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2016 Snow Performance

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Main Forum' started by dropshot94, Jan 31, 2016.

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  1. dropshot94

    dropshot94 Junior Member

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    We had a couple inches of snow last night (with about a foot to follow over the next two days). I'm happy to report that my 2016 4 with Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2s was able to get around our neighborhood without a problem. This includes a number of fairly steep hills. FWIW, I used Eco mode as I've seen suggested on a few threads. I do think the gentle acceleration prevented the necessity for traction control.
     
    #1 dropshot94, Jan 31, 2016
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  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Sounds good. Do keep in mind, with the low ground clearance, if you get anywhere near a foot, especially if it's wet, even with the best snow tires you'll get stuck. Anything 8" or deeper is the limit, with wet snow.

    We've yet to get any appreciable snow this "winter", here. The roads look like they got hit with icing sugar one morning, that was the worst, lol.
     
    #2 Mendel Leisk, Jan 31, 2016
  3. dropshot94

    dropshot94 Junior Member

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    Mendel, thanks for the advice. Having spent five years in Calgary, I have no desire to be heroic in my winter driving.
     
    #3 dropshot94, Jan 31, 2016
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  4. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    My knowledge of snow is largely vicarious, thanks in part to global warming. :oops:
     
    #4 Mendel Leisk, Jan 31, 2016
  5. dropshot94

    dropshot94 Junior Member

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    And as of the end of today's snow, we have 18 inches. Tomorrow's commute should be quite the test.
     
    #5 dropshot94, Feb 2, 2016
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  6. energyandair

    energyandair Active Member

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    Did you buy it with the snow plow option?
     
    #6 energyandair, Feb 2, 2016
  7. dropshot94

    dropshot94 Junior Member

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    Flying car option.


    iPhone ?
     
    #7 dropshot94, Feb 2, 2016
  8. dropshot94

    dropshot94 Junior Member

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    The flying car worked!

    Seriously, though, the Gen 4 was quite competent in the snow. Very little traction control and no ABS activation. I drove in Eco as has been suggested in other threads and found it very good for moderating my acceleration. The route to work has a number of unavoidable hills and there were no problems even on the steepest.

    The temp was in the single digits for the morning commute, and even so, I managed 56.7 MPG (I suspect the slightly slower highway speeds helped).

    Overall, while not quite as rock solid as my previous AWD, I have no complaints.
     
    #8 dropshot94, Feb 4, 2016
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  9. ExMachina08

    ExMachina08 Junior Member

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    Out of curiosity, does the gen 4 kill power to protect the transaxel when you start spinning the tires?
     
    #9 ExMachina08, Feb 4, 2016
  10. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    didn't the gen 4 get a traction switch?
     
    #10 bisco, Feb 4, 2016
  11. dropshot94

    dropshot94 Junior Member

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    ExMachina08,

    Yes, it did briefly cut power a couple of times when I hit a slippery spot. A little jarring at first, but it wasn't too bad. FWIW, there's a traction control off button.
     
    #11 dropshot94, Feb 4, 2016
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  12. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    How deep was the snow on the roads then? Assume the plows had gone through?
     
    #12 Mendel Leisk, Feb 4, 2016
  13. dropshot94

    dropshot94 Junior Member

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    Yes, the plows had gone through. My neighborhood streets had three or four inches of packed snow. The main arteries were largely clear.
     
    #13 dropshot94, Feb 4, 2016
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  14. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    That's a good situation. What I hate is when the main roads are clear but the side streets are untouched, lol.

    Here I'm starting to contemplate taking the snow tires off; no snow so far, crocuses and daff's starting to come up.
     
    #14 Mendel Leisk, Feb 4, 2016
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  15. dropshot94

    dropshot94 Junior Member

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    I'm lucky in that my neighbor has a truck with a plow blade.
     
    #15 dropshot94, Feb 4, 2016
  16. Zojja

    Zojja Active Member

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    I'm glad to hear it, I was starting to think I was a little too quick to buy a FWD car. We are getting snow tomorrow and I'm a little nervous. I had a FWD car for about a year or two when I lived in Colorado, before I moved out here. Colorado is different though in that it doesn't get ice like we get here. I switched to an AWD as quick as I could though and I've driven an AWD for 11 years, I'm a little worried I don't know how to drive FWD in snow (and I didn't really when I moved to CO from CA but I winged it).
     
    #16 Zojja, Feb 8, 2016
  17. Snow

    Snow Member

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    If you drive slow enough you'll be okay. Just keep your distances from everyone and take turns SLOW. I wouldn't think it'd be any different than an AWD car other than the take off. What I do is coast to stops from WAY back and then I rarely have to take off from a stand still.
     
    #17 Snow, Feb 8, 2016
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  18. Zojja

    Zojja Active Member

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    Thanks, I figure most people don't have AWD so shouldn't be that difficult.
     
    #18 Zojja, Feb 8, 2016
  19. Sergiospl

    Sergiospl Senior Member

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    #19 Sergiospl, Feb 10, 2016
  20. Zojja

    Zojja Active Member

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    that is just a crappy shoveling job. My other car was low to the ground so even being AWD, I knew I couldn't just climb over snow piles.
     
    #20 Zojja, Feb 11, 2016
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