falkedup

So I have a stock Gen1 tC and the only thing I hate about it is its snow handling. I'm looking to lease a car soon and I was considering the new tC or the Subaru XV Crosstrek.
I like how the Crosstrek has AWD but the manual transmission is only a 5 speed and it only has 148 hp. I might be sold on it though because of the snow handling.
The tC on the other hand has traction control and VSC, a six speed and I believe 180 hp. How does it do in the Snow (stock) cause I really would like to stick with Scion?

8URAWD

iTrader: (1)

Ive driven mine in the snow one time and it did great. Hopefully someone who has had more snow driving will chime in.

ToxicAffect

I live in Winnipeg, Manitoba so for about 4 solid months we have snow and slushy weather. I actually got my tC in the winter and was very happy with how it responded.
Steering assists kick in when needed, and not having winter tires made a pretty big difference. Didn't end up buying any, plan to for next winter but with the michelin's I didn't have any issues with city or freeway driving. I was mainly worried about being hit by someone else rather than getting into an accident on my own.

stenger

We got hit with a monster blizzard by Central Ky standards last winter. 18"s in about 5-6 hours.

I was luckily at work during all this and got the joy of driving home in the aftermath. On summer only tires, and lowered as far as my coilovers will let me, I made it home with no issues. Even got up some hills I was worried about. Part of this is because I've been driving non 4wd cars in winter since I've been driving. And have always lived around hills. I moved here from Cincinnati and there is almost always 1 - 2 good snow days a year.

On my way home I seen a hand full of cars (2 of them being the FRS) stranded on the side of the road. Meanwhile I was pushing snow with my front bumper like a plow and going on. The only time I got stuck was trying to get into my untouched driveway. It was like a beached whale at that point. But I was home and could dig out after that.

FreedomPenguin

You dont have the proper tires my friend, (alaskan scion tc driver) driven through the worst of the worst, drove from alaska thru canada to ohio in mid blizzard months, feet of snow. Never once failed me.


Michellin x ice 3's

falkedup

I appreciate the input guys. This will definitely help with my decision

evolving_machine

I have a 2015 TC, I was very surprised at how badly it did in the snow. Near my house I tried to negotiate a small hill that had snow on it and the car took a while to get traction. I have to consider some different winter wheel and tire combination to make it through the next winter. I am in Northern New Jersey, I do not understand how anyone could say this car handles well in the snow with the stock tires. I say it is a tire issue only because I have some hope that if I do change out the stock tires I may be able to make this car handle an inch of snow on a slight incline.

falkedup

I'm actually in south jersey and yea I know how bad it gets.

evolving_machine

The cars 225/45 R18 tires are pretty good for driving around corners, on a hot summer day. But heck, everyone does not live in Southern California or Florida. Some of us have snow and pot holes in the road.

stenger

Tires are a big help in snow, but so is the driver. If I can manage to get home in what I did on 215/40's Nitton NeoGens, you should be able to get around fine on 225/45's OEM.

tC Plow by DESY photowerks, on Flickr

Also, the tC makes a great snow plow :D

evolving_machine

Your going to compare the snow you get in Kentucky to the snow we get in Northern NJ in depth and frequency?

stenger

We got a couple feet in a night, I think that stacks up. And I was able to navigate home through it, with the summer set up.

Also, I am from Cincinnati, where the snow comes more frequently and that's what I grew up driving in. Put it this way, I've never felt the need to buy an AWD/4x4 for winter. FWD/RWD don't care, driven both heavy snows, often times on lowered cars.

FreedomPenguin

i had 215/45/18 on my stock rims x-ice3's. Literally drove in feet of snow for months. up and down mountains with tons of snow.. light.. compacted.. went through it all. Granted, I am use to driving in snow, and probably have some wits about it. and also enjoyed having fun with no getting stuck

Btw. i had the stock toyo, and it had like, a sheet of snow/ice first snow in winter, I couldn't move car out of driveway.. So I bought x-ice 3's and never got stuck for 2 years.

stenger

Pedro13

Typical "After work" look on Canadian winter...

rnaz1017

Here is PA we've had some cold winters past few years, in the teens or single digits. Pretty often snow storms, high amount of snow storms in depth and quantity. The tC handled it great, no problems, stock Toyos handled great. Even when the temperature got down to 0 and single digits, cabin stayed warm and everything. Pretty great winter car considering how sporty it is in the summer.