Best vehicle for Minnesota weather (Eden Prairie: buying, vs., cars)

[shells0013]

Hello!! What are the best vehicles for driving around during the winters? Is it best to have all wheel drive or will all weather tires suffice for harsh driving conditions? Thanks!

[mr roboto]

For most people a good front wheel drive car with good all-weather tires is sufficient. We clear the roads fairly quickly around here.

AWD is better but not crucial. Many people like a small suv like the RAV4 or Santa Fe with AWD. Subarus are very popular too.

There's an often overlooked downside to AWD though - although it helps you accelerate better it doesn't help you stop or steer any better, giving some drivers false confidence. You'll see big SUVs and trucks barreling down the freeway too fast in snow quite often and, anecdotally speaking, I feel like there are a disproportionate number of these in ditches due to this overconfidence.

[Cruz Azul Guy]

Best winter car (and every other season) = Tesla Model S

[Glenfield]

There is a difference between all wheel drive and four wheel drive. Each vehicle has a slightly different way to transmit power to the wheels and tires are probably more important than the number of drive wheels. (In short, wide, low profile tires suck in ice and snow.) My recommendation is to compile a short list of vehicles, do some research on how they operate, them test drive them during a snowstorm. Here's some background on AWD vs. 4WD. 4WD vs AWD: What's The Diff? - Tech Feature - Motor Trend

[mr roboto]

Wait how do you test drive all your short list vehicles in a snowstorm? Seems...excessive and also not very time efficient.

[GraniteStater]

Subaru AWD or FWD with Blizzak tires.

[Glenfield]

Originally Posted by mr roboto

Wait how do you test drive all your short list vehicles in a snowstorm? Seems...excessive and also not very time efficient.

I narrowed my list down to two vehicles and test drive both on the same day. I waited for a day when it snowed. It really wasn't a long wait since I was buying a car late in the year. If you're buying a car in July that clearly doesn't work but this is October and it should snow here within the next 4-6 weeks.

[mr roboto]

Originally Posted by Glenfield

I narrowed my list down to two vehicles and test drive both on the same day. I waited for a day when it snowed. It really wasn't a long wait since I was buying a car late in the year. If you're buying a car in July that clearly doesn't work but this is October and it should snow here within the next 4-6 weeks.

OK but Sunday's, work days... I mean that's kinda tough to time.

[Glenfield]

Originally Posted by mr roboto

OK but Sunday's, work days... I mean that's kinda tough to time.

Car dealers are open in the evenings now so people can go after work. And whether it's convenient or not, the best way to find out how a car handles in the snow is to drive it in the snow. Maybe you have a better idea. If so, let's hear it.

[mr roboto]

Originally Posted by Glenfield

Car dealers are open in the evenings now so people can go after work. And whether it's convenient or not, the best way to find out how a car handles in the snow is to drive it in the snow. Maybe you have a better idea. If so, let's hear it.

Buy a reasonable car. They are all equal-ish (fwd, rwd and AWD obviously make a difference). Tires matter far more than the car itself.

I don't buy cars for the 3 days a year I need to drive through snow. I also don't like to make people think they need to spend weeks testing cars in snow to find 'the right one.' Get a Camry with good all-wheel tires and drive reasonably. You'll be fine.

I mean if your schedule allows it great. But driving on 494 from Eden Prairie Kia to France Ave and back one time in the snow isn't gonna tell you if it's the best car or not.