Every season Subaru publishes a magazine just for Subaru
lovers. This spring’s edition is all about going green and how we can improve our environmental impact. You'll find inspiration for steps to reduce waste and also to play nice with nature.
One of the most interesting articles was about how Subaru made the new XV Crosstrek into a hybrid. The XV Crosstrek has what is known as a parallel hybrid system, which is the most common kind you’ll find in moderately priced vehicles. The electric motor and the gasoline engine work together or separately to drive the vehicle in a parallel hybrid. In the case of the XV, that means sending the power to all four wheels, which you won’t find in most other hybrid vehicles.
In a hybrid system, the electric motor takes over at slow speeds and when the car first starts from a stop -- for example, when you’re looking for a spot in a parking lot or hitting the gas at a red light. When the vehicle stops, the brakes take the energy and transfer it to the battery to recharge the power that runs the electric motor. So what does this mean for the driver?
The best way to get great gas mileage is to ease onto the gas instead of slamming down for faster acceleration. When you want to stop, anticipate it well in advance and take a longer time to stop, for your battery's sake. Of course you don’t have to drive that way to take advantage of the hybrid system but that will go a long way toward achieving even higher mph than the predicted 31-MPG combined.
The conventional gas-powered Crosstrek is also a great saver
for those wanting to spend less on gas with a 28-MPG combined rating that comes
in at number two, only behind the hybrid model, as the top cars in their class
with all-wheel drive for fuel economy.
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