Topic: Preview: 2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Hybrid

[Autos_Editor]

Right beside the smoking hot WRX concept was this quiet, green XV Crosstrek Hybrid, Subaru's first production hybrid.

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[safristi]

12% better in the City meh....and 3% on the hi_way   CROSS CHECK IT BRUNO ................are batteries INCLUDED ..Kermit Green again I see....aaargh Mine eyes have seen the coming of the Psycho Zombie paint" artistes."AGAIN!!! .............lets make a bad thing worse ..let 16 year olde ART teachers loose with CRAYONS......

 

[nlm]

Does a 12% increase in fuel economy (at the best of times) but a 13% reduction in fuel capacity mean that XVcH covers less ground per tank?

[Winterpeg]

Yes lets wait and see what a real roadtest will show.....love the wheels.   

[redman]

blah ...blah ....blah !!! Hey here's an idea just place the same boxer diesel found in Subaru's in Europe and Australia in Subbies here.

Listed in the Forester as a 31.25% increase in fuel economy and no double overly completed systems. no battery and no reduced liquid fuel storage.


This is getting ridiculous. 

http://www.verdictoncars.com/jsp/vocmain.jsp?lnk=211&featureid=930&description=Subaru%20Forester%20Diesel

[blotter]

12% better in the City meh....and 3% on the hi_way   

i was originally somewhat excited due to the increase in power the hybrid motor gives.
it's not that much, but i figured it would give this car the additional power to now be just enough.
(since most complaints have been it's underpowered)

however, with the extra complication of a hybrid, lack of serious fuel improvement AND extra weight... this makes it bust!  I can't see many of these moving as i'm sure it'll also come with a premium price.   

It's once thing to introduce a hybrid, but the same one for the sake of saying you have one?

as mentioned.....  give us the diesel already!
 

[aaronk]

I can see the commercials already - a bright green Crosstrek hybrid driving peacefully through the forest, birds landing on the mirrors, bunnies jumping from the hatchback and fawns dancing in the meadow....aaargh!

[Sir Osis of Liver]

I was a bit bummed that this was announced just after we bought ours.

[johngenx]

I was a bit bummed that this was announced just after we bought ours.

Don't be.  Overall, I think the fuel economy advantage will be marginal.  Under ideal conditions they only realized a 12% increase in economy.

[safristi]

Montoya would HUMP any tree as long as it's Psychedelic green and has mushrooms at it's base........ ... .".Indigo"..more like a Barns and No-Balls if ya arske me............ ...

[blotter]

Don't be.  Overall, I think the fuel economy advantage will be marginal.  Under ideal conditions they only realized a 12% increase in economy.

agreed.  while it's great to be green - you have to make it worthwhile.
while this is hybrid (vs full electric) i wonder what is the emission difference compared with Subaru's PZEV.  I bet it's virtually nothing, so fuel economy needs to be much better the really make this worthwhile. 

I haven't seen anything on how much more this will cost?

[PJ]

Don't be.  Overall, I think the fuel economy advantage will be marginal.  Under ideal conditions they only realized a 12% increase in economy.

agreed.  while it's great to be green - you have to make it worthwhile.
while this is hybrid (vs full electric) i wonder what is the emission difference compared with Subaru's PZEV.  I bet it's virtually nothing, so fuel economy needs to be much better the really make this worthwhile. 

I haven't seen anything on how much more this will cost?

Can't say for sure on the emissions difference without more info but if it's like the Prius system then it could a be a lot depending on the driving you do.  Start of this week I caught a ride to work with friends who has a 2011 Prius.  With a huge line up for the Alex Fraser bridge it took us 20 minutes to go 1 km and the engine stayed off the whole time.  Unlike all the cars around us it created no emissions thus a big difference.  The Honda system on the other hand would have had little benefit over a base Civic.

I'm guessing it's somewhere between the two.

