THE BEST CARS TO BUY FOR SNOW DRIVING

We use cookies as set out in our privacy policy. By using this website, you agree we may place these cookies on your device. Close Skip to main content area Carbuyer Car Reviews Car Finder Video Reviews Makes & Models Compare Cars Best Cars Buying Advice Car Deals News Choose a make Choose a model Find Facebook Twitter Youtube Newsletter Search Sign up to the Carbuyer newsletter Advertisement You Are Here: HomeCar Reviews And ComparisonsBest Cars For Winter Best cars for winter Last updated: Jan 3, 2018 FACEBOOK TWITTER GOOGLE+ EMAIL Advertisement Every year, as soon as October arrives, UK tabloid newspapers begin to shout the same apocalyptic headlines about blizzards, big freezes and all-round snow chaos. The truth of the matter is that this country doesn’t usually suffer from winters anywhere near as harsh as some of our European neighbours. That’s not to say that we don’t encounter adverse winter driving conditions in the UK, though, particularly in outlying rural areas, some of which can easily be cut off when snow wreaks its occasional havoc. There are those who rely on a four-wheel-drive car when these circumstances arise, particularly in locations where gritting lorries don’t operate. The key to safe motoring in icy, snowy conditions is traction and grip. Having plenty of grip means the car will obediently stick to the road when you’re moving, and having good traction allows you to actually get moving in the first place, with the engine’s power being applied to the road effectively. Four-wheel drive is a definite advantage when the roads get slippery, and if you’re buying an SUV for this reason, make sure it actually does have four-wheel drive. Not all do – the Peugeot 3008, for example, is front-wheel-drive only, while the Renault Kadjar only has it as an optional extra. When four-wheel drive is optional, it tends to add around £1,500 to a car’s purchase price and usually also reduces fuel efficiency by 5-10%, increasing running costs. You may find that, rather than a big, bulky SUV, you’d rather have a compact hatchback or estate and many of these are now available with four-wheel drive for greater grip. Our list covers 10 cars we’d like to be behind the wheel of if the roads turn tricky. Dacia Duster SUV Dacia Duster SUV The Dacia Duster is one of the best value cars you can buy in the UK today, and is certainly the most affordable SUV you can buy. The Duster has more to offer than just a sub-£10,000 starting price, though: it’s comfortable, easy to drive and – when ordered with four-wheel drive – is a pretty capable off-roader that should definitely see you right on slippery and leaf-littered roads. The Duster is a spacious, practical car and there’s bound to be a version to suit your needs. If you’re looking for a basic all-terrain workhorse, the entry-level Access is as basic as cars come – even a radio is optional. If you’d like a little luxury, though, even the well-equipped Laureate trim is a lot less expensive than its looks and specifications suggest. Read more. Key points 4.2 / 5 Read Review Watch Video BMW 3 Series Touring estate BMW 3 Series Touring estate We regard the BMW 3 Series as one of the best cars on sale in the UK and the Touring estate adds practicality. In truth, its 495-litre boot isn't the biggest out there, but it's far more versatile than the saloon. Elsewhere, it offers the same extremely strong all-round package, combining a great driving experience, stylish looks and a beautifully finished interior – all backed up by that desirable blue-and-white badge. The 3 Series is more expensive than comparable cars like the Ford Mondeo and Volkswagen Passat, but it’s better to drive than almost all rivals – be it on a motorway cruise or a twisting back road. The Touring offers a huge range of engine and trim choices and those who regularly encounter wintry conditions will find BMW’s xDrive four-wheel-drive system fits the bill. You can combine it with a variety of petrol and diesel engines, but it does add a fair chunk to the price. The extra weight and mechanical drag of system increases fuel consumption, too, but this may be a sacrifice worth making for extra security on slippery roads. Read more. Key points 4.4 / 5 Read Review Watch Video Skoda Octavia Scout estate Skoda Octavia Scout estate The Skoda Octavia Estate is a remarkably competent all-rounder; a car that delivers a lot of space and practicality for a relatively modest outlay. It tends to be dependable, too – it’s common to see examples operated by taxi companies that have racked up enormous mileages. Building on its broad range of talents is the Skoda Octavia Scout, which adds four-wheel drive and slightly raised suspension for extra grip and reassurance, plus additional ground clearance for dealing with rough roads. Like any Octavia, it’s well built, spacious and stylish, while it’s also pretty economical for a four-wheel-drive car. There’s a choice of two diesels: both have