Had my BRZ for 4 winters in a town that gets 110" yearly. Trust me, with snow tires, you will have less issues than anyone with AWD and all terrain tires. Also, don't forget, light cars stop easier, they just struggle to accelerate.
I guarantee you my Impreza with all seasons will crush your BRZ in any snowy conditions.. More clearance and more traction. I can go up scary steep unplowed hills where you wouldn't even make it 30 feet.
I have owned my first RWD car for 2 winters now and can unequivocally say that I will teach my kids to drive on a RWD car because I have learned more about car control in this 1.5 years than I did in the 6-7 years prior. Blizzaks from November to March, stay inside when I think I might get stuck, it's served me wonderfully and I look forward to forever owning RWD in the snow belt.
I daily drive mine here in Canada it does absolutely amazing. a. Little sketchy on icey road, took it on a trip to the mountains on a snow storm was very scary but the traction system does amazing. Still love mine 60,000miles after
@@luxarxtv On the road with fresh snow probably doesn't matter. You will plow with winter tires... I plowed thought about 7 inches on the highway, it did perfectly fine... was doing 110 km/h with massive snow dust cloud behind.
The spray that comes off the tires is called a "rooster tail". The heavier the vehicle, the more crap it picks up off the road and throws it rearward. Your experience tailing that Jeep is EXACTLY why it needs to be an industry standard to require mud flaps if more than a certain amount of tire is exposed under the body. With 3/4ths tire exposed in inclement weather, trailing cars are basically driving blind.
@@kingkonginthetrunk in the video, is he tailgating? did he got the crap on the windshield? maybe you should say stop modyfing you truck to ridiculous wide tires then.
thing is he got sprayed from the side. mud flaps would have done nothing in this scenario. but yes i agree with a certain ridehight there should be a mud guard or flap
Fully on point. It feels good to hear confirmation and validation of everything I know and have learned driving my 2017 Mustang GT year round in Alberta, Canada. There is no reason to be trepedatious about driving RWD in snow and ice, as long as you have good winter tires. That is the most important thing. Steering with the throttle is FUN!
A huge thank you from the bottom of my heart. Just got an S class, RWD ONLY as a secondary vehicle. Living in Canada, I really needed this. Best regards from Edmonton, Alberta
The winter tire thing... absolutely 100% true. I've been daily driving a BMW 325 E30 for the past four years as my daily, and believe you me, having winter tires makes a huge difference. This car has no assist, RWD (not LSD), no ABS. The only "assist" I give the car is some extra weight in the trunk. I drive up to 60K km a year and the difference is amazing. And don't scimp... if you're getting the car you want, get the right rubber for your prevailing conditions.
Canadian winter. 370z 330hp rwd. No posi or limited slip. 6spd manual. The wide stance and 50/50 weight distribution, plus 100lbs of sand and winter tires. The car was a beast in the snow, got through everything.
up here in Alaska where its winter most of the year my biggest issues with my miatas and other rwd cars ive owned was more visibility then grip and clearance in winter stopping is more important then going
I've driven a 1990 Miata through blizzards, freezing rain, you name it - my coworkers would be amazed that I could get to the office in any conditions. It's all about knowing how your car will react and driving accordingly.
2019 WRX Dunlop supermax almost sent me into another car when they decided to stop on a hill. Snows would have actually stopped and saved mean heart attack
This is the most honest review about driving in the snow, especially about the hills. Are the conditions optimal? No. Is it doable? Yeah, just drive safe and smart.
100% accurate. I drive my BRZ in the winter year round and yes its amazing. Its not for everyone though. I could see people getting in a lot of trouble if they are on their cell phones or just plain not watching what your doing. Winter tires are a must for exactly what he says grip when you need it slide when you want to. I have a 2wd truck and I feel safer in my BRZ. Some people look disappointed that Im driving a BRZ in the winter but hey I am always smiling because of how fun it is and its not that expensive so go have fun. Tip: I contemplated buying studded tires for the car when I first bought it (I only wanted the best for my baby). Then saw a sick sale on non studded winter tires (Michelin X-Ice 2's) because they were discontinuing them. I have to say there is really no need for studded tires on this car it stops on a dime and goes just a good as a front wheel drive with no studs. Also, you don't have to worry about burning off the studs if your having fun too. ;)
Also, studded tires have to be harder rubber to hold the studs in, great on ice, but not ideal when you're on dry cold roads. For most of the days of winter, the roads around here have been plowed. Regular stud-less winter tires stay softer when temps drop and have better grip.
