Every week I drive through the Cobequid Pass - a section of highway in Nova Scotia heading towards (or recently from) New Brunswick.
It's well known for being pretty brutal, even if the rest of the drive is clear you can find rain/sleet/ice/freezing rain/snow/wind/fog on the Cobequid, and often all of them at the same time. In June.
Yesterday the weather was pretty rough - it was a mixture of snow, freezing rain and ice pellets for my 450km drive. On this drive I often think about what the "perfect" vehicle would be. In good weather I lean towards hybrid/diesel sedan or station-wagon to keep fuel costs low.
However, I do this trip every week, and it's winter on the Cobequid for at least six months of the year. So, what do you think is the perfect winter vehicle for conditions like this? I'll lay out some assumptions to put some boundaries around it - then explain your choice and reasoning.
- Vehicle is on sale in North America (or has been)
- No tracked vehicles/snowmobiles etc
- Any vehicle would have winter tires (I'm currently on Xice3, but still long for my previous Hakks)
- Vehicle needs to be capable of handling the rest of a highway/city drive, including non-winter months
- Vehicle should balance practical considerations - fuel economy, interior room, comfort etc
My thoughts:
- AWD/4WD is a must, and given that speeds are often above 60kmh (I averaged 85kmh and was about average) I question the reaction time of "slip and grip" systems. You never fully know which side of the car, and where, the ice is going to be, or where the snow/slush is thickest. For this reason I'm leaning towards a vehicle with a viscous coupling - something like Subaru/Audi. How good are the best systems from Acura, Volvo and others at ensuring straight-line progress in the worst conditions?
- Auto/manual - I love my manual - and want the control. I use engine braking in bad conditions. Additionally for a Subaru only the manuals still come with the viscous coupling - there have been some rough reviews from Subaru fans on the ATS system.
- Car/SUV/Truck - Surely this is a balance between ground clearance, and a low centre of gravity? Therefore a raised station wagon/sedan is likely the best bet? (Golf Alltrack, Subaru Crosstrek/Outback, Audi A4 allroad, Volvo V60 Cross Country etc).
- Visibility - The Cobequid can be awful - a raised seating position seems to help, as would good headlights. Coming back to the CUV/SUV.
- Comfort - Quiet? Good ride quality?
- Fuel economy - Hybrids do well on the pass - lots of hills for the motor to kick in, then regenerate holding speed on the downhill. Almost all hybrids are automatics. Something like a Highlander automatic?
Other considerations? - does a longer wheelbase help (for example, V60 vs V90, or Crosstrek versus Outback).
From what I see the vehicles moving the fastest are always F150s and RAM 1500s. Often 110-120kmh even in bad conditions. Full-time 4wd must give more confidence, along with the ability to use aggressive tires (not always good on ice) - but isn't the weight and centre of gravity of the vehicle going to cause problems? Are they going quicker because they're better, or because the owners have more confidence?
My pick from all the above? Subaru Outback 2.5 manual. (If anyone wants to give me one to replace my Mazda5 I'd be appreciative).
My back-ups: Audi A4 Allroad, Volvo V60 Cross Country
What's your pick and rationale?
