Subaru XV

245

So here's the latest Subaru (its been on their website for over a week now) - based on the 2012 Impreza and coming in at 35k. Its band C for motor tax and is well equipped with HID auto lights, privacy glass, heated seats, USB connectivity, bluetooth, auto wipers, reversing camera, cruise control etc etc:

http://www.subaru.ie/xv

Comes with the usual 2l boxer diesel with 148 bhp, 258 lbs/ft torque returning 50 mpg overall. I'd imagine that its competing with the AWD variants of the Kuga, Tiguan, IX35, RAV4 etc, Thoughts, opinions?

homer90

Fugly.

Squall19

It's nice but Subaru really need a better engine for that money.

Mitsubishi's ASX is 10k cheaper, with the same 150bhp from a smaller 1.8 diesel and even more frugal.

Absurdum

Can't see any reason why I'd choose that over a similar priced Legacy or Forester tbh

Cookie_Monster

slightly OT but is the impreza gone? Not listed under models

bazz26

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

slightly OT but is the impreza gone? Not listed under models

The hatchback has been dropped. They brought out a saloon version of the existing model to replace it and dropped the Impreza name and just called it the WRX. Due to emmissions I'd doubt you will see the WRX for sale here.

Not sure what they did with the diesel version but Subaru Ireland are just dreaming with list prices of the vehicles here. I'd hate to be running a Subaru dealership these days. I'd say they are selling next to nothing new.

2010 Subaru WRX:


2012 Subaru Impreza:

Nissan doctor

The problem Subaru has is thats all its manufacturing is still done in Japan. Good for reliability and build quality compared to european built Japanese brands but very bad for sale price as the Yen is bad against the euro plus various import costs etc are much higher from outside europe.

pajo1981

Euro built Toyota, Honda, etc.. invariably do better than Subaru in surveys.

Andrew33

I wouldn't call it ugly but certainly forgettable, could have any badge on it, in fact it looks like cross between a Kuga and a Hyundai iX-??. plus 50% over priced. It'll be rare!

245

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

slightly OT but is the impreza gone? Not listed under models

There's a new Impreza (diesel hatch only) on the way. I was told that it would be here in November but the earthquake has knocked schedules a bit. Its got good reviews in the USA as its a significant improvement on th eoutgoing model in terms of weight/fuel economy/performance, crash safety etc.

bazz26

Subaru don't sell enough cars in Europe to justify setting up a manufacturing plant here.

245

Andrew33 wrote: »

I wouldn't call it ugly but certainly forgettable, could have any badge on it, in fact it looks like cross between a Kuga and a Hyundai iX-??. plus 50% over priced. It'll be rare!

I agree with you on the looks but we'd probably struggle to list many beautiful Subaru designs. In terms of price, I'm not so sure that its that much overpriced once performance and spec are taken into account. The Kuga AWD (band D) lists at 32,245 for the lower spec Zetec, the Tiguan AWD (band C) is 34,475 for similar spec but no HID. The IX35 AWD (band C) is 30,995 for spec similar to the Tiguan. The Mitsubishi AXS doesn't really compare as its got no AWD option. The Yeti is priced close to the IX35 so they probably show it up pricewise the most. Subaru should price it at around 32k if they wanted to be very competitive but I'm guessing that they wouldn't be able to meet demand as easily as the mainstream manufacturers so maybe its an easier life to sell less and make a bit more on each.

unkel

Nissan doctor wrote: »

The problem Subaru has is thats all its manufacturing is still done in Japan. Good for reliability and build quality compared to european built Japanese brands but very bad for sale price as the Yen is bad against the euro plus various import costs etc are much higher from outside europe.

The Yen has gone up considerably in the last few years, but Subaru is the only one with ridiculous price increases. Mazda doesn't manufacture cars in Europe either does it? Their prices haven't moved.