Honestly I don't mind driving it in the snow. because of things so balanced it's basically always under control and like this is my first manual ever. It's pretty kick ass
I last year with my best friend fly out to Utah and bought a bagged ls400. On the drive back to Colorado (January) it was completely snow. And I have to say it was the must fun and scary moments of my life as I didn’t want to crash his car. The best part of the trip was when a blizzard hit when we were passing copper. We were 10-20 degrees sliding and holding in while people in there trail built jeeps and wrx’s were sliding off the road.
EaZee switched to a WRX from a RWD G37 and a 2010 Camaro RS . live in Toronto with driving technique and good tires you'll get through no problem. just know when to bonsai it tires spinning and when to have the stability on. like the highway
EaZee Rwd has more control when sliding because the front tires just need to direct. AWD likes to push the front's. but it'll get through anything much more easily. but Rwd is totally doable
Cianski 06 that's awesome man. Yeah I figured it wouldn't be a big deal anyways because it snows like 8-9 times the whole winter anyways, thanks for the input man
daily my '16 Mustang GT in the snow. all about having winter tires and using your head. is it the best in snowy conditions? no bought it to enjoy on the other 350 days of the year.
All common sense and experience. I had a BRZ with Blizzaks in 2014 and as you mention, the only thing that really stopped me was ground clearance. But, that said, the 86 can't really handle 7" of unplowed snow, so i did learn to respect its limitations.
I had no problems with 7" of fresh snow, but I also have a lip that serves an important purpouse - it is lower than the rest of the car and doesn't pack the snow under the center of the car.
the footage/camerawork/production-value/cinematography was really good on this one! not that all the past work was not good, but this is really on the next level. keep up the good work guys. looking forward to all that is to come. thank you very much :)
Beautiful area you're around. I enjoyed your video. As someone who's driven a 5.0 mustang convertible in the mountains of eastern pa, you covered all the best points of snow driving. RWD doesn't matter-it's proper tires that are the absolute key to success in the snow. Great little vid. I'd like to see more driving in winter vids to enjoy your scenery :)
Yeah, having grown up in NY (a lot of snow, but def. not as much as Utah, but it still gets buried under many feet in upstate NY) I agree with everything you're saying 100%. The largest problem in snow is usually people with improper tires. They lave the piece of shit all-seasons the stealership puts on which are utter trash in the snow. If you're driving in the snow, regardless of how many (and which) wheels are spinning, you need proper deep lug snow tires. They make a world of difference. Night & day.
Looking where you WANT go is THE crucial step for clean slides!! Me and a buddy where doing a tight technical tandem line at this abandoned industrial park and i keept messing up on this 270° roundabout part because i keept looking at the grass on the inside and the huge curb just before it. Then i took the lead and looked further outwards (away from the apex) and i managed no problem. I slightly adapted the throttle input for the new line and it worked perfectly.
Watching this gives me much more confidence in driving in the snow. Lived in California all my life, recently just moved to Minnesota at the start of winter, or should I say snowfall. I have a RWD Lexus GS350 f sport and currently running on all season tires. But I think with steady handling with enough gas power, i should be fine. The drive is all about the driver’s driving abilities 🤙🏼
I daily a Crown vic in Michigan winters and I do just fine. Tires do make the difference, but also understanding how your car will respond is the most important thing.
I've only had RWD vehicles since I got my license that was oh 6ish years ago now. And I have got to agree it's the tires and drivers attentiveness beyond anything that determines who is and who isn't gonna end up in the ditch
this gives me more confidence about looking into RWD cars as someone who lives in the Northeast with bad winters (as long as I have the right tires and maintain caution). thx.
Great little vid Todd. The little FRS is proving to be great all season, weather machine. With the right tyres and capable driving inputs and ability of course. Really enjoying the podcasts too. Keep up the great work.
