Could the combination of Subaru’s off-road prowess and petrol-electric hybrid technology prove a winner for fleet drivers? Al Suttie checks it out.

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Subaru XV 20.i SE Premium e-Boxer Lineartronic

List price (BiK): £34,205 (37%) CO2: 180g/km Economy: 35.7mpg Test efficiency: 35.6mpg

Monday

‘Niche’ is a word that comes to mind nowadays when talking about Subaru. The XV should have been a car to steer Subaru back towards the mainstream, given its SUV style, all-wheel drive ability, and family-friendly cabin. I missed out on trying the XV first time around, so this week’s test car with hybrid power will be a first go in this car.

Tuesday

First impressions of the XV’s cabin are that it looks and feels a bit dated next to the likes of the Kia Sportage that I tried recently. The Subaru’s infotainment screen is mounted lower in the centre stack than is common nowadays and its appearance is not as iPad-y slick as most rivals. However, it works easily enough and the shortcut buttons are a boon. Also, the sound quality is more than good enough for Radio 4’s dulcet tones.

Wednesday

After a couple of days of local errands, today is the first longer stretch for the XV. Its 2.0-litre flat-four Boxer engine is smooth and pulls strongly, as they always do. There’s no obvious point where the hybrid is coming in and out of action, so it’s seamless, but there’s also no EV-only driving for more than a few seconds. That accounts for the 180g/km carbon dioxide emissions, which also accounts for this model’s lack of presence on fleet lists.

Thursday

A tale of two halves today. This morning is a motorway run, where the XV is happy enough but not as refined as a Škoda Karoq when it comes to wind and road noise. Then, this afternoon, I covered more miles on typically scarred country lanes and the XV is right in its element. The raised driving position, all-wheel drive grip, and supple ride all combine to make it the ideal car for these conditions.

Friday

A few days in and the XV’s cabin still has me flip-flopping between liking it and not. The seat is comfortable and space is good, but too many of the materials feel a bit low rent for a car of this price. This is especially so when you compare it to other SUVs of this size and price, while a Ford Puma feels more together for less cash. In the positive column, the XV’s boot is a reasonable size and easy to keep clean thanks to plastic arch panels.

Saturday

Loaded up with kids and sports gear this morning, the XV takes care of family duties very well. It’s also worth noting this SE Premium comes with a long list of standard equipment and safety kit that still looks impressive against rivals launched more recently. However, the keyless entry has a mind of its own when deciding whether to work, so I’ve resorted to just using the key fob all the time.

Sunday

A cup of coffee and a bit of number crunching shows the XV has come within 0.1mpg of its official claimed fuel economy of 35.6mpg. That is impressive for its accuracy, but mid-30s mpg from a hybrid just doesn’t cut it. For fleet drivers, it means the new Solterra EV is a wiser bet despite its significantly higher list price, and it also condemns the XV to remain a niche machine.