As promised, Subaru has pulled the covers off its XV Concept at the Shanghai motor show. Said to blend traditional SUV practicality with a fashionable form, it previews the next generation of the XV crossover that was just launched (rather late) in South Africa.
And since the XV is essentially a spruced up version of the Impreza hatchback (much like the CrossPolo is to the Polo) this concept then also gives us a very clear picture of what the new Impreza five-door is going to look like when Subaru unveils it at the New York Motor Show tomorrow.
The front of the concept features design elements that are common to the Subaru stable, including the hexagon grille, winged motif and hawk-eye headlights. Crossover cues that you won't see in the Impreza include the black lower bumper protectors and metallic highlights that lend the XV its crossover presence.
The XV features a panoramic screen engulfing the entire roof, while other interior highlights include a special white leather that contrasts with the darker tones elsewhere, a large touch-panel multi-information display and the EyeSight driver support system that allows the driver to view images captured by the system's camera on an LCD monitor.
Mechanically the XV concept is powered by a 2-litre four-cylinder DOHC boxer engine that's mated to a Lineartronic (Subaru's fancy word for CVT) gearbox.
Measuring 4450mm in length, 1800mm in width and 1620mm in height, the concept is 20mm longer, 30mm wider and 145mm taller than the current generation XV.