Driving in snow: Prius is really good.

In Portland OR, they plow only main roads, so most streets will have tracks with a ridge of slush down the middle for a few days after a snowfall. No traction problems, but even soft slush will scrape those weak plastic covers off the bottom of the car. They are expensive to replace. I'm told the covers are not essential but offer some protection and help with aerodynamics.

 

Interesting - sorry about your traumatic journey. It sounds like the Prius wasn't the car for that journey, although with chains, maybe.

What's the suggestion about leaving the (emergency?) brake off? I don't use my E brake much on my car (except on a hill/rise).

I drove my 2004 in slushy snow, which was on a non salt-treated New England and was an inch deep on the road in places. I thought the car wasn't bad in terms of having front-wheel power, but wasn't great in any other way. My wife in her awd mid-sized car hardly noticed the snow fall, whereas I, who enjoy that sort of stuff, thought very much about it as I drove around on errands...

 

The issue with the emergency brake is that slushy snow melts and splashes around, then freezes. The next morning, the brake is frozen in place. I think that's what happened here.

I think that the tires (even with cable chains) made a difference. I was about 15,000 miles away from replacing them, think that a newer tire would have helped. Drag from plowing through snow couldn't be helped.

I have seen a company online doing Prius lift kits - they add 1 1/2 inches of ground clearance. I've seen some lifted Priuses with all-terrain tires - wild looking cars.