I just returned from a snowboarding trip to Denver area, and we rented a V6 AWD Saturn Vue. I really liked the vehicle ride, size, style, and we did need AWD because of blowing snow, but I was a bit dissappointed with the GM versatrak AWD system. It seemed to be a bit psychotic, sometimes giviing understeer, other times oversteer. I had read where the system needs front wheel spin to deploy to AWD mode, but although you couldn't feel it engage with any clunk or anything, it wasn't seemless AWD I was hoping for. Has anyone had similar feelings on this system from GM?
I'd like to be able to "toss" a car rally style into a snowy turn and power through the turn in a four wheel drift if I want to. Although the 07 Vue didn't appear to have stability control, the psycho nature of the AWD system did not really lend itself to such spirited driving. If you "grandma'd" the vehicle, it would go really well in the snow, but don't ask for high performance from Versatrack in my experience.
I am a GM fan, but its dissappointing to compare the Versatrack system to the one in the Toyota RAV4 we rented a few years ago in Canada. Although the RAV4 was too small, had a sewing machine engine and was straining to exceed 100kph, its AWD system was freakin' amazing. I belive it used a viscous clutch sort of transaxle and was always engaged. It would pull with all 4 wheels instead of 2 or 3 that appears to be the normal of Versatrak - and it handled really well.
Perhaps one could find the wire to the system engagement and rig a manual switch to leave it turned on when you wanted, like a 4x4 system?
Scott