Civic - Bad in the snow?

[Daox]

I have a cousin who owns a 2000 Civic hatchback (DX I believe). He claims that it is horrible in the snow. He put snow tires on the front and still claims that is is bad. I can't seem to wrap my head around it, and I haven't ever driven it myself in the snow. Is the Civic really bad in the snow? IMO it can't be. Its similar to other FWD cars out there. How can it possibly be that bad?

I ask, because his sister is now looking for a car. This idea has made its way over to her and now she won't consider the Civic because its 'bad in winter'.

[SVOboy]

My CRX feels bad, but I have nothing to compare it to. It just slides around a bunch. I figure because it's so light. *shrug*

[wikityler]

Snow tires need to be used on all wheels. Without any on the back, it's going to ride up on top on the snow and swing around while turning and stopping.
Like hypermiling, it's the driver that will have the most effect.

[tasdrouille]

Well, the Civic has been the best selling passenger car in Canada for the last 11 years. Never heard anyone comment it was bad in the snow.

I'd blame it on the tires, not the car.

[hamsterpower]

I have had three cars from the Civic family. A 89CRX, a 98Civic dx and a 99 Integra. All were terrific in snow. A bad alignment, bad shocks, or bad tires could be a cause of your problem. My CRX was amazingly predictable even when it would slide... until the shocks wore out and it became a beast.

[MazdaMatt]

yeah, step 1: 4 snow tires.

Can you post a description of what is "bad in the snow"? Does he mean he can't floor it with full grip? It oversteers? It understeers? The brakes lock up?

[Johnny Mullet]

A friend of mine has a 2000 Civic with crappy tires and she made it through all the snow we had here on the North Shore with no problems.

[wagonman76]

Originally Posted by wikityler

Snow tires need to be used on all wheels. Without any on the back, it's going to ride up on top on the snow and swing around while turning and stopping. Like hypermiling, it's the driver that will have the most effect.

Yes, exactly. Even around here in snow country, it is amazing the amount of people who put good tires on just the front because they think the back does nothing.

Some cars are just better in the snow than others too.

[Frank Lee]

If the Civic was slammed I wouldn't be surprised if it's bad in snow. If the trunk is filled with tons of junk I wouldn't be surprised either. Otherwise, it should be OK.

[Christ]

Originally Posted by wagonman76

Yes, exactly. Even around here in snow country, it is amazing the amount of people who put good tires on just the front because they think the back does nothing.

Some cars are just better in the snow than others too.

Even after the campaigns and NHTSA recommendations that the "better tires" be put on the back of the vehicle, in the case where the two sets would be graded differently.