Are Rav4's Safer In The Snow?

[Guest Snowy3]

Should you be safer driving in a 4x4 in the snow that a 'normal' car? i dont have much experience of snow\ice driving but thought i'd be ok in the RAV4 but dispite driving very carefully i still skidded when having to brake (bus pulled out on me!) and also when going up a hill.

Then again i am still very scared of skidding in general since having an incident last year.

[m4xmw]

A 4x4 will always be safer in respect of engine braking and putting the power down.

If the surface is very slippery... it doesnt make that much difference.

As you found out, going uphill or around slippy bends should be easier, with 4 wheel drive just point the wheels in the direction you want and apply power.

Mark

[chatman]

Any car would have skidded today on those roads... My ABS was doing overtime when I was going to work this morning....

Don't just think because your in a 4x4 that it's safer... It may get you up that slippery hill or snow covered road better than most cars... but you can still ditch the RAV at the first icy corner....but get back out again afterwards ;) ;)

Mine coped admirably today on all the icy lanes and roads....Just take care when driving on ice as the experience with a 4x4 is somewhat different from a normal car....

Just drive the RAV to the best of your abilities....

[St Thicket]

I'm a very skilled "snow driving man", considering that I come from a place where it is snow and ice at least 6 months of the year...

Your grip is mostly dependant on the tyres. They are the ones that have to create friction if there's no friction on the road. Even if you have superb tyres, you WILL skid if you brake hard... that's when the ABS comes in handy.

The 4x4 comes in handy if there's deep snow where you want to drive. Last weekend, we went to a ski resort about 900m up in the mountains, and the weather was really bad, so there was a lot of snowdrift. Even though the the drifts reached up to the bumper, we still managed to drive through. This would not be the case with a low two wheel car.

Also, the 4x4 is handy if you want to drive up a slippery hill. You can manage well with two wheel drive though, if you use low revs on the engine and start slow.

However, if you are cruising on the freeway and skid in a bend, then the car won't handle any better than a normal car.

[Mereside]

If you want a non technical answer for this one think, 4 x 4 is better at accellerating in slippy conditions, but its just like a normal vehicle for everything else ie cornering and braking. If the speed of what you are attempting overcomes the grip available, then you skid.

Have a play where its safe to skid to see how your car reacts ie empty car park with no barriers!

[St Thicket]

Have a play where its safe to skid to see how your car reacts ie empty car park with no barriers!

When I was a young idiot, I used to drive around pulling the hand brake in every possible turn to provoke a skid... it actually gave me valuable experience. This was of course done with a front wheel drive, so that I didn't have to clutch, but just gunning it. In a 4x4, the clutch would be a necessity.

I don't know if you have the habit of doing this in the UK considering the huge amount of snow you have there...

[john1944]

Have a play where its safe to skid to see how your car reacts ie empty car park with no barriers!

When I was a young idiot, I used to drive around pulling the hand brake in every possible turn to provoke a skid... it actually gave me valuable experience. This was of course done with a front wheel drive, so that I didn't have to clutch, but just gunning it. In a 4x4, the clutch would be a necessity.

I don't know if you have the habit of doing this in the UK considering the huge amount of snow you have there...

I did exactly the same, inducing skids and then correcting them. In fact today I went up into the mountains and found a wide open area, and refreshed my skills at car handling in snow conditions. Whether it is 2 or 4 wheel drive, it is essential that in addition to gears, brakes and accelerator, you also use your brain.

[bothwell_buyer]

On the 4.1 model, theres some gain by using the diff lock. This is also safer when using the engine/transmission drag to slow down rather than using the brakes.

Early 4.1s don't have ABS - neither of mine have.

As an aside, got the guys at The Garage to tune the number1 today and increase the boost - fantastic :eek: Now even faster than ever and just running at 14psi. Of course the downside is that if the roads are slippy, then revs need to be kept well down!!

