Topic: Northern Exposure: Best Winter Highway Cars

[Julie]

Neat article, thanks.

Interesting about the regular 911 being just fine in snow.

[Nickel]

Where is this Southwoods Drive of which you speak? It sounds like a road my S2000 would like to visit in the summer.

[MR2Pritch]

bala... i believe. google for southwoods road or southwoods drive. i forget what its actually called, since i know it by memory now. if you're coming north, pass barrie towards highway 11, don't take the 69 ramp off. then about 30 mins later, you take an exit on the right, follow some secondary roads and you're on it. Spits you out on old 69, then that connects to new 69 near parry sound

good luck.

[Weels]

bala... i believe. google for southwoods road or southwoods drive. i forget what its actually called, since i know it by memory now. if you're coming north, pass barrie towards highway 11, don't take the 69 ramp off. then about 30 mins later, you take an exit on the right, follow some secondary roads and you're on it. Spits you out on old 69, then that connects to new 69 near parry sound

good luck.

Yes - Bala.  If coming north up 400 take Muskoka Road 38... IIRC there is a sign for Bala just before it.  Have driven that road a couple times to Bala, and an S2000 would be a fine companion to do that with...
If you go through Bala & stay on 38, it becomes Lake Joseph road & eventually spits you out back on 400.  Have not driven that part, but looks to be similar

[blur911]

Where is this Southwoods Drive of which you speak? It sounds like a road my S2000 would like to visit in the summer.

Did it on my GPZ900R a few years back while on a bike tour, it was so amazing we turned around and rode it again. 

http://bikeroads.atspace.com/sothwood.htm

[mpsrent]

Living in Orillia, ON I am a Highway 11 central Ontario snow belt daily commuter. Sudden and unpredictable snow squalls and whiteouts are the norm for a day where motorists in other areas are driving under sunny, clear skies. Cruising beside all the SUV's and 4x4 trucks, my daily ride is a 4cyl FWD Nissan Altima. New winter tires every 3 years are the trick for me, I can't even describe the difference that they make compared to those driving on so called all-season tires. I even have new Hankooks on my wife's AWD Ford Edge and both my sons drive with winter tires.

Most vehicles can become at least a "better" winter highway car with an investment in good winter tires.  The key word is "good" winter tires, don't cheap out on something that may save your life. As someone who has commuted daily on winter highways for 13 years, my other advice is be very selective with your tire choice depending on your routine driving. I once bought a set of the latest, number one brand Ice tire only to discover that they were as useless as all season tires for someone driving routinely in deep or slushy snow. Ice rated tires are great for city dwellers, but in the snow belt, select a tire that is rated primarily for snow.

[gord_boyd]

Since no one commented, the Pg 2 pic of back of white TL-SHAWD is downright dangerous.

I am very assured/confident with latest quattro system that puts 60% normally to rear.
This is a great winter car.

I know this is not a tire report but the width of my A7 19 inch blizzacks means they don't cut through at speed
and should be subject of a future article.

[hemusbull]

Nothing surprising here. But a comparison between so well equipped for the winter cars isn't a valuable one...

[jamesautos]

Winter tires and a good attentive driver can make any car a good winter car

[JohnM]

I also was surprised that the Charger did well.  I think we are talking weight and tires here because rwd is a big disadvantage in snow. 

I've wondered how cars with the really wide tires actually do no matter how good the tires are.  (Porche comes to mind) On many occasions I've spec'd narrower tires and been very, very happy.

Weight and width give you the psi on the traction patch and that is the biggest determinant of how well a car does in snow besides the suitability of the treadblock for whatever the road conditions are.    I had one set of tires on the Odyssey which would chew through soft snow to the extent you'd believe it could summit Everest but in slush, they couldn't get rid of it and gave me a big surprise on several occasions.

My best snow driver was a Golf with 4 hd snows.  Unstoppable and well-balanced.

Cheers,
John M.

[johngenx]

Heavy SUVs inspire confidence on the highway in the winter.  The Highlander feels very planted and it's tempting to travel at some pretty high speeds even when the roads are poor.

That's probably why I see so many upside down in the ditch.  Tires are still tires and the laws of physics still apply.  In fact, a heavy vehicle has more momentum (mass and velocity) and you need to think about longer stopping distances, etc.

