We asked some of our expert contributors which cars they would choose to make sure they survived a snowy Canadian winter. Here’s what they said:
Brendan McAleer: Have you seen the Juke Nissans equipped with a set of Mattracks? Are those things road-legal? I, um, I’m just asking for a friend. No particular reason. Nothing to see here, officer.
However, if that’s not a go, I feel like the choice would be pretty easy for me: a Subaru XV Crosstrek with a set of proper winter tires. Hang on, let’s capitalize that: A SET OF PROPER WINTER TIRES. It doesn’t matter what you drive here, up to and including a rear-drive sports cars, winter shoes make a far bigger difference to traction and handling than all-wheel-drive. However, add in a little ground clearance and the availability of stick-shift and all-wheel-drive combined, and the winter snows should be a dawdle. Still waiting for Subaru to strap the 2.0L turbo into the XV, but it’ll do.
Also read: Think AWD makes you invincible in the snow? Think again
2015 Subaru XV Crosstrek
Nick Tragianis, Driving
Brian Harper: I’m tired of “surviving” a snowy Canadian winter; I want to laugh in its face, spit in its eye and generally treat it with the contempt it deserves, even as it dumps a foot of snow overnight and I have to shovel the driveway yet again. No sport-ute for me, not even a Hummer H2 scrounged from some used-car lot. The same goes for mere European sport sedans with 4Matic, 4Motion, xDrive, quattro or whatever. I want hedonistic luxury, unbridled power and a price point that causes an involuntary arching of the eyebrow and a low whistle of disbelief. I need to lord over the masses and revel in my superiority — I want a Bentley Continental GT Speed, about $290,000 to start.
This bastion of the British Empire is powered by a 626-hp W12 engine, which will see the big (2,320 kilograms) two-door coupe rush to 100 km/h in a tick over four seconds on its way to an absurd 331 km/h. Ridiculous, you say? Absolutely! But, it is winter worthy. The turbocharged 12-cylinder is mated to an eight-speed transmission that delivers power to all four wheels.
Why yes, I do have grey poupon!
2015 Bentley Continental GT Speed
Handout, Bentley
David Booth: Besides installing some sticky winter tires, I’d start with any car that boasts full-time AWD (see here for the explanation why). If I were shopping the luxury segment, I’d probably go with the Jaguar XF, whose Instinctive All-Wheel Drive system defaults 75 per cent of its supercharged V6’s power to the rear wheels. I do like me some tail-wagging oversteer. I’d also consider an Audi Quattro of some sort, the company’s Torsen centre differential combined with Audi’s sophisticated electronics package magic on a snowy road. On a tighter budget, it would have to be a Subaru Outback or Forester; CVT transmission versions with their Active Torque Split AWD even have an X mode that all but emulates the locking centre differential of a true off-road warrior.
2015 Subaru Forester 2.5i Touring
Handout, Subaru
Graeme Fletcher: My pick for a winter wonder car would be just about anything, as long as it was equipped with proper winter boots. This past winter has produced some of the worst driving conditions I can remember — ice under a snow-covered road is THE recipe for disaster. Watching a car equipped with regular no-season tires struggle to pull away is amusing; watching it anti-lock its way into the middle of an intersection with a dump truck bearing down is less so! The mechanics at work are simple: A winter tire has a rubber compound and a tread patterned designed to make the very best of atrocious conditions. Years ago, I was a willing guinea pig. I drove three identical Ford Mustangs around a simple, but very icy, pylon course. The first car was wearing no-seasons; the second had winter tires on the drive wheels and no-seasons on the front, while the third was wearing winters all-round. The first car couldn’t pull away and it did not like to turn or stop. The second moved off the line with authority, but was impossible to control because of understeer. The third car romped around the exercise leaving a broad grin on my face. Point made!
Also read: The pros and cons of all-wheel drive vs. four-wheel drive
John LeBlanc: Easy answer: the Jeep Wrangler. An engine rich in low-end torque works best in bad traction. The Jeep’s standard V6 with 260 lb.-ft. of torque means I don’t want to have to rev the beejeesus out of it and risk losing traction, and it comes with a rare manual gearbox for better vehicle control, too. And the Wrangler’s generous ground clearance makes those days when the snow plow driver forgets to do your street a breeze.
When the weather throws you a curve ball a Jeep Wrangler will get you home.
Russell Purcell, Driving
Lorraine Sommerfeld: Subaru Outback. With a quality set of winter boots on the Outback, I can go anywhere. I’d be equally happy with the Impreza, but I just know I’ll end up hauling along everyone else when the going gets tough. The upside with a Subie is I don’t care if it’s new or used; their look will always be more warrior than sex symbol, and dedicated owners value the guts over the glory. The roof racks would make me look sporty, though the only thing that would ever be strapped up there would be some box of broken dreams from IKEA. When I think of Canadian winters, I think of long johns, snow shovels, toques and Subarus. The Subaru Outback is the person your mom wanted you to marry, and Mom was right.
General on-road performance is now far more car-like.
Brian Harper, Driving
