Find Out How Modern Crossover SUVs Withstand the Snow
If you live in a rural area with cold winters, you can’t afford to ignore the question of whether a vehicle performs well in the snow. Thankfully, you have more options than ever these days.
Rural drivers face challenges that city-dwellers hardly consider when they brave winter roads. In the city, plows work 24/7 to keep roads clear and leave salt on them to combat slippery, dangerous black ice. In the country, it can take longer for plows to catch up.
You can’t always afford to wait for better road conditions. Sometimes, driving during a storm becomes a necessity. When emergencies arise, and you must get to town from miles away, you don’t want to be stuck wondering whether your car will make it.
How AWD Helps Crossover SUVs Handle Winter Conditions
Traditionally, rural drivers opted for trucks and body-on-frame SUVs with 4WD to help them avoid sticky situations during winter storms. The trade-offs were that these vehicles are much heavier, so they’re less fuel-efficient, and it wasn’t always easy to switch between 2WD and 4WD.
Modern crossover SUVs only rarely come equipped with 4WD. More often than not, they feature all-wheel drive (AWD) instead. In vehicles like the Subaru Crosstrek that have AWD, all four wheels get power all the time. More advanced systems can also shuffle torque between the front and rear tires as required and allow each wheel to spin independently.
That’s different from 4WD. 4WD systems are designed to be part-time setups used primarily for off-roading. The driver must actively engage 4WD from a 2WD mode, locking front and rear driveshafts together and causing all four wheels to turn at the same speed. That’s great for off-roading but not ideal for driving on pavement.
Additional Factors That Make Winter Driving Safer
Modern crossover SUVs often have additional features built-in that make it easier to drive safely in the snow and ice. A used Kia Niro is one good example. It’s a FWD vehicle with traction control to prevent the wheels from slipping.
Most drivers also combine purchasing a winter-ready vehicle with buying specialized, winter-specific tires with tread patterns designed to grip better on snow and ice. You can have these tires switched out as needed before and after winter.
Features like electronic stability control (ESC) can also make driving less stressful in rural winter. ESC systems help to prevent skidding and sliding by slowing the car down when it’s about to lose control.
Finally, modern crossover SUVs tend to have higher clearance, which can be a lifesaver in circumstances where drivers have no choice but to drive through the snow instead of waiting for the plow. The Rivian R1S tops the segment at 14.9 inches, but that’s an extreme example.
Helpful-to-Have Features for a More Pleasant Drive
Some features aren’t strictly necessary for winter driving but can make the experience more pleasant. Examples include heated seats for keeping warm inside the car and heated side mirrors to make it easier to see.
If you’ve recently moved to a rural area or you’re planning a move, now is the time to invest in a more winter-ready vehicle. Crossovers offer the perfect mix of capability and efficiency.
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Stacy Wilson