[jonnyspin]

winter tyres would give you better braking and cornering

I rented an auto, merc c-class in a ski resort once (last car left), but it was fine in the snow as it had winter tyres

conversley, i used my old freelander (summer tyres) years ago in the snow in arosa and corners on mountain roads were pretty scary!

I guess we don't get enough of the white stuff to justify a second set of wheels & tyres though.

[bitman]

Should you be safer driving in a 4x4 in the snow that a 'normal' car? i dont have much experience of snow\ice driving but thought i'd be ok in the RAV4 but dispite driving very carefully i still skidded when having to brake (bus pulled out on me!) and also when going up a hill.

Then again i am still very scared of skidding in general since having an incident last year.

find an empty space (parking space) and have a go to see how this all works out for you. then just try it again make some corners and try to keep you box on track.

[sheathy]

IMHO RAV4 is the best Toyota in the UK range for handling in these sort of conditions.

[rambler]

hi folks

as with any vehicle that is permanent 4x4 or all wheel drive,because the weight of the entire vehicle in pressing on 'all four driving wheels',then you are getting the drive 'pulling from the front,pushing from the rear',instead of a two wheel drive car that has the front wheels meerly 'pulling' the weight of the car along

but as the engine weight is above the front wheels they tend to have more grip,as generally when you look at front tires they are more squashed because of the weight they support.

when we do have a 'wintry spell' i often put some extra weight in the boot of mine just to keep the back end 'digging in' so it gets same traction as front.

i also invested in some 'yokahama geolander a/t +2' tires just before christmas,these are half road half off road tires,are they do make a difference.

other makes like land rover freelander,honda hrv & nissan x trail i believe work with torque sensing 4 wheel drive,if the fronts spin the computer sends drive to rears to keep you moving.this is supposed to save fuel,but i dont trust computers and prefer to know that my rav is in 4x4 permanently.

i havnt got to remember to put it in 4x4,or rely on traction control,or rely on a computer to select 4x4 'if it thinks it needs it'

all four wheels doing their job,pulling & pushing me along,come rain or shine,snow or mud......i keep going ( unless i ground out or run out of fuel)

and remember the saying 'slow as possible,fast as nessesary' when off road,so far its done me proud

[Nightstalker]

LO all

I've been haveing some great fun in the snow/slush today...

Never really had a 4x4 before and if we are to be honest our 4.3 Ravs are selective 4x4s ...

Sooo getting out on the road from me culdesac was fun as no one had left it so I had nice fresh snow to drive on and me Rav ploughed through it just fine, no skiddin or slippin anywhere...

On the slushy stuff I could feel the Rav slip a little but nothing one would worry about ;) . Then you come accross those who crawl at 10mph along a nice clear road - guess they are not all to confident in this stuff :(

Anywho when I got to the roundabout at work i slowed right down pressed the 4x4 lock button and when I was on the roundabout I accelerated a little heavier and found that the whole Rav would just slide around the roundabout nicely, same for the enterance to my place of work, that was just a sheet of snow and ice from yesterday, so it was uuuber slippy, did the same there put it in 4x4 mode pushed a little heavier on the accelerator and hey presto Big Red slid nicely around to the right and onto the car park :) - Then my silly side kicked in and I had to use the handbreak to bring the back end round to park up in me parking spot

So overall I must take my previous statement of not being impressed back - as I am so far quite chuffed.. And as the previous entries state, if you hit ice there aint much you can do, no matter if you are in a 2wheel car or a 4x4, from what I understand you can try and regain traction by pressing on your clutch and letting go again or feather your breaks.... and up untill now I've not had the experience and would rather not be in that situation.... Saying that though I do remember when I was living out in Germany and was driving a Sierra Cosworth (company car...) I did end up in a spot of bother as when I came of the Autobahn I got halfway up the exit ramp and ended up sliding all the way back down... That was fun!

Regards

Rob

B)

[dave.m]

Just watch out for the kerbs when having fun Rob

[bitman]

just be save since it more the driver skills that the 4x4 box ;)