How Good is a Subaru in the Snow?

Updated November 2018

Subaru has earned a reputation for being one of the ultimate winter-friendly manufacturers. But how good is a Subaru in the snow?

With a line-up made primarily of hatchbacks, sedans and crossovers that come standard with permanent all-wheel drive, it’s easy to see how the manufacturer has earned its winter-warrior reputation. But just how much snow can a Subaru endure and does the Japanese brand live up to its perceived abilities?

2018 Subaru Outback Review

To find out, I’ve grabbed a Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited and plan to drive through as much snow as possible; for science of course. With the 3.6R, the base four-cylinder engine is tossed out and replaced by a 256 HP 3.6-liter six-cylinder unit paired to a continuously variable transmission. That may not sound like a lot of power for a nearly 190-inch long crossover, but the Outback does weigh a relatively svelte 3,810 lbs.

At the heart of the Outback’s snow crawling ability is an active torque split all-wheel drive system that splits power 60%/40% front to rear, but can send more power to the rear wheels if front slip is detected. Taking things a step further, the Outback has Subaru’s X-Mode that uses the AWD system and stability control system to further reduce individual wheel spin.

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But an AWD system is no good if the rest of the mechanics do not back it up. Here, the Outback is up to the task. Minimum ground clearance, like every Subaru crossover, measures at a high 8.7 inches. For reference, that’s the same as the 2015 Jeep Cherokee’s ground clearance. Skinny, high side-wall tires, like the Outback’s 225/60R18 tires, excel in snowy conditions. A skinnier footprint can dig down through snow while a high side-wall provides extra tire flex and grip on uneven surfaces. Plus, the regular all-season tires have been swapped out for some winter rubber on my test vehicle.

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Surviving winter is about more than just driving through the white stuff though. Keeping the driver comfortable, safe and aware of their surroundings is just as important. The Outback features heated seats, heated mirrors, a heated windshield and of course heated rear glass. And in case things do take a turn for the worse, the Outback comes with a high safety rating.

So on paper the Outback looks like a winter winner. But how does it actually perform in harsh winter conditions? Well, I recently found out as I took the crossover through a series of snow challenges.

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After a day of testing, I never once got the Subaru Outback stuck. Although I wasn’t exactly driving through ditches full of snow, I was taking it places many people would never dream of driving after a snowfall. Not only could over a foot of snow not stop the Outback, it barely slowed it down. I wish I could have tested it in more than 15″ of snow, but that’s we had at the time and the roads had been cleared quicker than I expected.

Still, there were a few roads and parking lots with deep ruts of snow that the Outback remained sure footed in, no matter what I was doing behind the wheel. Subaru truly does deserve it’s title as a manufacturer of snow champions.

Why You Absolutely Need Winter Tires, Even If You Have All-Wheel Drive

In general, snow tires are what makes a car good in the snow. While all-wheel drive is a good compliment to good snow tires, we’d say that snow tires are more important for staying safe during those snowy winter commutes than the vehicle type. We have several buyer’s guide for winter tires, including for both performance winter tires and regular winter tires. We’d suggest doing your research and picking up a set of good snow tires if you are concerned about your vehicle’s winter performance.

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