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Best cars for snow and ice in 2023 and 2024

What's the best car for snow? The real answer is "the one with winter tires." What do we mean by that? You could have the finest, most advanced all-wheel-drive system or four-wheel drive in the world, but if you're running all-seasons (the spork of tires), your fancy four-wheeler won't matter much. The odds are, any vehicle on the road running good winter tires will probably perform adequately in slippery, slushy and/or snowy road conditions. (Here's a more complete explanation of why winter tires are totally worth it). In other words, you don't really need any of the cars on this list. With a set of winter tires, countless others will do the job, and even these will be at their best with proper rubber. You can find a variety of winter tires for your car here at Tire Rack. Keep in mind that you will need a full set of four snow tires for safety and performance, no matter what you're driving. The days of your dad putting just two snows on the family truckster to get it moving in a straight line are long gone. Don't get us wrong, getting a car that performs well in snow and ice is still a worthy criteria for car buyers. According to the U.S. Transportation Department, 70% of Americans live in places that get snow and ice. And much of the country has been blasted with arctic air for much of the new year. So let's look at the cars. First, we're highlighting choices for a variety of buyers and price points. Second, we're not just considering snow; we're considering general wintery conditions people will experience driving to work or school. As such, these are all choices with advanced all-wheel-drive systems, usually with "torque-vectoring" systems that not only automatically shunt power front and back, but side to side between the rear axles. Most have extra ground clearance for getting through deep snow, and we prefer those vehicles with more responsive steering, throttles and transmissions that provide a greater sense of vehicle control in slippery conditions.    Acura RDX Read our Acura RDX Review Acura's Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive system was one of the first to offer torque-vectoring, and besides often being touted for its ability to greatly enhanced dry-road handling, its benefits in the slick stuff can be profound. It's actually surprising that Acura hasn't leaned into this capability further by offering more rugged versions of its vehicles.

Behold the mad genius of the Ferrari-powered Toyota 86

Ryan Tuerck's latest project, a Toyota 86 with the F136 V8 engine from a Ferrari 458, has to be one of craziest projects ever envisioned. While the finished project will be nothing short of extraordinary, Tuerck reveals some of the finer details on fitting a large Italian engine into a small Japanese car. One of the most difficult tasks with the engine swap is getting the V8 to fit in the 86's compact engine compartment. Since the V8 is taller and longer than the stock 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, Tuerck and his team have had to do a lot of cutting and fabricating. Tuerck also revealed that the vehicle wouldn't be used in competition, which allows the team to go beyond the rulebook in terms of body strengthening and custom components. There's still a lot of work to be done, but Tuerck claims the vehicle will be ready by October. Donut Media, the YouTube channel that is covering the build, promises to cover every aspect of the project including the first start, which should be coming soon. Related Video: News Source: YouTube via Donut MediaImage Credit: Donut Media Aftermarket Weird Car News Ferrari Toyota Performance Videos toyota 86 engine swap scion frs

A Ferrari-swapped Toyota GT86 sounds menacing

Ryan Tuerck and Gumout's Ferrari-swapped Toyota GT86 has clearly been a grueling labor of love. And now, finally, the competition-only car is near enough to completion that the team could fire up for the first time. And the sound coming out of the custom machine is incredible. In addition to putting out a short clip of the engine's glorious sound, Tuerck gives a detailed walkthrough of the entire vehicle and explains some of the custom touches behind the car. The exhaust, which comes out of the front end, for instance, was done to maintain the Ferrari 458 system's length. The result is supposed to mimic the sound of a stock 458, but we think it sounds more brutal than Maranello intended. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. The Ferrari-powered machine also shoots flames. Massive, ridiculous, impressive balls of flame. The vehicle is on track to be completed this month, and we can't wait to see it shred some tires. Related Video: News Source: Donut Media, Donut Media / FacebookImage Credit: Donut Media / YouTube Aftermarket Ferrari Toyota Coupe Special and Limited Editions Performance Videos toyota gt86 toyota 86 engine swap