The Subaru XV might be a surprisingly decent choice of crossover in Malaysia despite the brand being a bit left field but it is due for a replacement. Though the facelift was just introduced in late 2021, the second generation has been around globally since 2017.

The XV or Crosstrek as it is called in the United States is based on the Subaru Impreza hatchback that is also in need of a replacement which according to Japanese media, could be launched as early as 2023. The XV has become among the company’s best-sellers as the world embraces crossovers and it’s an important model.

This camouflaged unit is spotted by a Japanese user in Ibaraki Prefecture and based on what we can see, things look the same design-wise. Subaru’s design won’t be sparking any head-turning action but most buyers don’t really mind.

You can see roof racks, a slimmer-looking taillight, a protruding rear diffuser, and some chunky-looking cladding that surrounds the bottom part of the crossover.

Besides Japan, the next-gen XV is also spotted in America. Again, the overall silhouette is similar to the current XV. There are some hints to the Star of Pleiades’ other models like the Levorg and Outback in front, so the next-gen XV could be looking more grown up.

Also read: All-new 2021 Subaru Levorg unveiled - new 1.8L turbo, 177 PS and 300 Nm

Aside from the matured looks, another change that could be seen in the next-gen XV is the introduction of a smaller turbocharged 1.5-litre boxer engine in lieu of the naturally-aspirated 1.6-litre flat-four (115 PS/148 Nm). This latter engine is being offered in Japan aside from the 2.0-litre e-Boxer hybrid engine (159 PS/253 Nm combined).

In Malaysia, the Subaru XV is only offered with a naturally-aspirated 2.0-litre Boxer engine (156 PS/196 Nm) across two variants from RM 140k. The impressive Subaru Eyesight ADAS suite is available as standard now and if you’re interested, you can take a peep at our review.

Also read: Review: 2022 Subaru XV EyeSight - AWD isn't necessary, but you'd love to have it