Last winter, Winnipeg journalist Haney Louka equipped his own Mazda6 wagon with Michelin’s new X-ice Xi2 tires. After a long winter, his impressions were mixed.
Bring it on! 2010 Lexus RX 350, Part 3 The early retreat of Ottawa’s winter has left crumbling asphalt, huge potholes and frost heaves, says Managing Editor, Grant Yoxon. “The 2010 Lexus RX 350...seemed unperturbed by the decaying pavement,” he reports.
Bring it on! 2009 Subaru Forester 2.5X, Part 3 There’s not much to dislike about the new Subaru Forester, says Contributing Editor Chris Chase. He liked its torquey four-cylinder engine, reasonable fuel economy, smooth transmission, and competitive price. “This is one vehicle I will actually miss,” he says.
Bring it on! 2009 Audi A4 3.2 quattro, Part 3 Due to mild Ottawa weather, the A4 had little to challenge it besides some heavy rain and wind, says Senior Editor, Paul Williams. “On that note we can report that the car is wonderfully stable..and the rain-sensing windshield wipers actually worked.”
Bring it on! 2010 Lexus RX 350 Part two: safety features CanadianDriver’s winter driving test has been hijacked by unusually mild weather in Ottawa, but Managing Editor, Grant Yoxon points out that, should it snow, the all-new Lexus RX 350 is well-equipped, including an improved all-wheel drive system.
Bring it on! 2009 Audi A4 3.2 quattro, Part 2 Audi’s “quattro” AWD system includes a centre Torsen differential which distributes torque front and rear but the A4 also includes an electronic differential lock that distributes power side to side by braking the slipping wheel(s), reports Senior Editor, Paul Williams.
Bring it on! 2009 Subaru Forester 2.5X, Part 2 Where many all-wheel drive systems run mostly in two-wheel drive mode and only route power to all four wheels when the going gets slippery, Subaru’s Symmetrical system powers all four wheels equally, all the time, says Contributing Editor, Chris Chase.
Bring It On! 2010 Lexus RX 350, Part 1 A wider track and a new rear suspension improve the new RX 350’s stability and agility, but the most significant change with implications for winter driving is its new all-wheel drive system, reports Managing Editor Grant Yoxon.
Bring It On! 2009 Subaru Forester 2.5X, Part 1 Newly redesigned, the compact Subaru Forester is winter-ready with standard “symmetrical” all-wheel drive, stability and traction control, ABS, heated mirrors and heated seats. But base models don’t get the wiper de-icer that other models get, gripes Contributing Editor, Chris Chase.
Bring It On! 2009 Audi A4 3.2 quattro, Part 1 Even the “base” Audi A4 is equipped with a plethora of safety features to make winter driving safer including quattro all-wheel drive, electronic stability control, rain-sensing windshield wipers, headlight washers, and even a back-up battery, reports Senior Editor, Paul Williams.
Bring It On! 2009 BMW 335i xDrive, Part three A lack of new snow made it difficult to test the BMW 335i xDrive’s active safety systems, but Managing Editor Grant Yoxon did discover that its headlamp washers, heated windshield washer nozzles, heater, and heated steering wheel, worked very well.
Bring It On! 2009 Ford Flex Limited AWD, Part three Though it’s a big, heavy vehicle, the Ford Flex with all-wheel drive and traction/stability control systems drives very well when the going gets slick. “And even the worst pothole did little to upset this big crossover’s ride,” reports Contributing Editor, Chris Chase.
Bring It On! 2009 Pontiac Vibe AWD, Part three With cold nights and freezing rain making morning roads very slippery, Senior Editor, Paul Williams found that the AWD Vibe really benefits from its “full arsenal” of winter tires, anti-lock brakes, stability control and all-wheel drive.
Bring It On! 2009 Ford Flex AWD, Part two Salt-covered roads and rain have revealed flaws in the Ford Flex’s wipers, but otherwise it’s handling winter fairly well, reports Contributing Editor Chris Chase; snowstorms expected to move in will be the final test of this crossover’s AWD winter ability.
Bring it on! 2009 BMW 335i xDrive, Part Two BMW's xDrive isn't a “nanny,” reports Managing Editor Grant Yoxon; instead, it keeps everything steady while still allowing the driver to actually drive the car. With a car like the 335i xDrive, it's possible to actually look forward to snowy weather.