Here arrival video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8-HpK5MbNI
The arrival I will lay out later

 

First, sorry for my bad english, i'm french Canadian.

To be honest with you guys, i'm pretty disapointed with my Outlander XLS 2010 (S-AWC) i got 235-55-18 Hankook KW-11 studded winter tire and realy, i'm not that impress.

First, prior to my outlander, i've got a Subaru and an audi Quattro. so it easy to me to match them up all together.

First point of all, why to the spend there time to add The tarmac mode ? Really, the only thing i can get with the tarmac mode is torque steer and Front wheels spin. after numerous MPH test between tarmac and snow, i do not find any advantage on milleage with a full tank.

second, the S-AWC do not seem to work with the "traction control" off. and that a big fail to me. How can i exploit such a system when at the first wheel spin, the traction control kick in.

i got stock twice with it in snow and i made the same constatation.

The AWD work way better with the traction control activate BUT, when the traction control is activated, it do not allow wheels spin. So at the end, the AWD start to dig out and the traction control shut it off.

When you try to unactivate the traction control, you only get traction on the wheel that do not get traction. Then you enable the TC and the SUV start to move back and find traction where it is. But again, the TC shut it off.

sorry for my bad english but i hope you get the point.

So to me, to get fun with this AWD system, it should be working EVEN when the TC is off. This is not the case.

So at the end of the day, this is nothing less than SUV with winter skill and not, a sport SUV.

 

As I am sorry for my English, as I - Russian. I will share operating experience of the Outlander XL 3.0 in winter conditions.
Deep snow. Is better Out goes in a transmission mode 4WD lock, with disconnected system ASC.
Very deep snow (30-50 sm) is better for overcoming "course", for the speed. If all the same the car has risen - don't suppose proslipping of wheels, and that the car "will be dug". Try "in a swing", forward-back.
Diagonal posting - without a shovel you don't pull out the car.
Ice. On country highway, speed of 90-120 km/hour, is better 2WD or 4WD Auto, system ASC is included.
In a city or on country roads (a track, the rolled snow), speed of 30-70 km/hour, a mode 4WD Auto, system ASC is included. In especially difficult cases - 4WD Lock.

Good luck on roads.

 

I doubt S-AWC would be less advanced than AWC with ASC off. The front to back split is very noticeable in 4WD lock with AWC, as I can get the back to fishtail while accelerating easily. I tried it with 4WD lock with ASC off, and I would not recommend it unless you have tons of space to drift. With ASC it brings the back in line very quickly under the same circumstances.
4WD auto will not result in fishtailing.

I would find a parking lot and test it out. I am running on the stock Yokohama Geolander tires, and its very good for fresh snow. I personally keep it in 4WD lock for anything other than dry roads.

Keep in mind the V6 has peak torque at about 4000 rpm, so you want to accelerate slowly unless you want wheel spin. Its like driving diesel basically...you can mitigate it by starting in 2nd gear.

 

The big role is played by tires.
On mine Out winter tires with thorns GoodYear Ultra Grip 500 dimension 225/70 R16 are established.
On friable snow behave excellently, good course stability, practically without drifts.

 

My experience that happened to me on several occasions with ASC on and on 4WD Lock position with Geolander stock tires on 2-3 cm of snow while turning left or right on intersection at low speed....fishtailing! Disappointing!

 

this is the main reason why i ditched the OEM Geolandar right after driving the car out the dealership. those tires couldn't even keep a straightline on a dry highway. i strongly suggest getting winter tires.
like IVANZ said, with the V6, keep it easy on acceleration.

 

Duh....Geolandars....

get snows genius

 

I guess you've never driven a RWD car before, which is essentially what the Outlander becomes when in 4WD lock and moderate acceleration. 60% of torque to the rear = light fishtailing.
I dare you to try the exact same with a RWD car with high torque at low revs...you would up facing direction from which you were coming. Most others SUVs are FWD until it slips, then it adds a small percentage of torque to the rear.
If you don't like it, keep it in 2WD or 4WD auto. Likewise, get real snow tires. Only reason I don't was because snow is a freak occurrence here for a day or two per year.

 

And I have got stuck yesterday in snow.
There was a snow, road - country, friable snow depth approximately 30-40 see
Speed was about 40 km/hour. Went in a mode 4WD Lock, ASC it is disconnected. The car went exactly, slightly ransacked on the parties, but within the lane.
Has approached on a summer residence, and there snow depth 50-70 see Has stopped, has landed friends. When they have returned began to go a backing on the track - the car costs. As a result "villages on a belly". A shovel has dug out snow from under the car (a shovel in the winter always I drive with myself in a luggage carrier) and has left.
The big minus Outlander - короткоходная a suspension bracket. When the car "sits down on a belly" the shovel will help only.