Prius in the snow

The WRG2's are the newer tire and I really liked them on my Civic. They look funky but work great. I've had no trouble on ice with the Hakka Q's that I have used in the past and the RSI's are supposed to be better.
Studded tires are the only real choice if you get a lot of ice.
The Fit tire size is odd but it cuts through the snow like a tractor.

 

I've had my Gen 3 "Techno" for just over a month now... and an very happy with the handling...but I AM concerned about ground clearance in the winter!! I have a long commute (75 kms each way) and live in "snow country" and drive into the city every day. Last vehicle was a Acura RDX, which had NO trouble in the snow...

Has anyone considered 16" or 17" rims to get a little more clearance? Is so, what tires did you put on?

I LOVE Bizzaks - had them on 3 separate vehicles....great traction, long wearing, and VERY quiet...so I'd probably stick with them...but the size is the thing that's causing me grief...

 

Live at 8600 feet in Colorado. Get a bit of snow. Drove my 2005 for 115,000 miles and it was wonderful most of the time. The VSC is great when driving around corners or needing to stop and/or turn. Only issue if you are going up a snow packed hill and have to stop (I was using triple threads) the traction control won't let you move and you are going to have to back down. I started putting on studded snows in the winter and its pretty great in the snow as long as there isn't more han 6". Not sure how my 2010 will be.

 

Rural Connecticut, 2006 Prius and on Monday we are buying a second Prius 2010, trading in our clunker. I bought snow tires for the 2006 and will again for our second Prius. Lots of hills here of course. Then again IO easily will save in gas the cost of the tires.

 

Great thread so far as I have been kind of worried about winter (here in Alaska). So I am convinced to get snow tires and I will put them on another set of rims (it just makes sense). So has anyone confirmed that older model Prius rims fit on the 2010? I would love to buy from Tirerack.com but shipping cost to AK are real high. I will likely buy up here but I need to know the exact specs for the rims so as to get the right ones.

Thanks for the info,
Peter

 

guys, correct me if im wrong but so far is it true that we know of no 2010 prius that has tasted even one snow flake . so are we guessing ? thats ok just wondering.:rockon:

 

One owner mentioned in this thread he picked up his 2010 (edit my bad, it was a 2009) in March and hit a snow storm... I think.

 

I have seen several threads discussing the issue, but none actually describing the behavior of the prius III in the snow or ice. It sounds like speculation for now. The Prius II TRAC system was not ideal in winter conditions, and apparently it has been improved in the new Prius (check http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii-2010-prius-main-forum/63556-2010-traction-control.html) , but again no one actually had the chance to try it I think. That is an issue for me - I will wait until I can test drive one in winter conditions before buying one. I even asked the dealer to let me try one on an ice rink to test the TRAC system - without success.

 

The traction control was improved for the 2006 and works quite a bit better than before. Supposedly it has been improved even more for the 2010, but no one has had the opportunity to test it.

Tom

 

If in doubt go with snow tires you will not be sorry.

Last winter I was driving past lots of Honda's with summer tires just sitting and spinning on 1-2" of snow. I had 4 snows on my Volvo RWD 740 station wagon.

My 2010 will be getting 4 snow tires on another set of rims for winter. Better safe than sorry as they say.

 

Having met a few foreigners myself, I've realised not all Americans live up to the ignorant and arrogant stereotype.

Still, you'd likely improve your social skills and employability by learning English.

 

Ahem....First, we Canadians speak english..Americans speak....well American...there is a substancial difference. Next...we (Canadians) have mastered the metric system...you know, the measurement system based on logic...and not on the "length of an outstretched arm to the tip of some guy's nose"... the one used by the rest of the civilized world. And lastly... if I ever need to understand RAP lyrics...I'll hire an unemployed American banker to interpret for me...I understand there's a few of those around...

 

Now...back to the subject of driving "the most technologically advanced car available to the mass market"....

Ground clearance - I live in the "snow belt", and traded by Acura RDX for my 2010 Techno...and the low ground clearence concerns me...the optional 17"'s should provide a bit more clearence in theory..but I'm thinking the "45" sidewall may negate that... anyone thinking of 16" with a 60 profile?