Anonymous wrote:This is misleading, as really mid size suvs are just cars with awd.
Clearance is terrible on most of them so anything more than 4-5 inches not plowed is tricky.
I has a Toyota Sequoia that was a tank, then an Audi Q7 that I could not get out of the driveway without ripping off the front of the car . Once I blew/shoveled for a few hours I could get it out on packed snow just fine.

100%. Wife's AWD "slightly upsized vehicle" is borderline useless in any appreciable snow. My Jeep, by contrast, powered its way through Snowmageddon with no issue (didn’t even have to shovel first). No substitute for real 4WD and good tires.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any SUV with 4WD/AWD will do in this area - snow tires will improve the handling if you really are driving in packed snow enough to warrant the cost/effort. If you truly intend to go off road, having the ability to lock the differential (electronically) would be best, along with decent ground clearance.

In many ways, winter driving here presents a challenge not present in colder and snowier areas in that we are more likely to get icing which is much worse to drive on than regular snow.

I didn't find snow tires to be of much help on icy roads, but they claim to help a little

Ice is a different story.

Subaru’s handle great in the snow and sand.

I have a beater 1999 Forester and love taking it out when it snows. Drove it through 20” of snow before the streets were plowed in DC a couple years ago. Tons of fun on empty streets! This car has the option brush guard so it’s basically like driver a small snow plow when going through deeper stuff.

We also have a new Outback, drives great on sand this summer at OBX. I’m eager to try it in snow this winter.

Anonymous wrote:This is misleading, as really mid size suvs are just cars with awd.
Clearance is terrible on most of them so anything more than 4-5 inches not plowed is tricky.
I has a Toyota Sequoia that was a tank, then an Audi Q7 that I could not get out of the driveway without ripping off the front of the car . Once I blew/shoveled for a few hours I could get it out on packed snow just fine.

The Subaru Outback, Forester, and Crosstrek have 8.7 inches of ground clearance. That’s about the highest you’re going to see outside of a Jeep.

This is misleading, as really mid size suvs are just cars with awd.
Clearance is terrible on most of them so anything more than 4-5 inches not plowed is tricky.
I has a Toyota Sequoia that was a tank, then an Audi Q7 that I could not get out of the driveway without ripping off the front of the car . Once I blew/shoveled for a few hours I could get it out on packed snow just fine.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any SUV with 4WD/AWD will do in this area - snow tires will improve the handling if you really are driving in packed snow enough to warrant the cost/effort. If you truly intend to go off road, having the ability to lock the differential (electronically) would be best, along with decent ground clearance.

In many ways, winter driving here presents a challenge not present in colder and snowier areas in that we are more likely to get icing which is much worse to drive on than regular snow.

I didn't find snow tires to be of much help on icy roads, but they claim to help a little