[Noto]

...sounds like it's going to be more akin to the Honda motor-assist technology - not in mechanical bits, but in operation - i.e. the electric motor provides more boost than electric-only driving, and the auto stop/start will be better for stop and go traffic.

I'm fairly disappointed in this as well, but then again, Subaru is committed to developing technology in house and you've gotta start somewhere - I just hope it leads to some excellent innovation...and kinda soon.

...in the meantime, I'll be burning fuel by the barrel in my Forester XT.

[johngenx]

It's not like the Prius system.  More of an added on electrical assist, vs the integrated hybrid system of the Prius.

[Noto]

It's not like the Prius system.  More of an added on electrical assist, vs the integrated hybrid system of the Prius.

Should get more consistent real-world driving figures...even though they're not as high as the sticker on the Prius...and with more than 110hp, should be better than Honda's system.  Lots of room for future development to better the system too.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Yeah. No idea why they wouldn't bring the diesel over.

[sailor723]

Yeah. No idea why they wouldn't bring the diesel over.

Subaru isn't exactly a "trailblazer". We'll see them introduce a diesel after an bunch of other mainstream manufacturers have done so successfully.

I agree with some of the other posters. This seems to be a hybrid purely for the sake of being able to say "I drive a hybrid". Might be cheaper and easier just to buy the badges, 

[safristi]

are the Badges C02 FREE...............!!!

[Noto]

Yeah. No idea why they wouldn't bring the diesel over.

The diesel costs more to make, needs 'spensive emissions control systems (they charge an extra what, $1200 or so for the PZEV on the 2.5i?), and stupid analyst companies refuse to lie and say that 'Mericans want diesels.

5.9L/100km combined in the 2014 Forester Diesel vs 8.1L/100km combined for the 2.5i, so let's say 2L/100km saved, 15,000km average per year, 300L/year saved.  Even at $0.05/L more for diesel, that's $356.25/year saved.  So charge $2000 for the diesel over the 2.5i and in 5.5 years, you'll get the payoff.  For those who lease, pay-back would be even sooner because you only pay half the up-charge and would have a higher residual value.

I think they should bring 'er over...I think the diesel mill in the smaller, lighter XV would be stellar and would double sales.  Chrysler is taking a $10,000 hit on all Fiat 500e's sold, so we're not asking for that...we're just asking that they price it at or slightly above cost for the different components.  Is that so much to ask, Subaru?

Hey Autos.ca staff - do your magic and bring us Subaru diesels!  Can't wait to hear how the Outback Diesel CVT pans out - that thing will be more frugal than Disney in shutting down Lucasfilm!

[PJ]

Yeah. No idea why they wouldn't bring the diesel over.

The diesel costs more to make, needs 'spensive emissions control systems (they charge an extra what, $1200 or so for the PZEV on the 2.5i?), and stupid analyst companies refuse to lie and say that 'Mericans want diesels.

5.9L/100km combined in the 2014 Forester Diesel vs 8.1L/100km combined for the 2.5i, so let's say 2L/100km saved, 15,000km average per year, 300L/year saved.  Even at $0.05/L more for diesel, that's $356.25/year saved.  So charge $2000 for the diesel over the 2.5i and in 5.5 years, you'll get the payoff.  For those who lease, pay-back would be even sooner because you only pay half the up-charge and would have a higher residual value.

I think they should bring 'er over...I think the diesel mill in the smaller, lighter XV would be stellar and would double sales.  Chrysler is taking a $10,000 hit on all Fiat 500e's sold, so we're not asking for that...we're just asking that they price it at or slightly above cost for the different components.  Is that so much to ask, Subaru?

Hey Autos.ca staff - do your magic and bring us Subaru diesels!  Can't wait to hear how the Outback Diesel CVT pans out - that thing will be more frugal than Disney in shutting down Lucasfilm!

I think the pay back will be quicker then you estimate.  People who buy fuel efficient cars often do so because they drive more then the average number of Km per year.  I drive about 30K per year so it would twice as quick