As one Subaru Crosstrek owner recently learned the hard way, it bears repeating that all-wheel drive is not the same as four-wheel drive. A Subie owner posted a warning letter they received a month after driving on Colorado River Overlook Road in Canyonlands National Park to the r/NationalPark subreddit. The letter notes that this particular road is restricted to 4WD vehicles only, and the Crosstrek is equipped with AWD, not 4WD. It also warns that they may face serious consequences if they’re caught taking an AWD car on a 4WD-only trail again.
Tires are well and truly goofy. Black magic engineering. The things you could do in an astrovan with the right tires VS a wrangler with the wrong tires just doesn’t seem right.
Tires are just incredibly use specific, Usain Bolt would do terribly in a sprint with bowling shoes, and would hurt himself bowling in running shoes. It doesn’t matter what you drive if you’ve got the wrong shoes for the drive.
A truly skilled driver/rider might be able to pick a good line, but most of that skill will show when they go “nah. Ain’t doing it”.
Signed - an ADV rider who’s tires are and will forever be a compromise between dirt and tarmac performance.
