'REACTS' Subarus Offroad? Are they any good? 

I’m passionate about helping the 4wd community and I'm developing an online course so i can help as many people as I can to get out there and wheel well on their 4wd adventures. To register your interest and for free and exclusive training videos visit madmatt4wd.com.au/register. Here is my REACTS videos playlist - its purpose is for us all learning from other people's 4x4 drives. - ru-vid.com/group/PLxCUUqtm329plBAWaZBTGQolmUBJnXMDU

I grew up going camping with 5 other siblings and Dad took us in an old nissan 2wd van, I remember doing a water crossing that a 4wd was hesitant in doing and Dad got us all to just jump up and down in the van until we got across. Some other times we all had to get out of the car and help push the old van up a steep hill and chock the wheels after getting up a little bit to give us all a rest before pushing again. Good memories

Should check out All Terrain Action, the stuff they achieve taking Holden Adventra's offroading is really impressive.

Driving skill is definitely more important than any modification you can put in your 4wd. I'm glad I have 2 completely different types of 4 wheel driven vehicles that I can feature in my channel. That way people can see that driving skill makes for a safer and better 4wd experience. If you have the right skills, you will find that you can take your vehicle further and even safer. You're doing a great job in your channel Matt. We need more people like you.

Before my Jeep and Range Rover I played with Subaru, over the limit!! Still today I'd choose Subaru any day as long as getting my passengers and luggage to the destination doesn't matter. And the reason is subie doesn't do large load well. But you drive it better, learn so much more and find the smile make the checks hurt, when writing it off doesn't matter. No one wants to wreck a proper machine, it seen as bad driving. But you do learn more when a subie is pushed passed it's limit and it's amazing how much it can.

I love Subarus, I started 4wheeling many years ago in one. I had an 81 Leone wagon with high and low range along with a 2" lift. I ran Toyo MS tyres which had awesome grip. You learn to pick a line very quickly if you want to go anywhere off road! I loved the challenge when people said " Nah, you won't get through in that toy!" "Oh yeah, watch this!" The look on their faces was priceless when not only did I make it but I got further than they did! The skills that I picked up in the Subaru, carry on to this day when I'm driving my 2002 Hilux! I'd love to get my hands on another old Subaru one day, just to relive my youth!

It reminds me of the days I would grab my 2wd L300 and hit the Watagan state forest with a bunch of mates for the weekend. Those days were filled with great fun and laughter. This is what wheeling is all about. Safe fun and I agree, getting home in one piece. Another quality vid Matt. Love the GOBRO. 😂 Keep up the great work 👏👏👏

I had a 80 series dead standed then I put a 5 inch lift and 35s and lockers on it. To tell the truth I had more fun driving it when it was standed and really it was more capable. When it was the standed hight! Great video Matt!

I love this. Finding the limits, working together, comms, positive energy

I had an 02 forester with 2" lift and 29" TSL tires. People were wowed when I was passing them on the trail. Also had a yj on tons and 40s subaru was way more fun. But took a lot of momentum and picking the right line.

I go on offroad trips all the time With buddies like this

Credit to them indeed. the outback is shod with A/T or H/T tyres, no diff locks. Very impressive Mr. T! The comparison should be with similarly equipped 4x4's no diff locks etc. Subarus are extremely capable 4x4's. My completely standard forester has done a few off-road excursions including Werribee tracks. A friend of mine has several acres near Buxton that we drove the forester around where he normally drives his Land Cruiser (35's, muddies, diff locks..) and he was certain we wouldn't get through the tracks there. He freaked when we gently drove around the full circuit in the forester.

Dez, no seatbelt, one handed, with a beer.

We had an old 82 wagon at our beach shack. I learnt to drive in it in 92 when I was 12. Beach launched the tinny alone, drove into town to get fuel. Put foot on the brake, all the seatbelts came undone, drivers floor pan didn't exist, never serviced, bald tyres. Best F#%king vehicle, I loved that thing.

