4Runner 4WD vs. Subaru Outback

[ethernectar]

Just a week ago I traded an 08 Outback XT (manual 5-speed) for my 'new' 06 4Runner Sport Edition - I'll have to revisit this post in the future and follow up with my 4Runner experience.

The Outback XT is pretty fast and was quite capable in my moderate harsh-weather experience. I had added a RalliTek rear sway bar and AVO mounts which really settled the back end. Put almost 40K miles on it in 2-1/2 years. It was a very planted car, I only got the traction control light to come on when really pushing it in wet conditions, and occasionally on gravel/dirt.

Ultimately I got tired of the manual and needed more room for work. Someday I hope to have an STI for a fun car. The performance from these small boxer motors is outstanding.

 

[borgzman]

Just a week ago I traded an 08 Outback XT (manual 5-speed) for my 'new' 06 4Runner Sport Edition - I'll have to revisit this post in the future and follow up with my 4Runner experience.

The Outback XT is pretty fast and was quite capable in my moderate harsh-weather experience. I had added a RalliTek rear sway bar and AVO mounts which really settled the back end. Put almost 40K miles on it in 2-1/2 years. It was a very planted car, I only got the traction control light to come on when really pushing it in wet conditions, and occasionally on gravel/dirt.

Ultimately I got tired of the manual and needed more room for work. Someday I hope to have an STI for a fun car. The performance from these small boxer motors is outstanding.

You'll miss the Outback when you're up in Yosemite.. though the 4Runner will have better view of the road.

 

[ethernectar]

You'll miss the Outback when you're up in Yosemite.. though the 4Runner will have better view of the road.

Will miss it on Old Priest Grade, but I won't miss the stick shift in traffic. Had a trip a couple weeks ago that was too much. Modesto to Anaheim (traffic), next morning Anaheim (uber traffic) to SF (traffic and tourists), that afternoon SF (traffic) to home.

 

[4Beast]

As I've said before, my 4runner will have to do damn well to compete with my Subaru WRX in the Mass winter. I did have Blizzaks on the Subie, but even with AS tires i think it was decent (I tried to swap the summers out fairly early so not much experience).
Honestly the Subaru Outback Sport I had before was probably even better, due to it being geared low (often started in 2nd) and not having tons of power. I did my 35 mile commute home in a state of emergency one evening, and there was a foot on the ground and mine were pretty much the only tracks the whole way. I like to laugh at everyone who shoveled out behind their cars at my complex. I always backed into my spot and blasted through the plow drift in the morning and let the plow clean up when i was gone. Course i did hi-center it one time on a 4 foot pile, but that's another story.
Bottom line is I have really high expectations of my 'runner, I am expecting to be able to get to the snowboarding places when I have a "snow day" from work!

 

[Pilotmatt]

Had a Subaru WRX new in 2002. It was absolutely unstoppable on roads. The light and low cg, along with power and a little knowledge of winter driving was a great combination.

When in Colorado I couuld take it up the mountains in 5th gear at 80 with no downshifting. That's just the engine though. There was once in Ohio I was driving home and was the only one left on the road. I had to pass 20 cars that had slid off the road. It's a road car.

For deep stuff I'll take my 4Runner, but I definitely won't be driving the speeds I could in the WRX. Two totally different situations.

 

[MikesToy]

Had a Subaru WRX new in 2002. It was absolutely unstoppable on roads. The light and low cg, along with power and a little knowledge of winter driving was a great combination.

When in Colorado I couuld take it up the mountains in 5th gear at 80 with no downshifting. That's just the engine though. There was once in Ohio I was driving home and was the only one left on the road. I had to pass 20 cars that had slid off the road. It's a road car.

For deep stuff I'll take my 4Runner, but I definitely won't be driving the speeds I could in the WRX. Two totally different situations.

What part of Colorado mountains were you at doing 80 with no downshifting?

 

[034RUNNER]

I agree with you. My neighbor has a Subaru Outback. He's gotten that ugly thing stuck in the snow numerous times with our lovely CT winters bringing foots of snow often. I've seen him strugglin and digging the car out quite often. Had to pull it out a few times with a quad....

He also has a lot of problems with the Subbie. I'm not sure what but it's out of commission quite often.

Maybe it's just me, but I don't feel right being in a car in the snow. I feel like I'm in for it.... In the 4runner I feel like I can handle anything that may happen.

 

[BruceB83]

Had a Subaru WRX new in 2002. It was absolutely unstoppable on roads. The light and low cg, along with power and a little knowledge of winter driving was a great combination.

When in Colorado I couuld take it up the mountains in 5th gear at 80 with no downshifting. That's just the engine though. There was once in Ohio I was driving home and was the only one left on the road. I had to pass 20 cars that had slid off the road. It's a road car.

For deep stuff I'll take my 4Runner, but I definitely won't be driving the speeds I could in the WRX. Two totally different situations.

I too had a WRX for a few years. Back in February 2006 a pretty nasty snow storm swept through the western NC mountains the day before I was heading up there. By the time I hit Waynesville, NC there was a good 8-10" on the roads and my WRX remained completely in control. It was amazing.

For on-road driving, I'll put myself in a Subaru before the 4R anyday. Obviously it would be reversed if I had any plans of leaving the road or if there were 2' of snow on the road. If you've never owned or driven a Subaru (esp in snow), I don't think you fully understand the peace of mind you have while driving one.

