2020 Subaru XV GT Edition Review | Philkotse Philippines

The crossover category is currently one of the hottest vehicle segments in the Philippines. In response to its emergence, car brands have recently launched their respective challengers. Ford introduced the Territory while Toyota launched the Corolla Cross. On the other hand, the Geely Coolray has been making a statement of its own. But there’s one subcompact crossover that has already established itself in the Philippine market, the Subaru XV.

How does this crossover fair with its current competition? To find that out, Subaru Philippines lend us the keys of the XV GT. Here’s Philkotse’s 2020 Subaru XV GT Philippines review.

>>> Latest update: 2021 Subaru XV: Expectations and what we know so far

The standard XV is already a good looking car. However, Subaru wanted to make it even more appealing by adding several cosmetic upgrades as seen on this XV GT Edition. Upfront, the XV GT has sharp-looking headlights with daytime running lights as well as a honeycomb-shaped grille pattern.

What separates this XV GT Edition to the standard model is its bumper design. It looks more sporty, more aggressive, and more appealing.

The silver-colored lip spoiler at the front adds to the sporty look of the XV GT while the front bumper corners give the vehicle a rugged look. If you ask us, we like the XV GT’s front design as compared to the standard model. Also, we prefer this design as compared to the GT Edition of the Forester.

We think that the front end of the Forester GT got too much black cladding going on on its front end.

You can't help but notice the XV GT's stylish wheels

Turning at the side, the first thing that you’ll notice is the different set of 18-inch alloy wheels, which are exclusive to the GT Edition. It also comes with GT badges on the wheel caps to further separate itself from the standard model.

The Subaru XV is also fitted with more prominent side skirts that come in silver, which is good since it’s like a design continuity of what you see on the front. Aside from that, this crossover also gets black claddings on its wheel arches, which is already a typical XV design.

The rear of the Subaru XV GT is striking as its front end

The rear of the vehicle comes with large taillights, which we find better as compared to the one fitted to the older model. Now, this GT Edition also has a more noticeable spoiler that gives the XV a further dose of sportiness. The bumper kit of the XV GT, on the other hand, gives the vehicle a tough look.

Overall, the exterior design of this vehicle is awesome. Subaru did a good job of combining a sporty and rugged appeal to this XV GT, which could cater to a wider audience of car buyers.

The 2020 Subaru XV interior looks similar to the standard model and only subtle changes have been given to the GT Edition. The most noticeable difference is the orange stitching on the XV GT’s leather seats. Aside from that, the interior of this crossover is pretty much the same as the standard XV. It has a black interior theme along with silver and glossy black trims. Orange stitching can also be seen at the dashboard, center console, steering wheel, center armrest, and gear shifter. In addition, the interior comes with soft-touch materials and hard plastics.

The interior of the Subaru XV GT is accented by orange stitching

Placed right at the center is the 8-inch multimedia touchscreen that’s responsive to every touch. However, we find the icons a little out of date, and we think that it could be improved. Moving on, the steering wheel comes with audio and other essential vehicle controls such as cruise control.

The leather-wrapped steering wheel feels nice to touch and it’s easy to grip, which makes your driving experience more pleasant. And oh, it comes with a tilt & telescopic adjustment.

The XV GT offers generous leg- and head-room

In terms of seating, this XV GT can accommodate up to five individuals. But as we usually say, having two passengers at the back is the best way to experience the XV’s roomy rear passenger area. Individuals standing 5’8” can easily fit inside the rear of this vehicle and will have generous leg- and head-room.

The only downside we can note at the rear passenger area is the lack of aircon vents. This feature is becoming standard nowadays especially with cars in the crossover segment.

You can fit a number of items in the XV

Loading cargo is not a problem with the XV GT as you can fit several items into it. It can take on a week’s supply of grocery items, up to three medium-sized luggage, four overnight bags, among others. As such, if you’re looking for a versatile and functional car, this XV GT should be on your list.

