Test drive Subaru XV Bifuel: overall assessment

The journey with the Subaru XV Bifuel has come to an end. If you have followed us over the last few weeks, you had the chance to travel virtually through French territory from your computer. We hope you enjoyed the route and that, in addition to our usual car test, you enjoyed the little tourist tour.

To bring this test to a close, we now give a general assessment of the Subaru XV Bifuel and share our opinion on this SUV, which can run on petrol or LPG (autogas). We will also review the prices of the Japanese model.

Overall assessment

After more than 3,000 km behind the wheel of the Subaru XV Bifuel, we believe we can make a fairly objective assessment of the car. The most notable thing, and above all what we liked most, is its running cost. A car running on LPG is always cheaper to drive than a petrol car, and even cheaper than some diesels.

The figures speak for themselves: a car with permanent four-wheel drive, a 150 CV petrol engine and an automatic gearbox, with a consumption of 7.5 euros per 100 km, is a very good figure. Put another way, covering 500 km for roughly 36 euros is a dream at current petrol prices.

Another feature we liked about the Subaru XV is its versatility. It is a car that works equally well on motorways, where it makes long journeys comfortable (thanks above all to good suspension and the automatic gearbox), and off the tarmac (provided we have suitable tyres), with complete peace of mind.

There are some details of the interior finish that could be improved, although the quality is acceptable within a segment where the best-seller has an interior full of hard plastics. The XV, however, suffers from some fit-and-finish issues that could be refined.

The equipment seemed very complete to us (although we must not forget that it costs around 30,000 euros), but there are again details that could be improved, such as the xenon headlights, which light the road very low, and the navigation system, which is very complete in functions but can be rather confusing for an older person or someone with little experience of multimedia systems.

Finally, we must talk about the gearbox, which at first may seem to rev the engine a lot or reduce smoothness. We only need to get used to the car to get the best out of the transmission, typical of a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

Prices of the Subaru XV

With the PIVE scrappage plan included, the Subaru XV is available from 18,900 euros, for the 114 CV petrol engine. Meanwhile, the diesel range starts at 28,175 euros, and the LPG version is available from 23,640 euros (114 CV petrol, 4×2, somewhat tight with LPG) and from 30,440 euros for the 150 CV petrol, automatic, 4×4 and Bifuel version.

Our test unit, in Executive Plus trim, is priced at 32,440 euros, running on LPG or petrol. LPG can be a genuine alternative to the diesel engine on price, but we feel the 114 CV engine can be a little short on performance when combined with LPG operation.

With this we bring to an end a test that has allowed us, on the one hand, to demonstrate that LPG remains a real alternative thanks to its low cost, and, on the other, to test an SUV over more than 3,000 km, something that is not always possible over such a distance.

Route with the Subaru XV

1. Day 1: Madrid > Bayonne
2. Day 2: Bayonne > Clermont-Ferrand
3. Day 3: Clermont-Ferrand > Geneva
4. Day 4: Geneva > Spain

Thanks to Subaru Spain for providing the vehicle and for its collaboration on this test.
Photos | Test team