Suggest a great car for MA winter: new transplants from California (Sterling: 2014, to buy)

[jayrandom]

Originally Posted by Dm84

What the hell are you talking about? Yeah it doesn't go down to -40 but I've woken up to -12 several times and routinely experience single digits. If that's not cold, I don't know what is.

Eastern Massachusetts is hardiness zone 6b. St. Louis, MO is in the same zone. The average January low for Lexington is 22F. Cold, but not that cold. When you see temperatures below zero in Massachusetts, which seems to happen once or twice a year, it's in the early morning after a clear, calm night. It's never stayed below zero once the sun rises.

The ocean keeps it from getting too cold, plus we're just far enough south to get a bit of the Gulf Stream. It's cold, for sure, but not so cold that battery range is really an issue. Places like Minneapolis (zone 4b) have quite a bit colder weather.

[yellowstatus]

Originally Posted by Dm84

What the hell are you talking about? Yeah it doesn't go down to -40 but I've woken up to -12 several times and routinely experience single digits. If that's not cold, I don't know what is.

You answered your own question. -40F is really much colder and completely different ball game. -12 is merely unpleasant. Average Boston January low is 22F. You could wear a t-shirt for ten minutes in that temperature and come out uncomfortable, rather than dead. Boston's climate is unusually windy, but that's about it.

[ben young]

Winter cold is an inconvenience ,snow is a hassle .Lexington gets about 50" a winter in mostly 4 or 6 chunks of snow not the midwestern one or 2 inches a time two dozen times a winter . Mass. also has one of the all round best road clearing efforts in the country esp. with the large concentrated population. You will find Boston's weather station is at Logan airport. Right on the Atlantic ocean. In the winter ,one of the warmest places during a Nor,easter. Meaning Boston gets 6" of snow and Lexington gets 18". All this means if it snows ...Work from home and go into work tomorrow !

[BostonMike7]

Originally Posted by G-fused

Yes, good snow tires is better than AWD but AWD has proven very valuable to me. The traction is amazingly helpful. I’ve seen many FWD cars unable to get going from a stop. They just skid all around..

Yeah, I never liked that saying that FWD with snow tires is better than AWD with regular all-seasons. I myself have always preferred 4 wheels being able to drive the car, vs 2 wheels. It just makes things easier like rocking yourself out of a snowbank, or parallel parking when the two inside tires are going to be deep into a snow bank, and other situations where 4 wheels propelling will always help.

Of course, stopping and turning? Well all cars have 4 wheels and 4 brakes so this is where better tires really do make a difference. But even with good all-seasons, if you actually drive slow and careful you can still make out perfectly fine. This is why I try and steer people away from buying whatever set of tires are on sale at Cosco when it comes times for new tires.

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Best car I ever drove in the snow was my old Infiniti G35x sedan. I put three sets of Continental ExtremeContact DWS's on it over the course of owning that car, and it was a beast in the snow. I could never get that car stuck even if I drove through snow deeper than it's ground clearance. It had an excellent stability control system and with the flip of a switch would lock the AWD system into a 50/50 split. I used to take it out in blizzards just for fun and had no issue getting around in that car. I miss it dearly and loved driving in the snow over 4WD trucks/SUV's.

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by gentlearts

Here’s the thing, you will not encounter more aggressive drivers than in Massachusetts. You need an SUV with 4 wheel drive that is responsive to the m*******s cutting you off in traffic.

I drove in northern winters in many cars, including a Volkswagen Cabrio, and they will all do fine, but I’d want to be higher than everyone, and have good traction. Nobody needs special snow tires, just tires chosen for your particular climate.

This is not correct. When you hit the brakes, an AWD car has the same braking distance as a FWD car. The heavier the car, the longer the braking distance. The best braking distance and cornering performance is a lightweight car with good snow tires regardless of the drive system. Furthermore, the black ice performance of most stock SUV tires is awful. You need siping cuts to channel away the water layer and you almost never see that tread design on an OEM SUV tire. Black ice at near-freezing where you have the slippery water layer is the high risk condition. There's no substitute for snow tires that either have siping cuts or studs.


I have many decades experience winter driving. I can get around just fine in a FWD car with the original tires. I can afford snow tires. Why wouldn't I improve my safety margin?

[Shrewsburried]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

This is not correct. When you hit the brakes, an AWD car has the same braking distance as a FWD car. The heavier the car, the longer the braking distance. The best braking distance and cornering performance is a lightweight car with good snow tires regardless of the drive system. Furthermore, the black ice performance of most stock SUV tires is awful. You need siping cuts to channel away the water layer and you almost never see that tread design on an OEM SUV tire. Black ice at near-freezing where you have the slippery water layer is the high risk condition. There's no substitute for snow tires that either have siping cuts or studs.


I have many decades experience winter driving. I can get around just fine in a FWD car with the original tires. I can afford snow tires. Why wouldn't I improve my safety margin?

While I agree, for those east of 495 a modern AWD system with GOOD all seasons and GOOD depth will like suffice so long as VT ski trips aren't a common occurrence.

I currently have a fleet of capable vehicles including an H6 Outback on General Altimax, Impreza 50/50 manual on Altimax, and a new VW Golf Alltrack on factory all seasons. All three easily navigate my driveway (up and down) when snow covered, with the VW haldex system seemingly being the best of the bunch despite the severe tire disadvantage. When we bought the house, my wife had a diesel Jetta with Nokians and it was futile - tires can only do so much.

My vote: VW Alltrack or VW Sportwagen (one in the same). My 'testing grounds':

[BostonMike7]

Now that's a driveway

[MMS02760]

I have a Toyota Rav4. It is AWD and handles winters here well. In your price range, gets good mileage/fuel econmy, and gives you room for kids and gear. Many in this region also like the Honda CRV and several Subaru models.

[OutdoorLover]

When the temperature is around 0F or below, it's a good test of the health of your car battery, charging and starting systems. Might be worse when it's even colder, but -10 to 0 you'll find out if anything isn't up to snuff.

[OutdoorLover]

Originally Posted by Shrewsburried

While I agree, for those east of 495 a modern AWD system with GOOD all seasons and GOOD depth will like suffice so long as VT ski trips aren't a common occurrence.

I currently have a fleet of capable vehicles including an H6 Outback on General Altimax, Impreza 50/50 manual on Altimax, and a new VW Golf Alltrack on factory all seasons. All three easily navigate my driveway (up and down) when snow covered, with the VW haldex system seemingly being the best of the bunch despite the severe tire disadvantage. When we bought the house, my wife had a diesel Jetta with Nokians and it was futile - tires can only do so much.

My vote: VW Alltrack or VW Sportwagen (one in the same). My 'testing grounds':

Hill climbing is only one situation though, and yes, there, the AWD/4WD is a big advantage in getting power to oppose gravity and allow you to climb the hill. If you're braking or cornering though - the other two big traction challenges, you're normally not trying to accelerate and I don't think the AWD/4WD confer much if any advantage.