The Engineer drives the Subaru XV: We tried to crash it… but we failed

Subaru has always done things a little differently, so while most compact crossovers are essentially front-wheel drive hatchbacks on stilts, it’s no surprise that the new XV is made of sterner stuff. It comes with permanent all-wheel drive as standard, plus Subaru’s trademark boxer engine configuration – once synonymous with the brand’s rallying exploits.

Perhaps less appealing to traditional petrolheads will be the Lineartronic continuously variable transmission (CVT). But this is also something of a Subaru trademark, offered on just about all models in the company’s home market. In fact, the option of a manual gearbox was dropped with the launch of the new XV at the beginning of this year. So too was the diesel engine, leaving just the petrol models (in 2-litre 156 PS or 1.6-litre 114 PS form).

Externally, it looks a lot like the old XV. Under the skin, however, this is a clean sheet design; the second to be spun off the new Subaru Global Platform, which reputedly cost the firm over $1bn (£720m) to develop. It’s a steel monocoque, using hot press moulding for key areas and featuring a significant percentage of high strength and ultra-high strength materials in its construction.