in. We also have concerns regarding the unconventional 1.2L turbo engine's reliability.

One day, I saw a Subaru XV and I told my wife we can go "See see". My wife HATES Subaru. To her is ugly ah Beng brand. But I say see is free, let's just go. Reluctantly she agreed. Guess what, she fell in love with the car design and test drive.

What I like
1. I am a technical guy and I'm sold on boxer engine and AWD technology. I experience AWD on my terios. It's not a must I have to say for Singapore, but on wet roads it is assuring to know if one wheel goes into a puddle, three other wheels will grip (instead of just one).

2. Heavy conti-feel doors and plenty of safety features for young expecting couples - reinforcement bars, 7 air bags, and child seat fixtures

3. Loaded with features!
e.g. 3 digital screens (1. at the driver's panel (tells you if doors are open, displays a welcome message, can be set into a digital speedometer), 2. the touchscreen radio + bluetooth to handphone entertainment system, and 3. the screen above the central aircon duct that displays all kinds of performance information e.g. average and instantaneous FC, FC graph. power distribution to the wheels.)

dual climate aircon

auto unlock when the handle senses your hand is cool

soft touch signal lights just like my friends Mini Cooper

auto headlight and wiper sensors,

cruise control

Bluetooth pairing

tyre pressure sensor similar to what I saw in Mercedes (a little secret not well publicized by my agent and in brochure)

4. Torque can be felt at low rpm and the drive was really quiet!!! Cruising at low RPM

5. Smart auto start-stop that is not based on speed, but based on driver's pressure on brake pedal after car comes to a stop. So if you would stop at a traffic light and you know is for a long wait, you can depress the brake pedal for the engine to stop.

6. 5 years/100,000km warranty + free servicing

6. Unique fun look...it's really subjective...either you love it or hate it.

7. Made in Japan and Subaru are known for ruggedness.

PS: apparently some earlier buyers have complained about dull interior and lack of features, and they've said the latest features offered by motor image are really a grade above previous models.

What I do not like
1. 13s acceleration is not impressive, but terios is also the same and we are not sprinters when driving

2. Limited inventory for popular colors. We really liked silver and had to book the demo car at tow payoh.

3. Spartan utilitarian interior which can be disappointing for some, but really likeable to us minimalistic people.


jaca
Neutral Newbie
4 reviews
0 points
1 forum posts Joined on 06-Apr-2015
My First Car, 1.6 XV  Posted on 05 Apr 2015
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Comfort 4.0 Reliability 4.0
Handling 5.0 Features 3.0
Exterior Styling 4.0 Interior Design 3.0
Value for money 5.0 Engine Performance 3.0
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Review
Test-driven it on December 2014, first feeling is comfort, maybe due to All Wheel Drive + CVT gearbox. Good visibility for driver, and the suspension are well-balanced (neither too soft or hard), which constitute to its good handling. The main reason for the purchase is its value for money, after comparing with another popular Japanese sedan car.
The main drawback is the lack of features and less powerful engine.
Fuel consumption depends on speed range and driving style, I mostly get around 8 to 9 L/100km, as displayed by the car system.
My wife loves it, no issue at all until now (3500+km mileage).

What I like
Visibility for driver
Balanced suspension
Smooth gearbox
Good fuel consumption for its weight and size
Adequate legroom for rear seat
Best value for its class

What I do not like
No LED headlight
Engine lacks punch below 2500 rpm
Door feels light, contrast to conti car
Lacks features such as bluetooth interface
Plasticky interior


Ruennchai
1st Gear
1 reviews
46 points
33 forum posts Joined on 16-Feb-2012
Subaru XV 1.6, A GOOD BUY~  Posted on 24 Apr 2012
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Comfort 3.0 Reliability 5.0
Handling 5.0 Features 3.0
Exterior Styling 5.0 Interior Design 3.0
Value for money 4.0 Engine Performance 4.0
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Review
Got the XV 1.6 on 5th of April, 1 day after my baby boy came out. The mileage is 1700km now. Just got the 1st service done in the Motor Image Leng Kee, the service is good, friendly guy... The fuel efficiency is not impressive but is considered good for this big car. 6.4-8L/100km in routine working route (admiralty to buoana vista), 7.8L/100km on Malaysia Highway (Sg-Yong Peng, Johor). Good handling,nicely build, acceptable noise level, stable on high speed, no complain. I will consider this is a good buy~

What I like
Very good handling
admirable exterior, sporty and muscular looking
good boot space
spacious rear row space
satisfied after sale service

What I do not like
no auto-fold side mirror
no leather steering
but all these are not necessary.


Heartbreakid
6th Gear
13 reviews
3,067 points
2449 forum posts Joined on 15-Oct-2005
An improved Subaru over previous Impreza  Posted on 21 Dec 2011
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Comfort 4.0 Reliability 4.0
Handling 5.0 Features 5.0
Exterior Styling 5.0 Interior Design 5.0
Value for money 2.0 Engine Performance 4.0
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Review
Test drove the new XV 2.0 premium CVT version.

Exterior:
This new version XV, which is just a jacked up Impreza, looks miles better than previous model. Sloping fierce nose and windscreen.

Cars these days use softer exterior panels which is inevitable for any makes to save weight so, Subaru is no exception. Exterior panel are soft.

Interior:
It is miles, miles better than previous generation Impreza. The center console looks like previous generation VW golf, the looks is elegant and european. though not as stylish as some makes. Dashboard, upper door panels, armrests are all soft touches materials, which eludes quality feel and also scratch resist.

Rear door panels feels less rigid, as when pulling the door handle to close the door, those hard plastics which holds the entire interior door panel just doesn't feels solid.

Space:
Interior space is good. Front and rear legroom is adequate for average height locals around 170cm. Shoulder width is adequate too though not as roomy as most Koreans these days. The interior width is about the same as Altis. Boot space, as it is a 5 door, it is adequate for daily use.Glove box comes with damper opening, good size. Cupholders and door pockets are big enough. Center floor console storage space is small due to the square design and due to the intrusion of the higher center tunnel. Higher ground clearance makes entering and exiting the car very effortless.

The drive:
The driving route was a fairly long one which covers one section of a winding road to feel the handling of the car.

The CVT transmission is very responsive to throttle inputs, just feels as good as a geared automatic. There's not much of noise emitted from the CVT. Paddle shift is responsive too. The suspension absorbs bumps well but on poorly path tarmac, the suspension noise is abit thumpy, quite a surprise though given the fact that it uses bigger and higher profile tyres. Insulation against streaming wet roads not that good as the noise intrudes from underneath. Exterior noise insulation against traffic is good.

Handling is surprisingly stable despite the higher height. Overall a very good impression with the XV in terms of the looks, driving, handling and building quality. Although it features auto stop function to cut consumption at traffic lights, can't comment economy as it's just a test drive.

What I like
- Modern looks.
- Good quality interior build and materials use.
- High level of standard equipments.
- Impressive driving quality experience.
- Smooth engine and CVT box.
- Perhaps it's a 2 litre model, hence the power is not sluggish, CVT box performs according to throttle inputs. Unlike some CVTs, the lag in response is very minimal, feels just like normal automatic gearbox.
- Good manual mode response through paddle shifts.
- Strong braking power.
- Stable handling despite higher height.

What I do not like
- Slightly thumpy suspension. Not that it's firm or uncomfortable, the suspension works just great just that the noise intrudes slightly more than some rides.

- High price.

- Fuel economy is unknown.

Subaru XV
4 stars - based on 12 reviews