newg Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 Been thinking about a new Subaru lately and was wondering how the WRX would be in snow......that low profile just doesn't seem like it would bust through the snowbanks as good as my OBW.......Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manarius Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 It should do just as well as any other Subaru. If the SVX can do well, the WRX can too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookie Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 My money would be on the OBW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoahDL88 Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 It all boils down to tire choice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotshot Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 There have been plenty of crazy WRX snow videos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ringe Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 The OBW has marginally better ground clearance IIRC, but if you have good snow tires, like NoahDL88 said, you can make it through some rough stuff. I had my 94 leg in snow deeper than the actual ground clearance of the car, and with my Blizzaks I just churned right through it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charm Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 I had my 97 Impreza L with bald tires in a parking lot with fresh snow up to the headlights a couple of years ago. While it certainly did not 'blast' through the snow, it got out of that parking lot. Would an OBW have been better? The snow was deep enough that it wouldn't have made a difference. Would tire tread, any tread, have made a difference? Highly likely, but even with the bald tires, this thing got through. In other words, I don't think the height difference will be noticable in snow performance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowman Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 Like has been said, in most conditions, tires will make a bigger difference. The advantage of the OB will vary according to snow conditions. In light, powdery snow, the difference in ground clearance will not matter much. More important is the fact that the hood is probably lower, so snow will start coming over the top of the car and impairing your visibility sooner (that was the first thing I noticed when my folks went from an 87 wagon to a 97 OBW). In heavy snow, especially if there is ice under the snow, the ground clearance will make a much more significant difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjo Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 what kind of snowbanks will you be busting through? the biggest problem you'll have with the WRX vs OBW is the ground clearance... if you were sporting the same tire type, and tranny. Getting high centered with an impreza/wrx is alor easier than with an outback.. but then again, the OBW weighs quite a bit more... but that momentum can help you smash yourself through some snowbanks... trust me i've got some pictures floating around somewhere that will explain this.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setright Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 The extra inches of clearance could give the Outback and advantage, but the WRX does have more power. Of course the Outback does have a full-size spare, so if things get really ugly, it'll have a better chance of getting you home after snake-biting a tyre over a hidden curb/stone.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. RX Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 You know you can get a turbocharged OutBack don't you? If you are worried about clearence, that would be the way to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjo Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 You know you can get a turbocharged OutBack don't you? If you are worried about clearence, that would be the way to go. Yeah, what he said, the OBXT is the way to go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slegacy96 Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 If my car does well in the snow, then a WRX would do just as well in my oppinion. Similar size and ground clearence. I was at a top of a hill (great place for a stop sight) last winter, with old tires, and 10 inches of snow on the ground. I spun for a little bit but I made it. So this year I got Good year Eagle RS-As, a brand new tread design and boy are they wonderful. $115 a piece, all season tires. The car does so much better in any weather and this car can now go anywhere....however I worry about the idiots around who dont have new tires so I try and avoid most winter driving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thatswhatshesaid Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 One of my favorite videos... Also, new WRX = LSD rear...that's something to think about. But I agree on the ground clearance aspect of it. If you "blast" through snowbanks in a WRX, your pretty plastic front lip is going bye-bye, whereas in the OBW, you've got more height between the ground and anything damage-able. OBW (depending on year) = 7.3"+ ground clearance WRX = 6.1" clearance /\ I believe those numbers are at the rear diff? /\ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookie Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 The only time I used to get stuck was when I high centered. It just seems the WRX would be more prone to high centering and power is not going to be any use when the wheels are in the air. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGBLUE1212 Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 in snow just above ground clearnace hieght a wrx moving at city speeds would just float on the snow where a OBW would sink......i've driven past civics in my minivan and they cant move but im just plowing......they just float on the snow where bigger vehicles sink and dog down to the pavement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firstwagon Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 When we got a foot and half of snow last November, I spent a bunch of time experiment with the ride height. With air suspension raised, I have at least as much ground clearance as an OBW and lowered I'm more like a WRX (in height, not handling). Even in snow that I plowing with my bumper, the high position didn't make as much difference as I thought. I have good winter all season tires and the car has so much grip that it went through everything regardless of height. It did cut down on the scary scaping noises you hear under the car when driving through frozen slush snowbanks though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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