>>> Related: Subaru PH offers P200K discount on XV, focuses on vehicle safety

The Subaru XV GT is equipped with Subaru’s driver-assist technology. The said tech helps you have a safer drive by assisting and alerting you when the system picks up something unusual or hazards while you’re on the road. It’s like your co-pilot. It will alert you in case you’re drifting out of your lane, which is beneficial especially when you’re driving on the open highway.

The EyeSight tech also gives this XV an adaptive cruise control feature where the system automatically adjusts the vehicle’s speed depending on the car upfront. This allows you to have a safe following distance to the vehicle ahead of you. Indeed, the EyeSight tech is like your co-pilot.

Aside from the EyeSight driver-assist technology, the Subaru XV GT comes with an ensemble of airbags (front, side, curtain, and knee) that provides optimum in-car protection. It is also equipped with an anti-lock braking system with electronic brakeforce distribution, brake assist, and brake override.

The list of safety features goes on with the reverse automatic braking and rear vehicle detection. Overall, this vehicle doesn’t just look good in terms of design but it is also packed with safety features that will give you peace of mind whenever you’re on the road.

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The Subaru XV GT is powered by a 2.0-liter gasoline engine that delivers 154 hp and 196 Nm of torque. The engine is mated to a continuously variable transmission.

The thing that you’d notice first when you drive this XV is the smoothness of its ride. It can absorb the urban jungle’s terrain at ease. When driven along EDSA, the impact brought upon by road irregularities and sudden potholes are reduced to a minimum, which adds to the overall ride comfort when you’re driving the XV.

The engine of the Subaru XV GT is the same as the standard model

The ride comfort of the XV is complemented by adequate power delivery. There’s a minimum to no delay whenever you want the XV to generate power, which is handy whenever you want to overtake slower vehicles in front of you especially on the open highway. Plus, the paddle shifters help you gain better control of the vehicle’s speed.

As a side note, this XV drives better as compared to the Forester. It accelerates better and power delivery is more on point. Well, the overall weight and size of the XV and the Forester play a significant role as to why we prefer the performance of the smaller Subaru. Also, maybe we just miss the turbo version of the Forester.

The XV GT has notable ride comfort

The XV’s steering is on point and it’s stable when you’re cruising at speeds of 95 to 100 km/h. This, in turn, gives you confidence when you’re driving on the open highway since you get the feeling that you’re in total control of the vehicle. Aside from giving you confidence, the XV’s stable steering also helps reduce driver fatigue since you don’t need to apply constant corrective steering in keeping the vehicle centered within the lane. Moreover, the Lane Departure Warning of the XV will help you stay within your lane.

Another thing we like about this XV is it has good forward visibility, which allows you to see the road ahead clearly. Of note, the multimedia touchscreen of the XV transforms into a camera when you use the indicator light. It shows the side as well as the lower side view of the XV, giving you an extra set of eyes when turning. This also helps eliminate blind spots even further when you’re about to make a turn. The only downside of this feature is that, when it’s too sunny outside, you can’t see the image being shown on the screen.

In terms of fuel economy, this XV registered 10 km/l when driven in light to moderate traffic at speeds of around 45 to 60 km/h. On the open highway, we got a fuel rating of 15 km/l while driving at an average speed of 90 km/h.

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The 2020 Subaru XV GT is a good looking and well capable car. It has what it takes in terms of design and build quality to rise above its segment rivals.

The driving performance of this crossover is also notable as it gives you adequate power delivery and smooth ride comfort. It also comes with several safety features such as the EyeSight technology, which helps you have safer drives. 

The Subaru XV GT comes with a price tag of Php 1,988,000

The only thing that hinders this XV GT to overcome its current competition is its price tag, which is at Php 1,988,000. In comparison to its top-of-the-line segment rivals, the XV GT has the heftiest price tag. To put things in perspective, the Ford Territory Titanium+ is priced at Php 1,299,000 while the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid retails at Php 1,650,000, and the Geely Coolray Sport has a sticker price of Php 1,198,000. But, if you’re looking for a crossover that banks on overall vehicle safety, the Subaru XV GT is worth considering.

Subaru XV Price in the Philippines

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