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!

I have an '05 Prius with package 3 I believe (good for that year). I live in Ohio and I've found it does seem to have issues in snow. When going over bumpy roads in clear weather the brakes will cut out for a moment. Similarly, when accelerating, if there is any tire slippage the traction control completely cuts power! It's the worst feeling, just bam, try again. So if you're going up a hill or starting from a red light/stop sign, it can be pretty frustrating. Still love the car, I wonder if they could ever do an AWD option? It would be the ultimate vehicle. And oh yeah, someone mentioned a roof rack - not even an option for my '05. That makes me mad.

We have an 09 Prius with about 10k on it. We have a summer place in NE PA...you need to go down a relatively steep gravel drive to get to the lake dock. Initially the car refused to go back up the hill when the tires spun on the gravel...traction control took over...the car slowly gained traction and pulled very slowly up the hill...I believe that's the mysterious "key" to driving these cars in traction-sensitive situations. Be calm, let the traction control do its job...slowly gaining traction...revving the engine doesn't help, the tires won't spin like your other vehicles...they will only turn when the TCU gains traction. If it won't gain traction then your going to need assistance...this would probably be true regardless of what type of vehicle you drive.
We put on 4 new Continental Extreme Winter tires (rated best ice & snow tires by Tire Rack) @ $68. per...look forward to a problem-free winter.

There's a pop out on the front for a screw in attachment that can be found in your 'trunk', underneath the storage area

i own a 2007 prius...and without winter tires its almost useless in the snow/ice...i cant for the life of me understand or believe some of the comments on this thread...yes the prius is a wonderful car BUT in the snow and ice without snow tires its a dangerous ride!

Same experience as many others. In snow even a slight wheel spin induces traction control, loss of power and control. I may be inexperienced in this car and in snow and too heavy on accelerator - but you loose all sense of what is actually happening and what power/torque is being transmitted to wheels. Really irritating as so many other small cars are cruising around effortlessly and I need to be pushed up the slightest incline unless I can get a run at it and momentum. Stopping at a T junction just floated gently down the camber into the ditch.

I can see the sense of a very light touch and allowing the traction control to work but there are times when this is not possible and as soon as you are stopped and your wheels are spinning that's it.

This is in the UK and as we only get snow for a few days every 5 years or so snow tyres are not really the answer - just use my wife's car I guess.

Quote: "THERE IS NO PLACE TO PUT A TOW ROPE ON THIS VEHICLE! "

Answer: There are no tow hooks on the Prius, but there is a "towing eyelet" in the toolbox with the spare tire. The eyelet goes into a plastic-covered hole on the driver's side of the front bumper, allowing the Prius to be towed slowly for a short distance.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5756462_tow-toyota-prius.html

I'm with you Mary. I'm in Richmond, Virginia and we're having a horrible winter....not normal for us. We just had our third huge snow storm of the season and I have to be at work, 20 miles away, AT 6:30 AM each morning! WHO KNEW that this Southern City would suddenly become an winter wonderland? I bought my 2007 Prius to save on my commuting costs (gotta love that mileage for a 40 mile a day round trip commute), but I'm having major problems making it to and from work! On delayed openings, it isn't too bad, but I don't have access to the major thoroughfares, so am stuck doing backroads too! Just getting out of my driveway and up my culdesac is a nightmare!!!! I'm reading about the Bridgestone Blizzaks being the answer, but $400 seems a steep price to pay (and of course, this isn't normal weather for us either...hopefully!). Anyway, I guess asking for a car to do everything is too much.....just a bummer that I'm finding myself stranded.

I love my Prius but it sucks in the snow. I put snow tires on it a month ago and I slid into a cement barrier and I was only going 15 MPH. If you don't live in snow regions this is a great car. Otherwise, I think it is dangerous in the snow. Sadley, I am going to look into selling mine for this reason alone.

Highway mileage is very speed dependant. As you go from 60 to 70 to 75mph, the mileage drops off quite noticably.

Last summer, I went from Buffalo to Duluth and back, cruise control set between 62 and 65mph for the most part.

53mpg for a 1,500 mile round trip. Locally, here in NY state, I usually get at least 50mpg on the interstate. Locally,in city driving I do between 45 and 60mpg for weekly averages depending on weather and driving conditions.

