The much-anticipated e-Boxer Hybrid models (XV and Forester) should be available in every authorised Subaru dealership by now and you’ll find a little teaser for them in this article.
In the meantime, the shine should not be taken off the 2020 updates for some of the brand’s more conventional – if such a word could ever be used in conjunction with a Subaru product – models.
First up, the Impreza, who’s overhaul is mostly cosmetic; the front bumper and grille seeing a redesign. Impreza also adds Subaru Intelligent Drive (SI Drive) to its already Imprezzive high tech package.
SI Drive puts the Impreza in Intelligent mode for everyday driving with maximum fuel efficiency or Sport mode for enhanced acceleration and consistent power delivery when cruising.
Impreza also now sports the eight-feature Eyesight crash avoidance system, which integrates pre-collision braking, brake assist and throttle management, adaptive cruise control, lane sway and departure warning, lead vehicle departure, brake light recognition, lane keep assist and adaptive high beam.
Running a two-litre Boxer motor – the most fuel efficient within the Subaru range at 5.6 litres per 100km – the Impreza gets its 115kW and 196Nm to all four wheels – symmetrically – through a continuously variable transmission.
Inside, the Impreza’s cabin is deliciously roomy compared to other cars in class and features an array of connectivity features, as well as a smooth and comfortable drive for five occupants and luggage.
Subaru’s Impreza is also the headline act for the Subaru Accelerator Programme.
This has seen Subaru – in conjunction with Heartland Bank – deliver an impressive finance arrangement, allowing private buyer customers to own an Impreza for as little as $70 per week (T’s and C’s notwithstanding). RRP for the Impreza is a competitive $32,490.
What then of the XV? Two models (well, three if you count the e-Boxer Hybrid) make up the XV range, the Sport and the Premium, with our pick going to the Premium for now. The e-Boxer Hybrid is only available to the Sports version.
The XV Premium however, is the one we would opt for. It’s comfortable, practical and infinitely drivable, meaning you could drive it to infinity and beyond, to quote Buzz Lightyear.
Subaru’s XV is also a proper off-road SUV, with 220mm ground clearance, symmetrical all-wheel-drive and X-Mode, for total control when it comes to traction.
X-Drive uses five different systems to eliminate slippage. Those systems include engine throttle, transmission, all-wheel-drive, vehicle dynamics control system (including enhanced limited slip differential) and hill descent control.
The XV also boasts Eyesight, a rear reversing camera, seating for five and luggage and a raft of premium luxury features such as an electric sunroof, heated leather seats, steering responsive headlights, an advanced multifunction display and soft touch surfaces.
At $42,490, the XV Premium is something of a steal. The XV Sport at $37,490 doesn’t give you quite the kit of the Premium – until you get to the e-Boxer Hybrid version, which retails at $42,490.
The Outback X was still on our soon-to-drive list as this article was being written. We did however, go over the finer points of the e-Boxer hybrids with Subaru New Zealand.
But first, a word concerning the supply of the e-Boxer hybrids. New Zealand is a small market compared to the US and Europe, where the e-Boxer hybrids are in hot demand.
In saying that, Subaru New Zealand is well thought of and we are getting small shipments of e-Boxer vehicles of between 10 and 20 a month, with first arrivals due in September.
These will be going out on a first come first served basis and prospective buyers would do well to register their interest with Subaru New Zealand which has already taken orders, vehicles unseen and undriven for both XV e-Boxers and Forester e-Boxers.
The innovative e-Boxer Hybrid SUVs are equipped with identical petrol-electric engines – a 2.0 litre horizontally opposed Boxer engine linked via Motor Assist to a high voltage lithium ion battery.
This combination sees the XV e-Boxer Hybrid offering over 14 percent improvement in fuel efficiency over equivalent petrol variants in the urban cycle and over seven percent improvement in the combined cycle, while the two Forester e-Boxer Hybrids offer improvement of over
9 percent (compared to 2.5-litre petrol variants) in the combined cycle and over 19 percent in the urban cycle (when tested in accordance with ADR81/02).
Forester Sport e-Boxer Hybrid is priced from $47,490, through to the range-topping Forester Premium e-Boxer Hybrid at $54,990. The hybrid version of Subaru’s top-selling XV model is an enticing $42,490 RRP for the Subaru XV Sport e-Boxer Hybrid.