a towing capacity of 2,000kg and neither feels sluggish. The only downside is that the standard Octavia offers such good value and low running costs that the Octavia Scout seems expensive in comparison to the regular version, which can also be chosen with four-wheel drive. However, many will see the Scout's individual looks and character as worth extra outlay. Read more. Key points 4.3 / 5 Read Review Watch Video Land Rover Discovery Sport SUV Land Rover Discovery Sport SUV The Land Rover Freelander firmly established the famous British maker of all-conquering off-roaders as a big player in the compact SUV field and the Discovery Sport takes its hugely successful formula and runs with it. Like every other car to bear the Land Rover name, the Discovery Sport is capable on the rough stuff, but feels at home on tarmac, too. And it's here that many owners will find the Discovery Sport's selectable four-wheel drive comes into its own. Traction and grip are assured by big, wide tyres, making winter driving far less of a challenge. But it's the 'terrain response' system that enables the Discovery Sport to tackle roads that many rivals would find unpassable. It has separate modes for mud and snow, and knows exactly how much power to apply to keep you moving in the trickiest conditions. Combine this ability with good looks, a family-friendly interior and 57.7mpg fuel economy from the 148bhp diesel engine, and the Discovery Sport is a potent SUV package. Read more. Key points 4 / 5 Read Review Watch Video Subaru Outback estate Subaru Outback estate Not everyone who regularly encounters poor driving conditions wants an SUV and Subaru has been serving this audience for decades. Since the 1970s – when Subarus were first sold through agricultural equipment suppliers – four-wheel drive has been a brand trademark and it adds to the Outback's unique appeal. This is a large, practical estate, with a well built (if rather plain) interior, which can negotiate rough roads and keep going in wintry conditions like few other cars. You can choose a characterful flat-four 2.5-litre engine, but it's thirsty and not especially powerful, so the 2.0-litre diesel is a better bet; it can return over 50mpg and is a little quieter on the road. While the Outback's slightly high-set posture means it can't match more traditional estate cars for responsive handling and resistance to body lean, it's far less likely to be caught napping when the weather turns nasty. For those who come to depend on the Outback's ability to deal with rough road conditions, a slightly dull design ceases to matter on a car whose reliability has been so well proven. Read more. Key points 3.6 / 5 Read Review Watch Video Audi TT coupe Audi TT coupe It may seem odd to include a sports car on this list, but the Audi TT can be ordered with Audi’s quattro four-wheel-drive system, which means you’ll find it easier to stay in control in slippery conditions than with rivals like the Porsche Cayman. Audi has built up a reputation for making cars with exquisite interiors and the latest TT continues this trend: it simply oozes quality inside. Audi’s latest 12.3-inch ‘virtual cockpit’ dashboard display is truly exceptional, and it’s likely to set the trend for carmakers in years to come. The TT is available with a wide range of engines, culminating in the 306bhp TTS. You can even combine performance and economy – the Ultra diesel model manages a 0-62mph time of just 7.1 seconds, yet is capable of more than 60mpg. The TT is one of the best all-weather sports cars ever. Read more. Key points 4.1 / 5 Read Review Watch Video Suzuki Swift hatchback Suzuki Swift hatchback If you need to be able to stay on the road in inclement weather, but don’t have the budget for a Range Rover, the Suzuki Swift could be the ideal solution. Thanks to its ALLGRIP system, the Swift is one of the only superminis on sale in the UK with four-wheel drive. Because of its premium status, you have to go for the top SZ5 trim to enjoy all-wheel traction, but this also nets you features like sat nav and autonomous emergency braking to help avoid collisions. While four-wheel drive increases running costs slightly, the ALLGRIP model still returns up to 62.8mpg and only emits 101g/km of CO2, making it one of the cheapest cars to run on this list. Power comes from a 1.2-litre petrol engine with 89bhp, propelling the Swift from 0-62mph in 12.6 seconds and on to 106mph. Economy is aided by a ‘mild hybrid’ system that stores energy in a small battery as you slow down and then uses it to power the car’s electrics and boost acceleration. Read more. Key points 3.6 / 5 Read Review Watch Video Fiat Panda 4x4 hatchback Fiat Panda 4x4 hatchback The Fiat Panda 4x4 is comparable to the Dacia Duster in some way thanks to its low price and decent off-road credentials, but it’s actually a very different car. The Panda 4x4 is smaller than the Duster and more obviously sold on image – it’s a more style-led car inside and out. It’s more