Subaru XV e-Boxer. Hybrid SUV

Subaru XV 2.0i SE Premium e-Boxer. Hybrid SUV

Nearly every time I have a Press car, I become a Chauffeur to friends and family. The niece returning from Ireland needs collecting from the airport, the sister wants to visit our old town and a mate wants to help to move stuff. Good job; I had the Subaru XV e-Boxer hybrid  SUV last week.

The Subaru XV is a proper SUV capable of going off-road in the term's true meaning. The full-time four-wheel drive system allows the XV to move over mud and surpass snow on the road. It also means the car handles well, providing lots of confidence to the driver.

The power system is a hybrid unit improving performance and fuel economy, which are great benefits to owning one. Subaru also crams lots of technology into the XV, with Subaru's EyeSight safety system,lane-keeping assistance, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control.

The Subaru XV has stiff competition in its sector, some rivals being the

Nissan Qashqai, Seat Ateca and Skoda Karoq

The Subaru XV has a 1.6-litre petrol engine and a 2.0-litre petrol hybrid with an electric motor, badged as the XV e-Boxer 2.0i. I drove the latter. The 2.0 e-Boxer petrol engine produces 148bhp, and its electric motor a further 17bhp. Great useable power for the use the vehicle will be purchased for. I drove on motorways, A-roads and country twisties, and it was capable of providing me with entertaining driving with full confidence in the handling.

You don't travel far using the electric motor before the petrol kicks in, but the transition is fairly smooth through the CVT automatic gearbox. It has seven gears as such, which you can operate through the paddles on the steering wheel to allow you manual input.

The Subaru XV comes into its own if you want to venture off-road, where it gained its loyal following. Thousands of Farmers, Gamekeepers and anyone working in difficult environments own a Subaru; many are thirty-plus years old as they keep going. Its four-wheel drive systems are renowned in the automotive industry. Ground clearance is huge at 220mm, and the XV has X-mode, which optimises the drive system when the surfaces get slick, and the car has Hill Descent control. It can tackle the rough stuff even on the road tyres it comes with.

You get a decent driving position and good seat and steering wheel adjustment. All controls and displays are at hand for you to use easily, and in the XV, you get a good amount of kit as standard. Dual-zone temperature control, adaptive cruise control, LED headlights and for the driver and front passenger, you get heated seats, which can be required all year round in the UK.

For everyone in the XV, you have an 8.0in touchscreen infotainment system in the centre of the dash. All the usual things are included

Auto smartphone mirroring, a DAB radio, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android.

You get space around you in the front with good headroom, but this is lacking in the rear, where passengers may feel hemmed in. They will have plenty of room for their legs; if full, they still won't feel crammed in.

The two in the front have useful storage with a centre compartment, where you will find the 12v socket and USB connection. Further storage is under the armrest, and you get two cupholders.

Subaru's superb Eyesight collision avoidance system is fascinating among the numerous safety features fitted as standard. The car scores highly in the Euro NCAP safety ratings with five stars. Subaru also has a front occupant detection system capable of detecting if a rearward-facing child seat is being used and, if so, will automatically turn off the front passenger airbag.

Reliability has been at the forefront of Subaru, and as I mentioned, many owners are still running their original vehicles from thirty-plus years ago. The brand provides a five-year or 100,000-mile warranty showing belief in its products. A separate eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty covers the battery of hybrid models.

The Subaru XV makes the perfect car for chauffeuring and all those other chores you need a vehicle for. But it is also a lovely car to drive for pleasure, and it does provide this. Many people in the UK overlook Subaru when looking for a car and go for the more prominent brands, but this is a mistake. They are a reliable brand, solid, practical, and with excellent build quality. If you are in the market for purchasing a car, take a drive in a Subaru.

£33290.

subaru.co.uk

Jeremy has a website www.roadtestsandreviews.co.uk where you can read article on cars, motorcycles, travel and more.