Tests of 2022 Yaris Cross Dynamic AWD on Very Slippery Incline

[Cyker]

There seems to be two schools of thought there - One side is to have a heavy car, high ground clearance, and narrow tyres which helps cut through, the other is to have a lighter car to not dig in but still maintain grip.

One thing I do know is I can't help feeling a bit of smug schadenfreude when my FWD box glides past BMWs and Porsches and other RWD cars that are facing the wrong way and/or are in a ditch  

 

[anchorman]

There’s about 70kg heavier.  I know some blokes 11 stone heavier than me.  

[anchorman]

Damn, I forgot to try snow mode!

[BobHos]

Hi Don, I tried snow mode in both of my test conditions (ice and snow) and, as expected, the only difference is that it operates control dynamics in a more "damped down" mode (acceleration, braking, etc) to compensate for, or mitigate, potential bad winter driving techniques. I think that is the main function of "snow mode" but I am not privvy to the Toyota design engineering control function details.

[BobHos]

8 minutes ago, BobHos said:

Hi Don, I tried snow mode in both of my test conditions (ice and snow) and, as expected, the only difference is that it operates control dynamics in a more "damped down" mode (acceleration, braking, etc) to compensate for, or mitigate, potential bad winter driving techniques. I think that is the main function of "snow mode" but I am not privvy to the Toyota design engineering control function details.

I should also have said that I tried "snow" mode driving on the level at normal speeds in both the icy and snowy situations at gthe times of my incline tests and I could sense the damping effect when I tried to accelerate and brake, etc.

[YarisHybrid2016]

23 minutes ago, BobHos said:

it operates control dynamics in a more "damped down" mode (acceleration, braking, etc) to compensate for, or mitigate, potential bad winter driving techniques.

That's what I figured.

[anchorman]

4 hours ago, YarisHybrid2016 said:

That's what I figured.

Me too, I just never tried it on snow and ice.  

[BobHos]

7 hours ago, anchorman said:

Me too, I just never tried it on snow and ice.  

Looks like it has only been me and Don who have managed to try and report on winter condition capability of the Cross. Maybe other Cross owners haven't had the conditions or opportunity.

 

Weasels may dig the dirt but eagles don't get caught in snares

[Jimota]

On 3/11/2023 at 3:57 AM, Cyker said:

There seems to be two schools of thought there - One side is to have a heavy car, high ground clearance, and narrow tyres which helps cut through, the other is to have a lighter car to not dig in but still maintain grip.

One thing I do know is I can't help feeling a bit of smug schadenfreude when my FWD box glides past BMWs and Porsches and other RWD cars that are facing the wrong way and/or are in a ditch  

 

Don’t forget the ditch finder Range Rovers.

[TonyHSD]

For those with fwd only and no snow button, you can use eco mode instead, it will do the same thing 😉👌🛞

[anchorman]

16 hours ago, Jimota said:

Don’t forget the ditch finder Range Rovers.

Speaking of which James, looks like this one got carried away on summer tyres......

[anchorman]

5 hours ago, TonyHSD said:

For those with fwd only and no snow button, you can use eco mode instead, it will do the same thing 😉👌🛞

Might be better to quote BoHos Tony.  In isolation it looks like you are saying that using the eco button makes it the same as an AWD.  It only dampens the throttle input.  Riddle me this one, if it does the same as using eco mode, why does the AWD have a snow mode and not just an eco mode?  I could bin the switch and put a VW daffodil there if that is the case.

[TonyHSD]

3 minutes ago, anchorman said:

Might be better to quote BoHos Tony.  In isolation it looks like you are saying that using the eco button makes it the same as an AWD.  It only dampens the throttle input.  Riddle me this one, if it does the same as using eco mode, why does the AWD have a snow mode and not just an eco mode?  I could bin the switch and put a VW daffodil there if that is the case.

Ok Don, 

it works similarly and helps a bit especially if the driver its heavy footed.
No need to bin the awd rotary switch, it looks very cool 🙂👌

[TonyHSD]

13 minutes ago, anchorman said:

Speaking of which James, looks like this one got carried away on summer tyres......