than just a pretty face, though – despite the limitations of its small size, the Panda 4x4 is impressively practical thanks to clever design touches and interior storage solutions. Fiat offers the Panda with its tiny TwinAir petrol engine, but while it’s efficient on paper, in the real world it needs to be worked hard and fuel economy suffers as a result. We recommend choosing the Panda 4x4 with a diesel engine, as this makes it more enjoyable to drive and more economical. And despite its small size and hatchback origins, the Panda 4x4 is surprisingly capable off-road, too, where its compact nature has benefits in agility. Read more. Key points 3.2 / 5 Read Review Watch Video Jeep Renegade SUV Jeep Renegade SUV Aside from the Jeep Wrangler – a direct descendent of the wartime Willys Jeep – the Jeep Renegade is arguably the most iconically styled car you can buy from the North American four-wheel-drive legend. From its vertical seven-bar front grille to tail-lights designed to resemble 'jerry cans', the Renegade is a very distinctive car indeed – on the outside, anyway. Inside, it's a bit plasticky and lacks the style of the exterior, but it makes up for this with loads of interior room for a car that takes up such little space on the road. It also boasts versatile features such as a front passenger seat that folds forward for the longest of through-loads. In truth, the Renegade isn't quite as sure-footed on the road as many of its small SUV rivals, but the opposite is true when conditions turn tricky – a typical Jeep four-wheel-drive system brings traction on loose or slippery surfaces and if the road disappears altogether, the Jeep can often just keep going. It's a great car for winter weather, and in Trailhawk trim can wade through almost 50cm of water, meaning floods won't necessarily stop it, either. Read more. Key points 3.3 / 5 Read Review Watch Video SsangYong Tivoli SUV SsangYong Tivoli SUV SsangYong is a South Korean carmaker whose name isn't quite as well known as some, but as it made its name building tough and reliable army trucks, the SUVs it builds today can deal with the worst a British winter can throw at them. The Tivoli is the smallest model the company offers in the UK, as well as one of the best, with smart, modern looks and an impressively well finished interior. Looks-wise, it falls somewhere between SUV and large hatchback, and its bulky shape conceals a spacious interior and a boot bigger than most rivals. The Tivoli really shows what it's made of if you choose the four-wheel-drive option – a feature that'll appeal to those who live in isolated rural areas and regularly face challenging roads. This option reduces fuel economy from the 1.6-litre diesel engine to below 48mpg, but it may be a compromise worth making to maximise mobility through snow and ice. Read more. Key points 3.2 / 5 Read Review Watch Video Advertisement by TaboolaYou might like Land Rover Defender lives again Best 4x4s and SUVs Most economical 4x4s, SUVs and crossovers All-new Volvo V40 on the way Best looking cars Top 10 Biggest Car Boots We Recommend Best first cars Best Motability cars Best small SUVs Best automatic cars Best 4x4s and SUVs The UK's top 10 best-selling cars Best family cars Best estate cars Find new cars Find your new car with our new car search.SEARCH NOW Find used cars Find your used car with our used car search.SEARCH NOW Help me choose Car Finder matches you to your perfect car, whatever your budget Latest poll Which film has the best car chase? Poll Status Open Feb 12, 2018 4%Bad Boys 2 32%Bullitt 3%Die Another Day 3%Drive 18%Ronin 5%The Blues Brothers 7%The Bourne Identity 7%The Fast and the Furious 4%The French Connection 17%The Italian Job Tips & Advice Complete guide to the plug-in electric car grant What is a DPF and why do you need to know? Euro NCAP: How safe is my car? 2018 scrappage schemes: the complete guide How to decide which car to buy What is GAP insurance, and why might you need it? Top tips: How to negotiate a car price How to change a car battery How to avoid depreciation: Top tips Manual or automatic gearbox – which is best? Advertisement Home About CarBuyer Carbuyer provides trusted car reviews from experts and owners, comparisons, car buying guides and more - helping you decide which car to buy. Who we are How we review cars Connect with us Twitter Facebook Body Styles Convertible / Cabriolet Coupé / Sports car Estate Hatchback MPV / People Carrier Micro Car / City Car Mini MPVs SUV / 4x4 Saloon Award Winner Makes See all makes > Useful links About Us Authors Contact Us Licensing Media Information Privacy Policy Company Website RSS Feeds Sitemap Subscribe to Auto Express Magazine Our websites Auto ExpressEvoAlphrClassic & Performance CarBuyacar © Copyright Dennis Publishing Limited. Carbuyer is a trademark of Felix Dennis.JOBSMEDIA INFORMATIONSUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRESBOOKSAPPSYOUR ONLINE CHOICES NEWSLETTER Enter your email here SIGN ME UP