Customer Uses All-New Ranger to Drive 2,400 Miles through Washington’s Winter Storm of the Century
The mid-size truck segment has been exploding over the last five years, and we wanted to give customers what they were asking for. This is especially true for those who need a durable and capable truck that handles the harshest of weather conditions. Steven Vargas, who lives in the Seattle area, grew up in Los Angeles and had no problem cruising the streets of L.A. in his front-wheel drive Mitsubishi Lancer. Once he experienced his first winter in Seattle getting stuck in snow regularly and dealing with poor traction, he knew he had to move on to a vehicle capable of handling the elements.
Steven purchased a Subaru WRX, which got him through a few years of harsh weather conditions in the Pacific Northwest. However, Steven wanted a vehicle that better suited his adventurous lifestyle. Spontaneous weekend trips to Montana during the winter, which is about a 1,000-mile roundtrip, are not out of the question for him. Hiking, biking and kayaking are weekly activities for Steven, and he needed a vehicle that could complement his active life while being able to withstand heavy snow, rain and ice.
He also needed a vehicle suitable for his personal life. Steven said moving into his house he bought two years ago was a pain with the WRX’s limited space. His girlfriend, Silvia, planned to move in soon from Los Angeles, so he needed a vehicle that could haul her belongings up to Seattle. In addition, the WRX wasn’t able to fully support his outdoor activities, with its lack of ground clearance on backwoods trails and limited storage for his kayaks and camping equipment.
Steven purchased a Subaru WRX, which got him through a few years of harsh weather conditions in the Pacific Northwest. However, Steven wanted a vehicle that better suited his adventurous lifestyle. Spontaneous weekend trips to Montana during the winter, which is about a 1,000-mile roundtrip, are not out of the question for him. Hiking, biking and kayaking are weekly activities for Steven, and he needed a vehicle that could complement his active life while being able to withstand heavy snow, rain and ice.
He also needed a vehicle suitable for his personal life. Steven said moving into his house he bought two years ago was a pain with the WRX’s limited space. His girlfriend, Silvia, planned to move in soon from Los Angeles, so he needed a vehicle that could haul her belongings up to Seattle. In addition, the WRX wasn’t able to fully support his outdoor activities, with its lack of ground clearance on backwoods trails and limited storage for his kayaks and camping equipment.
This first road trip happened just last month. In February, Seattle was hit with its biggest February snow storm in more than 50 years. Coincidently, this was the same time he was moving Silvia from Los Angeles to Seattle. Steven drove 1,200 miles to Los Angeles, packed Silvia’s stuff and they drove 1,200 miles back – all in the span of 56 hours. It was the worst driving conditions Steven had ever experienced, and he witnessed dozens of cars sliding off the highway and into each other. The two reached home safely and were able to make it through their last checkpoint – the neighborhood hill – by putting the truck into 4-low. This is something Steven notes the WRX wouldn’t be able to handle, and the two would have been parking the car at the bottom of the hill.
Steven’s Ranger faced a grueling road trip one month after being purchased, and it continues to be put to good use during hiking trips and treks to downtown Seattle. He plans to document his blizzard-free adventures in the new Ranger this summer.