I love my FWD car, i have gone through the whole winter up and down hills, snowy and icy. Only all season tires. Not even good ones. And they dont have even tread all around. No problems that i deal with :)
My 2013 Hot Lava FR-S is going to be going through it's first winter this year... I'm a scared, inexperienced driver with a sports car, but you guys really did give me a little peace of mind. I did get some winter tires a week ago, and they look like they'll help. It was a dumb choice of first car for the upper corner of Indiana, but hey, it's doable.
With winter tires we expect you'll be fine and enjoy the FR-S in the snow as much as Todd did. Leave more room to stop and don't make sudden moves. We've all been told it's impossible, but RWD in the snow is very doable. Thanks for watching and enjoy!
EverydayDriver It’s my first winter with my first ever RWD but I’ve been too chicken to drive in the snow. I let it sit when there’s too much snow out, but your videos have really helped to start to give me confidence. I’m about to give it a go! Any tips for driving up a sleet or ice covered road that’s on a steep hill? I have 4 blizzak ws80s on my ‘15 ecoboost and the car has a snow/wet mode. Should I be ok for such a hill?
A steep hill covered in a sheet of Ice will be difficult for any car, even AWD. But, short of that most extreme condition, you should be fine everywhere you need to go. Getting going on hills takes some finesse, but with those tires you should have better traction than most people. Take it slow and leave yourself time to respond to the car. Overall, we expect it will be easier than you think. Thanks for watching!
Really great video Todd thank you! Your stream of consciousness when going up and down the hill is very helpful. I think a similar video on canon carving in the spring/summer would also be interesting.
Had a 2004 F150, manual, rear drive only, in Iowa... had it for 7 years, and NEVER GOT STUCK anywhere. Had a lot of fun showing people what it could do, left them with their jaw dropped more often than not.
i drove a civic si through 11 new jersey winters, never got snow tires, never got stuck. now im planning on getting a camaro ss. its a hunch but im thinking all seasons arent gonna work so well on the camaro. ill definitely get winter tires for it. ty for the inspiration.
Good video. I'll be driving my Camaro SS in the winter with winter wheels/tires installed. First big snowfall I'm going straight to a parking lot to get a feel for it being my first ever RWD car. People think I'm nuts, now I just need to carefully prove them wrong that it is doable :).
Good video. I have a RWD turbo Cadillac ATS with snow tires...it still slides all over the place if I even look at the throttle. But like you demonstrate, it's insta-fun when you want. I guess that's why we bought our cars in the first place.
As a kid I remember my dad taking on Colorado Loveland pass, Vail pass in a 1980s toyota corolla rwd. Never a problem, even in a whiteout blizzard. Inevitably, a jeep Cherokee would blow our doors off....10 miles up the road, it was on the ditch....
I have my BRZ out 12 months a year and live in Syracuse, NY (123.8 inches of average snowfall a year). This is winter number three and just got a new 2017. I even have more fun with it in the winter!
I used to daily my Monte Carlo ss year round in Massachusetts. With studded snows on the back that thing amazing in the snow. Never got stuck and I used to drive around in blizzards for fun.
7 лет назад
Hi Todd and Paul, AWD gives a false sense of security : AMEN and so does ride height and weight. Salutations, JRB P.S.: I live in Canada. ;~}
Agreed. Weight and ride height get truck drivers feeling like "gods" when it's snowing. I drive an Evo X with winter tires and that thing is superior in most ways at acceleration, turning and stopping in snow... plowing is good too.
Actually weight helps in a situation where you're trying to form traction, seeing as traction can be derived from F = C * N in a rudimentary manner. F is your overall friction, C is the coefficient your tires provide you, and N is the vertical force being applied to said tires (weight). The only thing weight can really help with is creating more surface area for soft tires to attempt to mate with, and ideally those tires will be squished front to back and not side to side so the rest of the surface can form traction on the compacted snow.
I have been driving my frs for 4 years now on stock tires here in cincinnati ohio, no problems with snow at all. Like Todd said when driving in the snow its all about easy and smooth driving.