I mean when the Impreza diesel was introduced here from €21k we were all raving about it that it was fantastic value for money. But then the price was upped to €28k. I'd say bazz26 is right and Subaru are selling feck all cars here now. I'll look it up later.

Edit:

Just looked it up, Subaru sold 26 cars in Ireland in the last 4 months

That's one car sold in every dealer every 8 weeks :eek:

Andrew33

245 wrote: »

I agree with you on the looks but we'd probably struggle to list many beautiful Subaru designs. In terms of price, I'm not so sure that its that much overpriced once performance and spec are taken into account. The Kuga AWD (band D) lists at 32,245 for the lower spec Zetec, the Tiguan AWD (band C) is 34,475 for similar spec but no HID. The IX35 AWD (band C) is 30,995 for spec similar to the Tiguan. The Mitsubishi AXS doesn't really compare as its got no AWD option. The Yeti is priced close to the IX35 so they probably show it up pricewise the most. Subaru should price it at around 32k if they wanted to be very competitive but I'm guessing that they wouldn't be able to meet demand as easily as the mainstream manufacturers so maybe its an easier life to sell less and make a bit more on each.

Didn't realise the rest of them were that close on price, i should have checked before posting, I'd agree about the Mitsi ASX, not a competitor at all. The Subaru really needs to be down to 29-30k to be competitive, it's not bringing anything fresh to the compact SUV party.

Nissan doctor

unkel wrote: »

The Yen has gone up considerably in the last few years, but Subaru is the only one with ridiculous price increases. Mazda doesn't manufacture cars in Europe either does it? Their prices haven't moved.

I mean when the Impreza diesel was introduced here from €21k we were all raving about it that it was fantastic value for money. But then the price was upped to €28k. I'd say bazz26 is right and Subaru are selling feck all cars here now. I'll look it up later.

Edit:

Just looked it up, Subaru sold 26 cars in Ireland in the last 4 months

That's one car sold in every dealer every 8 weeks :eek:

Mazda cars are made in the mazda/ford plant in Spain AFAIK. The 2 and 3 are I think anyway.

unkel

Nissan doctor wrote: »

Mazda cars are made in the mazda/ford plant in Spain AFAIK. The 2 and 3 are I think anyway.

The 2 and the 3 are Fords, so I'm not surprised they are made in a Ford plant

The 6 is made in Japan for sure

245

unkel wrote: »

Just looked it up, Subaru sold 26 cars in Ireland in the last 4 months

That's one car sold in every dealer every 8 weeks :eek:

I think that they sold a good few at the start of the year (a bit of panic buying on the part of people who decided that they just had to have AWD once they saw snow). Have you numbers for the entire year?

I'd agree that they are overpriced - the Legacy and Forester don't feel like they cost 36k and the Impreza pricing never made any sense to me, apart from the cheapest one which disappeared off the pricelist. I love my Legacy but I won't be buying another Subaru next year.

Lex Luthor

Be lucky to sell any at that price. Same goes for the legacy. Its priced about 4-5k too much.
With the quashqai coming out with the new 1.6d 4wd for around the 30k mark cant see the XV troubling it

pburns

Current Subaru diesel owner so I'd really like-to-like one of their current models. Legacy is badly specced/too pricey - there's the odd well kitted ex Subaru Ireland car like this one hanging about though:
http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=201131203693493

I'd be interested to see the XV in the flesh but fear it's a bit Quasqai-like for my tastes. If Subaru had kept the Forester as a high-riding estate/sporty cross-over I'd buy one in a flash but they've gone all homogoneous with a proper SUV and now this lifestyle XV thing.

I wouldn't compare the 2.0D Subaru engine to anything in a Mitsu ASX. OK, so the power is lagging a bit behind the best Honda/BMW units but those who haven't driven one might not appreciate how smooth and refined it actually is. They've made no effort to develop it since launch but IMO it has the potential to be the best diesel engine of it's size on the market.

unkel

245 wrote: »

Have you numbers for the entire year?

