Just wondering what the cars like in the winter and in the snow?

 

Looking at getting some snow tyres if it's any good, i'll be living in the sticks so need to know

 

Thank you

Like just about every low powered , lightish,  front wheel drive car, good or very good.

Almost perfect with the correct tyres, and you can maybe fit a set that can stay on all year,

they can be good in the wet & cold as well as when there is some snow.

(Maybe get All Season/Cold Weather/Winter type tyres, rather than Snow Tyres.)

 

Sometimes the FWD small car on narrower tyres will cope better than a heavy AWD on Low Profile Summer Tyres behaves on icy or snowy roads..

 

That is on Prepared roads obviously where other vehicles are moving, 

because you do lack clearance, so you might belly out if the snow is too deep.

Sometimes going up hill and steering and braking and staying in control is easier than going down hill.

 

george

^^^ This.

Like just about every low powered , lightish,  front wheel drive car, good or very good.

Almost perfect with the correct tyres, and you can maybe fit a set that can stay on all year,

they can be good in the wet & cold as well as when there is some snow.

(Maybe get All Season/Cold Weather/Winter type tyres, rather than Snow Tyres.)

 

Sometimes the FWD small car on narrower tyres will cope better than a heavy AWD on Low Profile Summer Tyres behaves on icy or snowy roads..

 

That is on Prepared roads obviously where other vehicles are moving, 

because you do lack clearance, so you might belly out if the snow is too deep.

Sometimes going up hill and steering and braking and staying in control is easier than going down hill.

 

george

Thanks for that! I live in a hilly and high up area so this is handy! i'll be moving to a place on woodhead pass soon so need something that's good for that in the winter! 

Mine did a perfectly acceptable job in the harsh swedish winters.

In fact, i would say that unless you're stuck, it drives better in the winter than my Saab 9-5.

Agreed. They are tank-like too.

Sent from my S5 using Tapatalk

Agreed. They are tank-like too.

Sent from my S5 using Tapatalk

 

 

Mine did a perfectly acceptable job in the harsh swedish winters.

In fact, i would say that unless you're stuck, it drives better in the winter than my Saab 9-5.

That's lovely thank you, other half has a freelander 2 which is ok in the snow but not excellent, dad's always had Audi quattros which were amazing in the snow with proper tyres on. So it would of been pay a fortune for insurance on my partners car so i could drive that to work but now i know it's OK i'll get some proper winter tyres and be ready for it! 

With winter tyres you will do better in the snow than 4x4s with all season tyres on.

 

Winter tyres really do make a huge difference.

 

I had chance to compare them back to back a while ago when we had our Pug 306 1.9 D.

 

We went to Germany in winter with the all seasons on and couldn't get up the hill at the family's house. We then got winter tyres the next day and just drove straight up the hill without a problem! Was amazing.

 

Phil

Edited 24 June, 201411 yr by Phil-E

Yep, its not the car, its the tyres. Even a BMW will be fine on the correct rubber.

Yep, its not the car, its the tyres. Even a BMW will be fine on the correct rubber.

 

Yeah. All the taxis there are Mercedes Benz many E classe.

 

You'd be amazed how easily a fully laiden rear wheel drive E class 300 CDI can get up a snowy 20% hill with winter tyres on!

 

Phil

With winter tyres you will do better in the snow than 4x4s with all season tyres on.

 

Winter tyres really do make a huge difference.

 

I had chance to compare them back to back a while ago when we had our Pug 306 1.9 D.

 

We went to Germany in winter with the all seasons on and couldn't get up the hill at the family's house. We then got winter tyres the next day and just drove straight up the hill without a problem! Was amazing.

 

Phil

 

In fairness 'proper' all season tyres with the mountain/snowflake marking on are very nearly as good on snow & ice as full winter tyres in my experience. What many people in the UK refer to as all season tyres are really summer tyres.

Studded tires are the only proper winter tires. Unfortunately those are legal in the UK, at least according to the MET. Then again, unless studded tires saved your life, you wouldn't know what I'm talking about.