Fuji Heavy Industries automobile division Subaru previews its Viziv Future Concept at the Tokyo Motor Show. The concept SUV is a crossover between the carmaker's Impreza sports car and the Crosstrek utility vehicle that features hybrid technology.
At the Tokyo Motor Show in Japan, Subaru displayed its thinly disguised 2017 Impreza hatchback concept car version and a crossover sports utility vehicle. The carmaker labelled its new model as a concept of displaying innovations called the Viziv Future.
The Viziv Future SUV concept is a crossover sports utility vehicle between the carmaker's Impreza and Crosstrek SUV. This is the third repetition of the automaker's innovative visions for its line of SUVs of the future.
The latest Viziv features a state-of-the-art hybrid structure that uses a downsized flat-four turbocharged engine to power up its front wheels. Although the company would not make comments about engine specifications and displacements, it is not a secret that the SUV's rear wheels are powered by an electric motor and not mechanically driven from an engine. This makes the concept SUV an off-road hybrid similar to Toyota's all-wheel drive versions of the Highlander and the RAV4 with the Lexus crossover versions of the RX and NX. In addition, the Viziv is dispensed with a conventional driveshaft that gives the SUV a flat floor in the back compartment, practically improving space as a utility car.
The carmaker's mild hybrid structure is only made available to a limited number of the Crosstrek XV. The system uses a low-power electric motor engulfed between its engine and its variable transmission system. This enables the car to give additional torque and assist in engine brakes. In addition, this type of restructuring enables the car to fast-charge its lithium-ion batteries.
The SUV concept also has an array of technology on-board. This includes the EyeSight camera system that permits the car with auto-navigational functions, but only limited to self-park modes and highway speeds. The camera system is a combination of distance sensors embedded in all directions, which permits the vehicle to perceive and recognize traffic and assess movement risks in all sides.
The Viziv GPS systems are made up of highly accurate map data that pinpoints the vehicle's location along with nearby landmarks. It also has an LED screen that allows the driver to preview the vehicle's cameras for monitoring purposes. The radar system aboard the vehicle also previews telematics and connectivity features that give updates on traffic, weather, or accidents along the routes.