From memory about 200. All the data is available on simi.ie!

Lex Luthor

pburns wrote: »

Current Subaru diesel owner so I'd really like-to-like one of their current models. Legacy is badly specced/too pricey - there's the odd well kitted ex Subaru Ireland car like this one hanging about though:
http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=201131203693493

I'd be interested to see the XV in the flesh but fear it's a bit Quasqai-like for my tastes. If Subaru had kept the Forester as a high-riding estate/sporty cross-over I'd buy one in a flash but they've gone all homogoneous with a proper SUV and now this lifestyle XV thing.

Thats not a bad price for the ex demo...nice colour aswell

I was gutted when the old shape Forester was being tossed for the new one. I was really hoping that we might see the diesel in that shape for a year as I was really wanting one. Love them cars
Anyway was glad to get the outgoing Legacy tourer before they changed it

I dont think the XV is that bad looking. Wheels are not my taste. If Subaru got the pricing right then I'd have no doubt we'd see more of these and Legacys on the roads. There's also the problem with the CO2 emmisions the diesel engine has. Compared to the rivals its one band too high and for the Legacy Tourer in Band D its way above them and in this country where buyers look at that before everything else, its not doing them any favours

si_guru

Lex Luthor wrote: »

There's also the problem with the CO2 emmisions the diesel engine has. Compared to the rivals its one band too high and for the Legacy Tourer in Band D its way above them and in this country where buyers look at that before everything else, its not doing them any favours

Plus the rating adds to the VRT which compounds their pricing problem. for most people the 10 grand cheaper Quashquai , Yeti, Ix35 etc meets the market needs.

Squall19

pburns wrote: »

Current Subaru diesel owner so I'd really like-to-like one of their current models.

I wouldn't compare the 2.0D Subaru engine to anything in a Mitsu ASX. OK, so the power is lagging a bit behind the best Honda/BMW units but those who haven't driven one might not appreciate how smooth and refined it actually is. They've made no effort to develop it since launch but IMO it has the potential to be the best diesel engine of it's size on the market.

Have you driven the new Mitsubishi 1.8 Diesel?

It's just as good as the Subaru engine, even better imo as it's only a 1.8.

I drove the new 147bhp 1.8 diesel Lancer a few months back and it was a super engine, torque at high revs, pulled hard to red line, couldn't fault it, took off like a petrol in 1st gear.

The lancer even had the legs on the 318d I drove on the same day.

I have had a go in the Impreza diesel a year or two back when it came out and it was an good as well, wasn't as nippy as the lancer though, maybe because of the extra weight and 4wd, which didn't help.It needed an extra 20bhp imo, while the lancer had plenty of power.

Lex Luthor

Ya my sis has the 2.0 DiD engine in her Grandis and it is quiet and pulls and revs well

si_guru

Lex Luthor wrote: »

Ya my sis has the 2.0 DiD engine in her Grandis and it is quiet and pulls and revs well

Aren't they a VW engine? Or am I thinking of something else?

Squall19

Guru is right.

That's the VW 2.0 tdi engine, badged DI-D, that Mitsubishi borrowed from VW for europe.

The Mitsubishi 4N1 Mivec 1.8 diesel engine that I drove and in the Lancer, ASX and soon to be Colt is a brand new unit from Mitsubishi themselves.

Its an aluminum block, DOHC, common rail engine, with MIVEC variable valve timing.

Peak power (150 PS) at 4000 rpm

Peak torque 300 N·m (221 lb·ft) at 2000-3000 rpm

With a compression ratio of 14:1, in comparison the Subaru unit has a 16:1 compression ratio.

Guy:Incognito

unkel wrote: »

Just looked it up, Subaru sold 26 cars in Ireland in the last 4 months

That's one car sold in every dealer every 8 weeks :eek:

I hope for their own sake theres no Subaru only dealers in the country.