The Subaru Crosstrek has been around since 2012, when it debuted as the 2013 XV Crosstrek at the 2012 New York Auto Show. At the time of its release, Subaru boasted that it was the “most fuel efficient AWD Crossover in America,” with its 148-horsepower 2.0-liter Subaru BOXER engine touted as being capable of returning up to 33 miles per gallon (mpg). The small SUV also grabbed headlines for its standard symmetrical all-wheel drive system and a high ground clearance of 8.7 inches, potentially allowing it to clear obstacles and reduce chances of underbody damage. Subaru has succeeded in this effort with the Crosstrek, to the extent it’s now considered one of the best Subaru models for off-roading.
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Subaru continued to market the Crosstrek in the U.S. and Canada under the XV Crosstrek name for three years post-launch, but the XV prefix was eventually dropped in 2015 ahead of the 2016 model year, resulting in the subcompact SUV being simply named Subaru Crosstrek, as it is now known. For markets beyond the U.S. and Canada, the Japanese automaker stuck with the Subaru XV branding up until 2022.
But just what does XV stand for with the Subaru Crosstrek? Well, the XV moniker as used on the Subaru Crosstrek stands for “crossover vehicle”. It hints at the Crosstrek’s unibody construction, as it was initially based on the Impreza platform — it’s also been built off the Subaru Global Platform shared with the Subaru Impreza since the 2018 model year.
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