My family's XC70s got us through the 2014/2015 New England winter

**brogoff** · 03-17-2015, 02:19 PM

I was very glad to be driving my 2006 XC70 in this winter's horribly dangerous weather in New England. I've driven up and down hills and through record snowfalls without a moment's hesitation. I got caught in high winds and total white-outs in the Monadnock mountains near Keene, New Hampshire and had nothing to worry about other than the traffic around me.

I finally talked my wife into getting an XC70 because her Mazda was having problems in the weather, causing my daughter to miss school. Last weekend, she had to drive up and down hills and through high winds and white-outs in winter's last (hopefully) nasty surprise near Auburn, NH. She saw six accidents along the way home and thanked me for convincing her to get the car. She and our daughter were sure the Mazda wouldn't have made it.

This sort of thing may be true for most AWD cars but my XC70 gives me more confidence in these incredibly bad conditions than anything else I've ever driven.

**vtl** · 03-17-2015, 04:58 PM

FWD car with a good winter tires set beats AWD on all-seasons, IMO.

**brogoff** · 03-17-2015, 05:10 PM

Been there and done that. Try backing up a hill with snow on the ground. FWD becomes RWD. No thanks.

**Astro14** · 03-17-2015, 08:15 PM

Originally Posted by vtl

FWD car with a good winter tires set beats AWD on all-seasons, IMO.

My experience too!

**MacNoob** · 03-17-2015, 08:50 PM

AWD with good snows beats them both ...

(almost time to take off the X-Ice IIIs, no snow left, but could be a good storm in April yet)

**billr99** · 03-18-2015, 05:23 AM

Originally Posted by MacNoob

AWD with good snows beats them both ...

(almost time to take off the X-Ice IIIs, no snow left, but could be a good storm in April yet)

You need to come over our way, MacNoob. 30cm this AM on top of the whatever has accumulated since mid-January, plus now being pushed around by 70km winds. Oh and its only -1C so its that nice, heavy, slippery stuff. I need AWD and a good set of Gizzies just to get out of my 100 foot driveway. Not that the road here is any better once you're out there.

Cheers,

Bill

**MacNoob** · 03-18-2015, 06:52 AM

I'd sure like to get out that way - it's on my list of places to visit. It's just so darn far (close to 4000 kms) - that's a long drive!

**sanfelice** · 03-18-2015, 08:49 AM

I have to say that the XC70 did fine this winter with its Altimax Arctic tires, but the lowered 00 V70R (not my idea, bought it like that, it's dumb) with Hakkas was the king of winter, minus the tendency to become a snowplow at anything over 5 inches of snow. So, the type of tires makes a huge difference. I'm going to put Nokians on the XC next winter, they're just too damn good.