Thank you Matt, for an excellent critique and I definitely agree with most of your points. Firstly the Outback was running the same tyres as I was, but it was an older series that didn't have the same tc as I did. Secondly due to how slippery the track was on big angles, neither vehicle would have successfully navigated the high line near the end, as Troy showed as he was passing the log ( a massive amount of side slippage (( this angle was much smoother than the final climb )). And Lastly, this climb was the main event for all of us for the day, I hope to be a huge advocate of not drinking and driving trails in excess, I have been on trips with people pouring alchohol into them for hours and I share your sentiment. I deemed one drink at the end of that climb to not be pushing my limits..... and Thankyou so much again for taking the time to review and comment and critique this video. Best Wishes for the channel in the future.

Thanks Matt. Almost no one starts out with a 'built rig' and it is a lot of fun learning. You are right, you can have just as much fun with a less capable rig on a trail that challenges it. I have a built jeep and a Chevy Colorado. Sometimes it's fun to take the Colorado out because I have to pick the lines more carefully. Thanks for encouraging folks to go out and try. This is how we keep the trails open.

I’ve got a Subaru Forester and it’s awesome off road and love getting out there and having fun

I know that sticking your finger up at us was accidental but it was bloody hilarious. I went half way around Aus in a Subie DL wagon in the 90's and got bogged a stuck so many times but got myself out every time with a jack, a chain block and some rope. I'll never forget the look on the National Parks ranger's face at the top of Mt Barrington lol. I'm with ya on the drinking also, the cost when something goes wrong can be unbearable so why ad to the risk? Nothing ruins the day more then a stupid accident so wait till your back at camp so your mates can get pissed with ya.

I just found your channel, and off road recovery and wheeling in general. I've mostly ridden dual sports my whole life, so this is all new to me. How I got interested was a couple weeks ago getting stuck in 2 feet of snow, and high-centered on compacted snow, and ruts caused by an off road club. They were out there drinking and one of their trucks got stuck and just kept spinning tires and tore up the road. We drove up the trail, came around a corner in a dark valley, with steep sides of the trail, and saw them in our way. We helped the guy get his truck unstuck by towing him backward, out of the ruts he made. When we tried it, we got stuck trying to get through those big ruts. The sun was going down, and the temperatures were around 40F, and plummeting. Before they left, they gave a half-hearted attempt to pull us, but the way we were situated, this motion caused our 4Runner to slide sideways, and end up hanging over a valley edge, because the person wouldn't accept any direction from our guys, and was clearly too drunk to think straight. Their club decided they would call an off road recovery service for us and that it was better for us to wait for the recovery person. Then they left us there. We unfortunately didn't plan for to get stuck [no one does], and all of my personal recovery equipment was in a different vehicle. The night got better. I made a campfire in the dirt and waited an hour and a half for the recovery person to join us. He was an older guy, and clearly very competent and experienced. He had much better equipment, and knew exactly how to use it. I was so impressed by our quick recovery that I asked to join him in the future for recoveries, and found myself watching these kinds of videos and others, to learn more. I just found your channel because you remind me of the guy who helped us, and clearly know your stuff. I'll binge watch a lot of your videos this week, and hopefully get back out there with more knowledge. I've been camping in the same place hundreds of times, and it's not a difficult place to get to, it was the snow and torn up trail that caused the issue. I've owned 11 Subarus, and have taken every one of them into the mountains on trails and tracks like this, but mostly more mellow ones. I've high-centered a 97 Impreza Outback Sport on chunky rocks and used the car's jack to get unstuck. I've crossed floodwaters at speed, just to get onto the safe side of a flash flood situation, in a 98 Outback. I had an 02 Forester with snow tires and it would easily drive through a foot of snow, and basically never break traction. I love them for easy off roading trips. When I was younger I'd hit turns with speed and slide them around a bit too.

My friend has an o5 subaru forester xt on a 5 inch lift with long travel and that thing is...its a tank good lord

They are definitely just having a Blast with a Subi and some Maxi Trax Boards There doing an amazing job not to bad on the lines there following 13:00

I had a 1980 Subaru GL that went off road more than most other vehicles I have owned. It was not ideal, but it did far more than most expect.

