The Subaru XV has been named SUV of the Year by 4x4 Magazine in the United Kingdom.
Putting the XV through its paces, both on and off-road, the magazine crowned the all-wheel-drive XV its class winner in one of the hardest-fought categories in a special 4x4 of the Year issue.
The UK SUV market has expanded rapidly in recent years with the proliferation of compact crossovers, and 4x4 Magazine placed Subaru's latest AWD model ahead of key rivals from Audi, Kia, Mazda, Nissan and Volkswagen.
Commenting on the XV's victory, magazine editor Nigel Fryatt said: "The SUV class in the 4x4 of the Year test is one of the most competitive. The Subaru XV was an interesting new arrival in that class, which did much to impress judges.
"For a vehicle which obviously spends most of its time on-road, it is such an enjoyable drive, involving the driver in a positive manner.
"It also boasts promising fuel economy potential. When we took it off-road, given the obvious limitations of ground clearance, the Subaru completed our test route with ease."