Subaru XV Black revealed

Subaru has launched a special edition of the XV crossover called the Subaru XV Black, and it’s packed with extras to boost the car’s rugged off-road qualities.

The most striking feature of the new special edition XV is the glossy black Crystal Silica paint job. But it also gets silver underguards at the front, rear and side, to protect the bodywork from dents and scrapes if the car is taken off-road. You'll also find mudflaps at the front and rear and a panel covering the boot lip to protect it from scratches while luggage is being loaded. On the inside there are heavy-duty rubber floor mats and a heavy-duty rubber lining for the boot.

It's available with either a 2.0-litre diesel engine with a six-speed manual gearbox or a 2.0-litre petrol engine with an automatic gearbox. Both versions come with all-wheel-drive. The 2.0-litre diesel is capable of returning 50.4mpg and emits just 146g/km CO2 – which puts it in tax band F, costing £140 per year. While the petrol model can do 40.9mpg and emits 160g/km – placing it in tax band G, costing £175 per year.

Petrol models cost from £24,495, while diesels cost from £24,995 – that’s an extra £1,000 over the SE spec models on which the special edition is based, even though it comes with £1,600 of extra kit.

The Subaru XV Black’s rough and rugged character is backed-up by a five-star Euro NCAP crash-test rating. It was awarded an 86 per cent score for adult occupant protection, 90 per cent for child occupant protection, 64 per cent for pedestrian protection and 86 per cent in the safety assist category - making it a very safe car to travel in.

It comes packed with equipment, too, including Vehicle Dynamics Control (an electronic stability control system that prevents the car skidding out of control), front, side, curtain and knee airbags, 17-inch alloy wheels, daytime running lights, heated front seats, wiper de-icers, cruise control, folding door mirrors, dual-zone air-conditioning, reversing camera, Bluetooth connectivity and tinted rear windows.

For the full Subaru range, visit the CarBuyer Subaru reviews page.