2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek Review: Design
What’s New:
- The 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek is an all-new model, but it is heavily based on the Impreza hatchback.
The 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek is perhaps the most handsome compact vehicle in the brand's stable. Subaru designers have done an excellent job of beefing up the lines of the Impreza hatch with wider, flared fenders as well as enhanced side sills and a more aggressive treatment for the crossover's front fascia. Throw in the rear spoiler and the great-looking silver-on-black 17-inch alloy wheels that our test vehicle rolled on and the crossover stands well apart from its passenger car roots. The differences between the Crosstrek and the Impreza are further driven home by the almost nine inches of ground clearance that see the crossover towering above its hatchback sibling.
The Subaru XV Crosstrek's passenger compartment is another story altogether. Subaru has never been accused of over-designing its interior trappings, as the brand historically has preferred to let form follow function. The Crosstrek continues this trend, as the vehicle's interior materials fall into the middle-of-the-road category: no rock-hard plastics, but nothing that invites the touch of driver or passengers. This is perfectly acceptable given the crossover's price point, but the lack of ornamentation or any type of stylistic risk-taking inside the cabin stands in stark contrast to the more expressive interiors that are beginning to take hold across the entry-level SUV segment.