Driving in the snow

The 2008 is different because the traction control system has been modified. It is much less aggressive on the newer Prius. You will still have trouble with the OEM tires, but it works pretty well with good winter tires - still not a Jeep, but about what you would expect from any front wheel drive car. VSC works great if you get a model with that.

Tom

 

is the better 2006 model traction control not a software change?
so wy can the pre 2006 models not get that update?

 

My 2007 worked very well in snow last winter, with Nokian WR tires (new). It actually worked well last week on mud covered with wood chips. I had to use a lot of throttle to make it move, and you could feel it was very soft. Reverse was really entertaining, being electric only and therefore power limited, I was just able to make the car move. I was surprised I didn't get stuck (was wondering if AMA -AAA would come out to the field I was driving in). Never tripped the TC light.

The traction control firmware is in a separate module, appearantly not writeable. Tideland's module was replaced (as per older posts) to get his upgraded.

 

Slow speed up a slippery hill is hard with any car, and still the most difficult mode for the traction control system. They key is to keep moving and keep enough pressure on the gas pedal. With the new trac system you can actually spin the tires, albeit at a slow rate. If you hold the pedal down they will turn, stop, and turn, kind of like this: "Rumph, rumph, rumph, rumph...". I have also been able to rock my Prius by shifting back and forth between D and R. It rocks much better than a normal automatic.

Our 2006 Prius with VSC is the best handling winter car I've ever owned, and this includes a Jeep C-J5, a Subaru 4wd, and a Ford Aerostar with 4wd. I can't even tell if the road is slippery. The Prius just tracks down the road and automatically compensates for the slippery spots. I have to remind myself that the road is slippery and that the laws of physics still apply, otherwise I am likely to over-drive the conditions. The only problem comes with deep snow, since the Prius is not a truck, or with ice where nothing can move.

I have had problems with loose gravel on steep driveways. The traction control seems particularly confused by that combination. With the OEM Goodyear Integraty tires I had a lot of trouble with that. Better tires help a lot, but I still fear loose gravel.

Tom

 

I don't think VSC has anything to do with the ability to move on slippery surfaces. It works when you are moving and start to slide (mainly on corners). It's the traction control system (separate from the VSC) that affects the ability to go on slippery surfaces. All Prius have the same traction control system, other than minor changes after 2005 that allow the system to keep trying to go.
When I got Pearl last year, she was very unsure on gravel roads. After changing to the Nokian WR tires Pearl is very good on gravel roads. Do be aware that the Nokian WRs tend to throw small rocks though.

 

We didn't have a huge amount of snow in our area this year, but certainly enough to make roads a challenge. I was pleasantly surprised by our car's performance (we have hills and more hills, everywhere) on some pretty bad roads.

This, with the original tires. I think we'll spring for something better this winter if I can make up my mind (seems this forum favors several).

 

This is completely true about VSC. My comments about VSC relate to how well the Prius handles in the snow with VSC. In no way did I mean to imply that VSC was related to traction.

Tom

 

Living in the Phoenix area, and it being in the dead of summer led me to open this thread so I could dream of cooler times.... it worked, carry on.

 

My 2004 was almost impossible to drive in snow/ice on the stock Integrity. WIth studless snow tires (Dunlop Graspic DS-2 and Yokohama Ice Guard 10), much better in snow but still a bit gimpy on ice

With the studded Goodyear Nordic from Canadian Tire - same as the Goodyear Ultra Grip 500 sold in the EU - my Prius became great on ice and in light snow. Once it bogs down in a drift, the wheels refuse to turn, rocking is pretty much pointless

I also managed to bog down on a gravel hill my first year with my Prius. A few of us from the office rented a cabin at a tourist camp to go fishing. The co-worker with the VW Golf tdi had no trouble on the hill, even when he had to stop and go around me. Very minor wheelspin and up he went

My co-worker with the Lexus RX had to use a towstrap and the emergency towing eyebolt to pull me up the hill. I know better than to take my Prius on such roads. Clearly, my 2004 has the worst extreme of the complaints regarding the Trac

I test drove a new 2008 Prius when we still had a bit of snow and ice around, in the Spring. The Trac behavior was completely different, a day and night difference. With studded winter tires, that Prius would probably be almost unstoppable in winter

The only way to tell is to try out the Trac on a gravel surface. The difference is very apparent

 

Aha! So you need the traction control to get you through the molten pavement.

 

I've found the same thing here, and from the point of view of a Winterpegger, Vancouver doesn't have four seasons. I can always leave it parked for a few hours until the snow melts.