Yahoo's Winter Cars

http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/autos_content_landing_pages/270/keeping-the-wheels-on-the-road;_ylc=X3oDMTE0M25oZnFsBF9TAzI3MTYxNDkEc2VjA2ZsLXRvZGF5BHNsawNhbGx3aGVlbA--

 

Two legendary bastions of all-wheel drive, Saab and Subaru, recently released new versions of their mainstay vehicles: the Saab 9-3 Aero and the Subaru Impreza.

 

What? Saab didnt have AWD until Subaru gave it to them a few years ago according my knowledge. I wouldnt call that legendary.

that is a very good catch.

 

Saab is a legendary bastion of FWD. It's new XWD is a haldex system, at least the 9^2x had real AWD.

 

The XWD system sounded good until it mentioned 95% or something Front bias under normal circumstances, and is moved rearward on demand. Probably still a center viscous coupling, rather than a real center differential. Still re-active, rather than pro-active and permanently ready.

95% front bias. Crap. You's be better off with a Fusion AWD.

 

 

I knew that Saabs have a good record in the snow, but when I think AWD, Audi and Subaru come to mind.

At least we made the list...sort of.

Haldex is nowadays a multiplate clutch pack. Viscous unit was pre 2003. Still, the haldex installations are not even close to Subaru/Audi.

XWD news is that it also have a rear differential for left/right power shift.

 

Seem much better than like Volvo XC70, but still never as good as Subaru

"Two legendary bastions of all-wheel drive, Saab and Subaru"

 

I think what they really mean is "The two legendary bastions of all-wheel drive is Saab BECAUSE of Subaru"

well put.

all XWD/Haldex systems are mainly front wheel biased cars. they will keep 90% to the front wheels, until the computers feel the rears slipping and will send up to 50% to the rear. but most of the time a front wheel based car will not slip the rear so it will rarely ever send that much power to the rear. its a good system, but mainly for safety and massive understeer. saab's are decent cars but definitely not a well capable car in the winters at all.. any front wheel drive can be used for the winter. saab would be considered a pretty expensive winter beater

aaronlee0821, that should be when the FRONT WHEELS slip, not the rear.

 

The rear wheels only get any power (any power that matters) after the front wheels spin at least 1/4 turn. The rear wheels then break (by the abs system) if they spin. They call it 'electronic differential brake', but all it does is stop the wheel if it spin. In some conditions the haldex system is okay, but it is not a good AWD system. Subaru and Audi have good AWD systems

 

The system can not transfer torque side to side. And it is very limited in transferring usable power front-rear. In some cases when really slippery, all spinning wheels are beeing stopped by the abs system and maby one front wheel spin with low torque.

 

The XWD will have a electronic controlled rear differential brake wich actually can transfer power side-to-side, wich no Volvo XC can.

all XWD/Haldex systems are mainly front wheel biased cars. they will keep 90% to the front wheels, until the computers feel the rears slipping and will send up to 50% to the rear. but most of the time a front wheel based car will not slip the rear so it will rarely ever send that much power to the rear. its a good system, but mainly for safety and massive understeer. saab's are decent cars but definitely not a well capable car in the winters at all.. any front wheel drive can be used for the winter. saab would be considered a pretty expensive winter beater

 

 

I have to disagree with part of your statement. Saabs are very popular in areas that get a lot of snow. When I was looking for a used 9-3 most were located in the upper midwest and New England.

I have to disagree with part of your statement. Saabs are very popular in areas that get a lot of snow. When I was looking for a used 9-3 most were located in the upper midwest and New England.

 

I love my new LGT and I'm sure it'll be a beast in the snow - it better be as I'm in snowy Buffalo! But I've owned Saabs in the past (2 different generations of 900, 1 turbo, 1 NA) and they are very good snow cars. I've never gotten into trouble with a Saab in deep snow, regardless of it only having 2wd.

 

FWIW

imho.. as everybody knows... 2wd is not even close to real 4wd in snow. Period.

 

Here in Sweden we have alot of Saab and Volvo cars, but as soon as you enter regions with bad roads or alot of snow (all Sweden get snow, but not very much in some places) people own at least one snow capable car with real awd like Subaru, Audi, BMW xDrive, Toyota Land Cruiser, etc.

 

Haldex is semi-awd, 2wd with differential brake on powered axle (front or rear) is often just as good as bad awd (Haldex).

And the winner of best sport car is....

 

http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/autos_content_landing_pages/274/best-in-class-fun-to-drive-cars;_ylc=X3oDMTEzcXFsZmd0BF9TAzI3MTYxNDkEc2VjA2ZwLXRvZGF5BHNsawNmdW5jYXJz

I wish the dang leggy would get some freaking recognition.

"that iconic, massive hood scoop" :D:D (now that it's understated and modeled almost identically after the LGT's)

The legacy's scoop is much more dignified.

 

The 08 WRX scoop is a bit too far forward, and the long inlet looks like someone at the doctor's office, when the doctor says "open up and say AHHHHH!"

 

I imagine a giant tongue depressor being used to form the new WRX's hood.

 

I love the look of the hood scoop on my legacy. The WRX would be better served with a smooth Impreza hood, and a FMIC. It still won't fix what is wrong with the design of that car, though.