Re: Subi up hill tests

T <[email protected]> wrote:

> Stock Subaru shames everyone at test hill:
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmBibFdMIRU

Smooth terrain, just elevated, all 4 wheels having contact the entire
travel.  I've never encountered that scenario when off-road.  That's a
contrived experiment unless off-road to you means taking on huge sand
dunes in the desert.

> This one really surprised me!
> 
> Subaru AWD Uphill Comparison Test
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_MXK2nzt2Y

Got another video that isn't 10 years old?

> Mitsubishi Outlander (driven by Engineering Explained) vs Subaru 
> Forester uphill, forward + reverse
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyextEikaFU

3 years 4 months old, so better than your first video showing something
relevant today.

The video I remember had a extremely tough trail to test all-terrain
vehicles.  In a couple places, every tested vehicle has to manage on
just 3 wheels.  Due to wear and rain, the mounds were scalloped and
rutted making it impossible to all 4 wheels to be on the ground when
trying to cope with the trail.  The Subaru didn't make it.  I think a
Toyota Tundra did.  The trail would be far more typical of what you
encounter in the woods or off-road than navigating up a smooth hill.  To
make it a fair test, the same driver should be testing every vehicle.
Skill level varies a LOT with different drivers having more impact on
results than the difference in vehicles.

My recollection also did NOT have the Subau in special drive modes.
Those failed.  The Subie did best in normal mode in erose terrain.  I
haven't tested all Subies in all modes, but have you ever felt it
mattered?  If going up steep sand dunes is your cup of tea, I have to
wonder why the vehicles are using all-terrain tires instead of those
knobby enough to handle loose sand.  We also didn't see mention which
tires were on which vehicles.  Because the videos are comparing street
SUVs against each other instead of real off-roaders.

From what I've seen of these so-called road tests, they're setup to fail
for the unfavored by the author versus what they want to promote.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzXN4YkI8A8

A bunch of commuter cars claiming the SUV moniker, but all failing
miserably.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWsSgMHakB0

So, how many drivers are going to have an educated guide standing atop a
hill telling just how to manipulate the vehicle.  This is like gauging
how well a car can backup a boat trailer with a helper outside telling
the driver where and when to turn.

Is it really important for comparison of what the vehicles can do versus
just what the drivers can do?  I used to practice 90, 180, 270, and 360
turns/spins and how to drift and when understeer turned into oversteer,
but most car owners are not sacrificing their tires to practice those
moves, and changing tires to see which have the best grip at different
temperatures.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YnNaNoYZ7A

Yeah, you could customize your Subie probably even more than this guy.
Why do I feel the Subie guy has cold beer in ice in his top-side
carrier, like in "The Eiger Sanction" when they climb to the top?  The
problem with off-roading, and climbing, that going down is harder than
going up.