Subaru, together with authorised distributor, Motor Image Singapore, held its Regional Media All-Wheel Drive (AWD) Experience. Participants had a chance to get acquainted with a variety of Subaru vehicles on the AWD test track at the Grandstand, formerly known as Turf City.

The test drive was part of an effort to showcase the AWD capabilities of Subaru vehicles, which consisted of the Subaru BRZ, the Forester 2.0XT, the XV 2.0, and the XV 2.0 (CKD).

The experience consisted of a specially designed track where the Subaru Symmetrical AWD system and the Boxer engine were put to the test. More importantly, the course also demonstrated how Subaru vehicles perform as daily drivers.

The simulated tight cornering emphasised how these vehicles were designed for safety, performance, and comfort and also highlighted the different Subaru core technologies through a chicane, a slalom course and lastly emergency braking.

First up was the Forester. Although it is an SUV, taking the corners and putting it through its pace proved to be no mean feat for the Forester with assistance from the Symmetrical AWD system, providing the grip and stability it needed.

Next up was the XV. There were two variants available, the XV (CKD), assembled in Malaysia and the Japan-assembled XV. Participants played a 'compare and guess' game to find out which was which.

There were minor differences between the two versions and one of the more obvious ones was the steering setup in both cars. The Japan-made XV had an electronic steering setup while the XV (CKD) featured a hydraulic one which provided a better feedback to the driver. The other disparities were interior specifications like the sunroof, keyless start/stop, factory-fitted stereo as well as a full colour LCD screen as seen on the Japan-made XV.

Last but not least was the BRZ, the only car without the AWD system, and definitely the highlight of the show. With 200bhp and 205Nm of torque driven by the Boxer engine to its rear wheels, the sports coupe was agile and sharp in its steering with excellent body control thanks to its very low centre of gravity.