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2020 Subaru Outback, 2020 Subaru Forester, 2020 Subaru Crosstrek
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By Denis Flierl Mar 21 2020 - 2:00pm

How To Use Your Subaru Properly-Part One

If you own a Subaru Forester, Outback, or Crosstrek and you have more time on your hands now because of the coronavirus, here’s how to use your vehicle properly. Part 1.
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You own a Subaru Forester, Outback, or Crosstrek, you have more time on your hands because of the coronavirus, and you need a good distraction. With spring here now, it’s a good time to get outside, enjoy the sunshine, and use your Subaru vehicle properly. Part 1.

The Subaru brand has always been known for its off-road “go-anywhere" attitude that sets it apart from all other all-wheel-drive SUVs. It shouldn’t be sitting in your garage. The newly-refreshed 2020 Forester, Outback, and Crosstrek SUVs all come with a unique feature that makes it a true outdoor-oriented vehicle for recreation enthusiasts and families that want to get away from civilization. It’s called X-Mode, have you used it?

2020 Subaru Outback, 2020 Subaru Forester, 2020 Subaru Crosstrek
Here is how to use your Subaru properly

Subaru brings the extreme off-road feature no other brand offers on its vehicles. Forester, Outback and Crosstrek models come equipped with the X-Mode system which made its debut on the 2014 Forester. Any family driver can engage it easily by simply flipping a switch on the console.



Using your Subaru vehicle properly- Part 1

Instead of sitting on the couch watching Netflix movies, take your Subaru off the beaten path and find an off-road trail. Get away to the backcountry for mountain biking, mountain climbing or a camping excursion. The air is clean and fresh, and there’s no way you will be exposed to any virus. Just don’t drink the water from a mountain stream or you could get Giardia!

2020 Subaru Outback, 2020 Subaru Forester, 2020 Subaru Crosstrek
Get off the beaten path

The highest and best use of your Subaru Forester, Outback, or Crosstrek is to find a steep trail or use it to forge a stream. Without any modifications, your vehicle has enough ground clearance and the all-wheel-drive system is designed to handle some rough terrain. Make sure you have good all-terrain or winter M+S rated tires or you could get stuck in the mud.

The 2020 Subaru Forester, Outback, and Crosstrek are perfect vehicles to get you away from the craziness in urban areas going on right now. Pack up your gear, and get away for a while. Stay tuned for Part 2.

You Might Also Like: Spring Guide - What Makes Subaru Vehicles Best For Your Outdoor Adventures

Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a variety of roles. All of his reports are archived on our Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Subaru Report. Check back tomorrow for more Subaru news and updates at Torque News!

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Comments

Rob wrote on March 22, 2020 - 2:26am
Tone deaf article. People are dying from Corvid 19 and Denis Flierl is trivializing this epidemic by asking readers if they need a distraction? Drive your Subaru off road? Unreal. You should be ashamed of your lack of perspective. It truly is a lowpoint for torquenews.com and the "authour" of this insensitve fluff article. A waste in the digital space and a black eye to this site. Perhaps the editor needs to actually read what you all publish online.
Tony g wrote on March 22, 2020 - 10:55am
So how do you use the X-Mode? "Flip a switch" then what?. Can the car be moving when you swith modes? What gear do you have to be in to "flip the switch"? What is the maximum speed you can go in X-Mode? Are there any limitations to what you cant and can do in X-Mode? What happens if I leave the car in X-mode an go back on the highway?
Gary D wrote on January 22, 2021 - 3:40am
Yes u can hit the button any speed under 20mph. When I hit 20 it turns itself off. The awd system is adequate for most trails anyhow. Xmode gets you thru anything else. Literally. There is a vid of a crosstrek climbing a waterside w water going in xmode. Its insane feature.
Emma wrote on March 22, 2020 - 11:28am
As an outdoor enthusiast and hiking guide, I’m all for getting out and enjoying nature during these times- however It’s crucial people refrain from high risk activities (mountain biking, climbing, ski touring, etc) in the backcountry that could lead to possible need of SAR or responders.
Adam wrote on April 3, 2020 - 7:27am
Just getting around to reading this one now...I'm not sure what the editorial review looks like for this site but it sorely needs to be adjusted (even if just for Dennis' articles). The routine spelling and grammar errors, the seeming lack of automotive knowledge (regularly referring to "gears" in a CVT as an example), and the consistent tone deaf nature of these articles is one of the reasons I would never take something published by Torque News seriously. Between encouraging people to get their vehicles stuck off road and injure themselves in high risk activities (further burdening our poorly equipped medical system) and a previous article where he literally took a picture while driving and posted it, this guy should not be writing professionally.