Does Honda Fit "fit" our snow and ice climate? (Minneapolis: camps, vs.)

[golfgal]

The reality is that there are maybe a handful of days were any drive system or ground clearance is really going to matter. It's really not worth the extra money for AWD (purchase price and reduced gas mileage) for 3 or 4 days/year where you might actually need AWD...

[Mr. In-Between]

Oh, I don't know about that. It snows a lot more than 3 or 4 days a year in Minnesota, and every single time it snowed, my Forester handled significantly better - and thus was significantly safer to drive - than any other vehicle I've ever driven in an entire lifetime of Minnesota and Wisconsin driving. I'll grant you that to some, that may not matter.... but it mattered a lot to me.

[Glenfield]

Originally Posted by rzzz

AWD only improves acceleration in snow and ice, it does not improve handling or braking. Handling and stopping are all due to tire traction. Here's one article that explains this very well. There are dozens of similar articles and youtube drive test videos demonstrating this.

The Bottom Line

So What's the Bottom Line?

Four-wheel drive helps get cars going. When it comes time to brake or change direction on low-traction surfaces, the extra mass of the driveline becomes more of a detriment. Folks who live in hilly places that get snow may need the climbing capability of four-wheel drive. If it snows a lot in those hilly places, they should probably invest in winter tires, too. Even flat-landers who happen to have steep driveways may wish to consider a four-wheel-driver.

Almost everyone else will most likely be better served by using winter tires. Acceleration takes longer, but in an emergency, the handling behavior and improved lateral grip of two-wheel drive and winter tires -- in the slippery stuff -- are the safer bets.

This is an interesting article, as far as it goes. There is a great deal of difference between the various 4WD, part-time AWD, and full time AWD systems available. While the different systems will not stop a car faster, they may affect handling, along with other factors such as limited slip differential, weight distribution, and center of gravity. A FWD car with good tires and a limited slip differential may be a better snow vehicle than a 4WD pickup with poorer tires and an unbalanced weight distribution.

The Subaru's AWD system is one of the best available, and its boxer engine gives you a low center of gravity in a vehicle with good ground clearance. While I would agree that one does not need more than 2WD in the metro area very often, Subaru delivers AWD in a very competitively priced vehicle.

In the end, it's a matter of preference. Buyers contemplating an AWD or 4WD vehicle instead of 2WD might want to go car shopping on a snowy day when they can drive different types of vehicles in the same weather and make their choice. This article gives a good amount of detail on the different systems.

4WD vs AWD: What's The Diff? - Tech Feature - Motor Trend

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by Albert_The_Crocodile

Oh, I don't know about that. It snows a lot more than 3 or 4 days a year in Minnesota, and every single time it snowed, my Forester handled significantly better - and thus was significantly safer to drive - than any other vehicle I've ever driven in an entire lifetime of Minnesota and Wisconsin driving. I'll grant you that to some, that may not matter.... but it mattered a lot to me.

Right, it snows more often than that but how many times to you need to get through the snow in your car...and that is not very often

[Mr. In-Between]

Originally Posted by golfgal

Right, it snows more often than that but how many times to you need to get through the snow in your car...and that is not very often

I think the conversation split off in a couple of different directions, and each of us is focused on a slightly different tangent. You're right - in terms of whether you actually need an uber-winter-car simply to get from one place to another in a snowstorm, then yes, that's probably only going to happen a few times a year. Some of us were speaking more in terms of overall drivability and safe handling. It may not be a need, but it's damned nice to have.

It's like my seatbelt - I've only actually needed a seatbelt to keep me from going through the windshield once in my life, but I never put the car in gear without it, and I feel a lot more comfortable driving the car knowing that I'm wearing it. Same with my Forester - no matter how hard it's raining or snowing, I feel safer just knowing that I'm driving it. I have more peace of mind, because I'm completely confident that if I do have an accident, it won't be because the car couldn't handle the conditions.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by Albert_The_Crocodile

Oh, I don't know about that. It snows a lot more than 3 or 4 days a year in Minnesota, and every single time it snowed, my Forester handled significantly better - and thus was significantly safer to drive - than any other vehicle I've ever driven in an entire lifetime of Minnesota and Wisconsin driving. I'll grant you that to some, that may not matter.... but it mattered a lot to me.

Agreed. I have a "retro" Forester and it is one of the best driving winter vehicles around and has been for years compared to competitors. I also planned ahead and put new tires on in November BEFORE winter weather started a few weeks later. I'm originally from further south so I don't claim to be an A or B grade winter driver, but the Subaru lowers my stress levels when dealing with a wide array of conditions. The older ones get very good MPG as well...

[Mr. In-Between]

Yeah, I got 30+ MPG on my 01 before I hit a deer and exploded it. My 08 falls far short of that, though - I'm lucky to break 25. Still worth it to me, though, because I love the car in so many other respects.

[Glenfield]

Originally Posted by Albert_The_Crocodile

Yeah, I got 30+ MPG on my 01 before I hit a deer and exploded it. My 08 falls far short of that, though - I'm lucky to break 25. Still worth it to me, though, because I love the car in so many other respects.

Agreed on the MPG. It's the one thing about my 06 Forester that disappoints, though it delivers plenty of get up n go. Not as quick as my Saab turbo was but kind a stealthy quick.

[Mr. In-Between]

Oh, yeah, that's right - that's the tradeoff. I almost forgot. My 01 had the acceleration of a tractor with flat tires, but the 08? Man. I step on the gas, and it jumps right out from under me. More oomph than I need, but I will admit it comes in handy when passing.

[MN-Born-n-Raised]

Originally Posted by golfgal

The reality is that there are maybe a handful of days were any drive system or ground clearance is really going to matter. It's really not worth the extra money for AWD (purchase price and reduced gas mileage) for 3 or 4 days/year where you might actually need AWD...

You are lumping all FWD small cars together with the Fit.

You will ruin your front end on many parking curbs and expect to be a mini snow plow. I'm not a fan of super low clearance.

Here is a list of some of the lowest cars.

Honda Civic: 6" Accord: 5.7" Insight: 5.7" Fit: 5.9"
Kia Forte: 5.9" Forte Koup: 5.5"
Nissan Altima: 5.4" (from Edmunds)
Lexus IS250: 5.3" IS350: 4.9" HS250h: 6.1"
Mazda 3: 6.1" Mazda 5: 6" Mazda 6: 5.1"
Mitsubishi Lancer: 5.5"
Toyota Yaris: 5.8" Avalon: 5.3" Corolla: 5.8" Camry 5.5"
Matrix: 5.8" Matrix XRS: 5.3"
VW Jetta: 5.5" Golf: 5.4" Golf GTI: 5.0" Passat: 5.2"

So I predict you are screwed in 6.5" of un-plowed snow. The solution is not to drive the Fit when it snows a lot. We don't drive our Honda Accord when snow piles on. If I was single like the OP, I'd be looking for another inch or two of clearance.