• Many rival cars cheaper to run
• No diesel, full hybrid or pure electric help
• Safety systems mean cheaper insurance

The biggest issue here is the engine. It doesn’t use turbocharging for added efficiency, and despite being a hybrid it offers very poor fuel efficiency.

With CO2 emissions of 157g/km and a claimed fuel economy figure of 35.3mpg for the 2.0, nearly every rival car has something to beat the Subaru XV when it comes running costs. Subaru has long since abandoned diesel engines, and its hybrid systems don’t perform anywhere near as well as rivals do – a Toyota Yaris Cross or RAV4 will top 50mpg with ease.

Daily driving should net you between 36 and 38mpg, which is disappointing – and falls into line with this car’s unimpressive emissions and overall efficiency.

Servicing and warranty

Subaru dealers tend to be local businesses with a reputation for good customer service. Not that they particularly need it, as Subarus very rarely go wrong, so you’re unlikely to need to head back to the dealer for any reason but your yearly service.

However, it’s a shame the warranty is just for three years and 60,000 miles. That’s similar to premium rivals but far behind the likes of Hyundai, Kia and Toyota.

Reliability

• Simply not an issue with Subaru
• Company famed for building strong cars
• Previous XV subjected to one recall

Let’s not beat around the bush here: you can expect the Subaru XV’s reliability to be exceptional. The company has countless facts detailing how dependable its cars are, but probably the most impressive is that over 95% of its cars are still on the road and working after 10 years. 

There have been no recalls made for this model so far and even the previous model was subjected to just one recall – relating to the brake lights not operating properly.