Skip advert
Advertisement

Subaru XV SUV (2012-2017) - Practicality & boot space

The Subaru XV has generous rear-seat and boot space as well as loads of storage areas

Carbuyer Rating

3.3 out of 5

Owners Rating
Be the first to review
Practicality & boot space Rating

3.4 out of 5

Practicality should be a strong point of any SUV – they should always provide more space than a standard hatchback. The XV does well here, offering a spacious interior and a decent (if not class-leading) boot. Rear passenger space is particularly good and there are tonnes of nooks and crannies to keep your various odds and ends in.

Subaru XV interior space & storage

Inside, the XV is very spacious and there are loads of generous storage areas, too. The glovebox is more than big enough to hold a one-litre bottle, the door bins are generously sized and there are quite a few little spaces, including two cupholders covered by a sliding screen, in the centre console. The rear door bins are particularly good, as they offer more than enough room for chunky cups. Getting into the XV is pretty easy, too, as both the front and rear doors open nice and wide.

Rear legroom is excellent, helped by the concave shape of the front seats, while up front there’s plenty of space, too. In fact, when you take the car’s dimensions into account, the rear seats offer almost as much room as the front ones.

Boot space

With the rear seats in place, the XV has a smaller boot than the Nissan Qashqai, at 380 litres. But it has a 410-litre advantage when you fold the rear seats down, with a 1,270-litre capacity. The rear seats don’t fold entirely flat, though. Instead, there’s a flat lip on the carpet that covers the seat hinges, which does help in some way when you want to slide long items across the boot floor. The leading edge of the boot floor can be also lifted up and hooked to the lip of the tailgate, to give a smooth ramp and a bit of protection.

Towing

Both the 2.0-litre petrol and 2.0-litre diesel-engined models of the XV can tow up to 1,600kg when paired with the standard manual gearbox. The CVT automatic transmission reduces that total to 1,200kg.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Richard is a former editor of Carbuyer, as well as sister site DrivingElectric.com, and he's now Deputy Editor at Auto Express. Having spent a decade working in the automotive industry, he understands exactly what makes new car buyers tick.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New Polestar 4 coupe SUV – how is the £60k EV shaping up?
Polestar 4 Prototype drive front quarter
News
22 Mar 2024

New Polestar 4 coupe SUV – how is the £60k EV shaping up?

Best new car deals 2024: this week’s top car offers
Carbuyer best new car deals hero
Deals
22 Mar 2024

Best new car deals 2024: this week’s top car offers

Average speed cameras: how do they work?
Average speed cameras: how do they work?
Tips and advice
21 Mar 2024

Average speed cameras: how do they work?

Tips & advice

View All
Car dashboard warning lights: the complete guide
Car dashboard symbols and meanings
Tips and advice
26 Mar 2024

Car dashboard warning lights: the complete guide

Electric car charging stations: a complete guide
Public EV charge point
Tips and advice
11 Jan 2023

Electric car charging stations: a complete guide

PCP vs HP – which type of car finance is right for you?
PCP vs HP
Tips and advice
17 May 2022

PCP vs HP – which type of car finance is right for you?

Average speed cameras: how do they work?
Average speed cameras: how do they work?
Tips and advice
21 Mar 2024

Average speed cameras: how do they work?

Best cars

View All
Top 10 best car interiors
Peugeot 208 hatchback
Best cars
25 Jun 2021

Top 10 best car interiors

Top 10 best electric cars 2024
The best electric cars 2023
Best cars
2 Jan 2024

Top 10 best electric cars 2024

Top 10 best cheap-to-run cars 2024
The best cheap-to-run cars 2023
Best cars
2 Jan 2024

Top 10 best cheap-to-run cars 2024

The UK's top 10 fastest hot hatchbacks 2024
Fastest hot hatchbacks hero
Best cars
2 Jan 2024

The UK's top 10 fastest hot hatchbacks 2024