Driving on snowy roads is not an easy feat, as wet and slippery surfaces combined with minimal visibility increase the chances of accidents. Traveling in these conditions can become a lot safer with a vehicle that is designed to offer the desired traction and a few other features to tackle roads in winter easily. Today, one can choose from various vehicles that make driving on icy roads easier and the journey more comfortable.
Key features of winter vehicles
To tackle snowy, icy winter roads, a vehicle must have features like an all-wheel-drive system to adapt to changing road conditions, high ground clearance, a heated steering wheel, heated seats, and a remote start. Additionally, the automobile should come with essential safety features such as adaptive headlights, anti-lock brakes, stability control, emergency braking, snow tires, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic high beams, and automatic temperature control. Driver assistive features such as blind-spot monitoring, forward collision warning, emergency braking, head-up display, heated mirrors, heated windshield and wipers, LED headlights and tail lights, and rain-sensing wipers are also crucial.
Best cars for winter driving
1. Audi A5 Sportback
Equipped with a standard all-wheel drive (AWD), the Audi A5 Sportback is among the premium cars that can tackle icy roads. This car also has other winter must-haves such as rain-sensing wipers, LED headlights with washers, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, tri-zone automatic climate control, and power-adjustable heated side mirrors. This suite of features makes the A5 Sportback a top pick for driving in the snow. That said, this hatchback comes at a premium starting price of $47,295.
2. Mazda3 Sedan
If looking for a more affordable car for a safe winter driving experience, the Mazda3 Sedan may be a better choice. With prices starting at just $25,135, this compact Mazda car has a standout appearance that will make an impression on the road. However, to make the most of the winter-specific benefits that the car offers, one might want to spring for the Carbon Edition trim, which sells for $30,595. With this trim, one gets handy features like blind-spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking, automatic high beam headlights, LED head and tail lights, rain-sensing wipers, and heated front seats to brave the cold weather.
3. Toyota Camry AWD
This family-friendly winter vehicle is also the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety’s Top Safety Pick+. An all-wheel-drive system is available (and recommended for driving in the winter) on every trim. Apart from this, the Camry has an impressive hybrid setup and a host of safety features as a part of its Safety Sense 3.0 suite. These features include forward collision warning, automatic front emergency braking, lane-departure alert, lane-tracing assistance, blind spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert.
The car has a base MSRP of $31,060 when equipped with the AWD. If one wants to make the car more comfortable during winter, they can add the Cold Weather and Convenience packages to the purchase for an additional $1,660.
4. Volvo V90 Cross Country
Considered one of the top cars for tackling snowy conditions, the Volvo V90 Cross Country comes with an all-wheel drive and a high ground clearance. Other key conveniences include luxurious upholstery, adaptive LED headlights, rain-sensing wipers, blind-spot monitor with steering assist, rear cross-traffic alert, front collision mitigation support, heated front seats, quad-zone automatic climate control, remote start, and a slippery road alert. For additional comfort during the winter months, one can opt for the Plus trim combined with the Climate package, which would cost around $61,745.
5. Acura RDX SH-AWD
The Acura RDX is often considered one of the best SUVs for driving in wet and snowy conditions. Priced at $46,050, its SH-AWD trim offers high performance and traction while distributing 90% of torque into one wheel. Its other winter-weather-friendly features are forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, LED headlights, heated outboard mirrors, and heated front seats. Those interested in adding other features to make the SUV safer for the winter may want to choose higher trim levels such as Technology or Advance.
6. Ford Bronco Sport
Built for off-roading, the Ford Bronco Sport is capable of tackling snowy, muddy, and dirty terrains. While even the base trim has enough power and features to offer a safe driving experience in the winter, one might want to choose the Outer Banks trim for a more winter-ready experience. This higher trim offers additional features such as heated outboard mirrors, heated front seats, a rear-camera washer, and dual-zone climate control.
7. Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo/4xe
Those looking for a large and powerful vehicle to get them through the winter months must check out the Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo/4xe. In addition to an extremely capable plug-in hybrid engine, the Grand Cherokee offers a Quadra-Trac II active 4WD system with LED exterior lights, heated front/rear seats, a heated steering wheel, remote start, and heated outboard mirrors. Driver assistance features on the Grand Cherokee include forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. The vehicle has a starting price of $40,380. However, those interested in making it more weather-appropriate can add the $1,795 Luxury Tech Group I package, which comes with heated front seats and a heated steering wheel, among other things.
Apart from these vehicles, one can consider a few other winter-ready options like the Kia Telluride AWD, Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 4Matic, Subaru Forester, Subaru Outback, Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, and Toyota Sienna AWD.