Prius in Snow

I live in Reno on a steep hill, about a mile long. During one of our earlier snows with lots of ice on the road I made it home in my 2007 Touring. The next morning we counted 18 cars, as we left our house, which had not made it up the climb and had been left along the hill, including several SUVs.
The TRAC and VSC seem to do the trick. [Stock M/S tires]

No problems here. While I don't expect great results from dealer OEM tires, I was more than impressed with it's performance in the snow. I've been through 2 snow storms and an ice storm. I haven't gotten stuck yet. During one of the more vicious snow storms, I was one of 3 people who made it to work. The two others had 4-wheel drive SUVs. If you drive this car right, it's snow and ice performance is awesome.

Not sure why other drivers say it (Prius) is good in the snow. We (2004) have severe problems in the snow, more appropriately the snowy/icy conditions here in Michigan. To the point we drive other vehicles when the weather is rough!

One thing no one has mentioned (as they all claim great in the snow), is there is virtually no ground clearance under this vehicle (not un-common in small cars for sure), and it becomes a snow plow. I repeat that ours got "stuck" on a very small snowy/icy incline to where it had to be manually pushed to get it onto level ground. Also be assured!! THERE IS NO PLACE TO PUT A TOW ROPE ON THIS VEHICLE!

On icy/snowy roads, this car is all over the road, almost un-controllable! (much worse than the wondering on dry pavement!)

I live in western NY too, and from what I hear snow tires may cost a bit more, but it's worth the safety. The question is, what kind of snow tires would you recommend? Also, how does the car handle? (I'm not sure if someone has addressed this directly yet...) Thanks.

I am hoping to buy a Prius within the next few months. I noticed a few responses from people who live in mountaineous regions like Colorado and Nevada, who seem to make it up hills okay. I also live in the 'wild, wild west' and am wondering how the Prius responds in mountain driving... REGARDLESS of snow... and in passing... and at high altitudes. I currently drive a New Beetle turbo and have always been very happy with its 'zip.' My dad used to drive a diesel Mercedes and its slow response drove me crazy... besides being risky in city traffic! Will appreciate any experience with this type of driving.

Buffalo, NY. Yes we do get snow in the winter.

Very happy with basic handling in ice and plowed streets.

One short coming- After driving SUV's for 20+ years with high ground clearance, the Prius takes a little getting used to.

It only has FIVE INCHES of ground clearance under the body. the car does not bull it's way thru heavy snow drifts like an SUV.

Alot of snow under the body can "hang" the car up by taking the car's weight off the tires, causing loss of traction.

Can't speak to -40 temps, but in single negative numbers, the heater/defrosters are very enthusiastic.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Prius (and other hybrids) do not get good gas mileage at low temperatures.

The engine has to run as long as needed to warm up the engine block, oil and catylitic converter. That means lower mileage at lower temperatures.

The key to any good traction is...tires tires and Better tires
The second thing is knowing when NOT to the brake. that is right no braking. It is tricky but going to a parking lot (empty) night and getting use to losing control in a control environment is a little hair raising but if taken seriously can help control YOU in the time when things go hairy. Accelerating in turns and going down hill will dropping the car D,3,2,1 can help more the situation than the applying the brakes
As far temperature goes you can put a card broad in front of the radiator to help cold air to flow and cool the engine

I live in Eastern NY - not far from Bennington, VT. We have long hills, and lots of snow and ice.

The computerized traction control is a problem - when the wheels start to spin, power is cut off and you stop moving. You cannot "spin" your way out of an icy area, the way you can with conventional front wheel drive vehicles like a Sable. I have a set of cable "chains" (NAPA) that are fairly easy to install when needed. Otherwise, the Prius handles well in snow (ground clearance is a problem) most of the time.

does anyone have experience with roof racks on a prius? i am looking to buy one but need to carry an alden rowing shell. is there a place in the front and back to tie the shell down once loaded on the rack?

I'm moving back to Montana in September and was wondering what you learned about having a Prius there? I will be selling my car and buying something when we get up there because my current car is a VW Diesel Beetle which doesn't even like the cold-ish Texas winters. I'm trying to decide if I need to go with a Subaru for the AWD, or if I can get away with a Prius, which would be fantastic. Can you let me know what you learn? I'm envious that you are up there now - I can't wait to move home!

I live in Colorado and I've installed an after-market block heater on every car I've owned for the last 30 years. My '90 Accord ran 334,000 miles before I sold it and I believe keeping the engine oil warm at night was the secret. Question: has anyone put a block heater on a Prius?

