Favourite winter rides

One of the most common is which new vehicles feel the ‘safest’ and ‘most confident’ to drive if you get stuck in a nasty snowstorm.

I get stuck in nasty snowstorms somewhat regularly. That’s because weekly, I complete a 10-hour round trip through what my fellow Northern Ontarians and I call the ‘Snow Belt.’

It’s a stretch of highway 69 that joins Ontario’s Muskoka region to my hometown — Sudbury.

In the type of weather that the Snow Belt is named for, this stretch of highway can be attacked relentlessly with heavy snow, freezing rain, zero-visibility conditions, or any combination of the above. With no notice, and usually for hours.

As such, each winter, a few vehicles earn a place in my memory for delivering abundant confidence or surprisingly capable operation in some of Canada’s nastiest winter driving.

Here’s a list of those confidence-inspiring vehicles from my recent winter test-drives. Note that all models listed below had the ultimate winter safety feature on board: winter tires.

Model: Hyundai Santa Fe 2.0T

Why: Careful attention to how this machine feels and performs, via its super-slick AWD system, helped add confidence on a five-hour trip through just about every winter driving condition one could imagine. The new all-wheel drive system responds fast, isn’t shy about getting the rear wheels involved, and never seems to spin a wheel needlessly. It works hard to keep you moving, even in the sloppiest possible conditions.

The system even automatically engages all four wheels whenever you stop, so you’ve always got full traction off the line. A LOCK function can be engaged to dial up traction ahead of driving through slippery stuff, too. That, and a stability control system that’s expertly calibrated to allow a just-right amount of wheelspin when needed make this one a confident hauler.

Model: Honda CR-V

Why: Because it doesn’t feel artificially heavy for a false sense of SUV security. The CR-V has a light and communicative steering, so if you’re losing grip, you feel it right away. The brakes bite hard and fast from an initial press on the pedal, and the ABS works smoothly and without drama.

Best of all, Honda’s tuned the traction and stability control system to increase its sensitivity dramatically at highway speeds, meaning it’ll work to neutralize a skid before you’ll probably even notice it. All said, through two snowstorms, your writer felt very connected with the road conditions, with the CR-V’s limits, and very well backed-up all around.

Model: Dodge Durango Citadel

Why: Durango gets on my list for a number of reasons, including an AWD system that knows what’s up, frisky and confident handling in deep powder, and great performance from its lighting systems, in both front and back. Notably, that giant LED ‘light-pipe’ taillamp is visible from afar, even when caked with snow.

Durango’s weight, tall driving position and quicker-than-average steering provide some confident giggles, while expert tuning of the stability controls system allows wheelspin in generous amounts to rip through deep snowbanks as needed. In careful, light-footed driving, the system engages to neutralize skids the driver may not even feel yet.

Model: Mazda MX-5

Why: Because feel is key to winter driving safety, and few cars let you feel the road like this one. The MX-5 isn’t likely to be driven in the winter by a whole lot of people, but those who do can take advantage of a whole bunch of attributes that make the MX-5 great both on a track, and in the snow.

Precise, razor-sharp steering with plenty of feel means your fingertips know the instant you’re losing grip. Even without steering at all, you’ll feel subtle squirms in the steering as the front wheels transition between surfaces with varying traction.

The perfect weight balance means MX-5 is stable and predictable, if you do get it sliding.

The limited slip differential also ensures both rear wheels always help get the car moving.

Model: Volvo S60 R-Design

Why: We filmed this thing on a day when even the plows were having trouble getting out to do their jobs. Garbage pickup was cancelled. So were school-busses. But Volvo’s turbocharged, All-Wheel Drive luxury sport sedan powered through it all. Traction is immense, seamless and drama-free with Volvo’s ‘Instant Traction’ AWD system.

Impressive slippery-surface braking performance, a locked-on steering feel, and potent, steerable xenon lights with squirters keep drivers moving around with peace of mind, no matter the weather.

The S60 R-Design was engineered and designed in a country where folks go downhill skiing on their lunch-breaks and relish being active outside in wintertime. It shows.

Model: Subaru Crosstrek

Why: The little Subaru Crosstrek feels like a small car to drive. Plus, as a Subaru, Crosstrek’s AWD system is among the best out there. Even after an evening of freezing rain saw your writer head out to play stop-and-go on hills covered in glare ice, I had minimal issues getting moving again.

The system always finds traction, even when there doesn’t seem to be any. Plus, you can get a five-speed manual, which ups driver control and entertainment value. And, with that compact, sporty and agile feel, driver confidence is boosted through all-around responsiveness.

Model: Buick Regal AWD Turbo

Why: Me and this latest Regal variant drove through a snowstorm that actually shut the highway down in the snow-belt, then we turned around and drove through it again to head back home. This was among the worst winter driving conditions I’d ever seen, including four-foot snowdrifts across three lanes of traffic.

Since I needed to be very, very careful, the Regal’s predictable feel and safety-first dynamics helped out substantially. Plenty of drive power is kept to the front wheels for a predictable, stable and confident feel, even when plowing snow with the bumper. Regal understeers gently if you’re losing traction, which you’ll feel straight away through the communicative steering. A simple lift on the throttle, or gentle touch of the brakes brings it back in line with minimal worry of accidentally making friends with a piece of highway infrastructure.

Also notable was the braking system, which ensured straight, fuss-free stops, even on split-traction surfaces.

Model: Infiniti Q50 S AWD Hybrid

Why: Mainly, because of Infiniti’s fancy-pants steering system, which has no mechanical connection between the steering wheels, and the front wheels of the car.

This has numerous benefits, and one big one when you’re driving in thick slush and snow.

In some rides, hitting a big, greasy slush-stripe causes a surprise game of steering wheel tug-of-war, which can result in an unintended departure from your lane, and the need to change your pants. In the Q50, the steering stays straight and true.

There’s no yanking, no pulling and no gut-wrenching moments of wondering if you’ll get yanked out of your lane and wind up roundhouse kicking a guardrail with your rear bumper.

The AWD system, with the special ‘SNOW’ mode engaged for a permanent 50:50 power split, also adds a fuss-free dimension to the winter driving experience.