Fantastic video as always, Todd. Your enthusiasm for the FR-s shows and I love how much you enjoy this car. I chose to buy a Fiesta ST but man... i'll eventually own one of these things
i live in alberta canada and people daily this shit!! i've seen mustangs,brz/frs, 370z, chrysler 300 in the snow all the time!! you just really need dedicated winter tires and drive smart not dumb.
comment man comment man whereabouts in Alberta are you located? I'm in Edmonton and I see these cars daily driven as well, but I also see them stuck on the residential streets after a good snowfall.
7 лет назад
FerpiliciousProducts whatever the driving wheels, cars can get stuck. Again it is about the way you drive, the places you venture and how smart you drive. Have a nice day. :)
FerpiliciousProducts live in edmonton too!! my neighbor has a brz and literally drives it every day, i've seen alot of mustang too lately at winter. It all depends on tires man, and obviously how much inches the snow is specialy unplowed.
Jean-René Boutin do you live in a place where cars get stuck being parked overnight? AWD and ground clearance with winter tires will get you out 90% of the time. I have had to tow my neighbours BRZ off our street many times, and he has Blizzaks. My Evo, the truck, our BMW, never get stuck on our street from a heavy snowfall.
So Todd, when you engine brake in a RWD car, you're only braking the rear wheels. It has the same impact as pulling the handbrake slightly. This does allow you to manage your speed without using the brake, but it's not the safe way to do it in low traction situations. You'll hit your traction limit much sooner than with slight brake pedal pressure. Also, as you pointed out on the podcast, it doesn't warn drivers behind you of your deceleration because there are no brake lights.
Willy Lamb dude engine brake doesn't use the hand brake it's literally downshifting and letting the car rev higher thus giving the wheels more resistance to spin faster
The advantage of engine braking is you can control your tire speed, from slight braking to balance and slight acceleration without the weightshift of using the brake pedal. He's talking about using it as a control technique not as a braking technique.
Ohh Please Willy ! *Reasonable* downshifts don't lock up rear wheels. I do realize drift racing drivers use this technique. Key word here... *reasonable* Also if someone is driving on your ass in holy shit weather heel and toe.
I had a very similar experience with my Genesis Coupe Turbo in the snow. With snow tires, traction wasn't the problem at all. It was running out of ground clearance when the snow became too deep.
Hill start - if can't get going, slightly apply hand brake. then release once get going. It helps put power to both wheels. Tip from old Shell driving commercials in the 1980's (or 1970's?)
Great video! I'm filming a snow driving video this weekend in my FR-S as well. I couldn't agree more about the tires - they make ALL the difference. Make sure you have winter tires in the winter and not all seasons!
This winter has been crazy in Utah! I've been driving my Z in it though, the matter of actually having clearance is no joke. Hey if you do see this, you should join the Utah SCCA for some events some time!
Just finally saw this video, I'm going to be going to Utah next October for a few months with my coilovers z32 vert and want to know how bad is the snow in inches because the last time I was in Utah there was still snow on snowbird on the 4th of july
YES. More than traction, clearance is the issue. I've had very little problem with this car in the snow,with snow tires, other than really deep snow. I've not gotten stuck yet, but I've also had lots of practice with snow driving.
I just did a similar video on my channel with my FWD Volkswagen. I agree with almost everything in the video, being smooth and controlled makes a huge difference as do tires!
Agreed, I had a tuned eta e30 with a shorter final drive w/lsd and Blizzaks that could drive sideways all day and be brought back under control with the lightest of wrist flicks. 180s from parking spots were also as easy as turn to lock an mash throttle. On more than one occasion I went up steep grades that left many all-season equipped cars (even awd!) on the shoulder.
i do exactly the same thing with my NB miata with blizzaks snow tires on it i've driven through like three snow storms already, and while it does lose some traction in first, if i just let off the throttle is bites in an acts like nothing happened. i can lose traction whenever i want in a totally controlled way. it's EXTREMELY fun and i will often intentionally drive during snow storms because of it now
Lot of people don’t understand but... my father didn’t have a 4WD drive vehicle until he bought his own at 24 years old, back when everyone drove RWD V8 sedans is when he learned to drive. He grew up in Niagara Falls New York and drove almost exclusively RWD Manual until he bought a Ford Bronco, and he said he almost never flipped the 4WD on anyway. What I’m saying is “you need an SUV and 4x4” is a myth just like all of the others that people are saying about cars. “You need start/stop” “you need auto collision braking” “manuals suck”
I have the 2013 FRS (hot lava - just like in the vid), put snow tires on it and drove it in Toronto as my daily commute. Acceleration on snowy roads was tough but just go slow. Hard to get momentum when your light turns green when going uphill, again, in snow. The worst part is making your way through drifts and snow banks created by plows because the front end is so low. You end up risking your front end spoiler (air dam) if you 'gun' it through.
