Yahoo Autos Best cars for snow and ice in 2023 and 2024
What's the best car for snow? The real answer is "the one with winter tires."
What do we mean by that? You could have the finest, most advanced all-wheel-drive system or four-wheel drive in the world, but if you're running all-seasons (the spork of tires), your fancy four-wheeler won't matter much. The odds are, any vehicle on the road running good winter tires will probably perform adequately in slippery, slushy and/or snowy road conditions. (Here's a more complete explanation of why winter tires are totally worth it).
In other words, you don't really need any of the cars on this list. With a set of winter tires, countless others will do the job, and even these will be at their best with proper rubber. You can find a variety of winter tires for your car here at Tire Rack. Keep in mind that you will need a full set of four snow tires for safety and performance, no matter what you're driving. The days of your dad putting just two snows on the family truckster to get it moving in a straight line are long gone.
Don't get us wrong, getting a car that performs well in snow and ice is still a worthy criteria for car buyers. According to the U.S. Transportation Department, 70% of Americans live in places that get snow and ice. And much of the country has been blasted with arctic air for much of the new year.
So let's look at the cars. First, we're highlighting choices for a variety of buyers and price points. Second, we're not just considering snow; we're considering general wintery conditions people will experience driving to work or school. As such, these are all choices with advanced all-wheel-drive systems, usually with "torque-vectoring" systems that not only automatically shunt power front and back, but side to side between the rear axles. Most have extra ground clearance for getting through deep snow, and we prefer those vehicles with more responsive steering, throttles and transmissions that provide a greater sense of vehicle control in slippery conditions.
Acura RDX
Read our Acura RDX Review
Acura's Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive system was one of the first to offer torque-vectoring, and besides often being touted for its ability to greatly enhanced dry-road handling, its benefits in the slick stuff can be profound. It's actually surprising that Acura hasn't leaned into this capability further by offering more rugged versions of its vehicles. Still, the RDX is our Acura of choice here because of its greater ground clearance and its positioning in the most popular luxury SUV segment.
Audi A4 Allroad
Read our Audi A4 Allroad Review
Audi's Quattro all-wheel-drive systems have long been some of the best in the industry, so any number of the company's models will serve you better than most. We selected the Allroad here, however, because its lower center of gravity, smaller dimensions and greater agility relative most small SUVs provide an immense amount of confidence in slick conditions. Also, this author in particular knows from personal experience in multiple blizzards how good and confident an Allroad can be.
4x4 full-size trucks
Read our review of the Ram 1500, Ford F-150 and our previews of the revised 2022 Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra.
Duh, of course a big-old 4x4 truck is going to ace clawing through deep snow. However, this list is about day-to-day driving more than extreme scenarios, and also, we're talking about the best rather than just capable. In that spirit, let's talk about the best-possible trucks for day-to-day driving in snow. For that, you should look for a truck with an automated four-wheel-drive system, known as Auto or 4A mode. This effectively allows the truck to operate like an all-wheel-drive vehicle, sending power to the front axle as needed. This is in contrast to just driving around in 4Hi "just in case" you come across slippery conditions, which in short can lead to excessive wear of expensive vehicle components. So which trucks to look for? Every 4x4 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra has an Auto mode, so whichever trim level works for you. All Ram 1500 trim levels but the Tradesman and Rebel have a 4A mode, while all F-150s from Lariat onward have 4A, meaning only the priciest versions get it.
Ford Bronco Sport
Read our Ford Bronco Sport Review
The range-topping Bronco Sport Badlands has a more advanced, torque-vectoring all-wheel drive system we wish were available on other trim levels. Still, all those other trims come standard with all-wheel drive, more ground clearance than most and a Slippery drive mode that calibrates various vehicle controls and systems for improved response on ice and snow. If looking for a small SUV, the Bronco Sport will be better than most during the winter.
Honda Pilot
Read our Honda Pilot Review
Again, it's all about the all-wheel-drive system. The Pilot, along with its Passport and Ridgeline siblings, offer what is effectively a previous-generation version of Acura's torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system (see Acura RDX above). This gives it a leg-up on most of its three-row crossover SUV competitors. We also like that it includes a dedicated Snow mode, and that it's a bit more responsive to inputs (especially compared to the Subaru Ascent). Although the Pilot is getting on in years and is far from our top overall choice in its segment, when it comes to performance in ice and snow, it scores big.
Jeep Grand Cherokee
Read our Jeep Grand Cherokee Review
The Grand Cherokee and its seven-passenger Jeep Grand Cherokee L sibling are ready to tackle far more extreme conditions than most of their competitors. Among its three four-wheel-drive systems, the top-of-the-line Quadra-Drive II that's standard on the Trailhawk and Summit, and optional on the Overland, includes an electronic limited-slip differential for the rear axle that enhances traction beyond the two Quadra-Trac four-wheel-drive systems. (Don't worry too much about the technical differences between all- and four-wheel drive. When they operate automatically, as these do, it really doesn't matter). The top JGC trim levels also include the Quadra-Lift air suspension, which as the name implies, cranks the ride height up -- from 8.4 to 10.9 inches in the Overland, Summit and Trailhawk 4xe, and 11.3 in the gas-only Trailhawks. It's rare for any crossover to crack the 8-inch mark. Jeep also includes a snow-specific Selec-Terrain drive mode as standard on all but the base Laredo.