I have a 2005 and have been through several Michigan winters with it. Never slipped, never lost power, and never, ever got stuck! My factory tires are great. It came with size 315/70/R17 BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A's that really seem to have great traction in any weather. Interestingly enough, I also have not experienced any problems with ground clearance, either, as I have well over a foot of ground clearance. Finally, I have not experienced the power loss that people speak of here. My 364 cubic inch V-8 engine never seems to have trouble unleashing its 325 horsepower, allowing my Hummer H2 to rumble effortlessly over (or through!) any obstacle placed before it. The only problem I have in winter in fact, is the inner conflict between my good side, which wants to help stuck Prius drivers, and my bad side, which enjoys seeing you standing next to your hopelessly mired R/C cars looking just a bit less smug.

I would say it depends on the options the model comes with also.

I wonder if Prius ever comes WITHOUT anti-lock brakes.
that would make a difference, would it not?

Hi! I'm moving to Omaha next year and am seriously thinking of getting a new Prius. I appreciate the inputs on this thread and wondering if there is anyone in Omaha who would like to comment. thanks!

ok reading through these posts have made me even more confused. my 2008 prius is awesome; i love it, but am planning to drive up to vail from denver this weekend in possible snow, and now am struggling with whether to buy the snow tires or not. i do appreciate the tip on bridgestone blizzaks, which i'll check out right now. i really don't want to regret this buy....

I'm interested to know what you figured out that makes the Prius safe. I am 65 and have driven front wheel drive cars with traction control for years and find the Prius scary. At the same time I love the car but am very concerned how it handles in the snow.

Do I need to go with snow tires and if so what brand and size?

Is there a special way when braking with the Prius in snow?

I had a slick spot yesterday and the car just slid straight ahead.

Thanks for your response.

Russ

It would be helpful if comments regarding how your Prius handles in the snow were accompanied by a description of the tires you're running on. I presume the Pruis OEM tires have changed over the years, and describing your situation without defining your tires only tells part of the story.

I'm in my second winter in my 2007(?) Prius which runs on the OEM Goodyear Integrity tires. These tires on this car are the worst winter driving combination I've ever experienced. I have 20 years experience driving small FWD cars in midwest (Minnesota)winters, so I know how to steer, brake, etc. But this car with these tires is dangerous! I have the same experience as others when the tires slip and the traction control kicks in, leaving me stranded halfway through an intersection. And it swims around badly on icy roads.

I'd be interested in hearing how gas mileage was impacted for those who mounted snow tires or other OEM replacements. I assume it was diminished, because I presume the OEM tires were chosen to maximize gas mileage.

It sounds like Lauren somewhat gets it.

I live in the Southern Rockies at 7,000 feet and use inexpensive straight (and minimally) grooved mud and snow tires year yound. I have 30 years of experience in mountain area winter driving in both New England and the Rockies and have taken professional handling courses. My traction control light has never come on as I have been taught how to drive correctly. I hate chains and do not use them. I feel that an area that truly requires chains either deserves a tracked vehicle or to be rigorously avoided in the winter. Having said that, I go over Hoosier Pass (over 12,000 feet) in my Prius in the winter all the time to ski at Breckenridge. My year round average mileage is 52.0 mpg.

I find that the Prius performs better in winter driving, moderate snow and slush than other similar sized fron twheel drive cars for two reasons:

1. The electric motors mean that your initial acceleration is perfectly linear with huge torque at the lowest speeds, which means less slipping. Of course, if you you floor it, you will have problems, the same as with any other vehicle in snowy driving conditions.

2. The regenerative braking means that as soon as stop pushing on the accelerator pedal the vehicle starts slowing down in a very controlled, linear deceleration, which can be emphasized with the B setting. This helps prevent you from sliding into the vehicle in front of you or off the road, a major source of winter accidents. Of course, if you wait until its too late and then slam on the brakes, you will have problems, the same as with any other vehicle in snowy driving conditions.

On some ice, it doesn't matter what you have. I've seen vehicles with ice spike tires doing 360's more than once in my life.

Front wheel drive light car driving techniques in snow or slick conditions are quite different from all wheel or four wheel driving techniques in heavier vehicles, especially for hills. There are too many subtleties to go into here. I suggest professional training for those drivers here who mentioned that they have problems driving correctly.

As usual, how you drive (and whether you have training and skills and can be thoughtful and careful) is much, much more important than what you drive.

@ gschaut

I think you are preaching to the choir here.

That's why Lauren and I correctly use the B setting, when appropriate, based on conditions and power pack levels, descending our long steep mountain grades (Berthoud Pass for Lauren from Winter Park (I love Mary Jane) and Hoosier Pass for me. Believe it or not, some of the rest of us do read the manual, have specific driving training, and do use the car's functions properly. All I said is that is that the B setting emphasizes deceleration, which is true. I was extolling regenerative braking, the effect that occurs when you lift your foot from the accelerator, separately. You just showed why professional real world driver training is important. Too much is lost in translation just reading and writing.

By the way, it snowed a foot and a half the other night, before the plows could get to it. At the building where I work, only two people out of over 200 made it to work the next morning, both from Vermont, one of whom drives a Prius. Today there were only two cars again, this time both were Prii.

Here in Wisconisn we are having record snowfall. The most snow in December since 1887.

