- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
2.0i, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
110kW, 196Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (91) 7L/100KM
- Manufacturer
4WD
- Transmission
Auto (CVT)
- Warranty
3 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
5/5 star (2012)
2013 Subaru XV S: owner story
Wadih Ogeil has owned Subarus for more than a quarter of a century. In fact, he loves his Subaru XV so much that he's just upgraded it – with the same spec and same bright orange finish.
Do you have a unique car or ownership story you would like to share? Reach out at contactus@drive.com.au
- The all-wheel drive system is faultless
- The car is and has always been reliable
- The appearance of the vehicle, particularly the colour
- Tyre noise reverberates through the cabin
- It wasn't the most affordable option in its segment
- Not the most stylish interior
Wadih Ogeil has owned Subaru's for decades. His first purchase was 25 years ago when he bought a 1994 Liberty GX and he is now a proud owner of a 2013 Subaru XV S– the perfect car for his everyday commuting and trips with the family.
Wadih praises the space and comfort of the XV which makes it the perfect vehicle for adventures. While lockdowns may have hampered their travel plans in 2021, he has certainly driven many great roads throughout the years.
There's a twist, though.
As we were photographing Wadih with his car he informed us that later that afternoon his brand new Subaru was due to arrive. While Wadih has had plenty of great adventures in his current model, it was time for an upgrade – also a Subaru XV in the very same colour that he so much adores.
Wadih and his family have missed out on various trips due to the Melbourne lockdown restrictions, so this is an exciting new addition to the garage and will be accompanying them around Australia.
We spoke with Wadih to find out more about his new purchase and what it was that made him chose a Subaru XV the second time around.
Key details | 2013 Subaru XV 2.0i-S |
Engine | 2.0-litre horizontally-opposed (Boxer) four-cylinder petrol |
Power | 110kW @ 6200rpm |
Torque | 196Nm @ 4200rpm |
Weight (tare) | 1405kg |
Drive type | All-wheel drive |
Transmission | CVT automatic |
Power to weight ratio | 78.3 kW/t |
Price when new (MSRP) | $36,990 |
Drive: Tell us about your car.
Wadih Ogeil: I have a 2013 Subaru XV. It's the top of the line S with full leather and a tow bar. It is the hero orange colour (Tangerine Orange Pearl) that you can spot from a kilometre away – great for not losing it in car parks. Back then I paid mid $30s for it.
Drive: Is this you first Subaru?
WO: No we have had many, In fact we've owned Subaru's for 25 years. Our first was a 1994 Liberty followed by a 1996 Impreza. We’ve also owned A 2000 Forester and my wife now drives a 2019 Impreza.
The 2013 XV is just about to be upgraded to the 2020 edition which will be arriving any moment now – also in Tangerine Orange.
Drive: What made you choose the Subaru XV?
WO: I saw it at the Motor Show in Melbourne and loved the standout colour, compact size, versatility of the seats, along with the strength of its body and build. I was also drawn to the Subaru flat four engine (layout) that it shares with Porsche and finally, the Japanese build quality.
Drive: Did you shop any other cars at the time and if so what were they?
WO: Yes, I looked at the Nissan X-Trail, Mazda CX-3 and CX-5, Toyota RAV4 and some Holden and Fords of the time. I couldn't find anything in the other brands that was better so it made the decision easy. Subaru's all-wheel drive system was also a big sell for me.
Drive: What do you use the car for?
WO: We use the XV as a daily driver – for commuting, shopping, picking up unusual sized things, carrying the kids around and doing trips away, whether that's to the beach, country, or off-road drives.
Drive: How far have you driven the car since you bought it?
WO: I have only driven the XV 58,500km. The pandemic has cancelled two trips – one which was planned for around Australia in 2020/2021.
Drive: What has been your most memorable drive in the XV?