You MUST have proper tires, and they must be properly inflated to get good mileage.

The way traction control works, it cuts The power to the wheels the harder you step on the gas because that would cause more tire slippage.

When the traction control kicks in, you need to back off the gas.

Why some Prius's don"t work well in snow and why some do! My first Prius, a 2006 package 3 worked so badly on icy and hard pack snow hills,even with snow tires,that I bought another winter car. It would shut down the the power when it slipped,the cheapest kind of traction control,it doesn't slow the spinning wheel with the brake,it just shuts off drive power. The early Saturn's had this non-effective traction control. This is mainly to protect the drivetrain,no off switch. ### I could not understand the positive reviews on the good traction control,now I know why !!! ###. I bought a 2010 package 2 and all the 2010's come with Traction control and (VSC), which only the upper models of the older Prius came with. This is a full traction control system,and actually works the brakes to slow the spinning wheel,and force's the other to go. It is not just a anti skid control. So that is why some older Prius's are horrible in Ice/Snow, and the ones with Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), actually work.

When I lived in the mountains for 14 years (and had snow reliably), I drove a Saturn SL, and 'Spikes Spiders' worked great for me. NOTHING stopped me.

Assuming you already had the hubs on the wheels, they just snap into place, and are equally easy to remove once you leave the snow line. If you didn't have the foresight to put the hubs on before snow/ice were likely, well, they 'sucked'. You end up having to take all the lugnuts off, then put the spider hub on, then put them all back on again in freezing snow/rain. If you had the foresight to have the tire shop install them before winter set in (i.e. while rotating your tires), then they're an absolute cinch. Kick them on, snap the lock in, roll the car forward a bit to make sure they're secure, and go. Five minutes tops.

http://www.spikes-spiders.com/

Of course, I put maybe 20 miles of driving on the spikes spiders TOTAL, since the roads were usually plowed clear within hours, and they were primarily for 'holy crap' days. Most of the time I was fine in the snow for having front wheel drive and knowing the limitations of my car and tire traction in the prevailing conditions.

I live in northern Alberta and we have had our share of -40C here (which is the same as -40F) and my 2006 prius hasn't had a bit of problem with the cold. Starts well (even when not plugged in! -although not recommended practice), runs well and the heater works just as well as you would expect. You will notice a decrease in your mileage because the gas engine does the 'heating' so it has to run more.

To comment on the winter driving aspect, I have had some issues. When I had the factory tires on still I too was 'all over the road' as one other person commented but with GOOD winter tires I haven't had any problems driving on main roads. I have Nokian Hekkapalita WRS tires and they are AWESOME for traction, steering and braking. I'll never drive with all seasons again they are so good. I haven't had an incident yet with icy roads when it's very windy but I always feel like I'm going to be blown off the road when the wind is coming from the side. The large square sides of the car provide a lot of surface area for the wind to push you around.

As for the automatic traction contol(ATC) issue in deep snow or on icy hills, I too have had problems. As soon as the car loses traction and starts spinning the ATC cuts power to that tire momentarily and that usually means you're stuck if you don't have enough momentum to keep going until the power returns to that wheel again (a full second or two). I have called the Toyota dealer about this issue to see if there is any way to turn the ATC off and they said that there is not - "We don't want you spinning the wheels to chew through the snow." Something to do with it not being good for the electric motor. It has been my experience that as long as you don't try to START off in deep snow or going up a steep, icy hill you shouldn't have too many problems.

Hope this info is helpful. Enjoy your prius's all - I sure do.

Similar situation. Parked in driveway with overnight snow near 32. . Cleared snow from tires, but the wheels did not have traction and did not rotate. Thought about pulling it out, but can only pull from front and not rear.
Could not even rock the car. The ABS appears to have been in control. Finally found help and we pushed it onto sand scattered ahead of front tires and it drove off.

