When the wonderful team at Subaru Johannesburg told me that they were going to let me drive one of their newer models, the XV, I couldn’t wait to experience a brand of car that I’ve always been very inquisitive about. Can a Japanese car deliver the same experience as the all dependable German counterparts?
And the answer is yes, absolutely!
I like to drive a car, like, really DRIVE a car. Feel the car on the road. Feel the way it turns corners, it accelerates, it sticks to the road. I enjoy comfort, but I want to feel like I’m driving. The Subaru XV does just that- it is comfortable, has some of the best safety features on the market, yet I still enjoy the real driving experience when I’m behind the wheel.
The safety and parking assist features are better than any car I’ve ever driven. I have not as yet, touch wood, ever had a car accident. However, I do tend to bump into things while parking. I have tried my absolute best to bump into things in parking lots, but the XV just won’t allow it! It has a rear camera so that you are always aware what’s behind you, it beeps if you are in reverse gear and there is something behind the car, and it even stops for you if the front camera spots an obstruction.
If you’re stuck in the normal Johannesburg traffic and you happen to be putting on your lipstick, as females love to do while sitting in traffic, it alerts you that the car in front has moved forward and you can move forward too. What a dream, putting on your lipstick without the usual hoot from the angry driver behind you.
We took the XV on a road trip to the Eastern Cape this last December holiday, and it was by far the most comfortable and enjoyable long distance drive I’ve ever experienced. And I’ve done a lot of long distance trips in my life. My husband and I found ourselves constantly arguing over whose turn it was to drive. And whoever won the argument and found themselves in the driver’s seat could quickly link the Bluetooth on the fantastic sound system to their phone and listen to their choice of either music or preferred audio book.
The all wheel drive feature of all Subarus make driving down any sand road, and unfortunately in the Eastern Cape, rather pot holed tar road, an absolute pleasure.
We have a 3 year old who was very comfortable in her car seat at the back, and loved that she could also have a turn to listen to her playlist ( after Mama and Dada’s turn). Don’t worry, she’s got excellent taste in music, so the XV was subjected to only good music, and the occasional song from the Moana soundtrack.
The power of the car is unbelievable. I felt so safe being confident that I could overtake without being scared that I didn’t have the acceleration to get past the car I was overtaking. It has power, but not ridiculous speed that is scary. And the fuel consumption is a very reasonable average of about 11 litres per 100km in town, and about 8 litres per 100 km on the open road.
I’ve been thinking about anything that I have not liked about the XV. This has been quite a task, and all I can come up with is the boot capacity. It’s smaller than a large SUV, but that’s because the whole car is smaller. It’s designed to be a compact SUV, perfect for people who want a bigger car, but not a huge car. It’s easy to park, can fit into any parking space, feels light and compact on the road, yet has great ground clearance and more space than any normal sedan.
All in all I am in love with the car. It would be top on my list when looking to upgrade my current vehicle. And then my husband would steal it from me
Pedro Dos Santos (DP), Saskia V, Manie Steyn (Sales Manager)
