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Was curious if anyone had a friend/spouse who had the CR-V. Was curious how good it handled in the snow compared to a Subaru. True, I've always wondered if it was really too late if it kicked in after you lose traction. I suspect it's only really useful starting out.

 

My girlfriend, Sarah, has a 2002 CR-v and i have a 96 Legacy LS. My legacy runs wonderfully in the snow and i havn't had any problems getting anywhere with it. Her CR-v has a hard time getting up hills in the snow, feels hard to control because of the height and width, and actually spins the front tires at stoplights no matter how soft you go on the gas.

 

Bottom line, Honda needs to take a lesson from Subaru.

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That's because, from what I have read, the CR-V can only send like, 30% of the power to the rear, rather than the 50% that the Subaru can send (if it's a manual, I think the autos can send up to 90% to the rear but I am not sure).

Bottom line is they do fine in adverse road conditions, like wet or slick roads, but they are garbage on slush, sand, snow, mud, etc..

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Actually, Honda doesn't advertise their system as an AWD. They advertise and badge it as "Real-Time 4WD". Like what everyone has been saying, it's a front wheel drive mini-SUV where the rear wheels don't engage until you have the front wheels spinning, and is not a true AWD system. Subaru is one of the better AWD systems out there as all 4 wheels get power at any speed.

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Bottom line-only two companies know how to do AWD...Subaru and Audi (and VW when they borrow quattro)...Has anyone seen the Gti R32...oh my goodness...still can't beat an STi...but there is something about a big NA V6 w/ AWD in that little rocket that makes my mouth drop...beautiful engine note.

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I consider the honda a rounded box on wheels, with a phrase that belongs on 4wd subarus, at least that's how I use my 4x4, and in mud, snow, etc., 2 wheels spin, and the best gadget I wish my car had is the folding table!

BTW SUV means Subaru Utility Vehicle, which mine definitely is, and with the roof rack, I put the wheelbarrow on and go to the jy or landscaping project

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we have owned both -- and I fear there may be an unfair bias here -- of course, this is a Subaru board.

 

By the way, the manual distributes more than 50 percent to the rear -- it's really split in the middle between the front and rear (logically speaking), but the center diff uses an additional viscous coupling to insure stronger transfer.

 

The Subaru automatic is essentially a front wheel drive car with the ability to electronically engage the rear in a pulsed fashion (remember, it has to release periodically to sense traction, otherwise it would not know when to release).

 

The Honda real-time system is essentially a front wheel drive car with the ability to mechanically engage the rear once slippage is detected. It engages quickly in my experience and smoothly, and I can personally attest that it is a capable vehicle in 12" of snow. Yes, tires spin upon acceleration, but I got that with my manual Subaru also. Of course, I would attribute this to buy a driving style also.

 

Admittedly, I scoffed upon the system at first as well, but for what it is, and what it was meant to be, I think they did a good job, and it has developed no problems such as Subaru's famous binding problem.

 

One can't compare vehicle height and center of gravity when discussing the drivetrain.

 

Mike

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