In life, there are only a scant few things that truly represent the best of both worlds: the mullet haircut (business up front, party in the back); birthday cake that makes you skinnier the more you eat (okay, not actually a thing - yet) and off-road small cars that can handle both city and country driving conditions with aplomb.
In terms of an affordable off-road small SUV that can navigate urban streets like a wily alley cat while also being able to handle bumpy unsealed roads when exploring the countryside, they don’t come any better than Subaru’s popular XV AWD small SUV.
Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, which comes standard in the XV, essentially gives this plucky off-road small SUV superpowers that allow it to go where other, lesser small cars fear to tread.
This means shallow water and a dusting of snow or even some sand should prove no great obstacle, with all-wheel drive delivering power to the wheels that need it most and off-setting any slipping that’s occurring.
Going off-road with X-Mode
Besides the always handy all-wheel drive, this off-road small SUV comes with something called ‘X-Mode’. While it may make it sound like your XV can pop out claws like Wolverine - which, admittedly, would be pretty cool - X-Mode is actually Subaru's traction-control-based off-road system, a feature that makes the XV the king of off-road small cars.
A simple push of a button activates X-Mode, transforming the XV into the kind of AWD small SUV that can handle a variety of driving conditions.
By taking control of your engine output, transmission, all-wheel-drive torque split and braking system, X-Mode can switch to optimal performance when dealing with climbing hills, descending slopes and even slippery surfaces.
X-Mode’s ability to assist with the XV’s descent might be the most useful function of all; the car’s system essentially analysing road conditions and automatically applying brake pressure when required. All you have to do is steer - simple.
While the all-wheel drive and X-Mode functions make the XV an AWD small SUV to be reckoned with, it’s worth coming back to the fact that it’s offering the best of both worlds - an off-road small car designed for city and country driving.
While it may not be built to handle hardcore 4x4 off-road conditions, it can still deal with terrain other off-road small SUVs can’t, making it the happy medium for those that like to mix up urban driving with something a little more adventurous.
CarsGuide
Paid Partnership
03 June 2021
