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Battle of ruggedized AWD wagons

snwbrdr

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Warning: if you're a Subaru fanboi, you will be triggered.


And they duplicated what TFLcar found on CVT's, When the terrain is too challenging for Subaru's Legendary Symmetrical AWD's CVT, the CVT shuts down power transmission to the wheels

Many of these cars had summer tires also.
 

Ogg

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No surprise that the Audis did so well or that turning off the electronics helped many of the vehicles. It really would have been a better comparison if they also tested the Outback with the H6 or turbo that has a different AWD system. It also would have been more fair if they all had the same driver.
 

Wendy

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I always kinda giggle when someone says the Outback is rugged.
Yeah it’s not a four wheel drive off road SUV. It’s not the vehicle I’d purchase of regular off road adventures. I also think the purchase of such a vehicle is more an aspirational purchase rather than a true functional purchase. ogsmile
 

Philpug

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Like the how to capture steepness photography thread, I can't help to think we are seeing how steep what they are trying to take what is still a glorified car up and its above thier pay grade.
 

scott43

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Well that's it. Yes, the Outback has 8" or clearance or whatever..yes it's AWD is pretty good.. But stuff hangs down underneath it..and I'm not hammering dirt roads in it because it's still basically struts. It's a wagon that is better in snow and crappy conditions..but it's no rock-climber. And it's probably fine for 99% of the users that buy it..
 

Bill Talbot

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If it doesn't have a frame chassis, it's not rugged.
Are they useful summer and winter in the high country? YES. But as @Wendy said above, it is not 4WD (with lockers or LSDs) and it's not rugged.
 

cantunamunch

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Well that's it. Yes, the Outback has 8" or clearance or whatever..yes it's AWD is pretty good.. But stuff hangs down underneath it..and I'm not hammering dirt roads in it because it's still basically struts. It's a wagon that is better in snow and crappy conditions..but it's no rock-climber. And it's probably fine for 99% of the users that buy it..

The inescapable conclusion is that the test is badly set. Like putting department store kitchenware through a Forged in Fire smashfest.
 

Wendy

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If it doesn't have a frame chassis, it's not rugged.
Are they useful summer and winter in the high country? YES. But as @Wendy said above, it is not 4WD (with lockers or LSDs) and it's not rugged.
Having owned an Xterra Off-Road that I drove in real off road conditions (NOT dirt roads, those don’t count) there’s no comparison between the two. My Xterra had Pirelli shocks and skid plates and 4WD low and wheel locks.
 

scott43

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Having owned an Xterra Off-Road that I drove in real off road conditions (NOT dirt roads, those don’t count) there’s no comparison between the two. My Xterra had Pirelli shocks and skid plates and 4WD low and wheel locks.
The Xterra was a good example of a rugged vehicle. Unibody vehicles CAN be rugged..the Outback just..isn't...

Speaking of which, I was looking at a new Suburban and was surprised how low the lower control arms sit. Thought they would have tucked them up a bit higher..
1639073751625.png
 

scott43

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The inescapable conclusion is that the test is badly set. Like putting department store kitchenware through a Forged in Fire smashfest.
Right? I mean..am I going to drive my Outback up that? I have to drive the kids to school in it!! Horses for courses. And that ain't the course for an Outback...or any of those vehicles really.
 

Philpug

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The Xterra was a good example of a rugged vehicle. Unibody vehicles CAN be rugged..the Outback just..isn't...

Speaking of which, I was looking at a new Suburban and was surprised how low the lower control arms sit. Thought they would have tucked them up a bit higher..
View attachment 150749
Going to the new independent rear suspension from the solid axle created more interior room but those arms had to so somewhere.
 

Wendy

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Right? I mean..am I going to drive my Outback up that? I have to drive the kids to school in it!! Horses for courses. And that ain't the course for an Outback...or any of those vehicles really.
And that course didn’t even have rocks. That’s a whole other issue.
 

Wendy

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Going to the new independent rear suspension from the solid axle created more interior room but those arms had to so somewhere.
Which begs the question: What are these vehicles really designed for?
They LOOK like 4WD vehicles, but they kinda sorta aren’t.

All of my off-roading was done in my Xterra, a 1985 Toyota Landcruiser (short wheelbase), and a ‘50’s LandRover. The terrain driven in the Xterra was way rougher than that of this video, but the Landcruiser and LandRover were driven on terrain similar to that shown here (Australia and South Africa) and both handled it easily. I’m immediately skeptical of the term “rugged‘ in modern vehicles. LOL.

So I laugh when I see ads for these vehicles. Even when they’re charging through deep snow mach schnell.
 

bbbradley

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Speaking of which, I was looking at a new Suburban and was surprised how low the lower control arms sit. Thought they would have tucked them up a bit higher..
Why? the curbs at the mall and the occasional off-roading (parking on the grass while waiting to do school pickup) won't tax the capabilities of that off-road demon.


Marketing is a wonderful thing

100% agree! It's what pays my rent! :)
 

François Pugh

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I watched the first part of the video. That was enough. All sizzle and no steak. Watching that Subaru with all its fancy tech struggle to go over what would be a piece of cake or a walk in the park with just a couple of locking differentials made it clear. (Three lockers for the win).
Edit: I seem to remember Audis from the previous century with buttons to selectivly lock differentials, and a ski pass-through bag.
 
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