Driving during the winter in New England means dealing with a lot of rapidly-changing conditions. While the weather might look tame one moment, you can easily be dealing with full-blown snow flurries the next. Navigating all the stresses of winter traffic is a lot easier when you’ve got a car that’s equipped for it.
That’s where Subaru comes in. You might not know it, but new Subaru cars are uniquely equipped for handling winter driving. New models feature a variety of innovative features designed to minimize the dangers posed by sleet, snow, and slick roads, so you can focus on enjoying the drive.
Subaru’s safety ratings speak for themselves: the brand has enjoyed consistent Top Safety Pick+ designations from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), along with 5-Star Crash Test Ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Let’s take a look at how they do that!
1: Low Center of Gravity = Better Traction
While this isn’t a feature that’s typically advertised in high-budget advertisements, the engineering of Subaru cars makes them automatically fare better in snowy conditions because of how mass is distributed across their chassis.
Engine blocks in Subaru cars are more centered than most other auto brands; they sit lower in the vehicle’s frame. As a result, this stabilizes the car’s center of gravity, making it less likely to slide around in slippery conditions. Additionally, these frames are designed to maximize the torque provided by Subaru’s unique all-wheel drive—we’ll talk more about that in a second.
2: Two(ish) Words: Subaru’s X-Mode
If you’ve never driven with X-Mode enabled before, it can be hard to even conceptualize what you’re missing out on. Imagine having a single button you can press to instantly transform your car into a high-powered SUV whenever the roads start to get spooky—that’s basically what X-Mode is.
This system comes standard on all new Subaru Ascent, Crosstrek, Forester, and Outback models, and it’s an absolute game-changer in the snow. Toggling it on adds an additional degree of control to the vehicle’s throttle, which increases the amount of torque being applied through the vehicle’s wheels. Simply put, this function immediately increases a vehicle’s handling, precision, and grip on the road.
3: Four More Words: Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive
A robust all-wheel-drive system comes standard on virtually every single new Subaru car, which means you’ll never have to worry about whether or not the trim level of your vehicle is suited for the snow. Subaru’s all-wheel-drive systems come with a unique symmetrical power distribution as well, which sets them apart from the systems used by other brands.
Symmetrical all-wheel drive sends power to all four wheels at once, providing a greater degree of traction and more efficient acceleration. When things get slippery, this system automatically redistributes power to emphasize the wheels that have the best traction, allowing for greater control of the car. This also means the car has a degree of protection from spinning out, as a Subaru car can immediately reroute power to other wheels if one loses traction.
While these features easily distinguish Subaru cars from the competition, they’re far from the only reason new Subaru cars are so well-suited for winter driving. If you want to learn more about the extensive suite of driver assistance features that come standard in every new Subaru car, then visit Gengras Subaru today!
Categories:
Outback, Subaru Outback, 2022, Crosstrek, Subaru Crosstrek, Forester, Subaru Forester, Forester Wilderness, Ascent, Subaru Ascent