There are many problems with the logic in this car- gas fill ups if near empty, using brakes to reset the computer, dead batteries and no AAA personnel access without hard key, and most important the excessive cost of additional keys- The battery failures are a local joke in our neighborhood- we have 1/3 residences with a Prius- AAA knows this area well. Most love the Prius- but must plan their lives around the car- when and where they can risk driving any given day. Those that drive daily and watch the gas level have no problems- but go to snow, park it at the airport, leave a dome light on,

I would not buy another Prius- we have a 98 and 2010- they are not worth the risks of unknown programmed info and battery (aux) weakness and the many "fixes" offered by good AAA personnel and dealers on how to reset the computer. My neighbor always takes BOTH KEYS. Scary.
The Toyota solution of towing to a dealer is not real world. My daughter, alone, in Monument valley at sunset within sight of bikers camping for the night, with a AAA man and a lost key. or--
My wife at the summer lake swimming and sailing when the boat overturns and the key is lost. Or at the beach swimming. I hide keys on all my cars- how do I hide a key for the Prius?

And the price for additional keys- I would like one available at each of the houses that must support our drivers.

Anyone who says that the Prius is anything less than dangerous in slush and snow just hasn't driven it in the conditions that cause every Prius - even with great snow tires - to come to a complete halt and unable to move. I have a 2004 Prius and have driven it through 6 New England winters. The simple fact is that if you find yourself in any situation that causes the wheels to spin in slush or snow the traction control will apply braking to the wheels. If you are on a flat or only slightly inclined surface the intermittent braking will allow the wheels to regain some traction after briefly braking them when wheel spin is sensed. this will allow the car to move haltingly forward. However, if you find yourself going up a steep incline or in snow 4-5 inches deep, the traction control will keep applying/releasing the brakes every couple of seconds,thereby slowing the momentum you need to power up the hill or through the deeper snow even with some wheel spin - as every other car will allow you to do. So, when the system finally brings you to a complete halt on an icy hill, and you try to accelerate, of course the tires are going to need to spin a bit to pull you from a dead stop to a forward motion on a slippery surface. In a normal car, not a big deal. But in a Prius - forget it. The second the wheels spin the brakes are applied and so you go nowhere! One result is that you block every car behind you making it so that they too lose momentum and must try to pass you from a dead stop up a snow hill - which on a road with a single lane in each direction means they must somehow cross in to opposing traffic and pass you from a dead stop on an icy steep hill. This doesn't make you very popular.

In addition, may people don't know that the Prius can only move in reverse in electric mode - the CVT transmission is not capable of applying engine power in reverse. This means that in situations where the car is parked on ice or snow and must reverse to get out, the electric motor does not have the power to back you up - especially if parked on an incline. On top of that, if the electric motor engages the wheels and they spin, the brake is automatically applied, leaving you pushing on a wet noodle of an accelerator pedal.

The situation I have described is not just a description of my unique experience, it is an engineering fact and limitation of all Prius' that goes way beyond snow tires. Sure, good snow tires will help the wheels spin less and thereby not engage the traction control as frequently, but no snow tires can eliminate all wheel slippage. So, I have to conclude that those who rave about Prius in snow have not yet found themselves a steep icy hill with traffic behind them.

I know much has been made of the electronic braking anomaly in the 2010 Prius and Toyota then recalled them - after first denying the problem existed. But I believe that the traction control problem in snow is an extremely dangerous flaw and should also require a recall.

I have a 2010 Prius and although I don't live in an area that snows, we get a couple weeks of heavy, heavyyy wind and rainfall where I live. And I must say, my Prius has TERRIBLE traction. It feels like as if the car is skidding when I'm on the freeway. Whenever I hit a pothole locally (going about 40) my car lurches forward before I'm forced to put on the brakes. Since this only occurs when it's raining, I'm not overly concerned since its sunny year round. Suffice to say, I would NOT recommend driving a Prius through snow. If it sucks driving through rain, it's not going to do any better in snow.

I am so happy I visited this page. I live in LA (25+ years) and am seriously thinking about taking myself, my furpersons and my Prius back to my hometown on Pittsburgh in the next couple of years

But I was terribly concerned that I would be driving a sled that would just slide along against wind and ice. Had a terrible experience in the grapevine with wind - thought it would blow me off the road entirely . . .it is a very light car!

Sounds like I might not have to spend the entire winter avoiding driving! BUT I WILL BUY SNOW TIRES

Thanks everyone.

