Battle of ruggedized AWD wagons

[johnnyvw]

I had a 1986 5000 Turbo quattro...had the set up you mentioned. Still managed to slide off the road the first year when I tried to get away without snow tires LOL

 

[Scruffy]

. It also would have been more fair if they all had the same driver.

And the same tires. That test just showed the obvious that those cars with those tires were no match for an inclined sand pit.

 

[slowrider]

 

[crgildart]

Audi Drivers..

Subaru, Jeep, rusty pick up truck drivers.. Just sayin'...

 

[Tom K.]

If it doesn't have a frame chassis, it's not rugged.

To be fair, the claim was "rugged-ized".

My Xterra had Pirelli shocks

Didn't know they made shocks? Maybe Konis or Bilsteins?

We put Konis on our Sprinter. So much better.

Honestly, these type of vehicles work great for me. I love a good-driving car. My XC60 gives me most of what I'm looking for in that regard AND 8 or 9 inches of true ground clearance, which is great for the bits of potholed back road exploring my wife and I do.

 

[snwbrdr]

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.

Jeep Cherokee's and Grand Cherokee's have traditionally been a unibody construction. No one doubts their capabiliites.

 

[scott43]

Going to the new independent rear suspension from the solid axle created more interior room but those arms had to so somewhere.

Yeah..suspension is a compromise usually...more minivan, less rock climber.. And again, that's probably great for 99% of the people who drive those vehicles.

 

[scott43]

Jeep Cherokee's and Grand Cherokee's have traditionally been a unibody construction. No one doubts their capabiliites.

One of the companies I worked for decided to change their construction supervisor fleet vehicles from Grand Cherokees to Ford Explorers..the full-frame version. The Jeep's were decidedly more durable in off-pavement duty....

 

[Ogg]

One of the companies I worked for decided to change their construction supervisor fleet vehicles from Grand Cherokees to Ford Explorers..the full-frame version. The Jeep's were decidedly more durable in off-pavement duty....

My father had a '98 GC Ltd. that was probably one of the best of those ever made and was the perfect family ski vehicle. It was incredibly reliable and made it to ~300k on the original drivetrain. Typically the transmissions were only good for 50-60k which is when his started acting a little funky but he just dealt with it until he eventually junked it when everything else started falling apart.

 

[Jack skis]

Do I have to apologize for driving an Audi A4 Allroad? Didn't intend to use it as an offload vehicle when I bought it, and haven't.

 

[firebanex]

I don't need it to go off road. I need it to keep me on the road when it's winter in the Alaskan Interior. I'm interested in the wilderness edition Subaru's simply because they seem purpose built for driving 6 months of the year where I live.

I did a 1" lift on my Baja and stuck the biggest tires I could fit with out having to actually modify anything simply to gain more ground clearance to help with driving to and from my house in the winter. Totally worth it.

 

[François Pugh]

I had a 1986 5000 Turbo quattro...had the set up you mentioned. Still managed to slide off the road the first year when I tried to get away without snow tires LOL

Winter tires are a must on any car if you drive in winter conditions. I coveted that car, but being a starving student at the time, made do with a '65 Ford Custom (sedan) with (I think) a seized crown gear in the differential. The back end would break loose at the slightest provocation (even on an ordinary gravel road without snow or ice). I didn't mind at all; it made the passengers nervous though.

 

[johnnyvw]

I have been running 4 snows since about 1976, right after I started skiing. The Quattro was my first AWD car. Figured I would see if it was true what people say about not needed snows with AWD. Yeah, getting going is fine, its when you go to steer or stop that's the problem...LOL

 

[Philpug]

I have had 30 or so what would be consider "good winter vehicles" and our Alltrack is the one that I would say is the best performaning and confidence inspiring one.

I also agree with this...

I don't need it to go off road. I need it to keep me on the road

 

[martyg]

The Audi RS 6 Avant is my awd dream wagon. Maybe not ruggedized though!

Not a real suitable ski vehicle unless you know the location of each pothole in your ski area's parking lot.

 

[Wendy]

To be fair, the claim was "rugged-ized".



Didn't know they made shocks? Maybe Konis or Bilsteins?

We put Konis on our Sprinter. So much better.

Honestly, these type of vehicles work great for me. I love a good-driving car. My XC60 gives me most of what I'm looking for in that regard AND 8 or 9 inches of true ground clearance, which is great for the bits of potholed back road exploring my wife and I do.

Probably Bilsteins. All I know is that everybody who examines that vehicle drools over the shocks. We donated it to Rodale Institute’s organic research farm and it’s in heavy use by the research scientists out the fields every day. Fun to see it in action with muddy tires most of the time. I was out for a dog walk yesterday and spotted it:

 

[Wendy]

I don't need it to go off road. I need it to keep me on the road when it's winter in the Alaskan Interior. I'm interested in the wilderness edition Subaru's simply because they seem purpose built for driving 6 months of the year where I live.

I did a 1" lift on my Baja and stuck the biggest tires I could fit with out having to actually modify anything simply to gain more ground clearance to help with driving to and from my house in the winter. Totally worth it.

You have a Baja? Share a pic!

 

[Shawn]

Not a real suitable ski vehicle unless you know the location of each pothole in your ski area's parking lot.

Sure is pretty until then!

This guy took it on a winter ski trip in the Alps. Worth a watch just for the cinematography and après-ski lifestyle.

 

[crgildart]

I know a buddy from the old neighborhood who's in love with his RS3. He races it on frozen lakes. 400+ horsepower.. After a few mods low 11 second quarters.. Uses a 4 Runner for off road fun though.

 

[DanoT]

My '06 AWD Volvo XC70 was great on pavement in winter but it wasn't up to handling my 250' winter driveway in all conditions. Normal torque bias was 90% front axle, 10% rear and the computer decided when and how much rear torque. Turning off traction control helped a bit as did putting on chains. 6' of mud, the consistency of porridge, required a tow from my neighbour's Cat dozer.

I traded that Volvo in on a new 2019 Tacoma TRD OFF Road 4x4 with a proper hi/lo range and locking rear diff and manual transmission. Now even with OEM tires, there is nothing the driveway can throw at it that the Taco can't handle.