He probably parked there and went for a walk 😂🫢👍

[Hicardo]

Left my Cross in the driveway in the bad snow, as its 2WD model and has Falken summer tyres. Took out the missus car, a Honda Jazz 2021 hybrid which have shod with Falken AS tyres.  That strategy worked brilliantly well. Also drove that to Yorkshire in the heavy snow days and performed faultlessly on slippery surfaces and slushy snow.  Its true though that you're limited by the car in front....

 

[BobHos]

24 minutes ago, Hicardo said:

Left my Cross in the driveway in the bad snow, as its 2WD model and has Falken summer tyres. Took out the missus car, a Honda Jazz 2021 hybrid which have shod with Falken AS tyres.  That strategy worked brilliantly well. Also drove that to Yorkshire in the heavy snow days and performed faultlessly on slippery surfaces and slushy snow.  Its true though that you're limited by the car in front....

 

Everything you say is true but during your recent wintery trips did you at any time have to stop the car then drive off on a very steep and very slippery/icy surface?

[Hicardo]

yes, worked absolutely fine on snow, slush steep inclines from a stop, didnt have any icy conditions that I remember 

[Max_Headroom]

Does the 4WD version match the 2WD MPG when the system is not being used?

[BobHos]

34 minutes ago, Max_Headroom said:

Does the 4WD version match the 2WD MPG when the system is not being used?

The AWD is not a selectable drive configuration in the 2022 Cross awd, it engages when required (normally low speeds). The mpg in our Cross awd is almost identical to our Yaris Y20 consumption.

[Max_Headroom]

Thanks Bob

[anchorman]

You can put up a display of traction distribution on the dash and it is astonishingly sensitive.  I can’t get it to come in at all on a dry road so the only difference between the FWD and the AWD in that case is the extra weight.   There’s more weight in a decent supermarket shop.  During the snow, crawling up my drive it was 50:50 front and rear so it was sensitive enough to engage the rear motor with no load on it which is why I ignore those zero friction tests.  While neighbours were digging or leaving their cars at home, I was gone and leaving them to it.  

[IT Troll]

2 hours ago, anchorman said:

You can put up a display of traction distribution on the dash and it is astonishingly sensitive.  I can’t get it to come in at all on a dry road 

That display also indicates loss of traction with an orange warning symbol alongside the affected wheel(s). I managed to get it to come on very briefly on a dry road when I "caught some air" going over a hump at speed.

[anchorman]

8 hours ago, IT Troll said:

That display also indicates loss of traction with an orange warning symbol alongside the affected wheel(s). I managed to get it to come on very briefly on a dry road when I "caught some air" going over a hump at speed.

Nice one. I was a bit apprehensive about the capabilities but it exceeded my expectations so I’m more than satisfied.  I was away in most of the bad weather so probably won’t get chance to play until next season.   I didn’t notice the orange symbol but I even forgot the snow mode because it just went where I pointed it!

[BobHos]

Like you Don I am more than satisfied with the Cross a.w.d. I must say Toyota really seem to have got this one right focussing on a relatively simple economic solution to a long term problem - how to ensure a car can cope with nearly all on-road driving conditions without having the expense and complexity of an off-road vehicle. As I have said before I have many years experience of driving four wheel drive cars and I certainly know the benefits of such cars. Almost 3 years ago we decided that we really only needed one car so (heartbrokenly) I got rid of my last Scooby and shared my wife's Yaris. Really the only regret I had was losing the winter capability of my car which my wife did not really like driving. I was quite excited several months ago when I heard about and looked into the Toyota Cross a.w.d. I thought that this could be a car that my wife might like driving and which could give us the reassurance of winter safety. I had planned to trade her car in at the end of this year for a Cross a.w.d. but circumstances at the end of last year dictated that we needed 2 cars so I very luckily managed to get one by 30th December. I am really glad that I did because I have had ideal conditions to test the car's capabilities as I have reported earlier. I don't know if any other manufacturers have incorporated this simple awd concept into their on-road vehicles but, if not, I am sure they will copy it soon.