Driving Experience
Includes acceleration and handling
What Owners Say
"CVT requires a light touch on the gas. Too much pressure on the gas pedal results in high revs and little acceleration. Kind of like the old Buick Dyna-flo. Won't win any drag races with this car. Aside from the analog speedometer and Tach, the instruments are very hard to read in daylight. The little screen between the speedo and tach is virtually worthless. Replace the little "how many miles per gallon" gauge with a standard analog gas gauge."
DANIEL T., NV (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"Very noisy vehicle, passenger compartment needs better isolation or insulation from road, engine and drive train noises."
Anonymous, GA (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"Transition from electric to gas from a stop is clunky and uneven. 'Mild' hybrid yields little benefit in actual use. OEM tires were worn out at 20,000 - 25,000 miles. Original tires were out of balance at highway speeds. Complete lack of tow hooks or attachment points. Difficult to jack up due to very small jack points. Good acceleration and handling overall. Disappointing gas mileage."
GREG D., MT (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"Under hard acceleration, in particular highway onramps or on steep inclines, the motor sometime pings. We use top tier, regular unleaded gas from stations that appear reputable. Subaru service could not reproduce the problem or find any problem."
Anonymous, WA (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"Handling and braking are excellent. Acceleration, even with the 5sp MT is a bit weak. Even more so with the CVT."
ROBERT H., CA (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"Feels underpowered. Handles great though."
Anonymous, PA (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"Although I usually use cruise control on the freeway, I have gotten OUT of trouble by stomping the accelerator hard, getting out of cruise control and away from trouble."
JANET E., IL (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"It is a little underpowered, especially when driving in the mountains."
SCOTT I., TX (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"Good on snow esp uphill Have had problem w starter (prolonged start) was fixed once and now acting up again. Will have to take it n again"
Anonymous, NY (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"The power is adequate not abundant. Steering is sure and can feel the road easily."
Anonymous, HI (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"Needs better acceleration from a stop and the CV transmission needs to cut the lag time when it is engaged."
Anonymous, CA (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"One issue is that it does not accelerate quickly when going up a hill or sometimes when accelerating from a complete stop when the air conditioning is on."
Anonymous, CO (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"Hybrid "thunks" when electric turns on and off"
Anonymous, OR (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"Acceleration is good for a small SUV but the handling in snow is FANTASTIC"
TIM D., NH (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"It drives well although a bit noisy on the highway."
Anonymous, NC (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"It handles very well and I like that the car is light as we tow the car behind our motorhome. Just which the engine was a little more powerful."
Anonymous, TX (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"Responsive acceleration and handling, smooth turning. Not sluggish or stiff!"
Anonymous, MI (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"ride seems as good as day one. no rattles squeaks etc.a taut ride, not cushy. handles rough snow covered roads well too"
David A., NJ (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"Acceleration is good. Handles smoothly in turns"
Anonymous, MA (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"Wimpy acceleration, wish it had a bigger engine."
Cheryl M., TX (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"poor acceleration, and poor mileage at the same time. burns oil, but Subaru claims not enough, (less than 1/3 quart per 1200 miles!!!) to replace the engine"
Anonymous, TX (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"similar to the Forester model but with Hybtrid technology"
T F., WA (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"Transmission lags like a turbo."
Ken K., CT (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"fuel economy is good but acceleration is lacking and while driving on interstate the 2.0 is working very hard."
Ken B., FL (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"It took two years for gas mileage to go from 26 to 30 mpg with local driving."
Anonymous, NJ (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"All ok. Had prob w slow start process"
Anonymous, NY (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"I love the drive and handling of the Crosstrek. I would like Subaru to offer a power upgrade that doesn't include plug-in hybrid technology. Performance non plug-in hybrid would be sufficient."
Nathan C., OK (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"very precise handling. accelerates well for small engine."
Anonymous, BC (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"The Continuously Variable Transmission keeps the engine at the best speed for the amount of power that I demand, and it smoothly transitions engine speed and vehicle speed from a standstill to the speed limit."
Charles C., SC (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"Handling is responsive and overall the car is very easy to drive. Acceleration is typically very good, but power can be underwhelming at times. The CVT transmission can occasionally slip and cause jerky acceleration."
Anonymous, VA (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"This was our third hybrid when purchased, being 4 years newer than the previous one, and it has the poorest electric performance and transition between electric to gas and gas and electric. There is a noticeable lag when the electric motor is first engaged. Very disappointing for a brand I've always trusted. We have owned six Subarus and this may be the last."
Charles N., NJ (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"Very responsive car. A little under-powered driving uphill."
Anonymous, NV (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"It needs more horsepower. Merging into highway traffic takes patience and practice."
Anonymous, NJ (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"It handles beautifully especially in poor weather. I feel safe in this car."
Anonymous, MA (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"it is a great car - practical, great gas mileage, can handle any kind of terrain, and it is FUN to drive - fast, nimble, tough"
Deborah G., IA (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"A little slow to accelerate. Transmission seems to speed up rather slowly."
Sheri F., CA (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"This is a hybrid and the additional electric motor provides very good acceleration. Non-hybrids I have been in do not have the same amount of pick-up and feel a bit sluggish."
Gregory M., CA (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"The acceleration is adequate. The transmission is a little slow to react. Handling is good. It is not too soft or too stiff. It does not wallow in curves. Easy to park."
Steven O., MA (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"Although a little choppy at time the car seems like it's on rail excellent handling."
Anonymous, PA (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"Somewhat sluggish acceleration in rapid-response situations. Seems to improve if I use mid-grade gas rather than regular."
Anonymous, NM (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"This vehicle's acceleration is "low"...can possibly be risky in certain emergency-situations. And the handling is OK for an SUV, as long as corners are taken carefully and slowly."
Anonymous, CA (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"acceleration is sluggish"
Anonymous, DE (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"I live in a mountainous area and the Crosstrek’s engine really struggles at altitude. When on a road trip and need to pass another vehicle on a two lane road, there had better be no oncoming traffic anywhere in sight as it takes a long time to pass. Need another engine option!"
Anonymous, NV (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"Accelerating with the Crosstrek SV hybrid is tricky. If you push to quickly you have a 'jack rabbit' start which is not good for several reasons. It takes quite a bit of getting used to and changes the way you are used to driving in other cars."
Barry B., OH (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)"My Hybrid is very mild, making little difference in mpg. However, the Hybrid model came with a number of suspension and other enhancements which make it the best Crosstrek produced in 2014."
Greg D., MT (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)
"Low center of gravity and handling provide a nimble driving experience. All that is ruined by the dull and whiney CVT and underpowered engine."
Anonymous, IL (2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek)