Top 7 Car Models for Snow Driving
Driving through the snow can be intimidating, especially if your car wasn’t built to endure such a harsh weather condition.
It’s stressful for both first-timers and veteran drivers. It’s important to choose the right kind of car for winter to cut down on how much stress is involved.
The best cars for snow driving are heavy-duty vehicles able to carry on in adverse weather without breaking down.
To help you survive driving during the holiday season, we’ll discuss the qualities of a good winter car and provide a list of seven car models you should consider buying.
What Makes a Good Winter Car
Before looking up the big names, you should know what features to look out for in a good winter car. These generally include:
- Elevated ride height
- All-wheel drive
- Electronic safety aids
- Even weight distribution
- Ground clearance
- Heating equipment
Top 7 Car Models for Snow Driving
Now that you know the essential features of a winter car, we can get to the fun part. Check out these seven best cars for snow driving and see which model strikes your fancy.
- Dodge Charger AWD
The Dodge Charger is no longer just a muscle car. Its beefed-up build makes it ideal to go headfirst into = snowstorms. The car comes in two model options – 292 horsepower SXT and 300-hp GT. You can choose either one, depending on your preferred price and range of equipment.
While working in AWD mode, the front wheels are provided a torque based on how rough the road conditions are. For example, if you’re driving on a slippery road, the torque will increase the strength of the rotation of one wheel while reducing it in the wheel next to it. The wheel with the reduced rotation strength is used as a brake to prevent the car from slipping.
Usually, it functions in RWD mode, a state where it maintains optimal performance. With a balanced weight and easy controls, its frame fits perfectly with its system, making it an ideal snow car.
- Subaru Outback
Subaru's mastery in creating stable and efficient AWD cars can be seen in how the Japanese auto company designed the Subaru Outback mid-size crossover.
The Outback is equipped with Subaru's trademark Symmetrical AWD system that combines a full-time all-wheel drive and a rectangular engine. These give the crossover much traction on nearly all kinds of terrain. Plus, it has a minimum ground clearance of 8.7, which means it's nearly impossible for it to be stranded in the snow!
- Nissan Altima
It might be a surprise to find that a Nissan model is also one of the best winter cars. That's because along with the 2019 launching of the revamped design of the Altima, the company also started selling AWD equipment as an add-on.
Since it's only partly an AWD system, the rear axle is only involved if it senses wheelspin or when there's enough steering information. The Altima stays in FWD mode mostly, for easy maneuvering during foul weather.
This car also features Nissan's signature variable automatic transmissions, as well as a seamless power delivery which stops the wheel torque from unexpectedly shifting when it struggles to gain traction.
- Jeep Grand Cherokee AWD
Of course, how could we forget Jeep?
Their vehicles are basically off-road rockstars! If they can breeze through rocky and jagged terrains, then plowing through the snow must be a cinch.
Many of their models could've easily be classified as good winter cars. However, what gives the Jeep Grand Cherokee an advantage, besides being able to resist the vicious attacks of winter, is the luxurious comfort it provides at an affordable cost. It also comes with heated seats, a 12-way power-adjustable driver's seat, acoustic glass on the windows, and a heated steering wheel.
To top it all off, it has a reliable AWD system and a Quadra-Lift air suspension.
- Volvo V90 Cross Country
It makes sense that one of the best winter vehicles would come from one of the snowiest countries in the world – Sweden.
The Volvo Group is widely recognized for engineering highly secure cars. They're also famous for making several outstanding winter vehicles. One of their masterpieces is the Volvo V90 Cross Country, which prides itself on being "designed for all roads and weather".
It’s encased in an expansive station wagon body with an elevated ride height and a standard AWD.
True to claim, the V90 Cross Country can truly weather it all. When you've got an 8.3 ground clearance, can swerve effortlessly in snow-covered pavements, and easy control, who can object?
- BMW 3-Series xDrive
When stellar engineering meets excellent weight balance, you get the German-made BMW.
Joining the ranks of cars that can withstand blizzards is their BMW-3 xDrive. It comes with a medium-sized build and is equipped with an xDrive AWD, which uses the most up-to-date all-wheel-drive system. For improved agility, the xDrive leans a bit towards the rear. Through the help of electronics, it switches front/rear torque according to the weather status.
Inside the BMW-3 xDrive you get access to a 14-way power-adjustable front seat and three-zone climate control.
- Audi A4 Allroad Quattro
Audi was one of the few pioneers who quickly adapted the AWD and applied them to their vehicles primarily for smoother driving in the winter.
After several years, they constructed the Audi A4 Allroad Quattro which is inspired by the A4 Avant station wagon. Modeled as an SUV-like vehicle, it has an elevated ride height, a broader track width compared to the A4, and a standard AWD. To efficiently deal with winter struggles, it also offers a standard flexible damping suspension and an off-road mode in its drive mode options.
For warmth and comfort, the A4 Allroad Quattro is furnished with heated steering, heated front, and rear seats, and three-zone climate control.
Did you find your dream winter car on our list?