Question of the week: Why is my hybrid not running on electric power?
Fri, 09 Jan 2026
Dear Honest John,
"I purchased a 3 year old Subaru XV in November 2024. It ran perfectly well for 12 months. But after having a service and MoT at the end of October and I have just realised the hybrid has not kicked in.
I asked the service reception and was advised this 'occasionally' happens. It was said that sometimes running the air con too high would stop the EV kicking in as the EV needs max electrical power going to it.
It was also suggested I accelerate and ease off, accelerate and ease off to put charge back into the hybrid battery. I am now driving like Miss Daisy, if I had wanted to drive like Miss Daisy I would have bought Miss Daisy's car.
Having previously owned and driven an Impreza I want to drive my XV how I want as they both have the same engine. The MPG is 29.3mpg. Something is not quite right here!
And last of all, I was advised to take it for a 100 miles run at the weekend once a month. Can this be true?
- FK
Dear FK,
The Subaru XV's e-Boxer hybrid system will only operate on electric power under speeds of approximately 25mph and offer support to the petrol engine above these speeds, but this will only happen if there is sufficient charge in the drive battery and additional demands on the powertrain do not restrict this function - operating the climate control in very cold or hot weather can cause the engine to fire.
Driving style can affect how effective the hybrid system operates, with heavy braking and strong acceleration reducing the opportunity for regeneration to feed energy back into the battery.
As for fuel consumption, the official WLTP consumption figure is not particularly strong at 35.7mpg, so to achieve close to this would require a very frugal driving style.
Ultimately if you believe there is a fault with the vehicle then having it inspected by the dealership or an independent Subaru specialist may clarify the situation for you, but hybrid vehicles require a particular driving style in order to maximise the benefit of both electrical and petrol power.
