What is the best car for snow? Subaru, Honda CRV or Audi?
All are pretty good…
Get the vehicle you’re most comfortable with.
Whichever one of them has winter tires on it.
If I was going to get awd, I’d look first at Subaru, better value than Audi.
Driver skill is more important, from the list I would pick the Honda.
One with a working heater
There is no best but there are a lot of good ones. SAABs are great in snow (the Aspen, CO PD used them for decades as cop cars) and while the Dodge Calibers are not my cup of tea my oldest son has an AWD version that is great in foul weather and has been bullet-proof for 4 years.
There is no one, “which is best” answer. The CRV drive train is very simple, durable but least effective compared to many others. It has no center differential, just slower to react rear clutch packs.The Subaru handles great, but the RAV has more effective ground clearance (numbers don’t tell it all, Subarus have very poor approach angles) and a locking feature making it better in really deep mud and snow. I feel the Subaru on ice is best, hands down with it’s weight balance and low center of gravity.
IMO, it depends more on where you live and your demands. This ranges from City dweller in the north, CRV, to off road deep snow, no plow country dweller, Tacoma with chains or plow truck which moves the snow before you drive through it… The skii country standard seems to be the Subaru for overall on road performance.
Put real winter/snow tires on any vehicle and it’ll be safer than an Audi/CRV/Subaru with all-season tires.
I agree…but why the false choice ? I’d go further and say awd cars need winter tires more with their added capability, like a Vette needs more expensive performance tires( though not for the same reason). Put winters on an awd car and drive sanely, and you are much safer in an awd car. Add hills and corners on hills and there is absolutely NO comparison.
It might be good to consider that my snow may not be the same as your snow. What I might call a light snow, but be a deep snow for someone else.
What is needed for three inches of snow is not the same needed for three feet of snow. We all tend to think of the problem as it applies to us, but it may not be the same.
FWD and winter tyres may be great for me, it may not be safe for the next person.
Snow really is two or more problems. One is getting from point A to point B Another is doing it without loosing control. What works great for me, may prevent you from getting out of your driveway.
Good Luck all
My understanding is that the Subaru has the best AWD system, the Audi is very close behind that, and the Honda is pretty good but a step below. I vaguely recall some videos floating around on YouTube showing how some of these systems respond to different conditions like split traction. However, unless you’re in a really snowy area, I suspect the differences won’t matter much to you.
In addition, as mentioned above, you also need to consider ground clearance if you’re talking about unplowed roads. No system will work well if there’s not enough ground clearance.
This video should answer most of your questions for you.
Although it does not show a test of an Audi with AWD, I believe that the Audi would perform essentially the same as the Subaru, albeit for a LOT more money.
Because of the torsen differentials (torque sensitive) Subaru uses, it’s balanced drive and low center of gravity, it has distinct advantages that few if any cars in it’s price range can match in slippery going. That advantage disappears when the snow gets really deep and those with better approach angles and differential locks begin to shine.
Subaru drive train is so good though, a joint venture with Toyota using the Subaru motor and drive to the rear wheels for a rwd sports car may be in the works.
But, a miracle worker it isn’t and some conditions are best left to top heavy part time 4wd trucks. So it isn’t always the best and we still need to know what conditions OP faces as “Joseph” asks.
Anything with AWD or 4WD will be good in snow, as long as you have good tires and a fair amount of ground clearance. I personally like 4WD that you can switch off when you don’t need it. Better mileage, less wear on the drivetrain, and somewhat more forgiving if your tires aren’t perfectly matched front-to-back. If you’re looking for a winter car, or one to drive when the weather isn’t perfect, I’d also consider factors like:
-Which one has the better heater and warms up quicker?
-Which one has the best headlights?
-How’s the visibility from the drivers’ seat?
-Does it have an electronic stability control system?
-Is the vehicle top heavy?
The best awd snow vehicles have locking center differentials if you encounter deep or severe conditions. I don’t know that Subaru offers that as yet.