I have a 2007 Prius (T-Sport - top of the range with every option), with winter tyres she went through the worst winter for a decade, last year, without winter tyres (the previous year) she slipped and slided all the time.

Your safety (and others) and the cars handling is almost all down to your tyres, use summer tyres in snow and your asking for trouble. With winter rubber my MPG dropped to 49mpg, summer rubber MPG is 52MPG.

Ben,
I bought 2010 Prius and I am thinking of taking it to snow, dealer told me to buy chain for tire and you said no need for it. I am confused can you explain clearly if I need to purchase anything before taking up to mountains. Thanks....

We have a 2007 Prius and love it. AND we are now thinking of trading it in for a Subaru Outback. Here in Eastern Washington we get a lot of snow/ice on very hilly terrain. Even with snow tires, you HAVE to get up a head of steam to make it up a hill. If for any reason you are forced to slow down, forget it. The anti-slip control, as many have noted, prohibits acceleration going uphill... any kind of slip and it shuts down. For those who suggest breaking, that doesn't really work if you need to maintain speed up hill.

If there is snow and ice, I immediately put on the cables and that generally works... though even with cables on ice slipping problems cause the drive train to flicker on steep hills. The problem we have is that often we need the cables for the side roads (e.g. our house) but the main roads are cleared and dry. The first winter with the Prius I spent days trying to find some way to turn off the anti-slip control to no avail.

"...NO PLACE TO PUT TOW ROPE"

I have a 2007 touring model and there is a place on front bumper to screw in an accompanying tow bit.

As an owner of a 2005 Prius, I can honestly tell you that this car is a SLED in snow. We live in Philadelphia, PA and it is the worst car ever in snow. Useless in any type of snow from a light dusting to a few inches. During the winters, we park the thing with a car cover and it gets rarely used and instead we rely on our Nissan Sentra which never has a problem in bad weather. However, my wife got caught in a light dusting of snow and just smashed the whole front of the vehicle. Luckily, nobody was hurt. So we're done with it and we are going back to a conventional engine-powered car. Not worth getting into a worse accident.

If you have the tires for gas mileage, forget driving in the snow.

Heidi: Hello from Buffalo, NY. And yes, we do get "a bit" of snow here.

I've also got a 2008 Prius.

Factory original tires are worthless in the winter. You should be very pleased with the improvement in handling with snow tires.

You DO have to make a choice. Either "all season" tires that are "ok" in winter, but do not cost you any mileage if left on in the summer.

Or "aggressive" snow tires that have excellent winter performance, but have to be removed and swapped in the summer for the factory original tires in order to keep good mileage numbers.

You may also need to "modify" your driving style a bit. I too was used to using power to "drift" the car thru the curves and out of snowdrifts. But when you get used to the Prius, you can drive it without letting the tires slip.

Prius with ATC is the equivalent of a 1.5 wheel drive when you have a moderately steep climb and snow. Recommend a set of chains/cables to get you over the tough spots.

The pressure sensors are built into the valve stem mounted on the tire rim. IF you have a shop mount your snowtires on the SAME RIMS, then the pressure sensor stays where it is.

IF your snowtires run on a DIFFERENT pressure than the "summer" tires, you will have to "reset" the car's tire pressure computer.

It's a quick single step.

FIRST: Check all four tires and make sure that they DO HAVE proper inflation.

Under the steering wheel, on the bottom edge of the dashboard is a button labeled Tire Pressure Sensor. With the car OFF, press and hold the button, as you start the car. Hold the button down until the "tire pressure" warning light on the dash blinks three times.

Your car's computer now recognizes the "current" tire inflation in each tire as "normal".

DO NOT RESET the tire pressure sensor if any tire is above or below proper pressure!!!!

