The facelifted Subaru XV has been sighted in Bangsar, after making its debut at the 2015 Thailand Motor Expo, and the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show before that. The sole photo of the XV only shows us the crossover’s rear, containing a stark indicator that this is indeed the facelifted model.
That indicator is seen in the XV’s tail lights, which now feature clear glass enclosures instead of the coloured ones found on the pre-facelift (current) model. The roof rails also sport a aluminium finish this time around. Beyond that, there aren’t any obvious distinctions that reveal it to be a facelifted XV unless you view the vehicle from the front.
Should you be able to, the front fascia will feature the same design details as what we saw in Bangkok. This includes a revised hexagonal front grille, new halogen headlights with C-shaped LED DRLs, L-shaped positioning lights near the fog lamps. The XV facelift also sports slightly revised 17-inch two-tone machine-finished alloy wheels.
Inside, the XV facelift retains the familiar layout of the current model, with the addition of a new 6.2-inch touchscreen multimedia system (or a double-DIN unit), keyless entry and start, 4WD, alloy pedals, multi-info display, additional steering controls and electric powered seats. Contrast stitching is also expected to feature in the XV as well.
Under the hood, the familiar 2.0 litre DOHC four-cylinder boxer petrol engine soldiers on, developing 150 PS at 6,200 rpm and 196 Nm of torque at 4,200 rpm. Power is still transmitted through a six-speed Lineartronic CVT, with drive sent through the brand’s iconic Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive (SAWD) system (60:40 front/rear power split).
The Subaru XV facelift is confirmed by Glenn Tan, executive director of Tan Chong International, to make its Malaysian debut in January 2016, and with this sighting, eager customers of the model need not wait much longer. Piqued your interest, yet?
2016 Subaru XV facelift at the 2015 Thailand Motor Expo
Subaru XV facelift at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show
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With all those add-ons, one will definitely consider this AWD over the pricey CX3 & underpowered HRV!
bang for the buck if it comes with eyesight
Needs more safety features when it launches here.
de front grill is almost de same as previous one… it will be nice if the front grill can be more fierce look like ford f-150
The WC 9024 K plate is brand new. According to JPJ’s records, it should have been registered in the second week of January 2016.
I hope this XV facelift will give Subaru Malaysia/ Motor Image and Tan Chong Motor Assemblies (TCMA) the sales boost they need. Malaysia is one of only three countries in the world to assemble Subaru cars (the other two being Japan and the United States). Subaru is the only Japanese car company to exclusively chose Malaysia over Thailand and Indonesia… I don’t believe most Malaysians realize exactly how important the Subaru brand is to our automotive industry.
TCMA Segambut produced 4,850 and 5,067 Subaru XV units in 2013 and 2014, and between Jan and Nov 2015, they produced another 2,930 units (a noticeable drop). The Malaysian-assembled XV is also exported to both Thailand and Indonesia. Between Jan and Nov 2015, Subaru sold 518 XVs in Indonesia and a sizeable 2,067 units in Thailand. In comparison, 2,265 XVs were sold in Malaysia during the same period. In all three countries, the Malaysian-assembled XV is Subaru’s best-selling model.
In a nutshell, Subaru Malaysia is the only large company which exports more cars than they sell domestically. Yes, there are others like Mazda and Hyundai which also export Malaysian-built cars to Thailand, but their export-to-domestic sales ratio is not nearly as high as Subaru’s.
On top of the XV, Subaru plans to build the Forester here as well, later this year. And most amazingly, Subaru Japan has announced (in 2012) plans to eventually shift Australian supply of future Subaru SUVs to Malaysia as opposed to Japan currently. If it works out, it would be an incredible honour for Motor Image, TCMH, TCMA and our entire automotive industry in general. Why ? Because aside from Proton, absolutely NONE of our local assembly plants export Malaysian-built cars to Australia. In the first few months of 2015, Australia imported 59,280 cars from Thailand, compared to a tiny 82 cars from Malaysia (all of which were Protons) and 99 units from Indonesia (only the Suzuki APV). And for the whole 2015, Australians bought 7,168 Subaru XVs, all of which were Japanese-built. Just imagine… what would happen if Subaru transfers production of the Australian market XV to Malaysia.
The Subaru brand presents the most promising potential for exponential growth for our automotive industry’s exports. They have my support and gratitude, and I’d also like to wish them all the best for 2016.