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Subaru XV Concept is our first glimpse at the next Crosstrek

Subaru debuted a pair of Impreza concepts at last year's Tokyo and Los Angeles shows – one, a five-door hatch, the other, a sedan. But the Impreza range also includes the lifted Crosstrek, known as the XV in other markets. So at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, Subaru presents our first official glimpse at the next-generation, high-riding Impreza, by way of this XV Concept. Details are few – what you see is what you get. The XV definitely has a more butch take on the sedan and hatchback concepts that came before it, in keeping with the Crosstrek's ethos. The concept rides on 19-inch wheels which surely won't make it to production, and we expect some sort of boxer four-cylinder engine to drive power to all four wheels. View 12 Photos All in, the XV Concept looks pretty good. But Subaru has a long history of making attractive concept cars that don't quite carry their beauty over to production. Even so, the current Crosstrek has a sort of rugged handsomeness to it, so here's hoping something similar happens when this concept eventually transforms into a production model next year. "Subaru XV Concept" Makes World Debut at 2016 Geneva International Motor Show Tokyo, March 1, 2016 - Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI), the manufacturer of Subaru automobiles, today unveiled the Subaru XV Concept at the 2016 Geneva International Motor Show. The Subaru XV Concept is a design concept car that embodies Subaru's next-generation DYNAMIC X SOLID design philosophy in a compact crossover model. Its compact body features Subaru's DYNAMIC X SOLID design elements, the powerful form of a crossover, and a quality feel beyond its class – previewing the design direction of the next-generation Subaru XV*. Main Features of Subaru XV Concept The front, sides, and rear are seamlessly joined in the DYNAMIC X SOLID surface structure, creating a three-dimensional and solid body that is a feature of Subaru styling. The dynamism is enhanced by well-placed character lines on the compact body shape. The design expression of "Enjoyment and Peace of Mind", the value that Subaru provides to its customers, is fully pursued within the limits of the compact crossover model body size. In the area of functionality essential to a Subaru car, excellent aerodynamic performance is teamed with the ample road clearance and luggage space required of a crossover vehicle, achieving blend of function and style.

Subaru turns a WRX STI into a bobsled and (barely) makes it work

When asked how confident he felt of a successful full run down the St. Moritz-Celerina Olympic Bobrun in his specially prepared Subaru WRX STI, professional rally and stunt driver Mark Higgins responded, "50/50." In reality, he was probably being generous. It wasn't supposed to be so death-defying. In fact, Subaru's original plan was to have Higgins make several runs down the icy slope, some with journalists in the passenger seat. We were among those who traveled all the way to Switzerland for the chance to experience an automotive bobsled ride. One look at the run's famous Horseshoe Corner was all it took for us to second-guess that idea. Well, that and our pesky sense of self preservation. Higgins, though, is one of those rare humans to have been born without that fear-of-death gene. Not only is the Manx driver a professional stuntman – his resume includes sequences for Daniel Craig's James Bond – he also won the British Rally Championship three times and is the four-wheeled record holder at the famed Isle of Man Snaefell Mountain Course. So, when Higgins says some sort of vehicular stunt has only half a chance at success, well, let's just say that most mortals would say something more akin to "a snowball's chance in hell." On the topic of snow and balls, it's worth noting that the timing of Subaru's bobsled run wasn't set by choice. The Olympic Bobrun hosts regular events every winter through late February or early March. Since the track at St. Moritz is the only run in the world without an artificial cooling system, warm weather means no sledding. Combine those two facts and you end up with a very narrow window in which Subaru could go about making the modified track and a WRX STI actually fit together. Enter the boffins at Prodrive. The British engineering firm first started modifying vehicles for racing in 1984. By 1990, Prodrive was focused on turning turbocharged Imprezas into championship winners for the likes of Colin McRae, Richard Burns, and Petter Solberg. So it comes as little surprise that Subaru turned back to Prodrive to figure out how to modify a 2015 WRX STI in a way that would make it survive the pounding it would sustain on a bob run. For the record, this isn't just any 2015 WRX STI. It's actually the same car Higgins used in 2014 to set a lap record at the Isle of Man.

2021 Subaru Crosstrek updated with new engine, refreshed styling

For the 2021 model year, the Subaru Crosstrek is getting some mechanical and aesthetic updates, along with a new Sport trim (pictured above). The biggest difference you’ll find for 2021 is the addition of a new engine to the lineup. While the base and Premium trims will continue to use the 152-horsepower, naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder carried over from 2020, the Sport and Limited trims will employ a new-to-Crosstrek 2.5-liter four-cylinder boxer engine. Borrowed from the Forester, and also found in the Outback, this naturally aspirated 2.5-liter provides 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque. That power is put to the wheels via a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and SubaruÂ’s torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system. The base and Premium trims, with the holdover motor, still come with either a six-speed manual or optional CVT. In terms of efficiency, the new 2.5-liter offers 27 miles per gallon in the city, 34 mpg highway and 29 mpg combined. The 2.0-liter still provides 22/29/25 mpg with the six-speed manual, or 28/33/30 mpg with the CVT — just one mpg better across the board than the 2.5. That aforementioned Sport trim is new to the Crosstrek, and it has more to set it apart than just the engine. ItÂ’s the only version with the dual-mode X-Mode system, with Snow/Dirt and the additional Deep Snow/Mud setting. Standard X-Mode — which essentially offers better traction in snow and dirt — with hill descent control comes on the rest of the CVT-equipped Crosstrek trims. The Crosstrek Sport also gets unique visual touches to set it apart from the other trims, like more prominent wheel arch moldings, dark grey 17-inch alloy wheels, and a gunmetal finish on the grille, side mirrors and badges. Inside, it gets StarTex synthetic upholstery, yellow stitching and other yellow accents throughout the cockpit, and gunmetal and faux-carbon fiber accents. Sport Trim exterior paint colors include new Plasma Yellow Pearl and Horizon Blue Pearl finishes. 2021 Subaru Crosstrek Limited View 9 Photos Speaking of looks, all 2021 Crosstrek trims (like the Limited pictured above) get refreshed grilles and an updated front bumper, with fog light insert covers on the base model, and other trims getting new fog light covers.