Tokyo - Subaru has confirmed that the new XV crossover will make its world debut on 7 March at the Geneva Motor Show.
Its media release gives no details of the new entry-level crossover, and it’s accompanied by just this one atmospheric teaser shot, but that actually tells us quite a lot.
The two-box silhouette with its swoopy roofline shows that the production XV hasn’t strayed far from the XV Concept shown at the 2016 Geneva show, retaining its tucked-up tail, prominent roof rails and chunky alloys.
It’s also known that the new XV will be basically a raised and ruggedised development of the new Impreza, built on the same global modular platform, and that it will definitely have a version of Subaru’s symmetrical all-wheel drive.
Subaru has promised more information closer to the time on its
but, given its close family relationship to the Impreza, we’d expect to find a 115kW, two-litre boxer four under the bonnet, with either a six-speed manual or CVT transmission.
Subaru product senior manager Masahiko Inoue has also hinted at ‘electrification in the range’, which raises the possibility of a 1.6-litre turbopetrol linked to a platter-shaped electric motor in place of a flywheel - although that would be an unlikely candidate for SA release.
As soon as we hear more - so will you.