Subaru XV Crosstrek lifts up the Impreza Sport
Sep 24, 2012 1:30 PM

Buying a Subaru is typically a very practical and logical purchase. But some Subaru purchases are more logical than others. Case in point: the XV Crosstrek.

This new model is essentially an Impreza hatchback with more ground clearance, 8.7 inches in all. Unless you drive a lot of bad dirt roads or your biking/kayaking/hiking takes you to some really treacherous parking lots, the added ground clearance will seldom be advantageous. (It just makes things harder to put on the roof rack.) Fuel economy is lower than the Impreza, although the XV Crosstrek's gas tank is bigger. And it costs more money.
But the XV Crosstrek has a certain bulldog-like appeal created by the raised height, contrasting rocker panel paint, and mean-looking black wheels. Unique model-specific colors like traffic cone orange ("Tangerine Orange Pearl") or desert rat beige ("Desert Khaki") help. These styling revisions all add up to a look that is almost comically rugged and gives the car a different feel from its plain-Jane roots.