Axopar 45 XC Cross Cabin Cruiser Reviewed in 2025

Axopar 45 XC Cross Cabin

After 10 years, Axopar has become the fastest-growing European boat brand, but here’s a fact that might surprise you: 40 percent of the company’s sales are in the US. With edgy, modern looks that set it in stark contrast to nearly all other boats on the US market, what makes these boats so popular?

It’s worth noting that adventure boats are, generally, quite popular. While Axopar has been a pioneer of this type, other brands have grown the segment. Saxdor and Nimbus–all Scandinavian–along with newcomer NAVAN appeal to new and seasoned boaters like SUVs do to drivers.

The 45 XC Cross Cabin, perfectly illustrates why Axopar does what it does. Plenty of sleeping options and a head, a galley and space to strap plenty of toys to the roof make this an adventure boat that’s pretty special.

Also special about Axopar boats is the amount of customizations possible–including open decks or enclosed along with some nice aesthetic tuning. Here’s a boat that can be outfitted for any expediion, take you nearly anywhere, and suit any boater.

Hull Design and Company Principles

Every Axopar traces its lineage back to the 28-footer, released in 2014. Axopar hulls are designed, engineered, and tinkered with from the beginning to provide excellent characteristics. They look different because Axopar builds the boat to suit the mission at hand—more or less ignoring what other boatmakers are doing.

In designing the perfect boat for their Nordic adventures, the company’s founders landed on a ‘one boat for one world’ idea. With a core set of principles guiding the design and enough customization available, the boat could be successful anywhere. Axopars started as commuters, a versatile and economical way to get from Point A to Point B in rough Nordic conditions.

But Axopar also goes to lengths to ensure their boats have excellent drivability and useability. They are built to be easy to own and easy to use. They’re “motherships” for all your other adventures and toys: camping, kayaking, wakeboarding, or whatever suits your style.

Axopars are also very efficient. When compared to other 45-footers, it’s rare to see a vessel this size running on only 900 horsepower. But the Axopar does, and it performs as well (or better) than most of its competitors.

The “Axopar look,” with an axe-like plumb bow, double steps, double chines, and a distinct wedge shape that keeps the full beam of the boat aft, has been kept throughout the company’s meteoric rise. It all works together to give the boat the qualities the designers were seeking: comfort in a chop, efficiency, and affordability.

Cross Cabin Layout and Features

The centerpiece of the 45 XC is the large central cabin that serves as a pilothouse and salon. Striking forward-swept windscreens give it a rakish look that means business.

There is 360-degree visibility from the helm station. Access to the cabin is through sliding doors on each side. Each door is a set of two hefty sliders that can be opened forward or aft. The helm is located forward, and a U-shaped sofa lounge is aft with a moveable and rotatable pedestal table.

Between the seating and the helm is a bench seat and galley module. It’s on rails, so it can be moved forward or aft, depending on where you need more space.

Outside the sliding doors, fold-down terrace seating on the gunwales allows for an even more social atmosphere at the dock or anchored.

Above, the cabin roof has two canvas sunroofs that retract at the push of a button. With the sunroofs open and the side doors positioned for the best breeze, it’s hard to believe you’re in a pilothouse boat. Ventilation is so good that most people say air conditioning is unnecessary (of course, it is still an option).

The forward deck of the 45 XC has a great L-shaped sofa with enough space for seating and allowing access to the anchor.

The cabin can be entered in three ways—from the helm and from each side deck via lifting gull-wing doors. These doors are exceptionally clever since they allow the space to be opened up for airflow and light.

The cabin has a large double berth forward, seating on the sides, and a fully enclosed head compartment. On top, lounge cushions fit on the cabin roof to make a forward-facing sun lounge, complete with built-in cup holders. The aft deck of the 45 XC, like all Axopars, is customizable.

Axopar Customizability and Modular Design

Another key to the company’s success has been its embrace of modularity. They make one hull whose deck can be customized in different ways. The 45 Range incorporates three vessels: The XC Cross Cabin, the Cross Top, and the Sun-Top. Each model has a modular aft deck that can be equipped in three ways—open with an aft sofa, a L-shaped sofa, or an aft cabin.

The optional aft cabin of the 45 XC is especially large and welcoming, with its own head and shower compartment. Entrance is gained via a lift-up seat in the salon’s U-shaped settee, a less-than-ideal arrangement if you have a lot of guests on board. But, once inside the cabin, you’ve got a massive window view looking aft that lends a spacious feeling to the double berth.

For more outside social space, the U-sofa aft deck provides plenty of seating and yet another dining table. The starboard line locker hosts an optional, modular outdoor galley with an electric grill option, making the space a prime social hub during good weather.

Functionality, Ergonomics, and Use of Space

Axopar designers are obsessive about how space is used on the boat. Everything is well thought out. Walking around the cabin, you’ll notice everything in just the right spot–with just one exception noted below. There’s space to move around, with fixtures just the right height to grab and steady yourself.

The double sliding doors on the 45 XC cabin are a great example. The XC was designed after the popular Sun Top, which incorporated the fold-down terrace seats. Designers had to ask themselves how those seats would be used on the cabin boat, and from this stemmed the concept of having double doors.

If the doors could open forward, the terrace seats would feel like an extension of the interior U-sofa design.

Another good example is the optional rear galley box on the 45 XC.

It works especially well with the U-sofa on the aft deck. The modular unit fits inside the starboard fender and line box. It includes a functional sink, top-loading fridge, and electric grill. Adding it doesn’t mean you lose that space for lines and fenders, either—a door is installed to allow plenty of space to store things underneath.

One of the only sorely missing design features we’re missing is enough drinkholders. It’s pretty low-priority, but there is really only one place to have drinks secured–at least on the version that we checked out.

Axopar Price/Quality

The Axopar 45 XC is so loaded with great design concepts and useability that it’s easy to think it must be a very expensive luxury yacht. But that is not what Axopar builds. This is a production boat that is built to be accessible and useable, and it is priced accordingly.

Base US prices for the Axopar 45 XC start around $663,880 and go up to $832,720 for a fully loaded example. Other boats in the same class, such as the Tiara 42 LE or the Sea Ray SLX 400 OB, each cost well over $1 million.

Do We Recommend the Axopar 45?

The 45 XC is a big boat but has great potential as an adventure machine. We could see the dual cabin version taking off for a long winter getaway to The Bahamas or long summer weekends roaming Long Island Sound or Penobscot Bay. It’s got room for evening socialization, plenty of interior space to be comfortable in all conditions, and the maneuverability to get in and out of any marina.

If you’re looking for a cabin cruiser boat, there aren’t many similar vessels on the water. The Axopar is a unique design worth investigating if you are shopping for an all-around adventure machine.

Check out Axopar’s own explanation of their cross cabin, a walk-through.