Subaru AWD vs Blizzard

[loneryder]

While watching the Weather Channel with the guys out in the storm, there was a Subaru stuck on a plowed road. Tow truck comes and pulls him out but he still can't go anywhere. I thought, what a dummy, just because that little car is AWD doesn't mean he can go anywhere he likes. That light car, probably with AW tires is not designed for much snow.
In VA and WV the people who go off the road and get stuck are mostly 4WD pickups and SUVs. People think they can drive like they normally do in snow because they have 4WD.

 

[PimTac]

Just shows that 90% of driving in bad weather depends on the nut behind the wheel.

 

[simple_gifts]

just because that little car is AWD doesn't mean he can go anywhere he likes.

Maybe he is a nurse on the way to his job

 

[JTK]

I've been out of the Subaru game since 2018, but having owned three of them in a row, I do know the factory tires on them totally negate anything good the AWD system can offer in the snow. Seems ridiculous they do this, but that's what you get when you try to market green with a bit of rugged/utilitarian mixed in IMO.

 

[HemiBenny]

When we had that freak snowstorm last year, I grabbed a Subaru Forester off of the car lot and used it. It was 2' plus by the time it was all said and done, which for here is a lot. That little car handled the snow like a champ! I will say that it had some decent tires on it, which makes a world of difference.
My road was not cleared and then it stayed packed solid for a week after the system moved on. I never had a problem getting in and out, but there again, I was driving with some common sense.
It was a little more "fun" after it was packed and rutted up. Those ruts had a few people off in the ditch because they were driving way too fast and the ruts sent them off in a certain direction from which they couldn't recover.
I hate cold weather and now it seems that we may be getting a little snow and ice here mid-week. I don't see how you guys that live with this garbage throughout the winter deal with it.

 

[edyvw]

While watching the Weather Channel with the guys out in the storm, there was a Subaru stuck on a plowed road. Tow truck comes and pulls him out but he still can't go anywhere. I thought, what a dummy, just because that little car is AWD doesn't mean he can go anywhere he likes. That light car, probably with AW tires is not designed for much snow.
In VA and WV the people who go off the road and get stuck are mostly 4WD pickups and SUVs. People think they can drive like they normally do in snow because they have 4WD.

Two weeks ago I had to go through blizzard in the mountains after skiing. Going from Breckenridge to Fairplay (South Park, actual one) downhill on Hoosier Pass, 6 Subaru’s on a side and going uphill Cadillac spinning its rear wheels.
Subaru is the most dangerous vehicle to have in mirror. 99% likelihood of not having anything resembling decent tires, bcs. Subaru.

 

[edyvw]

I've been out of the Subaru game since 2018, but having owned three of them in a row, I do know the factory tires on them totally negate anything good the AWD system can offer in the snow. Seems ridiculous they do this, but that's what you get when you try to market green with a bit of rugged/utilitarian mixed in IMO.

They purposely market it here in CO as “snow monster “ etc. on billboard’s. Then they put crappy tires and then drivers later buy again crappy tires.

 

[KCJeep]

Some think Subie's awd system is the holy grail, it's not but it's very good.

BUT tires, tires tires!

 

[SatinSilver]

Put some Bridgestone Blizzaks WS90 on a Subaru for the win. Then they should be able to keep them on the road.

 

[meep]

Haven’t had one since my 97 legacy wagon 5spd, but that thing was, to date, the most capable snow car I’ve had the pleasure of flogging. 2005 s60 FWD comes in 2nd.

 

[Spartanfool]

A Subaru with OEM Bridgestone Potenza RE92s is a disaster looking for an accident. Put dedicated snows on extra rims and it'll run with the best.

 

[Accent Abuser]

While watching the Weather Channel with the guys out in the storm, there was a Subaru stuck on a plowed road. Tow truck comes and pulls him out but he still can't go anywhere. I thought, what a dummy, just because that little car is AWD doesn't mean he can go anywhere he likes. That light car, probably with AW tires is not designed for much snow.
In VA and WV the people who go off the road and get stuck are mostly 4WD pickups and SUVs. People think they can drive like they normally do in snow because they have 4WD.

It was so bad yesterday the only way you were getting anywhere was if you were driving a lifted 4wd truck with snow tires or A/T tires, or a tractor.

 

[OVERKILL]

Tire tires tires. I was out in our recent dumping and many roads were unplowed. The Jeep just pawed its way through, and that's with a set of Hankook iPike's on it.

My wife had work at 7AM and was out in it before any of the plows had run in the truck, just had it in 4HI the whole way.

 

[bullwinkle]

My xB with dedicated winter studless tires can take any Susie with crappy all seasons, until it gets deep enough to beach it (7-8” of snow)!

 

[Lubener]

It doesn't matter what you drive. If the snow depth is up to the underbelly of the vehicle, you aren't going anywhere.

 

[Donald]

My Forester with snow tires was pretty awesome in snow. My current pickup with Continental M&S tires is hard to stop in the snow in 4WD. I do tend to avoid going places on snowy roads so I get less salt on my truck.

And with it being cold outside when it snows and me working from home where do I have to go?

 

[loneryder]

Tire tires tires. I was out in our recent dumping and many roads were unplowed. The Jeep just pawed its way through, and that's with a set of Hankook iPike's on it.

My wife had work at 7AM and was out in it before any of the plows had run in the truck, just had it in 4HI the whole way.

View attachment 86865

This photo makes my back hurt. That's why I'm in FL.

 

[BHopkins]

I can't relate to anyone having problems driving a Subaru in bad weather. Mine has performed like a champ. I've driven in some pretty bad conditions, and have always felt like I had plenty of traction.

The next day after I bought it, I woke up to about 8" of fresh snow, so of course I had to take the Outback out to see how it did. The plows had already been out on the North-South streets, but not the East-West. So I drove right up to an intersection where the snow plow had left a berm, about 16" - 18" high. I stopped with my bumper against the berm. I was able to push right through the berm with no difficulty at all. That was with factory tires.

After the first winter, I put a set of Bridgestone DM-V1 winter tires on it. With the right tires, it is super secure. I have pulled cars up the street next to my house on a few occasions. One of them was a Mercury Grand Marquis. My neighbor asked me how I was able to pull her big car with my little Subaru. It made me smile.

All that said, road safety in bad weather is a lot about driving skill. And no car is any better than the tires that it is riding on.

 

[avacado11]

I high centered my then new Outback once on a snow drift that was 2ft high. All season tires. They were either Falken STZ or Nitto NTQ. I was stuck, but able to get myself out by rocking the car back and forth.

Subaru and Audi are really the only two mainstream AWD systems that aren’t axle biased.

 

[meep]

I highly centered my then new Outback once on a snow drift that was 2ft high. All season tires. They were either Falken STZ or Nitto NTQ. I was stuck, but able to get myself out by rocking the car back and forth.

Subaru and Audi are really the only two mainstream AWD systems that aren’t axle biased.

that is hilarious. I love snow play.