Subaru XV SUV - well made crossover that's fun to drive

Price: £21,000 - £24,000

Pros: Sharp handling and rugged design combined with a big boot. 

Cons: Firm ride and cheap interior materials plus a noisy engine

Carbuyer, 3.0/5

The XV is a compact SUV and an entirely new type of car for Subaru. It's aimed at the hugely successful Nissan Qashqai, although top-spec models overlap on price with more premium rivals like the Audi Q3 and BMW X1. There's a choice of three engines – 1.6 and 2.0-litre petrols and a 2.0-litre diesel – as well as manual and CVT gearboxes. All engines have horizontally-opposed cylinders, also known as ‘Boxer’ engines, for which Subaru has become famous. Although designed mainly for urban use, all XVs come with permanent four-wheel drive offering extra grip in bad conditions and moderate off-road ability.

 Auto Express, 3.0/5

A thin and steeply-raked A-pillar means visibility is excellent, while there's loads of legroom for rear passengers. Boot space is impressive too – 380 litres with the rear seats up and 1,270 litres with them folded flat, which is a full 410 litres more than the Qashqai.

What Car?, 2.0/5

All versions will have four-wheel drive as standard. That's good for all-weather traction, but not so good for CO2 emissions; even the diesel model emits 146g/km. The cleanest Qashqai, by contrast, manages to creep under the 120g/km mark. ·