I drive a 2006 Prius and I live in Brooklyn, NY, and we just had a blizzard about a week ago. I drove to a wedding on the night of the blizzard, I got there at 7pm, there were already snow on streets, just not alot, roads were still clear, i made it there rather easily. 11pm the wedding ceremony ended, and the streets were covered in snow, alot of snow about 10 inches on the road. My Prius was stranded, couldnt move it at all, we manually pushed it out to the main road, but it just couldnt go anywhere. we ended up pushing it back to the parking spot. it was brutal, we couldnt move at all. Front wheel drive was completely dead, i couldnt get grip on the anything, no traction at all. i pedalled the accelerator to the buttom....the tires wouldnt even spin at times, it was bad! what should i do if theres a heavy snow storm next time, how should i prepare for such actions? should i get winter tires?

i read over some of the comments people left here, im just confused how they are able to drive through snow that easily. My prius is definitely not build for snowstorms.

My question is: how do you avoid being hit by other inexperienced drivers who slide right into you?

so what, that my Prius can handle the snow, if other cars cannot?!?

As you can imagine, snow in Georgia just paralyzes the state. Lack of experience and bald tires. I'd dare to go out if I had a tank, then we can play bumper cars all day long :)

Just get one of those magnetic ones and stick it to the oil pan! I would suggest using a few cable ties to tie the wire up and that will help in case the heater were to fall off. You would not lose the heater...

It's me again with an update.

I got new tires right after my original post. It seemed to help the slipping and none stopping issue for a while. Plus the gas mileage plummeted after the new tires.

This year has been the snowiest in ages. I have seen that yellow traction control like too many times. My mantra now is "never brake unless there is oncoming traffic, then throw it into B and pray." I think I may have mastered driving in the snow with using the Braking assist at every stop sign, stop light and on the crowed interstate. I don't think that's the intended use for the Braking Assist, but it gets me stopped.

In December, I started test driving cars and then driving the Prius on the same route. The 2010 Prius performed decently in the snow but mine (2007) was terrible.

I have no named my car "The Electric Slide".

I live in Philadelphia. Last year was the most snow on record in the Philadelphia region. I must say I am impressed with the cars ability to get around in the snow. The roads I travel are mostly flat. The thing that impresses me the most is its ability to get out of parallel parking spots when heavily snowed in. One problem that I find is that the middle of street tends to have higher amounts of snow. When it first snows and cars initially hit the roads, the bottom of the car can scrape the snow. Overall living in the city I am pleased with the cars performance in the snow. I do believe the overall weight of the vehicle helps with the cars ability to get around in the snow. I am pleased however I travel 90% flat roads/streets living in Philadelphia.

I just got a 2010 Prius II. Stock tires were scary at first. It's not bad now, I think I just learned how to drive better. But I need more ground clearance for the winter time. Has anyone tried a higher profile tire than 65's

Had same problems with the Prius in the snow, didn't like that the car just stops moving when it hits snow with a small incline. Had to use my wife vehicle when the weather was bad and left her without transportation. Bought a new FJcruiser which I love and it can go anywhere it want too, also the the gas mileage isn't bad for an SUV either, it get consistently 21mpg.

I've driven my Prius for two winters in Utah. I live in a box canyon and haven't had any problems driving in the slush or snow.

I agree the traction control thing is counter intuitive. But my question for anyone who complains about excess slipping is: what psi are your tires? If you still have your tires overinflated to get better mileage, of course they will be squirrelly. Drop them down to 35psi and see if you still have the problem.

I got Blizzaks for my 2009 Prius - what a difference. They arrived in 2 days from tirerack.com, just in time before the biggest snowstorm of the season in Chicago. I went from slipping on every corner and holding my breath before every stop sign to firm traction control.

I am glad I did not listen to a local Costco mechanic who was trying to talk me out of buying winter tires for Prius, claiming that the car is so small that it would not matter. YES, it DOES matter.

I am glad I did not listen to a local Costco mechanic who was trying to talk me out of buying winter tires for Prius, claiming that the car is so small that it would not matter. YES, it DOES matter.
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am wondering how well the Prius does in snow, with and without chains and/or snow tires.dvd to ipad converter is a great tool for dvd ripping and converting.convert dvd to ipad

Hello,
I am moving to Boston in a feww weeks with my 2010 Prius, and i hope it does fine. I dont want to crash or get stuck. I dont have any family or anyone out there to help if something happends to me. So wish me luck

Good Answer - hope that someone can help me and elaborate? We live in 10 below and 4 monhts pure ice in tiny AZ town NW of Flagstaff - major highway can't be kept clean fast enough in big storm. I have to admit I work as attorney w/ accident reconstruction, DUI accidents, etc, and see horrible crashes and I'm paranoid. I'm ashamed of being an attorney AND being paranoid.

