[SimpleLifeNY]

Thank you everyone answering my questions about VT; we moved here and are now renting a small place in Montpelier.

I am looking to solve the vehicle question for my wife. She commutes from Montpelier to Cabot.

At this point I am considering an older hybrid, such as 1st generation Honda Insight or an older Prius, or maybe Honda Fit or similar compact car PLUS winter (studded?) tires.

I'm looking to get opinions from people who drive such/similar cars in a winter in this area.

Thanks!

[MRVphotog]

I have a couple of friends who say that the Prius is not that great in the winter. You should put in the poll all-season tires which is what I run all yearround.

[joe moving]

winter tires are a no brainer for me.

yes they wear more quickly, but the difference in grip is huge.

I'd go for a subaru

simplelife, i think we talked several years ago , both of us trying to figure out where to live heh heh

We ended up in waitsfield and do visit montpelier from time to time especially in the winter. how are you liking it so far?

[SimpleLifeNY]

Originally Posted by joe moving

simplelife, i think we talked several years ago , both of us trying to figure out where to live heh heh

We ended up in waitsfield and do visit montpelier from time to time especially in the winter. how are you liking it so far?

I think so too. A short summary of our experiences in VT so far is here: Considering relocating to Vermont How about you?

[SimpleLifeNY]

Originally Posted by MRVphotog

I have a couple of friends who say that the Prius is not that great in the winter. You should put in the poll all-season tires which is what I run all yearround.

I can't figure out a way to edit the poll... Any specifics of why Prius isn't great for the winter? Battery vs temperature concerns or something else?

[vter]

If your wife is commuting to Cabot I would highly recommend an AWD or 4x4 with snow tires. People go to work when its snows here-she will be expected to show up unless we get one of those once every 5 or so years 2 footer storms.
If you're looking for a car that you'll be driving around Montpelier and thats about it then a FWD with snow tires would be sufficient.

[FrugalYankee]

A mod should be able to edit the poll (hint hint )

[vter]

Done

[SimpleLifeNY]

apparently, in Russia/Eastern Europe Honda Fit is AWD :
youtube

i want one like that...

[jackmccullough]

I live in Montpelier and I drive a Prius. It's generally okay in the snow, but there is a feature (traction control?) that cuts out power to the drive wheels if it senses slipping. It's never prevented me from getting anywhere, but until I figured out how to use it it was unnerving.

For information about anything having to do with a Prius, go to PriusChat | Toyota Prius Forums, News, and Accessories.

Montpelier does a good job of clearing the roads, so unless you have a steep driveway you probably don't need AWD in the city. On the other hand, the idea of getting a Subaru so you can be absolutely confident makes a lot of sense: if you have a Subaru you can get around if anybody is.

And snow tires on all four wheels are an absolute necessity. I wouldn't say the same about studs. The research suggests that the only time they provide a traction advantage is when you're driving on ice, and that otherwise they actually decrease traction. Probably not worth the tradeoff.

Oh yes, and welcome to Montpelier! In my opinion it's the best city in Vermont.