2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Hybrid

2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Hybrid

Episode 3351
Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

It’s only been on the market for about a year, but the Subaru XV Crosstrek is already one of our favorite Subarus. And now there’s a gas-electric hybrid model to help spread the joy even farther on a tank of fuel. So, just how much more fuel efficient is Subaru’s first hybrid anyway? And do we love the XV more or less for it?

The 2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Hybrid is the brand’s first hybrid. And we think this rugged little compact CUV is a great choice for entry into the gasoline/electric mix, as a big part of the appeal of the Crosstrek is its “just right” size.

If you don’t choose the hybrid-only Plasma Green Pearl paint, due diligence is required to spot the exterior differences, which are limited to just wheels, chrome door handles, LED tail lights, grille with active shutters, and of course Hybrid badging liberally applied.  

Thanks to the battery’s location, there’s no compromise on interior passenger and cargo space. But, there is no spare tire. So, road side let downs are resolved with a fix-a-flat kit and a prayer. But then spare tires are almost a thing of the past anyway.

Complaints we have about the standard Crosstrek carry over. We hate the radio/nav. interface; and the interior, while it does seem durable, is very plain and Spartan giving the XV an economy car feel. But we do like that the hybrid power flow display is mounted up nice and high on the top of the dash instead of in the nav. screen. The gauges also work well, providing a lot of information in a very clear manner.

As for the internal combusting part of the powertrain, it’s the same 2.0-liter Boxer-4 you’ll find in the regular Crosstrek. But, combined with the electric motor, total horsepower and torque rise modestly to 160 and 163 respectively. Add in the typical stop/start system and all of the hybrid bases are covered. 

Now you might not think you would really notice any differences in daily driving, as the slight power gains have potentially been offset by the additional 276-pound weight gain, but the Hybrid has a very different feel. Especially around town at slower speeds, where the engine seems much more responsive.

Off the line, you feel less lag and sense a more immediate uptick. However, the numbers didn’t bear out our feelings as a 0-60 time of 10.4 seconds is about a half second off what we got in the standard XV. The quarter mile speed was actually slightly faster, 80 in 17.9 seconds.

We found the electric boost quite noticeable going from light to heavy throttle, where you get an almost turbo-like quick kick. The Hybrid’s sportier feel is also noticeable through the slalom, as the suspension has been retuned and steering ratio quickened. 

On road, the Crosstrek Hybrid is a solid citizen, with a ride that stiffer than the typical Subaru family truckster, but that plays to the rugged image. Ground clearance remains the same great 8.7-inches. So, combined with the “business as usual” standard all-wheel-drive system, and there’s no questioning the all-weather prowess of the Crosstrek Hybrid. Which we experienced firsthand, during some early drive time in Iceland. 

As for the fuel efficiency, Government Fuel Economy Ratings are up to 29-City, 33-Highway, and 31-Combined…overall a 3 MPG jump over the regular XV. But, unlike most hybrids, we were easily able to beat the ratings without even trying, averaging 35.0 miles-per-gallon of Regular. The Energy Impact Score has also improved, now burning just 10.6-barrels and emitting 4.8-tons of CO2 annually. 

Those gains might not be huge, but every little bit helps. And when you can do it in a vehicle that feels peppier than the original it’s a win-win. 

So while it still might be a tough sell to someone looking for Prius style MPGs; if you’re looking for a small all-wheel-drive wagon that delivers way more than class typical fuel economy and response, you won’t mind paying $26,810 for the Hybrid. That’s a modest $3,000 addition over the more sparsely equipped 2.0i XV Crosstrek Premium.

So, has our adoration of the Subaru XV Crosstrek grown or not? Well, that’s hard to say. But, it certainly hasn’t waned. It’s not a ground breaking hybrid and it doesn’t claim to be. We much prefer the under-promise and over-deliver approach as not only has it gotten more fuel efficient but it’s gotten livelier. And there’s always a market for a product that’s both greener and greater!

