XV, SHOULD I BUY ONE

[JC2]

I am contemplating buying a used XV, a 2 litre Premium, less than 2 years old, from a local dealer. I will be trading in a 4 year old Mazda CX3, which is a lovely driver  with a superb auto box and has been completely trouble free, but it is time for a change.

The other choices on my list are the Mazda CX30 and the Ford Puma.

But I really like the Subaru, I like the look of it, I like the interior and I like the no nonsense practicality of the brand. I would like to keep the car for 7 or 8 years.

My main requirement is reliability.

I would be interested in the views of other owners here as to whether they would buy an XV again, their views and experiences of the CVT box, of running expenses, reliability and levels of service from dealers and whether it is possible to purchase an extension to the manufacturers 3 year guarantee.

I do realise that posters here will already be Subaru owners and their opinions may  be biased towards the positive. 

Thanks in advance for any and all replies.

 

 

[ernieb]

Hi,

Disclosure, I’m on the point of trading my XV in for another car so my view is based on that.

it’s a great car to drive and I’m happy with the CVT and as long as your not very heavy with the right foot. However, if you accelerate at a brisk pace then the CVT will act like most CVT’s and give you a roar with high engine revs.  This has never bothered me as my driving style naturally allows for that.

Make sure your happy with the boot space and check out if you can work with it say for a holiday trip the rear seats go down so there is extra load space if you don’t have passengers. Overall the finish is good and holds up well.

The driver aids are excellent, Eyesight etc., I’ve found it works well in but the most extreme circumstances the car x,early tells you when it’s not operating but will recover as soon as the condition allow. ACC and Lane guidance are great on motorways and I use these all the time.

The servicing is never cheap with a Subaru my first couple were about £360 each and the one coming up is going to more expensive as it includes air and pollen filters. My first MOT has just taken place it passed but with a mention to monitor the front brakes. (Others have commented on the brake issue)  The wheel bearings are probably a weak area on this car and has again been raised on the forum.  Getting spares is expensive e.g. I had a TPMS sensor damaged when changing the tyres and that cost £125, spares are cases difficult to source. They are very few alternatives to OEM parts. The sales volumes are very low in the UK.

I’ve enjoyed the feel of the car when driving it handles well and with decent tyres is predictable and solid in all seasons. I’ve found that the widscreen reflections difficult to handle with out polarised glasses, this maybe a function of me and selected driving position.  I’ve found that the driving seat became uncomfortable after a couple of years, again mybe my physical build and I use a memory foam pad? My mpg all miles trip says 40mpg, using my brim to brim spread sheet says it’s more like 36mpg, I said I’m a more defensive driver so a more aggressive style will see this fall. 
 

Hope that helps, I’ve tried to be balanced but I’m sure others will comment, good luck.

 

 

[JC2]

Thanks Ernieb for that comprehensive reply. I am also a defensive driver and light with my right, I get around 40mpg with my Mazda so thefuel consumption is fine, but the servicing costs you quoted are frightening. My first 3 Mazda services were all around the £200 mark.

Are you replacing it with another Subaru?

[ernieb]

@JC2, no I’m moving to a Toyota RAV4.  As I’ve said the XV is enjoyable and planted to drive, you need to have a decent test drive.  I’m sure others will comment so it will give you a better balance of experiences. 

Just rechecked the first 2 service invoices, 1st one was £325 and 2nd £406, obviously dealer prices as I wanted to be secure in the warranty. I’m aware that I could go elsewhere as long as they certified they had used OEM materials and completed the service fully as defined by the service handbook) Outside the warrany you could do it yourself or go an independent or tyre fitting service.

[kash0613]

Just to echo Ernie's post,I agree with all he says there👍

The Xv is such a great car to drive..a fantastic ride,Lovely steering and a very solid chassis all round.

The tech is excellent with probably the best active cruise control and safety systems out there.

The only downsides to me were the cost of services,some rarity of parts (I had a bit of a mare getting pads from anywhere other than the dealer) and the very limited range of engines,all of which are a little weak in comparison to the competition but make up for it by being exceptionally smooth..you almost feel as if you are driving an electric car when you have the Stereo on.

Like Ernie,I'm moving on later in the year to another make,purely because I want a bit more performance which Subaru can't offer.

[kash0613]

Just another quick point..the Subaru warranty is five years,although the last two cover the power train only I believe.

[ernieb]

@kash0613, I’ve just looked on the Subaru web site and this is what I found,

 

Our vehicles are made to last. For total peace of mind, every vehicle marketed by Subaru (UK) Ltd is covered by a 3-Year / 60,000 mile (whichever is sooner) Manufacturer’s Warranty (bumper to bumper, excluding clutch driven plate).

For all Subaru models:

• Bodywork is covered by a 12-Year Anti-Corrosion Warranty
• Paintwork is covered by a 3-Year Warranty
• A comprehensive 3-Year Recovery and Assistance Programme is included, valid in the UK and Europe

For all e-BOXER models:

• Traction Battery (Lithium-I.on) is covered by an 8 year / 100,000 mile Warranty (whichever is sooner) in addition to all of the above.
• For precise warranty details, talk to your Subaru dealer or refer to the owner’s handbook. For general terms and conditions click here.

[kash0613]

I think further down it states a five year power train only warranty as well.

[ernieb]

Yes indeed you’re correct, sorry missed it when I had a look.  Mind you it’s 5 years or 60k miles which is rather low considering most manufacturers that offer 5 years will allow 100k miles.

[Justin Time]

On 5/17/2021 at 1:00 PM, ernieb said:

Yes indeed you’re correct, sorry missed it when I had a look.  Mind you it’s 5 years or 60k miles which is rather low considering most manufacturers that offer 5 years will allow 100k miles.

And since Jan 2021 it's only 3 years!  I luckily just bought an OB registered December 2020, so just missed the cut off.  I can't understand why Subaru have made this change when competitors are offering up to 7 years.  I was also shocked to read that the service intervals are 9000/10000 miles alternating, or every year, and not the 12500 I'd expected (they do but its in KMs)!  Still I'm enjoying the car so let's hope all goes well.

[kash0613]

2 hours ago, Justin Time said:

And since Jan 2021 it's only 3 years!  I luckily just bought an OB registered December 2020, so just missed the cut off.  I can't understand why Subaru have made this change when competitors are offering up to 7 years.  I was also shocked to read that the service intervals are 9000/10000 miles alternating, or every year, and not the 12500 I'd expected (they do but its in KMs)!  Still I'm enjoying the car so let's hope all goes well.

That's shocking...Subaru need to up their game not drop the ball.

Tiny model range,poor warranty in comparison to the opposition isn't going to help their sales figures.

[ernieb]

Interesting, I also noted that if the car has a traction Battery of some kind the warranty is only 8 years or 100K miles(mild Hybrid currently). As a comparison Toyota have a 15 year warranty and from the reviews I've read only charge it to about 90+% and rate the Battery at 90%, so over time the Battery is protected from being overcharged and the performance life is maintained due to the derating.