Question on Outback/Forrester Snow Handling

[mizmelzywi]

I'm new to the board. I currently have a 2001 Subaru Outback. I've had it two years, and was lucky enough to find it at a great price with only 80,000 original miles and in pristine condition. 

Last winter was the first winter I had it. I came from an 02 Trailblazer. With the Trailblazer I could have up to about 6 inches of snow and plow up the driveway with it.  I was told by another Subaru owner they had no problems driving in high amounts of snow.  We have a drive way with an maybe 15-20 degree gradual incline (included attached photo for reference).  This past winter with 5 inches I had issues getting up the driveway.  Since my husband is away most of the week for work, and I can't start the snow blower I usually just shovel to the attached garage since it's a smaller and shorter distance. Normally I'd drive the vehicle up the driveway park it in the garage and shovel.  This past winter I got stuck and had to shovel around the car in order to get up it.  I also had almost new tires on it as well. 

 

This next spring we are looking to get a new vehicle. I'd love a new outback or Forester. I do know that the new models sit higher off the ground with a ground clearance of at least 8.1 inches, and Forrester was approximately the same.  The Trailblazer had ground clearance of 8 inches.  So based on those figures I should be okay with a Outback or Forrester with at least 8 inches of ground clearance to get up the driveway in heavy snow.

 

How well do the newer Subaru Outback and Forrester handle in deeper snow? Has anyone had issues that lives in areas that get large amounts of snow?  I did like having the 4 wheel drive versatility but can't afford the gas price. LOVE the gas price of the Subaru. Cut my gas cost in half.

 

Also my current Subaru has the Weather package on it with heated wipers, side mirrors, weather radio, and heated cloth seats. With newer models is this package still available? And does it still have a weather radio option, and cloth heated seats?

 

I am doing research so that this spring when we go out looking I know what I want and need.  Wish I knew someone with a new outback/forester that I could test out this winter.  Unfortunately I don't. Hoping some here can help.

Thanks,

Mel

Edited November 26, 2016 by mizmelzywi

[golucky66]

Not all tires are created equal. New tires don't mean anything if they we're 40$ each.

 

I have a set of Cooper CS5's on my impreza and it's easily driven through snow that's above the hood.

 

But, the newer subarus have more and more traction control every model. The the newer you go the better your ability to go up very slippery terrain.

 

The Forester should have a higher ground clearance then the outbacks. But maybe they changed that with the more recent models.

[ironworkerboomer]

Quick search Edmunds.com Subaru says both have 8.7 inches. I agree with Golucky66 Tires are most important. We have Handkook mud and snow on our Baja, and a foot of snow up a sledding hill without slipping a tire. I would check that you are driving in all wheel drive also. Is there a fuse in the holder under hood left rear firewall?

[mizmelzywi]

The tires I got were not cheap tires. I can't remember the name off hand but when getting tires we specified tires that are good all around for snow, water, slippery surfaces ect. The person we spoke to said they have the tires we bought on their vehicle and they are great in snow and rain. We spent like $700 on the 4 tires. So they were not cheap tires.  The tires that it came with looked in good condition but it was a donation vehicle to a charity and probably sat for a while unused.  They were making strange noises and found that one tire was going bad so we had them replaced.

 

As for the all wheel drive, my husband works at an auto auction and deals with Subaru's on a daily basis as well as many other vehicles. He tested it to make sure the all wheel drive was working and it was. But will have him double check the fuse.  When on flat surface in snow I do very well. I don't feel slipping or anything.

 

But we are looking for a new vehicle in Spring, and I'd like to have another Subaru.  Will have to test drive a Forester to see which I like better. Not sure we are going brand new or if we are going used no more than 2 years old super low miles.

 

Melissa

[gbhrps]

mizmelzywi,

 

All season tires are no where near as good as a dedicated winter tire on snow and ice. There is no comparison between the two. If you want to get up that incline in snow up to the floor boards, that is what it is going to take, a specifically designed tire for snow and ice.

 

You can say that you don't have the money to spend on another set of tires, and I hear you on that front. I have two sets of tires and wheels for my wife's car and my subie. The up side with two sets is that both sets only get used half the year, then they  spend the next six months in storage. Both sets will last twice as long as one would do. So you are replacing tires at longer intervals.

 

And when it comes to replacing the subie at trade up time, buy another subie with the same "wheel" size and the old snow tires go onto the new car for several years to come. That's what we have done, and it has worked very well.

 

That also means that any set of tires need to be carefully inspected before they are mounted on the car, to ensure that they are safe, with enough tread depth to do their job, and for cracks and sidewall deterioration.

 

And years of owning subies (all OutBack Limited Wagons, 4 of them since 97) I have found that your winter tires need to be TWO sizes narrower than the stock width for the car. My 2012 subie has 225/60/17's as the summer tire size, while the winter tires are 205/60/17's. Ralleye cars run the narrowest tires during winter runs simply because they cut down into the snow for traction, rather than wider tires that would ride up on top of the snow and aquaplane as on water. It makes all the difference in the world.

[idosubaru]

Cars101 is a great resource for research. Check there.

 

The newer Subarus will do absolutely fantastic in the snow. They'll be as good as any other 4WD, tires being equal. Look to VTD and VDC transmissions if they don't all already have that by now.

 

Tires are enormously important for real snow traction. Ground clearance is the only issue but that's really only reached off road or crazy deep unplowed roads or large amounts of heavy wet snow (rare).

 

they don't maintain all the back roads here. they can stay snow covered for weeks, get packed and slick, but what's nasty is the steep switch backs. Flat or hills = easy. Steep is another ball game. My main issue is driving too fast down grade LOL. My Subarus go up mountain grades your trailblazer has zero chance of getting up. Locked rear diff and snow tires FTW. Or VDC/VTD in my other one.

 

Subarus do great here and they're everywhere for a reason. They are as good as the tires you give them.

 

in your case it wasn't the car. Some of us drive in far worse stuff routinely, it was one of these three things:

 

1. Tires. until we verify brand, model and date of manufacturer nothing is known good or bad. New and price should be good indicators but are ambiguous if tracking an issue, which this is.

 

2. There was packed snow/ice under that snow. Not all snow is equal. It's common for snow to melt then freeze, get packed then melt then freeze and get snow on top, or first flakes of snow melt and freezes then snow on top.

 

3. 4WD not working properly.

 

If you're confident 1 & 3 aren't the issue then it was #2.

[ironworkerboomer]

 

As for the all wheel drive, my husband works at an auto auction and deals with Subaru's on a daily basis as well as many other vehicles. He tested it to make sure the all wheel drive was working and it was. But will have him double check the fuse.  When on flat surface in snow I do very well. I don't feel slipping or anything.

 

 

Melissa

Just to be clear some people experience torque bind in thier Subaru putting a fuse in the holder under the hood makes it front wheel drive not 4 wheel drive. I have seen this in wagons I've test drove you really can't tell the difference until your having problems in the slippery conditions. Hope you get to the bottom of this issue. Let us know.