We owned a Renault Duster 4wd and started driving some level 1 and 2 obstacles in it and it amazing. Learned plenty in it and the fact is everyones idea of off roading is different, seen guys in Jeeps Rubicons refusing to do simple stuff as they werent comfortable doing it.

We just did some “easy” tracks that were on a bit of a climb, it was so dry and dusty so traction was an issue even at 20PSI.

Woah mate, great video, and utterly awesome attitude!!! When I off road my Subie, it's interesting, because, the attitudes are different depending on where I am. Over in the states, we don't have the "outback" like you all do, sadly, but, we do have some nice public use lands in the western United States. I started off roading on the east coast, which is more built up, and most 4x4's are for show or grocery getters, and too many of their owners had attitudes against SUVs on the trails. It was a nice and welcome change to go out west to the public use lands, and find serious off roaders with all sorts of rigs and builds, all respecting each other's builds and choices, and helping each other, no matter what they drove. I've spotted Jeeps and Land Cruisers in tough spots, and they've spotted me. So glad to see someone else so passionate about how much fun it can be, no matter what you drive, because of the unique or different experiences each type of vehicle brings to off-roading. Kudos!!! 💯

Hey Matt Just saw your video here/, , I own an outback as well the 2.5 manual though, and I have driven it in ruts like these but not at such distance, due to oldness of tyres. It would nt be safe. I was amazed at what it could do and realized it when I reached the end of my journey in a beach in Chios Greece , where Im hailling, where the lowest car was a pumped up Jimny 35 cm off the ground ! And I was at the time at the stock height. As you always say though , watch your lines and use what you have available ;) It worked for me and those blokes in your vid. Good work all around guys :)

Well done highlighting that fun can be had in different ways depending on the vehicle. I think many of us sometimes forget that we don't need a specific vehicle or accessories to conquer all tracks and the achievement of making it up a track is (I believe) proportional to the vehicle's capabilities (or lack of). I think it's important to remind ourselves of this. ps. when referring to tracks I'm not referring to dirt roads which 2wd vehicles are able to "conquer". Thanks for the content MM, cheers

I agree Drinking while wheeling is a No no for me also last several Times i went offroading there was a Bunch of woman thst showed up to join us and We all told them no because they had a bunch of beer already empty in there rigs

Always good seeing something not so 'built' driving some technical tracks, goes to show driver skill and the right line for that vehicle will generally go further then all the gear and no idea. agree, seatbelts definitely need to be worn after seeing 4wds get put on their side, my seatbelt's the first thing I put on, even before starting the car. Agree 100% on the drinking out on the tracks. I can put up with a passenger doing it to an extent, but no excuse if you're driving or spotting. 4wding you're doing 3 or 4 things at once, and mistakes are easier to make then when on the road. No reason at all not to wait a little longer till you get to camp

Great vid ❤

You have had some really good videos lately

Hey Matt, could you share the link for the original video. I'd like to see more from these guys

Ahhhh this hill 😂 its a truely amazing area to go 4wding in, its also changes alot when its wet as the mud can turn to sticky sticky clay

I just did the Bloomfield track in my 2005 outback. Plenty of water crossings. A couple of quite steep hills.

subarus don't have lsd's but they do use wheel braking to distribute power to the wheels that need it. Not quite as aggressive as an lsd but same goal.

Matt, I have an '02 Subaru Outback with the flat 6 and automatic... Only mod is a roof rack. I would worry about high-centering it. I use it for hauling car parts and landscaping mulch. I will say it's a blast on gravel or deep snow☺

Fun video!

My first off-road driving experience was driving a Mini Moke! It was amazing where that front-wheel drive could take you with a bit of skill.

Got the 2005 with center lockable and rear lsd with at/mud tyres that huve half a inch lift. Better than it has any right to be.

I've wheeled with a couple here in the USA. The lack of a low range 4wd just really hurts them off road. The limited range of suspension travel causes tires to come way off the ground, which is common in all IFS vehicles but more pronounced in Subis. Low ground ground clearance increases their chances of getting body / undercarriage damage. The guys I wheeled with removed their front and rear bumpers to gain more clearance. I thought that was smart!