Specifications

  • Engine: 2.0-liter
  • Horsepower: 160
  • Torque: 163 lb-ft.
  • 0-60 mph: 10.4 seconds
  • 1/4 mile: 17.9 seconds @ 80 mph
  • EPA: 29 mpg city/ 33 mpg highway
  • Energy Impact: 10.6 barrels of oil/yr
  • CO2 Emissions: 4.8 tons/yr
2025 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque

2025 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque

Baby Rover Continues To Evolve

Episode 4430
Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

When most people hear “Range Rover” they tend to think of high class, high performance and high dollars. But, Range Rover does the entry-level thing quite well too with this Evoque. It has plenty of posh attitude, along with some recent updates. So, let’s see how the Evoque continues to evolved.

Our involvement with the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque’s evolution began when this small utility first arrived for 2012. It looked more Spice Girl than Tough Mudder, but it packed a surprising amount of capability into its subcompact dimensions. This second gen arrived for 2020, and has gained recent updates at the most likely midway point in its lifecycle.

Intrigued but not necessarily enthused could probably best describe our history with the Evoque, but Land Rover always has a way of drawing us in with very tasteful designs. They pretty much got this one right back in 2020, so styling revisions are largely limited to new Pixel LED headlights and a reshaped front fascia. There’s also new super-red signature lighting in back, all of it done to bring the Evoque more in line with the rest of the Range Rover family.

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And like all of its siblings, all-wheel drive is standard and it does have Terrain Response 2 with specific off-road modes, but no one’s expecting to see a lot of Evoques out on the trail, unless there’s a new Lululemon Outlet at the other end of it having a killer sale.

Land Rover has once again taken the P300 296-horsepower version of the Evoque’s 2.0-liter turbo-four out of the lineup, leaving just the standard 249-horsepower version under the clamshell hood. No complaints from us, its 269 lb-ft of torque is more than adequate to move this 3,900 lb. ute around.

And at Mason Dixon Dragway, it moved us to 60 mph in 7.7 seconds. There was plenty of traction off the line, and while not overwhelming, power feels plentiful, staying very consistent down the track. Gearchanges in the Evoque’s nine-speed automatic transmission were quick and smooth, barely a blip in the process as we finished the quarter-mile in 16 seconds flat at 85 mph. Plenty quick for a compact utility with luxury intentions.

[It maneuvered] with a substantial presence that not too many small utilities have.

It felt quite good through our handling course too, with a substantial presence that not too many small utilities have. The Evoque uses selective braking to torque vector power between all four wheels, and it enabled us to cruise through the cones quickly without any excessive understeer or oversteer. There was some nosedive during our panic braking test, but the brakes were very responsive and strong enough to bring us to a halt in a short 115 feet from 60.

But, it’s the inside experience that really matters with any luxury vehicle, particularly in a Range Rover. And here things look more high-end Swedish than Tudor or Victorian, with a minimalist cabin design that’s way more visually appealing than practical. There’s real leather covering just about everything, and what appears to be just a tablet stuck in front of the dash is a new 11.4-inch touchscreen. Not only are the inner workings much faster than the previous infotainment setup, but the entire interface of this Pivi Pro system is vastly better than the split screen approach of before.

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The center console that leads up to it appears much less cluttered and frees up some additional space for storage. The shifter is still here, but it has gotten much smaller. Front seat space and comfort remain high, though rear seat room is still very tight for adults. Cargo space is not bad for a small utility, with room for 21.6 cu-ft. of gear in the hold, which expands with 40/20/40 split-folding seatback flexibility to 50.5 cu-ft.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 20 City, 27 Highway, and 22 Combined. That’s an average Energy Impact Score, using 13.5 barrels of oil annually, with CO2 emissions of 6.6 tons.

Land Rover has been paring things down in the Evoque lineup for years, no longer offering a two-door version or the convertible, and now have simplified things even further to just the P250 available in only two trims: S, which stickers for $51,175, and Dynamic SE, which starts at $56,375; but you can add just about every package available and still come in right around $60,000.

Luxury-minded utility vehicles are coming at us from all angles these days, but the 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque is a bit unique in that it remains as sort of a cheat code for sneaking you into the Range Rover VIP experience. You’ll feel like you’re getting away with something every time you drive it.