I havent tried my brz in snow yet so the most fun ive actually had so far was with a mr2. Slides perfect on throttle and corrects when lifting off. Even had my mate on skiis behind on tow rope. Even managed so steep icy hills. Was so much fun
I drove my FR-S this winter with WS80s. If I could give any advice to anyone considering it, honestly don't. I live in a hilly area of BC Canada and I haven't had a hard time getting around, but It's the other people you have to worry about. I avoided a crash by a few cms. This car is amazing and I love it to death, which is why I felt like shit putting it in danger this season. Get a beater if you can, and save yourself the trouble.
I live in the snow belt with winter approaching, and I'm currently eyeing a '13 FR-S and was worried about RWD. This entire series has helped a lot, I've decided to get it. Thanks guys.
I live in Minnesota, and I actually prefer RWD over FWD. AWD is a given to have the best overall traction, because all four wheels can grab for it, but my 2002 Crown Victoria, and my 1997 Thunderbird both did fantastically well in the snow so long as they had good snow tires on them. My 1999 Mustang GT would have done well, but it was lowered, so clearance was an issue as you mentioned in your video. I've had more issues with FWD getting stuck or worse, losing control than RWD.
Actually I was surprised how good my GT86 drives in winter conditions. May be it's because of the Torsen LSD. The care is very stable and has a lot of grip. I'm very happy with the GoodYear Ultra Grip 9 winter tires. I chose the 205x16 instead of the 215x17 because the 205x16 are more common and cheaper.
Watching this again 4 years later because I’m considering getting the new GR86... November to March we get about 80” of snow on average. Got another 6 months to think about it!
I drive a Pontiac G8, first thing I did come winter was slap some brand new winter tires on there. As for driveways, I highly recommend having a turnaround so you can pull out of your driveway forwards, if at all possible. And honestly, with RWD, expect slides. They're normal. Learn how to recover and you're golden.
Agreed - a 2 wheel drive car on Winter Tyres will outperform a 4WD car on summer tyres by almost 100%. Most fun I have had?- 99 Impreza on winter Tyres! A 40 mile country journey took only 10 mins longer than in the summer on snow covered roads in Wales.
I have learned so much about tires from this video and I love rear well drive car but have been afraid to drive them in the winter snow. (two days of the year). In most placês we can not justify buying two sets of tires. I have all season tires on my BMW Z3. I think the reason that I have slipped before was when my tires were not that good in the first placê!!!
I just got a 2022 BRZ. I've had some trouble finding winter tires in stock and at that they are almost 200 a piece. I'm hoping the pilotsport 4s will hold me in place. But. I remember when I was first driving and I had an S10 with almost half tires no tcs no abs and I did fine for two winters. Really it's all about your capability and confidence on whether or not ur gonna do ok. And just a side note. I have only lost control of a vehicle when it has first started raining.
Just purchased a 1991 300ZX twin turbo. 96400 original miles. Tuned for E85, 450 or so hp to the wheels. Do you have any advice for longevity and care for the car and the VG30DETT??
i live in florida but i’m watching this to teach my grandpa to drive a hellcat red eye because it has so much RWD power he would have to learn to control the throttle, steering, and weight transfer
Glad you showed hills. I get frustrated at how people make fun of us here in Seattle that every time it snows even a little bit its a complete disaster. You got people who live on the plains and its like of course its easy to drive in the snow when you dont live on rolling hills. Winter tires do make a world of difference though. I would rather have winter tires on than all seasons with chains.
My only problem I have with driving my BRZ during winter in Canada? Random ice spots, and the annoying salted roads leading to a higher risk of rust. 🙁 Otherwise, just have a good set of (studded) winter tires, weight in the trunk and dont forget to keep your headlights running more than normal because these cars are small and low. Can be hard to see during a snowy day.
