Civic - Bad in the snow?

[Arminius]

My Civic is pretty bad in snow. Last winter I decided to get new tires just before Christmas, but the results didn't improve that much.

It sure doesn't help that the car rides so low. I end up plowing snow with my car too much, it seems.

[Ryland]

I've ridden in nearly every body style of civic and all the owners I known of love them all year, snow and all, even with bald all season tires they perform well, the early civics I've owned only had troubles in slow when they got so deep the wheels stoped touching,they hardly slid, nor spun tires, e er.

[Arminius]

Next someone is going to post that Civics are great in snow with no tires. Puuuulease.

[NeilBlanchard]

Hi,

The quality of the snow tires makes a huge difference; and blanket statements don't really tell you much. An automatic vs standard transmission makes a large difference.

[Daox]

Its a manual. I'm not sure exactly what part of the handling he was unhappy with. It is lowered, but I don't think that snow plowing is what he is talking about.

[MazdaMatt]

What's your take on auto vs. standard in the snow? People tell me all the time that auto is better, but once i really took the time to learn it, i found i had better control when i could slip the clutch instead of the wheels... i feel better in my standard protege than in someone else's auto car in snow.

As with most things to do with driving, especially when things are far from "normal" conditions - the driver is everything. If you feel your car is no good in the snow and yet tonnes of people tell you otherwise, maybe you should swallow your pride to sign up for a winter car control school. At least if you've done that and you stilll feel your car is no good, then you can blame the car.

Small, light, fwd vehicles are excellent in snow... you just have to know how to drive them.

[MazdaMatt]

Also... no offense to the northern US'ers out there... but I LOVE watching american news every fall watching you clowns smash up your cars in the simplest ice and snow conditions. Every year

[Arminius]

Here's my observation from last winter. (You can do with it as you please.)

When following my daughter in her 2000 Ford Focus, my car tended to be much more likely than hers to follow the ruts in the deep snow (4-6 inches), and be unable to break out of them, than her car. It was bad enough that I received a brutal teasing when we arrived at our destination.

I don't trust my own perceptions of my car, since I've been spoiled by years of driving a Ford Escape 4WD since 2000. That's why I refer to the above comparison, for what it's worth.

[Frank Lee]

Ah HA! It's lowered and he thinks all Civics are like that

[Johnny Mullet]

It's lowered.........................