So i was driving tonight.....

[n00b on demand]

So tonight i was completley bored being that this is my only day off from work in the past week. Ive worked 8 straight days at my crappy job. But anyway when I get bored I like to go driving around....so i found this windy road with nice twists and turns and I decided hey why not test the SVX out. So I took the SVX around this tight corners and windy roads and I was amazed at how well it went around corners and how stable it was. Must have been that AWD . The ground was pretty wet too its been raining here all morning. I had less than great results with the SVX in the snow but that was because i had 4 bald tires! I took the corners going about 40 MPH and one at about 45 or so. no problems what so ever. I never realized how quick the acceleration in our cars is. So just to make myself feel alot better than I allready was i decided to take my brothers 2002 Accord SE on that same road and i didnt feel safe at all and felt like the car was gonna spin out and go off the road. Just not to be bashing on Hondas I also took my moms 98 camry on the same road and same result although that car feels alot stronger than the honda. Camry's are heavier than accords i was told. But anyway yea the SVX is great and so much more fun to drive than i originally thought!

[UberRoo]

I recall driving up some icy, sandy mountain passes at a very swift pace. (The type of pace we're not really supposed to discuss here.) In several sections of road I could feel the rear end become unsettled and start to creep out. I'd duck the throttle slightly while turning out to help the rear end slide out a little more, but as soon as I upset the rear end enough to actually break free, the AWD transfer clutch would kick in and the rear end may just as well have been on rails.

The SVX is pretty good as saving your arse, even when you're trying to get it loose. Once the transfer clutch came alive, it took a healthy amount of braking and steering out, to get the trunk to sway in the breeze.

The one downside of the SVX is that it's not a low speed car at all. It's tuned and balanced for speed. It exhibits considerable understeer at low speeds, but is quite neutral at higher speeds. Around town, it may as well be a front wheel drive car with traction control. I'm actually rather displeased with its low speed behavior. On the freeway however, it transforms into a beautiful machine. I've never driven a car that feels more comfortable at high speeds. Big BMWs and motorcycles are the only things I've driven that seem to actually get more comfortable above 60. ...except the SVX, of course.

I've also noticed that despite being rather un-flickable, i.e., not responsive, the SVX does like to be harshly thrown into corners. Many cars must be eased into a corner, but the SVX is pretty much unfazed by abruptly being tossed into a nasty hook at high speeds. It feels like a car without enough toe-in because it doesn't have that null-zone where the steering is kinda neutral, but it doesn't have that darty feel of a zero-toe alignment either.

That's something I've always appreciated about Subaru; I think they have always done an excellent job on suspension geometry design, even on the very old Roos.

[Chiketkd]

Very interesting comparison there! I also like to go carving up a few roads in my spare time, but of late, I haven't had the chance due to a busier schedule at work...

The SVX is an amazing handler in medium to high speed corners, and the 4EAT is almost telepathic in my mind, at selecting the right gear.

These cars are awesome!!!

-Chike

[n00b on demand]

Yeah i agree ...after i did that little experiment i was amazed at the SVX. We've only had one other 4wd car before and that was a 1988 Subaru GL that was very good in the snow. It wasnt full time 4wd it had that button on the shifter. But the SVX is so awesome going around corners. I have never felt more stable in a car in my life. Not to mention how it glides on the highway when i am changing lanes at high speeds. Cant say enough about how awesome Subaru is.

Tom

[n00b on demand]

By the way...Do you guys think Subaru has the best AWD system thats out there?

[Chiketkd]

Honestly, my answer would be no. But the Subaru system is extremely well designed for everyday driving.

The normal torque split is 90% front and 10% rear which allows us to get better fuel consumption in daily driving as little power is being transferred to the rear wheels.

However, since I'm a performance oriented guy, I would've preferred the torque split being the exact opposite.

IMHO, the Skyline GT-R's ATTESA awd system seems to be regarded as the best out there. 100% of torque goes to teh rear wheels and it allows for a 50/50 split when traction becomes poor.

That's my $0.02...

-Chike

Originally posted by soobiesvx93
By the way...Do you guys think Subaru has the best AWD system thats out there?

[UberRoo]

Originally posted by Chiketkd
Honestly, my answer would be no. But the Subaru system is extremely well designed for everyday driving.

The normal torque split is 90% front and 10% rear which allows us to get better fuel consumption in daily driving as little power is being transferred to the rear wheels.

However, since I'm a performance oriented guy, I would've preferred the torque split being the exact opposite.

With some reservations, I agree that the Subaru AWD system is not the best, but I'll touch on that in a second. The 90/10 torque split arrangement is such a hugely misunderstood arrangement. The simple fact is, it's basically 99.9/0.1 torque split during normal driving, but it's an imprecise number and saying 99% just doesn't give people that warm fuzzy AWD feeling. "If it's only 1% in the rear, then it's basically FWD!" ...and though that's not the message Subaru wants, it is the truth.

Regarding the reason it's got the uneven torque split, it's basically because it was the most cost-effective and convenient way to produce an effective AWD system - and it is effective. There is no fuel savings by disengaging the AWD. All that running gear is still spinning away being inefficient as always, regardless of whether it's engaged or not. There is a very, very, very small potential for fuel savings due to the fact that the transmission does not have the [small] amount of extra load on the pump from engaging the transfer clutch, and also an equally small savings from any differential in wheel speed due to unequal tire sizes. ...but this is so ridiculously trivial. Want better economy? Wax your paint.

I agree with having the opposite torque split. I would prefer a RWD arrangement, with the front kicking in when needed. (So much for the safety factor.)

I think Audi makes some very good AWD systems, but they suffer from reliability problems. With the exception of the SVX, Subaru transmissions are quite reliable. I would wager that the Audi AWD system is roughly on par with the Subaru AWD system, with mechanical reliability not taken into consideration. I think the Audi system is more street oriented, and has been an exceptionally good system for years. Subaru has only recently become street oriented, and has been giving the Audi AWD system a serious competitor.