A Subaru XV Crosstrek Hybrid in testing.
Little Subaru is nothing if not creative, coming up with some groundbreaking new designs over the years, such as the Outback and WRX. But it’s late to the party when it comes to hybrid-electric vehicles, a costly development challenge facing most small automakers.
Now, the Japanese maker is finally weighing in with a gas-electric model of its own. The Subaru XV Crosstrek Hybrid will make its debut at the upcoming New York Auto Show – alongside what it is billing as an “all-new performance concept car.”
Could that be the next-generation version of the Subaru WRX? That’s what a lot of folks are hoping, but the maker is mum on the subject.
Subaru isn’t saying much about the Crosstrek, either. The production model is based on the earlier XV Crosstrek concept vehicle. It is expected to use one of the maker’s familiar boxer engines mated to a small battery-drive system, both power sources linked through Subaru’s time-tested Symmetrical All-Wheel-Drive system.
Subaru revealed its VIZIV plug-in concept in Geneva, but there does not appear to be any production plans.
It remains to be seen if Subaru will take a conservative approach by opting for reliable nickel-metal hydride batteries or opt for a higher-power and more costly lithium-ion battery pack.
Look for the Subaru XV Crosstrek Hybrid to reach dealers by this coming autumn.
Curiously, the launch of the Crosstrek XV Hybrid comes less than a month after the maker also showed off the DIZIV plug-in concept vehicle at the Geneva Motor Show. That decision perplexed some Subaru insiders as it appears the DIZIV has no actual place in the Subaru production plans. But it could illustrate what the maker is thinking about when it comes to a more advanced battery drive system for the future.
The DIZIV relied on three electric motors in a system Subaru dubbed SI-Drive. The one up front handled both powering the front axle and also could regenerate power during braking. The two rear motors powered the back axle but could not serve regenerative duties.