We all know that the UK skids to a halt when the snow starts falling.
But, in one of these vehicles, you can carry on through the frozen white as if it’s a balmy summer’s day. If you live somewhere that gets more than a little flurry, or you can’t let a snowstorm stop you, we’ve picked out 10 perfect cars for the job. They’re the answers to the question ‘how does a snowplough driver get to work?’.
However, it's worth repeating that any car can be made significantly better in the snow just by fitting a set of grippy winter tyres. And, most cars will cope with a bit of snow as long as you drive carefully – here's how to drive in snow.
Subaru Forester
For normal road driving, the Forester’s SUV rivals are more talented and more refined. But you’ll be laughing in a Forester when you’re scuttling past ‘soft roaders’ that are beached in a snowbank. Subaru is well known for its off-road ability and its toughness, but it’s also a carmaker that’s hellbent on making its cars as safe as possible. Every Forester comes with a whole arsenal of driver assistance tech, packaged up into what Subaru calls its ‘EyeSight’ systems.
There’s plenty of space for four adults to sit comfortably – even if they’re wearing 15 layers – and a whopping boot for shovels and supplies. The Subaru’s ponderous performance comes into its own in snowy conditions, too, because it makes you drive in a way that minimises risk in slippery weather. Finally, the heat generated from the Boxer engine under the bonnet could melt the ice on the road before your wheels get to it! Well, possibly.
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Dacia Duster
You can’t buy a Dacia Duster with pocket change any more, but it’s still one of the best-value options if you want all-weather capability. It feels a bit posher than before, without sacrificing Dacia’s no-nonsense character – you still get chunky bumpers and wipe-down interior materials, but now there are bright LED lights to pierce through a white-out and a reversing camera to make backing up easy. Four-wheel drive is available on all three trim levels, and that gives you a drive mode dial including a snow mode and hill descent control.
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Hyundai i10
We’re going to talk about tyres. Just for a second – don’t switch off. A car with skinny tyres will be surprisingly good in snow, because the tyres cut through the snow better than wider ones. So any city car on £50-a-corner tyres will hold its own in slippery conditions. But the i10, and the related Kia Picanto, are the best city cars. They don’t feel tinny from behind the wheel – they’re confident and spacious – and they’re going to be more economical than anything else on this list. Not to mention easier to park. The base i10 has the skinniest tyres – just 185mm wide – but we’d go for the mid-spec Premium model on 195-section tyres because it comes with heated seats. A necessity, frankly.
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Land Rover Discovery Sport
It’s easy to see why the Discovery Sport is still so popular, even though it’s hardly a spring chicken now. You get the full Land Rover experience – imperious driving position, burly engines and serious off-road tech – in a package that’s more compact and easier to manoeuvre than a full-size Defender or Discovery. Although, if you want, you can have the Discovery Sport as a seven-seater and retain the all-wheel-drive capability.
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Suzuki Swift
The Suzuki Swift combines the two attributes we’ve written about so far – four-wheel drive and skinny tyres. It’s one of the smallest cars to offer power to all four wheels, and its mild-hybrid engine means it’s surely the most economical 4x4 on the market. Suzuki’s AllGrip system has a dedicated snow mode. Yet, even two-wheel-drive Swifts should make light work of snow with the aforementioned tiny tyres. If the Swift isn’t quite right, the Vitara and S-Cross also have the AllGrip option.
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Skoda Karoq
The surefooted Skoda Karoq is a top-tier all-rounder. It’s practical, economical, good to drive and has an intuitive interior – all of which you’ll appreciate all year round. But when the snow falls, the Karoq’s optional 4x4 system will provide extra grip and reassurance. Four-wheel drive is available on higher-spec trim levels – meaning goodies like heated seats – and with a choice of petrol or diesel engines. The petrol engine is tempting but thirsty; the diesel engine suits the Karoq nicely.
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Jeep Compass
The Jeep Compass is another car that shows its best side when the going gets tough. It’s one of the few midsize SUVs to actually consider wintry weather, and Jeep’s rough-stuff heritage shines through in the Trailhawk model. As a dedicated off-roader, the Trailhawk comes with four-wheel drive as standard, not to mention immediate electric power from the plug-in hybrid ‘4xe’ system. Plus, there’s hill descent control and a low-range gearbox.
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Toyota bZ4X
An electric car has several obvious upsides in winter – for instance, most let you preheat the cabin while it’s charging so you can get in and drive away, without having to defrost it or wait for the air con to warm up. It’s worth noting, however, that powerful EVs can struggle to retain traction in slippery conditions, and you’ll need to charge up more often in cold weather. But the Toyota bZ4X (and the near-identical Subaru Solterra) was developed to do some off-roading. That's what the '4x' bit of its name signifies. Its advanced four-wheel-drive and traction control systems find grip where others might slip – and, when the snow melts, it can wade through up to half a metre of water.
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KGM Rexton
You’ll probably know the KGM Rexton better by its maiden name, the SsangYong Rexton. Either way, you’re getting a trad 4x4 that’s as tough as old boots. It’s got proper low-range gears, high ground clearance and a muscular diesel engine that can tow 3.5 tonnes – so you can guarantee a bit of snow isn’t going to trouble it whatsoever. With seven seats and an interior that balances modern conveniences with durability, the Rexton is hard-working and versatile.
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Ford Ranger
There are times when nothing beats a big, brutish pickup truck. Maybe you live somewhere incredibly rural, or you want one vehicle for both business and pleasure, or you simply want to lord it above other motorists. The latest Ford Ranger is the best pickup on sale, and it’s emphatically capable. It’ll tow the same as the Rexton but, because it’s a pickup, it still has the massive weatherproof loadbed. There’s loads of space for four adults and a tech-heavy, posh-feeling interior that’s much more car-like than pickups of old.
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