2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek 2.0i Premium First Test

The XV's contrasting colored flares; blacked-out, 17-inch aluminum wheels; lifted stance with 8.7 inches of ground clearance; dark tinted glass; and standard-issue racks all scream "I'm stylish and really love dirt." It's a unique specimen in segment flooded with cookie-cutter designs. It makes the barely older Impreza five-door look slightly blase, especially when they're parked side by side. Although it's motivated by the same 148-horsepower, 145 lb-ft 2.0-liter FB-series Boxer and five-speed manual as its Impreza sibling, the XV is very much its own individual.

Friends 6 feet and taller easily fit in the rear's 60/40 folding bench seat. Like its exterior dimensions, the interior's rear passenger capacities are basically identical to those of the Impreza: 37.7 inches of headroom, 35.4 inches of space for legs, and 54.2 inches for the shoulders. Behind them is a respectable 22.3 cu-ft of cargo room (with seats folded down, it grows to 51.9 cu-ft), which was plenty of space for my bags and gear. Drivers in cold climates will enjoy the included All-Weather Package, which adds heated front seats and exterior mirrors, plus a windshield wiper de-icer, to the amenity list.

The Crosstrek thankfully lives up to the "expanded-capability" message that its edgy exterior proclaims. On our soft-road loop during this year's 2013 Sport Utility of the Year evaluation, it conquered ruts, rocks, sand, mud, and loads of cow manure like a champ and without much of a struggle. Frequent hill stops for quick photo shots were a cinch to roll out of, thanks to the standard Incline Start Assist. The Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive worked hard in the dry dirt, and with the viscous-coupling locking center differential assigning its ponies appropriately, it got the job done.

It took us 8.8 seconds to get to 60 mph from a standstill, while braking to nil from 60 mph happened in 122 feet. While it's no rocket, that's quicker than our long-term Impreza (9.4), though the Impreza stops two feet shorter. Bigger 11.6-inch front and 10.8-inch rear binders help compensate for the XV's beefier all-season 225/55R17 rubber and corresponding weight gain. A larger, 15.9-gallon fuel tank helps with the overall range (I recorded more than 350 miles on one fill-up); fuel economy ratings fall slightly to 23/30 city/highway (25/33 for the Impreza 2.0i).

Rolling on a paved path yields a firm, yet not uncomfortable, ride. The lifted independent suspension soaks up bumps sufficiently well, and, in usual Subaru fashion, allows for a decent amount of controllable body roll when heading into a corner with gusto.

A few days and multiple hundred-plus-mile trips had me realize this: Even though the XV Crosstrek won't necessarily fit two child seats on its bench, take corners like a sportier car, or win any beauty pageants, it will make the growing set of young, cool, eco-friendly, outdoorsy vehicle buyers happy. This is the more adventurous Impreza for the more adventurous Subaru driver -- the driver who would have never thought to put an Impreza in their parking spot in the first place. It's a match made in a dirt-laden heaven.