Rain, Mud or Shine: Safe Driving in any Weather

There are few continents with such extreme weather as Asia. From monsoon rains in Thailand to deluges of mud in the Philippines to slippery descents in Malaysia — this isn’t an easy region to drive in.

Weathering the storm

We’ve all been on a journey when the windshield wipers feel futile against a deluge, or the tires struggle to get a grip on slippery roads. In such situations, it can feel like you’re just moments away from the type of dramatic car accident you only see in movies.

Luckily, these aren’t problems all drivers have to contend with. But the following three weather-related scenarios do represent a number of different challenges that impact drivers everywhere. And, to be on the safe side, we’ve also shown why driving a Subaru may be the best solution.

Low visibility: In Asia, the skies can open so fast that you could lose almost all visibility in just a second. It’s good to know that Subaru’s rain-sensing wipers will kick into action promptly, ensuring your visibility is never compromised. To further maximize visibility, an impressively wide windshield with thin front pillars and large windows gives everyone a perfect view.

If it gets hazy out there, your first instinct is to switch on your headlights. But don’t rely on your high beams, say experts. Smog will reflect the light back into your eyes, making it even more difficult to see what’s ahead. It also alters your perception of the road - from the distance in front of you, to your ability to tell whether you’re in the correct lane. In these situations, you’ll want to keep the lights down low.

But we all know what it’s like to be blinded by the high beams of an approaching vehicle, which can make seeing the road difficult and driving dangerous. To solve this problem, Subaru engineers designed High Beam Assist . If activated, the system automatically switches from high-to-low beams when it detects oncoming vehicles.

And if driving on unlit bendy roads at night makes you nervous, take comfort in Subaru’s Steering Responsive Headlights. These swivel as you steer, so you can see what’s coming as you’re turning corners. Subaru’s LED headlamps include pop-up high-pressure washers to ensure the lights aren’t caked with mud, hampering visibility. Plus, there are LED fog lamps on the front of the car so that, even on the darkest night, other drivers can spot your car easily.

We all know what it’s like to be blinded by the high beams of an approaching vehicle, which can make driving dangerous.

Dangerous descent: Of course there are times when even perfect vision isn’t enough to navigate the road safely, especially when heavy tropical rains turn roads into rivers of mud. In these situations, traction is everything, and the ability to tackle the changing road conditions in an instant can be critical.

Subaru’s X-Mode is the answer. Combined with Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive (SAWD), X-Mode activates different settings to adjust to different road conditions (or lack-of-road conditions). For example, let’s say you’re on a family road trip to Malaysia’s Cameron Highlands, known for stunning views and challengingly steep hilltop roads. X-Mode’s Hill Descent Control will automatically maintain your downhill speed at no more than 20km/h, by applying the brakes accordingly, allowing you to descend the steepest of hills with complete control.

Nasty corners: Going too quickly into sharp turns can cause something known as ‘understeer.’ This is when the front tires of your car lose grip and it feels like the centrifugal force is pushing you away from your intended direction. By selectively applying the brakes of the nearside wheels, Subaru’s Active Torque Vectoring keeps the car on its intended course, and with the SAWD system delivering constant power to all four wheels, lets you safely negotiate virtually any turn.

So whatever challenging conditions you find yourself in, Subaru’s got a way to get you out safely.