Subaru has been on a sales roll for the past few years, with its sales improving each quarter and bringing new buyers into the quirky automaker's fold. Even the oddball XV Crosstrek, essentially an Impreza five-door hatch on stilts wearing tougher body cladding and a higher price, has been a success. Now Subaru is releasing the 2014 XV Crosstrek hybrid variant—the brand's first hybrid—and the company has revealed how much the new model will cost.
Comparing base model to base model, the $26,820 XV Crosstrek hybrid carries a $3000 price premium versus the entry-level, non-hybrid Crosstrek 2.0i Premium with the automatic transmission. But carefully perusing the hybrid's features list reveals that the gap isn't as vast as it appears. The base hybrid comes equipped with keyless entry, automatic climate control, a 4.3-inch color display, and a backup camera. These items are standard on the top-dog, gas-only Crosstrek 2.0i Limited, which starts at $25,320. This effectively narrows the price gap to $1500 when comparing similarly equipped models. The hybrid also gets LED taillights and unique interior trim, but lacks the 2.0i Limited model's leather seating.
- Instrumented Test: 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek 2.0i
- Instrumented Test: 2014 Subaru Forester 2.5i Touring
- Instrumented Test: 2013 Subaru BRZ Automatic
The hybrid Touring model adds navigation, leather seats, and a power moonroof, but at $30,120, it's $2700 dearer than an equivalently equipped gas 2.0i Limited. That larger price gap is made less palatable by the hybrid's marginal fuel-economy improvement. With EPA estimates of 28 mpg in the city and 34 on the highway, the hybrid improves somewhat upon the auto-equipped gas model's 25/33 ratings; the improvement over manual Crosstreks greater, since those are only good for 23/30 mpg.
The fuel-economy (and price) bump comes thanks to the hybrid's 13-hp electric motor, which is fitted between the 148-hp four-cylinder engine and the CVT and is powered by a 0.6-kWh battery. We'd say that if you must have a hybridized XV Crosstrek, stick with the base trim for maximum value. Hybrid price premiums tend to not make sense unless the car is kept over the long term, but at least the cheaper model lessens the blow.
While Subaru's probably hoping that the regular Crosstrek's sales success rubs off on the pricier hybrid and distracts buyers from the minor fuel-economy boost, it should have no problem finding customers. The brand's fanbase should go totally ape for the thing, seeing how it combines Subie's funky looks and all-wheel-drive capability with "green" earth-friendliness. Plus, as the only compact hybrid crossover out there, it's got the market cornered.
from Car and Driver Blog http://blog.caranddriver.com
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