We bought 2 Volvo S40's over four years not because they were the safest cars (there are many very safe cars now - safer than our Volvos - but they got the best ice traction scores 4 us and in real life) - but because at the time the S40 was getting the best ice and water traction reviews of any cars. I really want to buy as traction as my main issue.

To show you how paranoid I am, (please respond - I'm reallly not crazy) to replace factory tires, I read all of the tire studies in US and snow countries in Europe, and then befrore buying tires, during winter I went to our state highway patrol and Flagstaff Police Dept. and they let me crawl through their lot and see what they put on their cars that have to work on ice and be speed rated on dry road two days later.

I ended up purchasing Goodyear tires from the warehouse that aren't even on the commercial market.

So, our Volvo was totalled and we need a car.

I have to stop just pretending to be green for my kids. I'm looking for ice traction info in hybrids. I know because of tire choice and weight of hybrids it won't match what I had - but I can find no real studies or information that is scientifically done that doesn't come from the dealer about traction, typical stability control vs. interactive 4-wheel dynamic traction stability control, ABS, etc.

Can someone out there help this crazy paranoid man become REALLY GREEN w/ info or a lead to information regarding traction control studies and systems on hybrids so I can buy my car and get over my paranoia?

And . . . "feel green" hybrids aren't good enough. There is a gorgeous Lexis hybrid that does great w/ traction - but it gets less gas mileage than the current S40 that isn't a hybrid (or a race car).

Save me and help me be green!!! Any advice for this paranoid mad would be appreciated!

Paul.

If you're really that paranoid about slipping on icy roads, buy a set of studded winter tires and have them put on your car for the winter.

We have owned our GEN II 2006 Prius since it was brand new. We live in Massachusetts and have driven the car in several different conditions and can make a pretty informed conclusion about the Second Generation Prius and Snow. We are also contemplating either getting snow tires or trading the car in for a AWD wagon or small SUV.

The stock tires work well for the first year. We had no problems in light snow in 2006. It had problems getting up hills in deeper snow but it was not a big problem. in 2007, that all changed. the tires (with about 12-15K tire rotation miles) became skis. No traction on ice when leaving a parking spot, and it could not get up a lightly snow covered hill at all. The Prius is TERRIBLE in the snow with the stock tires after the first year.

In 2008 and 20,000 miles, the stock tires were a joke in the snow. I promptly replaced the tires after a particular bad incident when the car got stuck going into a parking spot and it took me 1 hour to get it from not blocking traffic. (!!!)

Snow tires were sold out all over by the time I made the decision to replace the stock tires so I replaced them with a set of Ultra High Performace Bridgestone Potenza Mud and Snow rated that were on sale. Those tires made a world of difference. We rarely drove the car in icy or snowy conditions, but when we did, the car fared OK. We still had issues getting it out of parking spots that had ice/snow on the ground.

Since we had an AWD wagon as a second car, it did not pose too much of a problem except for the times when we both needed a car in the winter and that my wife did not drive manual transmission. I drove the AWD car to Vermont and used it as a daily driver in the winter for work. In the other seasons, we used the Prius mainly. Life was good.

My AWD car started to get expensive to maintain so I sold it. We are now down to just the Prius and have been holding off making a decision on buying a new car or trading this car in for a less fuel efficient AWD wagon. I'm weighing the pros and cons of just getting snow tires and keeping the car or trading it in for a AWD car. My wife wants us to just have one car since neither of us really need a car for work, we just use the car on weekend trips and errands. But when we need the car, there is no other alternative and it would be nice to know the car will not get stuck getting into and out of parking spots. Not to mention it is now time to get a new set of tires and do other maintenance, it might just be time to trade in our Prius for something that can better fit our current needs.

It's a tough decision. I really wish Toyota gave the Prius or Camry hybrid an AWD system or gave the Venza AWD a hybrid system. The Highlander Hybrid is just too big for us and my wife does not want a large SUV.

