2014 XV Crosstrek Hybrid. (Credit: Subaru of America, Inc.)Subaru of America, Inc. has announced pricing on the carmaker’s first-ever production hybrid vehicle, the XV Crosstrek Hybrid, arriving in dealerships in late 2013. The Hybrid is based on the successful XV Crosstrek crossover model and retains its all-terrain capability while providing better fuel efficiency and improved driving dynamics.
”The XV Crosstrek model has been an instant hit since going on sale in September 2012, selling approximately 45,000 units in its first year and showing there is a strong market for a compact CUV that provides strong looks, safety, AWD capability and good fuel economy.” said Thomas J. Doll, president, and chief operating officer, Subaru of America, Inc. “The XV Crosstrek Hybrid will now combine those proven Subaru attributes with hybrid technology and will appeal still further to ecologically-minded consumers,” The sales success of the 2014 XV Crosstrek, mirrors the growth of the Subaru brand overall, which is on track to achieve its fifth-consecutive year of sales increases and top 400,000 vehicle sales in the US market in 2013.
All XV Crosstrek Hybrids are equipped with 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder BOXER engine and Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive. Available in a standard trim and top-of-the-line Touring, models include a 13.4 hp/48 lb. –ft. electric drive motor integrated into the Lineartronic continuously variable transmission.
The 2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Hybrid builds upon the utility and versatility of the gas model, while offering enhanced handling. Significantly, the hybrid model uses the same Active Torque Split version of Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive as in the gasoline model, preserving the all-weather performance that Subaru customers expect. The system sends torque to the four wheels all the time and adjusts the torque distribution in response to acceleration, cornering and road conditions. The Hybrid also retains the 8.7-inch ground clearance and 4-wheel independent suspension of other XV Crosstrek models and adds special chassis tuning for more agile handling.
The cargo area is outfitted as standard with a removable cover as well as removable waterproof cargo tray, tie-down hooks and grocery bag hooks. Subaru dealers offer a number of accessories for the standard roof rails for carrying items such as bicycles and kayaks.
The 2014 XV Crosstrek Hybrid serves as the top model in this series and features numerous exclusive design features. The rear light clusters and the stop lamps use energy-saving light-emitting diode (LED) technology.
The manufacturer’s suggested retail price for the 2014 XV Crosstrek Hybrid is $25,995, and for the XV Crosstrek Hybrid Touring with a touchscreen navigation system, leather-trimmed seating and a power moonroof the MSRP is $29,295.
The nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) battery systems for Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd.’s first-ever hybrid electric vehicle are supplied by the Panasonic Corporation. Panasonic’s Ni-MH battery cells are durable and able to maintain a high charging/discharging capacity over an extended period of time, thanks to the company’s battery manufacturing technologies, including polar plate sintering technology. This technology involving firing of metal nickel powder at high temperatures for manufacturing rigid, porous nickel substrate.
