Ordinary cars on winter tyres are good enough - unless you've got a snowmobile you'll still be stuck behind those on summer tyres who can't make any progress.

Avoid overweight 4wd-the Panda would be the best.

I agree that a 4x4 Panda on all-season or winter tyres is an excellent choice in winter conditions and is the easiest to handle if it gets a bit out of line.

However, if you need to carry more than 4 people or a load, a 4x4 Dacia Duster is a good choice. A fairly wide track and relatively low (for an SUV) C of G makes for predictable handling.

However, I'm biased as last winter I swapped from the Panda to the Duster.

Avoid overweight 4wd-the Panda would be the best.

Indeed, the 4x4 system might help you get going - but you still have to stop 2-3 tons of heavy metal.

The Panda 4x4 is superb.

The Mazda CX-5 might be a good choice because if the worst happens and you slide into something or roll it into a ditch, the damage might not be noticeable !

Edited by Sofa Spud on 09/12/2013 at 18:09

QUOTE:...""You can go from an all wheel drive car right up to a Landcruiser or Hilux which if fitted with winter tyres will be virtually unstoppable in any conditions likely here....""

Virtually unstoppable sounds good. But when you do need to stop on a slippery road, a 4x4 is not much better than a normal 2-wheel drive.

And another piece of advice re 4x4's in winter that sounds silly but is always worth bearing in mind when setting out in wintry weather in a 4x4. If you do happen to get stuck, it's likely to be somewhere that's further away from help!

Edited by Sofa Spud on 12/12/2013 at 13:47

The worst winter I have ever experienced was that of 1978 - 1979. We got the first heavy snow in early January and the last heavy snow in late March. For 2 days in February it was so bad no traffic was moving anywhere, the drifts on my route to work were 8 ft high. Except for those 2 days I got everywhere I needed to get with no issues, in a Renault 14 on Michelin ZX tyres

That winter I was only stuck one day - because of gridlock on the estate, I couldn't even get out of the end of the road - the only issue I had was aquaplaning off into a ditch when the sudden thaw came - it was a Hillman Imp, infamous for it's lack of weight on the front end.

Audi A8 Quattro?
Mercedes S-class 4matic?

All the traction without the bulk.

Edited by Hamsafar on 13/12/2013 at 18:15

Big cars are often owned by men with an exaggerated sense of their own importance and their ability to park in a multi storey car park until they try.

I have since got new tires and they have helped tremendously. The guy in the garage said they had be warn down way beyond what they should of which is why I was finding controlling it so frustrating in challenging conditions.

However, I still plan on getting a more adapt car. The Panda seems to be a popular one among the replies.