cars news 10: Subaru XV Concept Shines Under Geneva Lights

Subaru’s XV Crosstrek has been a surprise hit for the brand that continues to surprise everyone. An insider tells us that the compact CUV was a vehicle that none of the dealers really wanted when it came out in 2012 and then quickly became the crossover they were all screaming for.

Subaru of America sold 94,516 Crosstreks (including 5,589 Crosstrek hybrids) in 2015, up from 70,956 gas and 7,926 hybrids in 2014. These numbers make the XV the third best seller in Subaru of America’s lineup, behind Forester and Outback, and one of the top sellers in the compact CUV segment. And this is without much of a marketing push, because Subaru is production constrained.

So why release an XV Concept now? Good question. Well, the current XV Crosstrek is based on the Impreza five-door hatchback and sedan. Updates to both Impreza variants were shown at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show and Los Angeles Auto Show, respectively, so the following, alternating cadence seems to makes sense: the XV Concept bows at the Geneva show this week, ahead of the production version of the Impreza at the New York International Auto Show in a couple of weeks, and then the production version of the XV Crosstrek sometime in the future, possibly the 2017 North American International Auto Show. Theoretically, at least.

As far as we can tell, the next-gen XV Crosstrek looks to be an evolution of the current model, with no significant changes. We’ve heard rumors that it may grow as much as an inch in length, perhaps between the wheels. If so, it would make it one of the more spacious CUVs in a segment that emphasizes compact dimensions over utility. We’ll soon know how much larger the new XV will be, as it shares platforms with the Impreza five-door. Styling-wise, we think the concept looks great — wider and more butch than the current XV, but the production model will likely be watered down.

For all the buzz about the XV Concept, our Subaru insider tells us dealers aren’t eagerly awaiting the refreshed version. Sales are strong enough, they’d like a few more months, even years, to sell the current model.