To sum up:

Prius + Snow + Stock tires < Year 1 = Great!
Prius + Snow + Stock Tires > Year 1 = TERRIBLE!
Prius + Snow + UHP M+S tires = OK except for parking spots.

Prius + Snow + Snow Tires = ?? Not sure ??

I wonder how the Gen III Prius fares in the snow?

I might as well jump in. I've owned my 2009 Prius for nearly two years now. Its a great vehicle for the nice part of the year, but its nearly worthless and potentially deadly when conditions are right for loss of traction. Countless times I have turned right after stopping at an intersection in my neighborhood. If its rained or snowed, traction is lost as I accelerate and there goes the power. The first few times as a new owner I didn't know what was going on and with the car part way into the lane with vehicles approaching from my left at the posted speed of 40 mph, it was a miracle that I didn't cause a wreck. Now, I wont even attempt to pull out unless I have half a block or more of space. At this intersection, that can be a considerable wait. I experienced a new problem just a few days ago. With a late October storm dumping 8-10 inches of snow, I was trying to get home late in the evening. I was following the ruts of earlier vehicles and driving at about 15 mph. As I went up a slight grade, about half way up I realized I was going to have to give the car more power to make it to the top. I eased on the accelerator, one or both wheels broke free, the traction control kicked in, and all power was lost. I ended up rolling to a stop with several cars behind me. Luckily, they did not run into me. After everyone had gone on around me, I attempted to get going again. No such luck. The tires slipped each time and power was lost. I eventually had to back down this rise, which was only an elevation change of about 25' in 60 yards, and take a side street and a different route home.

This technology may act just as it is supposed to, as Toyota says, but I can guarantee its going to result in someone's death if it hasn't already. This is an obvious engineering defect. If Toyota was a responsible and caring corporation, they would put out a recall for all Prius vehicles, and fix this problem.

I wanted a Prius for 4 years before I got one. I'll never own another if this problem isn't resolved, and I can't in good conscience recommend it to anyone who might be considering buying one if they live in areas with much potential for slick roads

And before someone says I dont know how to drive in snow, I've lived in Wyoming and the mountains my whole life, 64 years. I've owned and driven Volkswagen beetles to Lincolns, and midsized two wheel pickups to 1 ton 4 wheel drive pickups and two ton flat bed trucks. For my automobiles, I've owned nothing but front wheel drive vehicles for the last 17 years. The Prius problem is a technology issue, not a driver issue.

Thanks MRHAPIGuy for the "reverse" note-gonna try it tonight. I have owned my '04 Prius for 6 years. Love it in the spring-summer-fall and don't trust it at all in the winter. I live in Utah with snowy roads, icy mountain passes, and mixed valley-mountain terrain with poor driving conditions throughout a 4-5 months period. I own over a dozen vehicles and the Prius is by far the worst snow vehicle of the lot. My remedy is to put gnarly studded snow tires on it, every other winter or after 15-20K. I also try to remember that it can "bottom out" and be rendered near worthless in deep, soft snows or powerless and squirrely on slick inclines especially when the temperatures are betweein 28-35 degrees. Also, it has concerned me how poorly it stops on icy, slick roads. If this is to be your only car in wintery conditions, excellent tires make a huge difference for going and stopping. I rate the Prius as a very poor winter car when equipped with normal all-season tires. Bare roads are fine but even then I use really good tires that shed and channel water. I'll probably buy another one but I will expect to equip it with excellent, agressive winter tires, likely with studs and/or siping. BTW, as a law enforcement officer I have taken winter driving courses in Colorado and Maine so I am pretty familiar with winter driving techniques. Still love the car in the summer!

Ha ha ha my h2 is the best in snow I have taken off road with as much as 3ft with a nice sheet of ice on the bottom completely stock except for motor mods like a tuner,intake and exaust. The best part of all is I get 25-30mpg it's all about knowing you vehical and the conditions you are in.

We plan on driving my gf's Prius to Big Bear Lake/Mountain this winter. We're from the desert in Arizona, and have never dealt with driving in snow. We're a little concerned about driving this little car up a snowy mountain when we've never had to deal with these conditions before. We also don't have snow tires, and buying them for one weekend seems pointless. Ideas? Thoughts? Would we be better off renting an SUV?