[mixmanmash]

Heavy SUVs inspire confidence on the highway in the winter.  The Highlander feels very planted and it's tempting to travel at some pretty high speeds even when the roads are poor.

That's probably why I see so many upside down in the ditch.  Tires are still tires and the laws of physics still apply.  In fact, a heavy vehicle has more momentum (mass and velocity) and you need to think about longer stopping distances, etc.

Maybe you should have written "false sense of confidence."

My Protégé feels extremely well planted at higher speeds, even in winter conditions.  But, having a lower center of gravity and having less side surface area for crosswinds to affect stability make it safer.

[mmret]

Heavy SUVs inspire confidence on the highway in the winter.  The Highlander feels very planted and it's tempting to travel at some pretty high speeds even when the roads are poor.

That's probably why I see so many upside down in the ditch.  Tires are still tires and the laws of physics still apply.  In fact, a heavy vehicle has more momentum (mass and velocity) and you need to think about longer stopping distances, etc.

That sense of confidence I think applies even without winter. Just my experience, but the worst tailgating, sudden + very tight lane changes, and general goonish and dangerous behaviour I see comes from drivers of pickup trucks and "super size" SUVs (usually domestics) not the F&F types that one might suspect.

[mixmanmash]

Heavy SUVs inspire confidence on the highway in the winter.  The Highlander feels very planted and it's tempting to travel at some pretty high speeds even when the roads are poor.

That's probably why I see so many upside down in the ditch.  Tires are still tires and the laws of physics still apply.  In fact, a heavy vehicle has more momentum (mass and velocity) and you need to think about longer stopping distances, etc.

That sense of confidence I think applies even without winter. Just my experience, but the worst tailgating, sudden + very tight lane changes, and general goonish and dangerous behaviour I see comes from drivers of pickup trucks and "super size" SUVs (usually domestics) not the F&F types that one might suspect.

Yep.  Those are the same guys that have blown past me on the highway in bad winter conditions and end up in the ditch 10 minutes up the road, with them trying to get themselves and their young babies/children out.

[johngenx]

I drive the Highlander very conservatively on the highway in the winter, just as I do all our vehicles.  What makes it perhaps our best winter highway vehicle is other thing like the comfy seats (trips take longer thanks to lower speeds), quiet ride, excellent heater, and so on.

The Forester is very affected by cross winds, the Highlander much less so despite the larger side surface area.  Slightly different shape and extra heft make the difference I think.  The Miata has very small side area and gets blown around quite a bit.

[KD]

My bro test drove a Magnum in a snow/slush storm, was very impressed how well it worked.  Better than the fwd Ford Freestyle he bought - only reason he didn't get the Dodge, was because it was a Dodge. Otherwise he said the Magnum was far superior even if it was rwd.

Great winter hwy car...this. Winter wheels of course.  And much cheaper than an Acura or Porsche. 


Terrible winter car.  Better with winter tires, still not exactly confidence inspiring.

Agreed.  Our AWD Fusion is an excellent winter highway car indeed and easily as good as my old Subaru Outback except for deeper stuff of course.

[aquadorhj]

thanks for the article justin.

i am also extremely surprised by Charger doing well.


i had 2011 or 2010 rental Charger V6 and it was one of the worst driving recent machines i can remember. 
vague, light steering and floating boat ride making even highway cruise a chore AND worst set of head lights i remember...

friend had 06 or 07 300 V6 and he says even with Winter tires, it was way worse than his current FWD ride with no winters.

[Solstice2006]

thanks for the article justin.

i am also extremely surprised by Charger doing well.


i had 2011 or 2010 rental Charger V6 and it was one of the worst driving recent machines i can remember. 
vague, light steering and floating boat ride making even highway cruise a chore AND worst set of head lights i remember...

friend had 06 or 07 300 V6 and he says even with Winter tires, it was way worse than his current FWD ride with no winters.

Doesn't surprise me when I saw a 300 two weeks ago having a hard time on the street, slipping and sliding everywhere, almost had to come to a complete stop when making turns. 

[hemusbull]

Very much useful for us, Canadians, article...And something more - Porsche remindes me many years ago when it was a competitor in Monte Carlo rally!