Well, I like the concept of AWD cars but are they any good off the road?

 

In stock form they are tuned for tarmac. That's not to say you couldn't take them on a reasonable dirt road and have some fun (i.e. Car and Driver test), However, if you really want to go offroading, you will have to adjust the suspension, wheels, tires, etc.

The EVO VIII overseas with its Active Center Differential (ACD) could switch to different settings (i.e. gravel, tarmac, etc.).

 

Do you mean unpaved roads? Or real off-roading?

As an owner of a WRX wagon. I'm sure I can GO off-roading (rock crawling)......

I'm also sure I won't be coming back with the WRX though


AWD cars and soft-raoders are great in slippery conditions, even dirt and gravel.

But they're no Humvee.

Basically, dirt and gravel roads, snow and ice I can really move. Even shallow and thin streams and ruts, but nothing more than you'll see at a camping site and such.

A real off-roader has locking diffs, lots of ground clearance, high bumpers and lots of suspension travel.

 

and like revhappy said, the tires make a big difference.

Personally I wouldn't drive the Sti or Evo on unpaved roads at all. Too stiff and too low.

Hell, I wouldn't drive the cars in the snow with the stock tires.

Same goes for cars like the S4 and the 911 C4.

 

If I'm not mistaken, the EVO owners manual states that the stock tires are for summer performance and should not be used in termperatures under 32 degree Farenheit. In other words, in many places, they can't be used in the winter time as the sticky compounds are very sensitive to the cold.

Personally, I'm probobly going to lock the EVO up for the winter (at least for the first year) as there is insane amounts of salt on the roads in the tri-state area.

 

RomanoM,
How does the paint job on your WRX Wagon hold up on those dirt and gravel roads? I have unexpectedly run into a few a grit my teeth as I cruise along at 5 MPH over them!

 

You know I've heard that the paint chips easily, but not mine. I do get a lot of debris in the lower bumper intakes though.

The sound though.................it's like some one is firing 50 caliber machine gun rounds into the wheel wells. No sound deadening there, I tell ya!


I don't have a single chip on the bumper or hood. Though the paint on the doors does scratch a bit too easy.


I think the first WRX cars built had pretty miss and hit quality....nothing new now-a-days!

 

Supposedly, the EVO's paint is prone to scatches and chips, but so far so good.

 

Even the humvee isn't a humvee anymore - the H2 is just a big tonka body on some standard truck frame with straight axles. The original humvee had the geared hubs out at the wheels taking the axle up higher for more ground clearance. I think the H2 is just ridiculous-ness personified, especially when you see most of them never even get taken anywhere near off road (unless offroad is the mall parking lot)

 

H2 owners may not take them offroad, as a rule. But the H2 is a VERY capable off-rader. And the H1, which is still selling, is STILL the best.

 

Actually the WRX is very nicely setup for a few gravel runs now and then.

I took mine in the grass in stock trim and she held up great, the stock tires aren't good for much, but dammit they'll tare up some grass.

 

A few months ago I test-drove a WRX and the salesman encouraged me to take it down a dirt-and-gravel back road. It was a blast, to be honest. I don't think a STi or Evo would do as well, because of the tires. As for literal off-roading, you'd need a Jeep or another real SUV. Subarus don't have enough ground clearance, or a low-gear for steep climbing.

 

Sounds like a nice test drive to me.