The truck did the towing. The Subaru may have done the damage to itself.
If you have ever watched a car go by and thought, “That driver has absolutely no idea what they just did,” you now have company. A TikTok video posted by user @babyblue_e92 is getting attention after it captured what appeared to be a routine roadside tow. Captioned “who’s gonna tell him he just totaled his car,” the clip shows a Chevy pickup hauling what appears to be a Subaru Impreza with two wheels still rolling on the ground.
The Subaru looks perfectly fine on the outside. That is what made the video blow up. According to many commenters, though, the real damage in a situation like this could happen underneath the car, specifically in the drivetrain.
The clip quickly turned into a mix of automotive tech talk, arguing, and internet comedy. Some people insisted the Subaru was doomed. Others argued everyone was overreacting. A few pointed out the driveshaft may have been disconnected, which would completely change the situation.
Why Readers Say This Tow Could Be a Problem
@babyblue_e92 Chat do we think he knows he just totaled his Subaru ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ #colorado #subaru #subaruimprezawrxsti #subie #tow ♬ original sound – E92John
One of the first corrections readers made was that this does not appear to be a WRX STI. Multiple commenters pointed out that the rear badge identifies the car as an Impreza, and that is the safer description based on the video.
The bigger debate centered around the tow setup itself. AWD Subarus should generally not be pulled on a dolly with two wheels on the road unless the driveline has been disconnected or the car has otherwise been prepared for it.
Several readers also pointed out that putting the car in neutral does not automatically solve the problem. The rear wheels can still spin drivetrain components, including the rear differential and driveshaft, while the vehicle is moving.
That is why many Subaru owners and mechanics recommend using a flatbed, with all four wheels completely off the ground.
There is one important caveat, though: some commenters noted this type of tow can be done safely if the rear driveshaft is disconnected first. Since the video does not show whether that happened, there is no way to know from the clip alone if this particular Impreza was actually damaged.
The Neutral Debate Took Over the Comments
A surprising amount of the argument came down to one word: neutral.
Some commenters insisted that if the Subaru was in neutral, there was nothing to worry about. Others pushed back, explaining that neutral does not disconnect every rotating component in an AWD drivetrain.
That turned the comments into a full-blown tech debate involving manual transmissions, automatic transmissions, center differentials, clutch packs, and towing setups. At one point, the comments honestly started reading like a Subaru forum thread from 2007.
What This Viral Tow Can Teach Car Owners
Regardless of whether this particular Subaru was damaged, the video became a useful reminder that towing is not one-size-fits-all. Different drivetrains have different rules, and assuming every vehicle can be towed the same way can become a very expensive mistake.
If you own an AWD vehicle, many owners and mechanics recommend requesting a flatbed whenever possible. It eliminates the biggest risk because all four wheels stay off the ground.
The internet may not always agree on anything, but this video at least managed to accidentally teach thousands of people how AWD towing works.
Update: An earlier version of this article identified the Subaru as a WRX STI. Based on reader feedback and the rear badging visible in the video, the vehicle appears to be a Subaru Impreza. The article has also been updated to clarify that some AWD Subarus can be dolly-towed if the driveshaft is disconnected, though it is unclear whether that was done in this case.