2010 Sportwagen in the snow

[harrumphicus]

I really don't see a problem. I grew up in MN (definitely one of if not the coldest state in the country) with plenty of rolling hills and lakes that help make everything else icy, I've never "needed" winter tires and I've never put a car in the ditch. The first time I even heard that people actually used those was over at LegacyGT when I had my old Subaru. I'm not saying there's not a use for winter tires, but I don't think they're an absolute necessity.

 

[PoliPino]

My JSW was just fine in the snow, until this last winter. The original tires finally hit the point where any snow on the ground made the car impossible to get going from a stop.

I ended up getting a set of steel wheels and Firestone Winterforce tires (with TPMS sensors). Now I almost never get the wheels to spin on snow, only on sheer ice patches. The car now feels much more capable than my wife's AWD Acadia in the snow.

 

[dsldub]

I've been driving Quebec winters all my life. Snow tires are now mandated by law but even before they were, I would never recommend winter driving on "three-season" tires, which is what "all season tires" are if you live anywhere that gets significant snowfall or ice. A good winter tire makes all the difference.

^^^ listen to this guy.
I have the Continental ExtremeWinterContact, and have no problems in the snow. I live in Canada, and have used dedicated snow tires every winter for the last 12 years, and will never use all seasons ever again up here.
Winter tires will make all the difference in snow covered roads. Last year, I installed the 17" ContiProContact a bit too early in the spring, and had a surprise snow day and I was all over the place, with traction control kicking in all the time.

Snow stormed by dsldub, on Flickr

Snow storm by dsldub, on Flickr

 

[DZL_Damon]

^^^ listen to this guy.
I have the Continental ExtremeWinterContact, and have no problems in the snow. I live in Canada, and have used dedicated snow tires every winter for the last 12 years, and will never use all seasons ever again up here.
Winter tires will make all the difference in snow covered roads. Last year, I installed the 17" ContiProContact a bit too early in the spring, and had a surprise snow day and I was all over the place, with traction control kicking in all the time.

Snow stormed by dsldub, on Flickr

Snow storm by dsldub, on Flickr

Yup... good set of studded snows, and those roads become 45-50mph roads again... literally.

 

[GraniteRooster]

I will add to the previous comments in this thread that the JSW does very, very well in snow. In particular, the ASR traction control system combined with ESC stability control system make the car extremely driveable. ASR is not as good as AWD, but definitely makes a world of difference going up hills and starting from a stop. I learned to drive in snow with 2WD pickups in northern NY - you learn real fast that momentum rules and only one wheel pulls, and its the one with the LEAST traction. ASR gives two wheels pulling... BIG difference. And ESC reacts extremely well to keep the car in line in the slush and the curves.

I'll take a JSW in a long snowstorm trip over my Tacoma 4WD TRD just about anyday, unless the snow is DEEP, the JSW handles FAR better, and is MUCH more secure. Far less fatiguing to drive...

And of course, good snow tires goes without saying... buy them, use them. Electronic aids do nothing to improve roadholding ability of your tires... it just keeps them closer to the limit, and snow tires have much higher limits.

 

[GraniteRooster]

Today I went to an outdoor spot that has a long, 3/4 mile uphill drive that is complete, continous sheet of smooth glare ice for the last 1 week due to plowing & weather patterns (no sand or slat is applied all winter... melt/refreeze = glare ice). There is a locked gate at the bottom on moderately steep incline that you have to stop, unlock, drive through, relock, and then proceed uphill. the ice is so slippery that it is difficult to stand on, and my ABS went off slowing to a stop from moderate speed, lightly braking, going UPHILL. The incline is steep enough that without ASR one wheel would simply spin and you would actually go BACKWARD.

I was able to inch forward with the help of ASR through the gate, stop, and again restart for a second time on the moderate smooth glare ice incline, gain momentum going uphill, and generate and keep enough momentum to navigate the curves and MUCH steeper inclines further up the drive. I gambled that the car would do it... it was challenging in my Tacoma with 4wd earlier this week (both axles spinning from a dead stop feathering the clutch, slow pregress) and conditions were even more slippery today in the VW based on walking feel. But, the car did it with FLYING colors, VERY impressed.

Unstudded Michelin X-Ice i2 winter tires, FYI.