I used to run a pizza place. Bad snow was some of the worst. Half the staff would call off and we’d have double the orders. We were in a mostly flat city on a grid, so we would cut delivery down to just the grid. People would be furious to be denied delivery pizza. “I just drove up the hill an hour ago! It’s fine!” Yeah in your truck. My delivery driver is in a beat up twenty year old four cylinder.
One day I tried to take our car to work and immediately put it in a ditch. I called my boss while I walked to work. I said we can’t do delivery today this is too extreme. He said oh just do the grid like usual. The only driver who showed up that morning wrecked his car on his third delivery. We always told them, take the topper off your car and hide it in your trunk. If insurance finds out you were doing commercial business they will not pay.
Technically it’s not the power of the engine but the AWD/4WD. You can floor your engine and just skid on ice. Subarus are pretty cheap 4 cyl boxer engines known for great handling in snow with some clever differential systems they have (viscuous coupling diffs, active torque split, etc.) But yeah a Ford Focus or Honda Civic or whatever with FWD only will leave you stranded. Not your main point I know.
With that said, a beater with snow tires and chains on the trunk (and a driver that knows how to put them on before they are needed) will do better than a Subaru with all season tires.
Source: Subaru forums, even a RWD like a BRZ/FRS with snow tires can be safe if driven with the car’s limitations in mind.
I used to run a pizza place. Bad snow was some of the worst. Half the staff would call off and we’d have double the orders. We were in a mostly flat city on a grid, so we would cut delivery down to just the grid. People would be furious to be denied delivery pizza. “I just drove up the hill an hour ago! It’s fine!” Yeah in your truck. My delivery driver is in a beat up twenty year old four cylinder.
One day I tried to take our car to work and immediately put it in a ditch. I called my boss while I walked to work. I said we can’t do delivery today this is too extreme. He said oh just do the grid like usual. The only driver who showed up that morning wrecked his car on his third delivery. We always told them, take the topper off your car and hide it in your trunk. If insurance finds out you were doing commercial business they will not pay.
Technically it’s not the power of the engine but the AWD/4WD. You can floor your engine and just skid on ice. Subarus are pretty cheap 4 cyl boxer engines known for great handling in snow with some clever differential systems they have (viscuous coupling diffs, active torque split, etc.) But yeah a Ford Focus or Honda Civic or whatever with FWD only will leave you stranded. Not your main point I know.
There is a reason why the Italian mountain police uses the Fiat Panda (other than it being an Italian car)
That fucker will go ANYWHERE
I just shake my head at people that think if you’re spinning out on the ice, just press the throttle harder. Fucking idiots.
With that said, a beater with snow tires and chains on the trunk (and a driver that knows how to put them on before they are needed) will do better than a Subaru with all season tires.
Source: Subaru forums, even a RWD like a BRZ/FRS with snow tires can be safe if driven with the car’s limitations in mind.