WO: There have been many including the along the Alpine Tourist Rd, the Silo Art Trail in Victoria, as well as the Great Ocean Rd. We will never forget the Alpine Tourist Rd trip which was complete with wet, snowy and greasy roads. The car in front of us last control – they slid uphill and luckily everyone was OK. We then let them follow us down the mountains slowly. No matter the conditions, the all-wheel drive system is reliable and we never had any problems no matter the driving conditions.
Drive: What is your favourite feature of the car?
WO: Its surprising amount of room and useable boot area. It's not the largest but is versatile and functional. For a supposed small SUV, it can take four adults in comfort, has an easy-to-load rear boot with a door that swings high, but is not too high to lift heavy objects or shopping into.
At a glance | 2013 Subaru XV 2.0i-S |
Fuel consumption (claimed combined) | 7.0L/100km |
Fuel tank size | 60L |
Boot volume | 310L / 741L |
Length | 4450mm |
Width | 1780mm |
Height | 1615mm |
Wheelbase | 2635mm |
ANCAP safety rating | Five-star (tested 2017) - ANCAP report |
Warranty | Three year, unlimited km |
Price when new (MSRP) | $36,990 |
Colour as tested | Tangerine Orange Pearl |
Options as tested | Bonnet protector, boot lip protector, tow pack |
Competitors | Mazda CX-30 | Honda HR-V | Nissan Qashqai |
Drive: Is safety important to you? What features does it have?
WO: Yes. It has Subaru's famous EyeSight technology which includes AEB, lane departure warning and airbags everywhere to cocoon you if you have a bad prang!
Drive: Tell us about engine power and performance.
WO: It has a 2.0-litre, 4 cylinder engine and comes with the Lineartronic CVT. It's capable of 110kW of power and 196Nm of torque. It has enough power for me as my boyhood race days are over. I'm more interested in cruising and the XV is comfortable around town. Plus, if on a highway at overtaking speeds it has a lot of get up and go.
Drive: Tell us about fuel economy.
WO: I achieved 5.8L/100km on a trip in the Wimmera in 2017. It was one morning on a long stretch of road with very few hills and not much traffic. Around town I get between 7.2 and 7.6L/100km. When traffic is bad with lots of stop start I get around 8L/100km.
Drive: Tell us about ride comfort and handling.
WO: I love the handling and the great feeling of security and road grip that all Subaru's give the driver. You know you are planted and you can corner flat and fast on most corners with safety. The strength of the car and the rally heritage have taught Subaru how to put together great handling cars. Despite the higher body than Imprezas, the security and road feel are excellent.
Drive: How do you find service costs?
WO: Subaru's are complicated cars with an AWD system and therefore, are not the cheapest to service. But when I compared it to a friends car it was nearly the same over the warranty period.
Also now that the cam is chain driven you don’t have the cost of replacing the cam belt! A rally driver told me the most important thing to do to 'Subies' is to change their oil regularly. The flat four is exactly that – a low flat engine that aids cornering and keeps vehicle mass nice and low to help handling, but you must service as scheduled. So simply, if done properly it's a bit more expensive than cheaper cars.
Drive: Have there been any issues?
WO: There was quite a bit of tyre noise from the semi-off road Bridgestone tyres. My second set was a set of Turanza's – much quieter and great on-road adhesion.
Drive: Would you recommend the Subaru XV
WO: Absolutely! My son has one, my daughter has a Forester, my wife has an Impreza and my son-in-law another Impreza. A good friend also just bought an XV so its tentacles are spreading. They are a great car – well built, strong and reliable, with some of the best safety features on the road.
Drive: We just heard that you've upgraded. Tell us about your new Subaru.
WO: The 2013 model was starting to show its age so it was time to upgrade. I just purchased the 2020 Subaru XV and traded in my older model. It was available in the colour I wanted and I got a good trade in deal. It's also the range-topper, in the same colour and finished with the full leather interior. We plan on doing a lot of driving in this new car including travelling all around Australia.
Thank you to Wadih for sharing his owner story.
Do you have a unique car or ownership story you would like to share? Reach out at contactus@drive.com.au