The traction control is driving me crazy. It's been so slushy around here that I can't get away from a stop light or into moderatly heavy traffic without fear of getting clobbered. It just seems to stay at 3-7 mph with the tires slipping.

A car geek budy of mine recommended snow tires. I've seen the Blizaks mentioned a couple other places. Any other recomendations for snow tires?

> purchased snow tires and rims

is there a reason for getting additional RIM's other then not needing to go to a shop whom can swop the tires on the current RIM's?

> Winter Tires

I always get Studded Nokian Hakkapelittas

Any reason not to get these with the Prius?

My wife's Prius does slide a bit in the snow, but overall it's nothing too bad. We've had a pretty bad winter already and we usually take her car when we go out in the weather. I do drive pretty slow in snow/icy conditions letting the car coast to about 8 or 9 MPH before even applying the brakes. This works pretty well but I still slide occasionally. I think all cars take some getting used to driving in general especially in winter weather and the Prius is no different.

I definitely notice that the Prius is more prone to sliding than is my Honda Civic Hybrid. That car seems to stop pretty well even if I'm going a bit too fast when I apply the brakes.

Overall I have no real issues with the Prius in snow, other than cleaning it off when it's been sitting out during the snowfall.

I live in Omaha and own a 2008 Prius (purchased in fall of 2007). This is my second winter driving season. Omaha has hills and I am having more trouble this year (2009) with slip-sliding around. It feels like I have no tread on the tires. The car mileage is 20,000 miles. I have read with interest other's views about driving on ice & snow covered roads. I too have been unable to get up my driveway, which is incline of under 12 inches. The drive has to be perfectly clear. Sand helps. I called Toyota. They were no help. Said we just have ice and snow. I plan to buy snow tires next winter. I am carrying two, 70 lb bags of sand in the back-end, which helps a little. Otherwise, car runs great. Turn off AC in summer and mileage jumps up to 55-62.

My husband and I each bought a Toyota Prius last summer. Having asked Prius owners about their cars prior to purchasing, many of them mentioned that they were not good at all in snow. I read the owner's manual once we got the cars. It specifically stated that snow tires are needed for winter. I bought Michelin X-ice snow tires for both cars. We have had absolutely no problem. So, if you have a Pruis....I strongly suggest investing in a quality set of snow tires.

I'm really close to purchasing an '09 Prius with all the safety bells and whistles but I'm concerned with the winter driving.
I live in west Michigan and the winters here are slick and as of late really bad. I'm use to driving crappy light FWD vehicles (Mazda 3, Honda civic) with OEM (standard/ factory) tires.
Before I purchase the Prius I need to know if it's safe at all with added snow tires for the winter? Is the driving with the hybrid in winter weather just totally different then the crappy light gas FWD vehicles?

Chains are not legal on the road here.

I have a 2009 Prius-so far so good other than on the highway it gets tossed around due to its egg shape. Im a little worried about its first winter with us. Our winters are brutal in Northern BC. We have tons of snow and -45 degree plus windchill factor temps. I hope it fairs well as soon as we get winter tires. Im not worried about mileage in the winter-it has to be warmed for a while anyway. Dont have a real opinion of this unit yet-only had it since july. any suggestions for winter driving tips or good tires?

thanks

I have a new 2010 Prius that I haven't had a chance to drive on ice and snow. But the Prius Owner's Manual recommends switching to winter tires, and my experience with two other vehicles (a Mercury station wagon and a Mazda convertible) on winter roads in NE Ohio has convinced me that winter tires mounted on a second set of wheels are an excellent investment. As an earlier poster said, TireRack is great. They will recommend the best package of winter tires for your make and model at significant discounts. They'll mount and ship them to you in a day. Also, Consumer Reports (Nov. 09) just rated tires. The winter tires TireRack recommended for my new Prius were among Consumer Reports' top-rated and recommended winter tires.

I too am looking for snow tires. I have had my Prius for a little over a year and last winter my original tires did not do well. Acceleration was ok, but stopping was not good. Even in the rain I find that at times when I am trying to stop and hit a small bump the brakes seem to feel like they lock (the car feels like it slips for a moment).

As for gas milage in the winter, there are MANY reasons for lower gas milage including:

1. Yes, the combustion engine runs more to heat the block - usually to run the heater so the cooler you keep the interior the less it will run. This is the same for the air conditioner in the summer.

2. There is additional resistance on the road surface due to wet and snowy conditions. Especially with water, the surface tension and added resistance takes more energy to turn the wheels.

3. The gas is formulated different in the winter. There are more volatiles added (mostly butanes) that vaporize allowing the engine to start. Without this, there would not be enough vapors to cause the gas to ingite. This formulation reduces the amount of energy (Btu) per gallon of gas, thus causing a reduction in mpg.

If you have a Prius and have tried a certain brand of winter tires, please post what brand you had used and how well they work.

Thanks!