A Subaru driver successfully completed a hiking trail in Utah, but later received a letter from the National Park Service warning him that if he repeated the offense he could face six months in prison.
from Chris Chilton
3 hours ago
- Owner of a Subaru Crosstrek faces a $5,000 fine from the NPS for confusing AWD and 4WD.
- The NPS issued a warning to the driver after he drove off-road in a vehicle deemed unsuitable for four-wheel drive routes.
- Despite the Crosstrek’s high ground clearance, its all-wheel drive system does not meet NPS requirements.
Subaru’s entire marketing effort revolves around the safety and capability of its Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system, but the US National Parks Service (NPS) isn’t buying into it. It recently warned a Crosstrek owner who was spotted driving his crossover on a Utah hiking trail that he would face heavy fines and even jail time if he drove his Subaru a similar distance.
It’s not like the Crosstrek owner who appears under u/Greatbigdog69 on Redditgot stuck and had to be rescued. He successfully completed a trail in Utah in June, but later received an official letter informing him that he had ridden in a restricted area.
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The Colorado River Overlook Road in the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park “is restricted to four-wheel drive vehicles, while the vehicle registered to you is a four-wheel drive vehicle,” the letter to the Crosstrek owner states.
The NPS then quotes from the so-called Superintendent’s Compendium and informs the owner that a “high-clearance four-wheel drive vehicle” is required on the Colorado Overlook Road and certain other roads in the area.
“Future violations may be punishable by a fine of up to $5,000, imprisonment of up to six months, and/or other penalties,” it says.
That seems a bit harsh in this case, considering the Crosstrek owner was tackling the trail without assistance, but we can understand why the National Parks Service felt they had to do something. The last thing rangers (or other trail users) need is hundreds of Crosstrek drivers hitting the trail in vehicles that aren’t up to the task, perhaps with less driving talent than this person, or in worse weather conditions.
This is how the NPS defines a four-wheel drive vehicle on its website:
“A four-wheel drive vehicle is defined as an off-road vehicle (SUV) or truck with at least 15-inch rims and at least 20 cm of clearance from the lowest point of the frame, body, suspension or differential to the ground. Four-wheel drive vehicles have a transfer case between the front and rear axles that connects the front and rear drive shafts when the four-wheel drive is engaged. All-wheel drive (AWD) vehicles do not meet this definition.”
The 2024 Crosstrek has a ground clearance of 8.7 inches (221 mm), compared to just 8.4 inches (213 mm) for the Ford Bronco, and 17- or 18-inch wheels. So it passes that part of the NPS test. But it stumbles at the second hurdle.
Unlike other all-wheel-drive crossovers and SUVs that function as front-wheel-drive vehicles until a skid is detected, the Crosstrek always sends its power to all four wheels and distributes it via a center differential. This ensures safety on the road, but does not make it a hero off-road.
A true four-wheel drive system allows the driver to lock both the front and rear axles simultaneously, which results in terrible handling on the road but is great off the pavement for getting out of a sticky situation. Some four-wheel drive vehicles also have selectable low gearing and allow the front and rear differentials to be locked side by side for serious off-roading. The Crosstrek can do none of that.
The Crosstrek owner freely admits that he didn’t understand the difference between the two types of systems before the letter prompted him to look into it. And who can blame him when automakers themselves often cause confusion by offering both versions and then calling some AWD systems all-wheel drive systems.
If you’re still not sure what the difference is, check out the video comparing the Ford Bronco (4WD) to the Bronco Sport and Maverick (4WD) first.
H/T to The drive
