How much ground clearance do you really need?

Picture?

IMO the best car for most winter snow driving conditions is one with good snow tires, regardless of ground height. We have three cars: an AWD Suzuki SX4 with studded snow tires, a FWD Toyota Solara with regular snow tires, and an Nissan Xterra with off road rated M&S tires. While the X will go thru the snowbanks better than the others, it is skiddish on slippery hardpacked snow and ice. Both the Solara and Suzuki are better on hardpacked slippery snow and ice. The Xterra would be better only with snow tires. The Solara surprised me. I expected the FWD and snow tires to help it stop, but not really change how well the car went up the steep snow and icy road we live on. The Xterra, in 4WD will slip, but the Solara with snow tires doesn't. And I had to drive the Solara thru a snowstorm on Rt 17 and had no trouble... So, if you get snow tires, you won't need the high ground clearance unless you have to blast thru snow that is deep enough to lift the car off the surface of the road. And if you are seeing conditions like this on the highway, you should probably stop driving!

Chef - You've posted your WRX before and I love it.  I would have considered one myself but they don't make them in wagon/hatch form anymore, and the prices for used ones are outrageous considering the mileage and the age.

Doug - I somewhat agree with you about the deep snow thing.  It's a balance between wanting stability on hardpack/ice and wanting to get right to the mountain first thing in the AM after a storm without dealing with shoveling.  I also almost bought an SX4 years ago but decided it was too small.  Is a ski cargo box stable on that thing?  My Alltrack ended up having the perfect roof length for the Thule XT Motion Alpine box.   Comes right up to the hatch without interfering with it, and doesn't hang over the windshield.  The crossbars sit at the box's widest possible length making it very stable.

I think I may check out the Golf Alltrack..  
I need space for music stuff but a smaller car... Station wagon is awesome...

https://www.caranddriver.com/volkswagen/golf-alltrack

My Nissan Armada works pretty darn good --- can't beat horsepower and weight

dmc_hunter wrote

I think I may check out the Golf Alltrack..  
https://www.caranddriver.com/volkswagen/golf-alltrack

I really like mine, I posted a pic of it a few pages back.   You should be able to get a good deal on it too.  My SEL's msrp was somewhere around $37k and I got it for $29.5K.   Other then that MLK storm where it got buried under 18 inches it's been great for winter driving.  

@Camp - Funny - Avis gave me an Infiniti QX80 (same as the Armada) when I was in Jackson.  It's huge and spacious for sure, but it drives like it looks.  My Alltrack feels like a sports car compared to the Armada.

Yeah, they're good people movers and do great in the snow. I'm more of a truck guy but this was last minute. Tough tossing dead deer in the back of the Armada but it can be done.

dmc_hunter wrote

I think I may check out the Golf Alltrack..  
I need space for music stuff but a smaller car... Station wagon is awesome...

https://www.caranddriver.com/volkswagen/golf-alltrack

I had the Jetta SportWagen TDI (same thing with diesel sans AWD) and it was an awesome vehicle. Loved the wagon, highly recommended for lots of space combined with better style than an SUV. Fold flat back seats, FTW. Fuel economy sucks for the Alltrack, though (by my standards). Definite deal breaker for me when I did the TDI buyback. But better fuel economy (and looks) than the Subi Outback. Then again, the current Outback is more SUV than wagon. So it is pretty much the only option for an AWD non-luxury wagon.

Icecoastchef wrote

I’ve been driving myself crazy trying to figure out where that overlook is. I know I e seen it before. Is it the road that goes up over the pass on the way to MRG and the bush from the west?

I agree that the fuel economy of the Alltrack is a bit low for it's size.  That said it does 0-60 in 7 seconds and has a fun dual clutch transmission.  The outback does get better fuel economy by a few mpgs, but it's a dog to drive.  Wobbly, high riding, slow (0-60 in 9 seconds for the 2.5l), and has a CVT slush box.  At 66 inches tall it's basically an SUV.  While it's cargo space is longer, it actually only has less then 10 cubic feet more then the AT - especially considering you can drop the trunk floor of the AT by 6 inches which was life changing when I discovered it.  I Don't understand why VW doesn't sell it like that by default.

That being said I don't want to hate on the Outback too much.  It has more offroad capabilities then my AT and would probably do better in really deep snow.   Most of them never see more then a pothole in the mall parking lot of course.
 My friends who just had a baby insisted they needed an Outback for all the baby's "stuff", and because there are "hills" in Westchester.   Whatever...

TheGreatAbyss wrote

The outback does get better fuel economy by a few mpgs

Not according to Fuelly. But sample size is a lot smaller for the Alltrack, so who knows. Regardless, manufacturer quoted EPA MPG rating is useless as we've seen time and time again, sometimes via big media black eye and sometimes just word of mouth.

Sweet whip D --- cool pic too --- I dig the contrast

NIIICCCEEEE

Brand new?

I actually wanted red slightly more than the light blue but got a really good deal on the blue one.

Damn. Dmc, Abyss, Tbatt...

VW AllTrack is a popular car on the forum.

LOL read the reviews, and you will see that it is a typical overpriced VW. I really like the look, but after researching, I'll stick with my Tacoma.

Darkside Shaman wrote

LOL read the reviews, and you will see that it is a typical overpriced VW. I really like the look, but after researching, I'll stick with my Tacoma.

The reviews about the Golf AT are almost universally positive, not sure what negative review you read.  And No, it's not a true offroad vehicle like your giant pick up truck.  It's a sporty-ish street wagon that can get you to the mountain in some snow/ice/mud.  

Also I agree that the MSRP is absurd, but if you shop around and negotiate hard you'll get close to 20% off MSRP.

MC2 5678F589 wrote

Damn. Dmc, Abyss, Tbatt...

VW AllTrack is a popular car on the forum.

I've got one too! Love it. Got me home from the hill in unplowed streets after Riley last March. Mine is a 6 spd too!!

MC2 5678F589 wrote

Damn. Dmc, Abyss, Tbatt...

VW AllTrack is a popular car on the forum.

Fits my boards - drums - PA speakers and luggage..  Kind of perfect..
also easier to get my kayak on and off since the roof isn't high up like an SUV..
Love the trim and the feel.  Love VWs...