A viral clip shared by automotive-focused X account Horsepower37559 on X has reignited one of winter driving’s oldest arguments. A white Subaru coupe, believed to be a Subaru BRZ or mechanically related Toyota GR86, is seen buried in deep snow while traffic cruises past with little drama.
The video’s punchline hinges on Subaru’s reputation for all-wheel-drive capability. Online commenters mocked the stranded coupe for lacking the brand’s famous Symmetrical AWD system, with one caption joking, “you dont have that kind of Subaru bro 🤣.”
Yet the clip exposes a deeper truth many drivers still misunderstand. Traction in snow depends far more on tires than on the number of driven wheels.
Modern AWD systems distribute torque across multiple wheels, improving a vehicle’s ability to accelerate on slippery surfaces. That advantage disappears fast when the tires themselves cannot generate enough grip against snow, slush, or ice.
Awd Helps You Go, Tires Help You Control
For decades, automakers including Subaru, Audi, and Toyota have marketed AWD as the ultimate winter solution. The message resonated strongly in snowy regions where drivers associate four driven wheels with confidence and safety. The physics are more complicated.
AWD only determines how engine torque reaches the ground. Tires determine how much grip exists in the first place. If a tire cannot bite into snow or maintain flexibility in freezing temperatures, even the most advanced driveline becomes ineffective.
Winter tires use softer rubber compounds engineered to remain pliable below roughly 45 degrees Fahrenheit or 7 degrees Celsius. Summer and many performance-oriented all-season tires harden in cold weather, drastically reducing their ability to conform to icy or snowy road surfaces.
That distinction matters enormously for vehicles like the BRZ and GR86 twins. These lightweight sports coupes prioritize dry-road handling and steering feel, often shipping with low-profile summer tires optimized for warm pavement rather than packed snow.
A rear-wheel-drive car equipped with proper winter tires will often outperform an AWD vehicle riding on worn or summer-focused rubber. Independent winter testing from organizations across North America and Europe has repeatedly demonstrated this, especially during braking and cornering exercises.
Braking Is Where Winter Accidents Happen
The misconception surrounding AWD becomes dangerous because many drivers interpret it as a universal safety upgrade. In reality, AWD primarily improves acceleration from a stop. It does almost nothing to shorten stopping distances.
Every vehicle on the road, whether front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, or AWD, relies on the same four contact patches during braking. If the tires lack grip, the vehicle slides regardless of drivetrain layout.
This explains why heavily marketed AWD crossovers still end up in ditches during winter storms. Drivers feel confident accelerating onto snowy roads, only to discover too late that momentum and braking obey the limits of tire traction, not marketing slogans.
The Subaru in the viral clip likely suffered from multiple disadvantages at once. Its low ride height may have caused snow buildup beneath the chassis, reducing weight on the driven wheels and further limiting traction. Performance tires would have compounded the issue by struggling to clear packed snow from the tread blocks.
Deep shoulder snow is also notoriously difficult for low-slung sports cars. Even rally-inspired AWD systems can become helpless once the vehicle begins riding on compressed snow rather than allowing the tires to dig down to firmer pavement.
The Tire Industry Has Been Saying This for Years
Tire engineers have long argued that consumers overestimate drivetrain importance while underestimating tire technology. Tread design, siping patterns, rubber chemistry, and temperature operating windows influence winter performance more than most drivers realize.
Whatever happened to the famous SAWD? That’s what makes a Subaru a Subaru, right? https://t.co/ooVBe2aiks
— Cars&Horsepower (@Horsepower37559) May 21, 2026
Dedicated winter tires feature thousands of tiny cuts called sipes that create additional biting edges on ice. Their tread patterns are also designed to eject slush and packed snow instead of clogging.
That engineering difference can transform a modest front-wheel-drive sedan into a surprisingly capable winter machine. Conversely, an AWD performance car wearing ultra-high-performance summer tires can become nearly immobile once temperatures plunge.
The viral Subaru clip works as internet comedy, but it also illustrates a stubborn automotive myth. AWD is valuable, especially for climbing hills and launching in poor conditions, yet tires remain the single most important component connecting any vehicle to the road. In winter driving, the badge on the trunk matters far less than the rubber beneath it.