Specifications

As Tested

  • Engine: 2.0-liter turbo-four
  • Transmission: 9-speed automatic
  • Horsepower: 249
  • Torque: 269 lb-ft
  • 0-60 mph: 7.7 seconds
  • 1/4 Mile: 16 seconds at 85 mph
  • Braking, 60-0 (avg): 115 feet
  • EPA: 20 City | 27 Highway | 22 Combined
2025 McLaren Artura 8

2025 McLaren Artura Spider

McLaren Rips The Roof Off The Artura And Blows The Doors Off The Competition

Episode 4429
Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

McLaren has a long history of racetrack success, but in a relatively short period of time, McLaren has also gone from a niche street car maker to a major player in the supercar segment. Their next step is this Artura, the brand’s next-gen high performance hybrid supercar!

This is the McLaren Artura, truly the next step for this British brand that’s all about the performance, as it is literally all they do. More specifically, it’s the 2025 Artura Spider, the retractable hardtop version of the mid-engine plug-in high-performance coupe that arrived 2 years ago. But, in addition to being the brand’s first high-performance hybrid convertible, it brings a host of performance-related updates, most of which get applied to the Artura Coupe as well.

More power is usually our favorite update, so we’ll start there. The Artura mates a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 gas engine with a 70-kW electric motor. The total output is 690-horsepower, which is up 19 from when the Artura debuted. But unlike some high-performance hybrids that use electric motors to power the front wheels, McLaren’s electric motor is tucked in the same housing as the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, sending the total 531 lb-ft of torque strictly to the rear wheels. A 7.4-kWh battery enables up to 11 miles of EV driving, same as in the coupe; and with no reverse gear in the transmission, the battery powers all backups.

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That transmission is recalibrated too, providing gear changes 25% quicker than before. McLaren claims it all works together to deliver a 0-60 time of 3.0 seconds flat, also same as the coupe, as the power folding hardtop assembly only adds about 100-lbs. of weight.

Lightweight performance is one British tradition we can get behind and taking in some laps during January at Roebling Road Raceway near Savannah, Georgia is a MotorWeek tradition that lives on. Unfortunately, we were joined by some very untraditional snowy weather this year, which limited our track days.

The Artura just grips, rips, and urges you to push on harder.

But it didn’t take many laps for us to get comfortable in the Artura. We’re not race car drivers, but we do play them on T.V., and in a car that feels this compact and literally wrapped around you, when you reach that point in most cars where you sense an urgent need to back it down, the Artura just grips, rips, and urges you to push on harder. The throttle response is as immediate as it gets, the engine loves to rev, and with the optional Sport Exhaust, it sounds fantastic while delivering the mind-melting performance.

Driver engagement aspects of the car get upgraded too, courtesy of stiffer powertrain mounts and heightened response from the Proactive Damping Control suspension system. There are multiple levels of stability control intervention including full off, as well as Variable Drift Control, which lets you have some sideways fun without worrying about balling up your crazy-expensive supercar. Lightness doesn’t mean a lack of stability here, but it surely helps with braking performance, as it is borderline otherworldly when the forged aluminum calipers clamp down hard on the carbon ceramic discs, making you feel like a hero with your late braking shenanigans.

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But ultimately, it was the snow that brought us to a full stop, which allowed us extra time to take in the Artura Spider’s gorgeous lines. Body panels are so tight, it looks like there’s one piece of Ventura Orange shrink-wrap holding it all together. McLaren does everything fast, and that includes folding the hardtop, which happens in just 11 seconds.

While unique, there are familiar elements to the interior, but the Artura’s evolution has created a more cohesive design. And much like the outside, it’s very fluid-like in the way panels and components flow into one another. Being a Plug-in Hybrid the Artura Spider has Government Fuel Economy Ratings of 45 Combined MPGe and 19 Combined strictly with the gas engine.

And after singing all of that praise, we now get to pricing and inform you that the Artura remains McLaren’s entry-level model, with the Spider starting at just $278,800, about 25-grand more than the Coupe.

With the 2025 Artura Spider, McLaren has done much more than just incorporate a removable roof into their next-gen hybrid supercar. They used it as an excuse to complete a system wide upgrade, essentially creating Artura 2.0. It’s also their best car yet, seamlessly integrating electric power into a fantastic open-air driving experience and pointing to more great things to come from McLaren.

Specifications

As Tested

  • Engine: 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6
  • Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch
  • Horsepower: 690
  • Torque: 531 lb-ft