Stability control

[Ron Jones]

I'm trying to decide between the Honda CR-V and the Forester and would
appreciate your thoughts. Is the lack of stability control system on the
Subara significant since it is a lower vehicle?

 

[Mike Deskevich]

the CR-V doesn't have real all wheel drive - i think they call it "real
time 4wd" or some crap like that. basically it's a front wheel drive
vehicle that goes into 4wd mode when it detects slip (i don't know what
criteria it uses to go back to fwd, but i do know you don't have
control over it). with subaru, you have a real full time all wheel
drive system. why do i say this? my theory is that it's better to
avoid a problem than try to correct it. with the CR-V you have to wait
until you have a problem before the awd turns on, and then if you're
still having problems the stability control will try to fix it more.
with a subaru (or audi quattro, jeep quadratrac, i don't know of any
other systems that are full time real awd) you have a lower probability
of getting into a problem because the torque from the motor is always
being split up 4 ways rather than 2. also, in general i've never been
too impressed with any of the stability control systems, i always
notice a problem way before the system reacts to it. there is no
stability control system that can anticipate what's happening, it has
to wait for something bad to happen before it can respond.

 

[AguaGirl]

I'm trying to decide between the Honda CR-V and the Forester and would
appreciate your thoughts. Is the lack of stability control system on the
Subara significant since it is a lower vehicle?

I think more importantly that the lack of a stability control system is
insignificant not because of the profile but because of the all the time..
AWD. There is a pretty big difference between having a car suddenly
engage the rear wheels when it detects a problem and having a car
engaging all the wheels all the time. If having the second set of wheels
engage to correct for slippage is a good idea than isn't a better idea
not to experience the slippage to begin with? I sometimes wonder if
the stability control isn't meant to help the 2wd to 4wd transition more
than for anything else.

AG

 

[Guest]

I'm trying to decide between the Honda CR-V and the Forester and would
appreciate your thoughts. Is the lack of stability control system on the
Subara significant since it is a lower vehicle?

For a person who is a driver I don't feel I'd go for stability control.

I understand SC cuts engine power as well as playing with the brakes.
When I'm in trouble sliding on snow with my FWD cars I've occasionally
recovered by applying power.

This driving technique "may be difficult" to do with SC.