4x4 vs. AWD

Very true. Runner has advantage of full lock in center diff and low range if needed. Just pointing out an option "in the family" so to speak.

 

My brother had a Subaru Legacy gt with some work done made 280 hp and 260 trq and I'll tell you in 2-4" it was a blast!!! Anything past and it didn't have enough clearance

 

Agree with you on the tires. It doesn't matter if it's AWD or 4X4, if you have crap tires, it makes it tougher to drive. One time I was up on a ski resort and saw this Range Rover slipping and couldn't park his car. He had low profile summer tires on.

 

Not so much AWD itself as the subies awd system.

Without any traction aid and 3 open diffs you could have 3 wheels on pavement and only 1 on ice and youd get nowhere.

 

I own and drive a 2015 Subaru Outback limited. Trust me they are awesome on snow. Here in mid Mo. we have had little snow the last 1 1/2 years, but when we did have a bit (3-4"), --I was blown away by the traction of the Subie. Here is the kicker, I have a new Tacoma on order. It will be interesting if we have a good dump of snow soon after we get the new Tacoma. Trust me, I will take them both out and give them a go in the snow. Remember my Tacoma will be just a little 4x4 Access cab V6 AT. If I were to bet on the outcome -- I think I would bet on the Subaru in most situations -- If Subaru made a Pick up -- I would have one of them. They don't so I went with a Tacoma to haul my wood and other "stuff". This will replace my 02 F150 4x4. Now if we were to compare a TRD PRO --that would be a different thing.
Subaru's "Symetrical AWD" is completely different from most other 4x4's.

 

I have a Subaru Baja Turbo and also several 4x4 trucks, including one that is fully outfitted for trail duty (lockers, 35" tires, winch, etc)

The Subaru is better in snow than any of them, though granted the most I've seen here in GA is about half a foot.

 

I sold an Outback to buy my Tacoma. Having driven many, many miles on snowy, terrible roads I'd give the Subaru a 9 out of 10 for being a good snow car. And, I'd give the Tacoma 8.5 out of 10. If you have half a clue how to drive, either one will get you where you want to go. (for that matter if you have half a clue a Pontiac TransAm will get you where you want to go, just ask my college room mate, he never got stuck.)

Now, if you are talking about off pavement 4 wheeling, well then the Subaru is in a word is worthless. I got stuck in my outback on a little hill where the AWD system could not shift enough power to the rear wheels to climb it. I went back later to the same place in my Jeep and climbed it in 2WD high. Had I not gotten stuck there I would have never even noticed the obstacle. Yeah, I know subaru says it's a capable off-roader, they lie. Oh, and lets talk about head gaskets and central differential failures, and wheel bearing, and . . . and there is a reason I sold the Subaru and bought a Toyota.

 

Steer with the throttle!

 

If you lock the center diff on an AWD then it's no different than 4WD.

 

Yes. True. But 4Runner limited lets you run center diff limited slip or lock it. Best of both worlds.

EDIT: I see what you were saying. I just meant that AWD kind-of sucks if you can't atleast have a limited slip center diff. Otherwise you're stuck if any wheel spins.

 

^This.

^This too.

I drive an ambulance. In Canada. So I'm on the highway when the RCMP closes the highway due to bad conditions.

This is a picture my partner took of us driving the wrong way on the highway to get to an accident because downstream it was completely blocked off.
So when I say I know winter driving, you can take that to the bank.

That being said, in really really bad weather; about 3" of slush snow, the only vehicle which could and DID pass my ass at 65 mph was a Subaru Impreza. And he did so effortlessly. (And I was in 4 Hi with winter tires and 500+lbs in the bed.)

 

This is my opinion:

AWD
-better traction on dry roads at high speed (I bought a truck not a sports car so this is a non issue)
-better traction on wet roads (a big plus over the truck imo... especially fall/spring with wet leaves etc)
-better on ice, slush, light snow around the city (I say this b/c you don't have to constantly turn 4x4 off and on as the road clears up in parts or parking lots etc)
-Often have smaller/narrow tires which are better in normal snow conditions
-Lower ground clearance (might get stuck easier but if it's that bad you should have stayed home lol)
-Harder to recover out of a snow bank/ditch (tow points/hooks etc)
-No locking diff (whichthe taco offroad has...good if stuck)
-Feel safer in a higher/larger truck from other fools on the road.
-As it snows more and more my bed fills and my traction improves lol
-They are not nearly as cool as a truck

All joking aside... my wife had an outback years ago and that thing was unstoppable with a good set of snow tires.

 

No kidding on the lack of tow points on an AWD vehicle. My old Ford blew up the rear axle and I could find no place on my wife's Tucson to hook a chain to tow my truck 1.5miles to the house. Had to get my neighbor with his truck.

Car vs truck. Different uses. I will never not have a truck but my wife's Hyundai goes like crazy on nasty roads, even has a transfer case lock.

 

I fully acknowledge and agree that a controllable mechanically locked center diff is ideal, but the Subie Outback with manual transmission has a different AWD setup than those with the CVT trans. It has an open center diff (spider gears) with an integrated viscous coupler that locks the two axles together when wheel spin occurs. Granted it is not mechanically locked, but it is pretty close. The biggest downfall is that it will overheat if abused (e.g. doing donuts in a parking lot for a couple of hours).

 

I agree with your statements totally -- the only caveat would be what year was your Outback? With the Gen 5's (outbacks) they added the "x-mode" . I spoke to a lady about her OB and she said it was a older one plus she said it goes uphill great --not so great downhill -- NOT ANYMORE -- the xmode takes control for one if you are descending a slick hill or street all you do is point the thing -- it brakes and totally controls the traction.
I understand that the true off roading prize would go to the Tacoma of course -- but day to day city driving -- my guess the Subie will win that category!?

 

AWD is better in snow. There is a reason you see Subarus everywhere in snowy climates. AWD very often are front wheel drive which keeps weight on the primary drive wheels and they distribute the power where it is needed. That being said I have a Tacoma.....

 

My Outback has 8.7" of ground clearance. I think the big ? here is if the original poster is looking for something more like a car or more like a truck.
Heck do like I am doing --buy one of each., and have two of the best vehicles offered in the US

As of my last checking, Toyota owns 18% of Subaru

 

I was wondering what that button did on my moms Forrester XT. Pushed it and saw the screen doing all sorts of stuff so I turned it back off lol

 

My WRX was the best thing I have ever driven in snow. It was better than my Taco, however, it was a death trap with summer tires in snow. Its funny to still keep in touch with the Subie forums and the Bro's thinking because their WRX or STI has AWD and newer summer tires that they can go in the snow/ice. Well you can't! The summer compound and lack of sipes on performance tires equals slipping and sliding. I suspect with a little weight in my bed and snow tires like I had on my WRX I could say the Taco is close, but AWD>4x4 in snow.

 

The Xmode is -I would guess something like the Toyota "crawl mode" (I think that what it is called) only far less sophisticated. It helps going uphill as well -- I have not had a chance to use it that way. I do know you have to be going less than 10mph (I think) Don't make me get out my owners manual please. That think has as many pages as a bible.