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Even a Subaru WRX STI Can’t Get Through This Much Snow [Video]

Subaru’s Galande Taxi Service featuring the 2017 WRX STI, had to postpone their events because of heavy snow in Japan. Why can't Subaru's AWD power through the snow?

Even Subaru’s 2017 Subaru WRX STI can’t get through the record snowfall in Japan. Subaru Japan had to postpone their popular “Galande Taxi 2017” events at the ski areas near Tokyo. Japan is in the grips of incredible snowfall just like here in the Rocky Mountains where snow totals just keep building up in the high country.

Subaru markets the new 2017 WRX STI to future performance fans on the ski slopes in a brilliant way in Japan. It’s called Subaru’s Galande Taxi. Subaru gives skiers free lifts in their all-wheel-drive vehicles up the ski slopes. What better way to show the all-wheel-drive capabilities of the WRX STI, Outback and Crosstrek? It’s brilliant marketing as winter sports are in high gear in Japan.

There’s too much snow even for a Subaru

Even with Subaru’s excellent Symmetrical AWD system, the capable all-weather vehicles have to stay parked at the ski areas near Tokyo, Japan. According to The Japan Times, the snowfall is so heavy, All Nippon Airways Co. and Japan Airlines Co. cancelled over 50 flights to or from areas on the Sea of Japan coast.

Over a 24-hour period through last Saturday morning, up to 70 centimeters of snow had fallen in Niigata, 52 cm in Nagano Prefecture and 46 cm in Toyama Prefecture. Temperatures plunged to minus 29.7 degrees Celsius (minus 21.5 Fahrenheit) in the Hokkaido village of Shimukappu, minus 14.9 in Kazuno in Akita Prefecture and minus 0.5 in downtown Tokyo.

The authorities were asking people in affected areas to stay home and be careful in removing snow. It’s a good thing Subaru sells lots of all-wheel-drive Foresters, Outbacks, Crosstreks and WRX STI vehicles in their home country. But at the higher elevations near the ski areas, even a Subaru WRX STI can’t get through this much snow.

Photo credit: Subaru