Up here in the pacific northwest there are subaru clubs. I personally drove one but they can go pretty well. I was more in my stock Jeep cherokees and Chevy Blazer.

LSD will depend on the trim level. If it's a base model like mine it will be open diff but the higher trims have an LSD. You can get a torque locker for the open diffs though that help a lot.

Yep , I’m with you on the drinking

I’ve owned 2 Foresters and an Impreza RV too, great vehicles and go almost anywhere, I never went as extreme as these guys; but I prefer my current LC150

I had an 08 Liberty Wagon as a company car, and humorously while it was on 17” rims with 50 series tyres, because it was manual, it had a dual range gearbox! I drove it across a few damp wet grass paddocks, but not much more than that. After that, I had two X-Trail diesels, and they had awesome traction control for mild fun outings.

I agree Matt a very underrated I had a 2015 outback with the x mode brilliant. Different are tucked up and are small. Just know its limits. The expression on a Patrol owner or a Cruiser owner at the top of a hill is priceless.🤣🤣 Awsome on the beach to so light.

That outback has been raised. It's noticeably higher (greater clearance between wheels and guards) than mine. Also bigger wheels/non STD tyres.

Great video Matt! I have a 2010 subi outback and absolutely love it! Added a exhaust recently and going to get some AT tires on it soon too, it's amazing how capable these are off road. I agree more people need to get out and do some off roading in there Subarus!

The symetrical AWD gives the Subaru the ability to "walk" and fly over the Maxtrax board. only in Subaru you can make it.

Writing this before watching the video, the answer had better be: yes they are absolute weapons 😂

Thanks Matt! They are great as they are accessible, cheaper then 4wd including parts, and generally safe cars. I have a 06 Lifted SG Forester and it's been great learning on, best part is you can have a set up Subaru rig for well under 10K. Please check out Alex at Subaru Offroad Aus on RU-vid, he is the top of Subaru offroading

I miss my '00 Legacy Wagon. Despite its ground clearance of two inches😄 and street tyres it never let me down. Its manual trans and low gears made it very capable on uneven ground. Deep mud? I wasn't that stupid

Have to say I would be a little unsure about taking my Pajero on that track. I'm sure it would do it but some of those angles & ruts would have me concerned. You mentioned about them learning to pick their lines better and becoming better drivers being in smaller cars & I say the same with the Pajero being IFS & IRS, It is not just point & shoot like some of the big rigs with all the gear and I like that a lot more, You have to think. I wonder after watching this how my wife's Ford Escape would go on something like this. No LSD, no lift or anything but it does have AWD/4WD, not that she would let me drive something like this with it lol. As for the drinking at the end, I'm with you Matt, the alcohol should wait until you are at camp. I've been on runs with people drinking and it worries me not just for their safety but for that of others plus if it is a day trip they have now been drinking all day when entering back onto the main roads coming home.

Interesting video! Hopefully he is not regretting sending his video to you after that last comment about drink driving! :)) But it was so true (y)

Having driven a Subaru Forester off-road. They are super great at getting you into a lot of places. But if you try to play with the big boys you end up breaking things and causing unnecessary damage to the track.

The Outback had AT tyres but to me they looked very road bias, he might have done better with a more off road bias tyre

Matt, the Elephant in the room for me is...why are those tracks rutted the way they are? I think there's a lot people out there with the lifted rigs, 35s and too much time watching other popular RU-vid channels where flooring it and churning up tracks replaces skill and common sense. If the tracks are wet and it's raining, don't go tearing up the terrain just because you can, that's selfish...because anyone without your setup will NOT be able to use the track in future (wet or dry) not to mention the environmental impact followed by those tracks eventually being shut down for all. Remember, fire trails are first and foremost for the RFS/CFA, if they can't get their trucks in there because of the bogans that love to just "send it", eventually we'll have no where left to go.

