The Top 5 SUVs for Winter Driving

With the festive period looming ahead we find ourselves faced with the same question once again – what sort of car would you recommend for driving in the winter?

It’s not an easy question to answer of course, as there are a lot of variables – especially when it comes to the location. The best car for your skiing trip in the Alps for example might not serve you as well in the deep snow of Lapland or the rough volcanic terrain of Iceland. That being said though, it’s pretty heavily agreed that some form of SUV is your best bet – with their high ground clearance and 4WD / AWD capabilities providing better traction and stability on slippery roads, they are practically built for driving in dangerous conditions.

We wanted give the question a bit of a deeper answer than that though, and so we have broken down here the best SUVs for winter driving on the European market – at least in our opinion anyway!

1 – Volvo XC60 / XC90

Volvo are known pioneers of safety, inventing such staples as the three point seatbelt, the rearward-facing child seat and booster cushion – all commonplace in any vehicle today. The Volvo XC60 (and it’s bigger brother the XC90) are no different! With innovations such as their City Safety system, which includes automatic emergency braking for pedestrian detection, and the side impact and whiplash protection systems (SIPS and WHIPS), it’s the perfect vehicle to have in dangerous driving conditions. A particular highlight is the adaptive cruise control too, great for keeping that all important safety gap in harsh conditions.

2 – BMW X5

BMW has a reputation for both luxury and driving performance, both of which the x5 has in droves. A clear example of this is BMW’s unique “xDrive” system, which the x5 utilises along with most of their SUVs. Described as a intelligent all wheel drive system, it has sensors that detects even the smallest loss of grip and diverts power straight to the set of wheels with the best traction, resulting in an instantaneous increase in control. It certainly doesn’t skimp on the luxury side too, with a well insulated cabin made of high quality materials, and has both heated seats and steering wheels to keep you warm on those cold winter nights!

3 – Audi Q5

Like BMW, Audi have also cemented themselves as one of the leading luxury brands, though Audi are probably more known for their technology and progressive design over driving performance. Both the Audi Q5, and it’s larger counterpart the Q7, come with Audi’s signature “quattro” all wheel drive system, which Audi pioneered back in the 80’s and have been perfecting ever since. To put it very simply, the engine is split to 60% power in the rear wheels and 40% in the front wheels, making it feel like a rear wheel drive car when driving normally, but with the ability to instantly send power to the front wheels when losing traction.

4 – Land Rover Discovery

Land Rovers of any flavour are widely acknowledged as the quintessential off road vehicle, with built in systems for off-roading that already give them a huge advantage in winter conditions over most other options. The Discovery is no different, with systems such as the All-Terrain Progress Control (ATPC), which acts as a a low-speed cruise control for off-road driving perfect for slippery surfaces, and it’s Terrain Response System, which allows drivers to select specific driving modes based on the terrain they encounter. That’s not to mention the unmatched luxury and comfort you can only get from driving a Land Rover too!

5 – Toyota RAV4

I’m sure most people have had the dreaded experience of waiting hours on the hard shoulder in the freezing cold for the AA to show up – well not so with the RAV4! As with a lot of Japanese brands, Toyotas are most famous for their reliability, and as such their durability and dependability make them a great choice for winter driving. This is no different with the RAV4, ranking as one of the most reliable SUVs on the market. The RAV4 is a perfect all rounder too, with its own smart all wheel drive options, high ground clearance and advanced traction control systems and safety features.

These are our personal picks but it’s entirely subjective of course, and varies quite a bit on the exact model and features. Much more important than the model itself too is whether or not the car has winter tyres – as any car with them will outperform any car without them when it comes to winter driving. Renting a car with guaranteed winter tyres can be difficult but we do have options for it across Europe, just make sure you contact us directly on [email protected] or give us a call on 0113 2899 281 and we can provide a quote with winter tyres for you directly.

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Having working solely in the car hire industry since leaving school, car hire/travel is a huge part of my life and something that gives me great satisfaction and enjoyment. I love coming across new products/locations and sharing these details with our customers via our online platforms.