 

[Black4runner]

I too had a WRX for a few years. Back in February 2006 a pretty nasty snow storm swept through the western NC mountains the day before I was heading up there. By the time I hit Waynesville, NC there was a good 8-10" on the roads and my WRX remained completely in control. It was amazing.

For on-road driving, I'll put myself in a Subaru before the 4R anyday. Obviously it would be reversed if I had any plans of leaving the road or if there were 2' of snow on the road. If you've never owned or driven a Subaru (esp in snow), I don't think you fully understand the peace of mind you have while driving one.

Like I stated earlier, my father has a 2002 (I believe) Outback H6. It has VDC, stability control, tactions control, limited slip on rear axle, and of coarse AWD.
"The system was also mated to a previously used Japanese-market AWD system, called VTD, in which power was split 45/55 front-to-rear in normal conditions. "

He stated that it is better in the snow than his old Land Rover Discovery Series II was. My father even drove the Subaru 14 hours in a blizzard on all season tires with 55k miles on them. No problems what so ever.

Now it looks to me that this AWD system is better than the 90/10 power split on my auto 1996 Subaru impreza (which didn't have traction control or limited slip).

While I never got stuck, it wasn't great in the snow even with snow tires.

 

[Mf Baker]

theres an outback h6 with a lift and full external cage among other things, somewhere in Austrailia, and thing is pretty damn beefy. I'm sure a 4runner would still whoop it on the rocks, but the h6 or 2.5 turbo in the xt's def deliver a lot more bang than stock 4runners.

i think the subys would make great prerunner vehicles, but not as much for crawling.

 

[ogden8]

Wow this is a 3 year running thread!!!

 

[JohnsD90]

My dad claims that he prefers his Subaru outback over his 2003 Landrover Discover in the snow.

Ha! good one, your a funny guy.

 

[Thai]

Ha! good one, your a funny guy.

It is because the LR is always in the shop....

Hey, my brother's '03 LR Disco II ABS (as in anti-lock brakes!) went out on his family trip to Chicago...in the snow!! Let's just say that it was the straw that broke the camel's back! And the thing only had 55-60k miles on it! Up until that time, he was the biggest fan of LR...but after that problem (among others), he simply gave up.....

 

[T4Fun]

It is because the LR is always in the shop....

Hey, my brother's '03 LR Disco II ABS (as in anti-lock brakes!) went out on his family trip to Chicago...in the snow!! Let's just say that it was the straw that broke the camel's back! And the thing only had 55-60k miles on it! Up until that time, he was the biggest fan of LR...but after that problem (among others), he simply gave up.....

LRs are great if you dont mind them breaking down. To me, its like owning a bmw vs infiniti.

 

[Thai]

LRs are great if you dont mind them breaking down. To me, its like owning a bmw vs infiniti.

Well, for me, it is different. A BMW that breaks down is less of an issue than an off-roader breaking down. Why? A broken BMW can be towed by Roadside Assistance. A broken off-roader cannot if you are taking it off the beaten path...and goes directly against its "capability" claim. Sports car are like supermodels, right? A GREAT off-roader needs to be reliable and durable...otherwise, it is a POS in my opinion.

 

[CraigRoberts]

Well, for me, it is different. A BMW that breaks down is less of an issue than an off-roader breaking down. Why? A broken BMW can be towed by Roadside Assistance. A broken off-roader cannot if you are taking it off the beaten path...and goes directly against its "capability" claim. Sports car are like supermodels, right? A GREAT off-roader needs to be reliable and durable...otherwise, it is a POS in my opinion.

Like a Special Forces Operator who is highly prone to random seizures. Not gonna work out too well. No one minds the model fainting though.

 

[bim3]

I own a 2005 Outback, in addition to the 4runner. Both cars are great in the snow, but for on-road driving, Subaru has the better system. The fact is, when it's snowing I'd rather have my wife driving the Subaru, because I think that car will do more to help her out. Subaru build these cars for winter drivers, they came standard with heated seats, wipers and mirrors.

However, I do agree that in the deep snow, I'd rather be driving my 4runner. It just gives you that "I'm unstoppable" feeling.

Also, with regard to the torque split: the Outback has an 'auto-stick' type shifter, where you can select gears. For automatics, when you have selected 1st or 2nd, torque is split 50/50 front/rear. Otherwise, it's split 90/10, with the computer able to shift it rearward as needed. If there is any traction to be had, that car will blast off in the snow.

 

[20034RunnerV84x2]

You most def. The Subbie doesn't have as good as ground clearance, but Yota owns 28% of Subaru so they are kinda the same.

 

[IanB]

The wife drives an '05 Legacy 2.5i Limited wagon with Blizzak's (on winter wheels), it's an auto, and it's pretty solid in the snow, I feel very good about her being safe and in control when in that car. I do wish we had gone with the GT over the 2.5i though, way more power, LSD rear, better AWD system, 5 speed auto tranny (ours is only a 4 speed auto), and similar fuel economy. Overall, great car for winter climates, I'd replace it with a LGT wagon if anything ever happened to it.

 

[stanleybb50]

but Yota owns 28% of Subaru so they are kinda the same.

Really? Did not know this.


- Sent via Tapatalk for Android