Well… Two fingers are also rude in some places 😂😂😂

Thanks Matt - I learnt from owning 12 yes 12 Subarus is that you really need to approach eccentric tracks and modestly shallow river crossings with a lot of common sense - my ‘97 automatic Forester was incredibly capable especially while climbing steep rocky tracks in Deua National Park NSW - in fact it simply negotiated each metre with an interesting clawing motion as the AWD system engaged axles, diffs and brakes and that’s with simple Yokohama Geolandar A/Ts, no lift kit and full of camping gear - when I arrived at the camping ground traditional 4WD folk were stunned - I can speak with some authority that Subaru has the best AWD (always there) in the industry - the rest are pretenders with their ‘on demand’ systems that never work well because it’s too late when you need the grip and traction in a micro second - I drive a Toyota Hilux now because Subaru introduced the flawed CVT in 2013 across all models and I wanted a setup with more space hence an aluminium canopy - for ground clearance and light off-roading and reliability the ‘97-‘00 Foresters (owned 4) were the best - ‘03-‘07 Foresters were noisy inside the cabin, plagued with head gaskets issues, corroding window glass motors, failing and leaking sunroofs - headlights that filled with water and lens becoming opaque - ‘08 - ‘10 have a lot of engine failures and no coolant temperature gauge (hence a lot of engine failures) - in the middle of that gen Subaru moved to the oil leaking FA/FB series engine and still worse now with the current gen that also has failing CVTs, cracking windshields that have the iSight system (glass is too thin), annoying stop/start and vague steering which is why you can buy a ‘13 model for less than $8k now and if you want one make sure you’ve got another $5k to replace the CVT.

Hey Matt i do believe that the Subaru's are quite capable as they get so underrated for off road use I can see they have their pros and cons but look at the rally heritage back when Colin mcrae was do the WRC rally the all wheel drive system of what I've learnt is a pretty good bit of kit I'd be keen to have a go

Awesome

I have an Outback that I’ve had for almost 8 years now. While it is interesting to see one handle some pretty gnarly tracks, I don’t think it’s the car for that sort of adventure. I would say it shines in the following areas. One, it’s a nice, practical car that’s easy to live with just around town. Two, if you take it on a trip it’ll carry a fair bit of gear, especially if you add a cargo carrier on top. You’ll drive comfortably to your destination and get good fuel economy along the way. Finally, with its good clearance and with proper tires it’ll handle most dirt roads including some rough spots just fine getting you to favorite fishing holes or camping spots. I’ve even seen hunters attach a flat tray to the trailer hitch and put a dead deer on it. They’re good vehicles but they have their limits, and these guys were finding them.

100% agree that learning on a “less capable” platform really makes you understand line choice and how to drive. The drivers skill is taking priority over the capability of the vehicle, not the other way around. You can always buy a more capable vehicle, but you can’t instantly become a better driver.

The outback diffs will lock through the traction control sytem. They are supposed to be capable of single wheel traction where the other 3 wheels have slipped. There are RU-vid videos of vehicle tests and comparisons between competing manufacturers like Volvo, VW considered to be the same class.

Check all drive Subaru videos its pretty impressive witj the low range and LSDs

Matt when are you going to do a piece on a front recovery point. You have done the rear but we need the other end you know the one at other end. With out the whole story the rear recovery piece you did is worthless. Please do one soon.

Aloha 1st timer here amigo Basically beach driving Nth Island west coast snow up coming. 2017 vx forester outback sth white guy to follow NZ

So are auto cars generally better for offroading than manual transmissions?

Subarus may not be the best off road, but they’re the best for the price in class…. My new base model Crosstrek is cheaper than a Civic or VW golf and can handle trails and such, 9” lifted, what more can you ask for,,,?

Since Subaru uses CVTs, what's going to happen to them after offroading?

Nice finger work HAHAHA

No apostrophes.

Nope. My 21 Outback will not get all dirty in sand and mud. It can if it wants to but nope I forbid it.

The older models aren't that great, but the current model Forester with X-mode is very effective and surprising off-road. The old gen outbacks have never been that good.

So what your saying is yes you can do these trails in a Subaru, should you be a brand new Subaru driver with a stock Subaru doing these trails, NO!

it's fun until you get stuck and there's no 4wd around to save your day.

To the owners.... if it says "4x4 only".... your awd does NOT count... go home.

had a sabaru omega had 4L with the low centre of gravity you could go on any angle on really step hills and would never roll