This is one of the reasons I own a Wrangler!

[Hogdreamer]

Driving home last night after another snowy day which followed another snowy day, my wife called me from her Cherokee. She told me she would not be able to get in the garage as the plow had come by and the snow at the end of the driveway was high. Higher than her, she said, so I mentioned to just leave her Jeep in the road and I'd snow blow so she could get up the drive. I also said I may try to get into the garage before clearing it if possible when I got home.

A few minutes later she called me back and told me to call her when I get home so she can video me if I decide to try to get in the garage through the snow. Her boss didn't make it in that day as his BMW X3 Xdrive couldn't get out of his neighborhood. I think she wanted to prove to him he had the wrong vehicle if he wanted to get around during a Minnesota winter. When I got home I didn't have to call as she was already standing in the front sidewalk waiting to take the video. I drove through the snowbank and up into my garage without any issue, or so I thought.

When I went in the house and asked my wife if she got the video she was discouraged that she did not. Apparently she was already recording when she hit the screen to start it which only ended it. Do you want me to do it again for you? I asked. If you don't mind was her reply. So, I backed out the garage, into the street and went for take 2, which was equally successful.

This was one of the reasons why I own a Wrangler in the snowy state of Minnesota. Not as snowy as Buffalo New York, of course, but this year has been one with more white stuff falling out of the sky than normal. I owned four wheel drive vehicles for a number of years when I was younger but in 1991 I no longer had a 4x4 but rather front wheel drive sedans.

Then Halloween 1991 happened. My kids were trick or treating and when we got back the snow flakes were quite huge so I told myself, yep, the snow is almost done. Boy, was I wrong. It snowed and snowed and snowed and snowed some more. Later that evening I got in my Ford Taurus to go get some soda. I only ended up driving around the block as I knew almost immediately that was not a good idea. Once back home I was stuck there for three days.

I HATE getting stranded, even if it is stranded at home. I made the decision at that time to never be without a four wheel drive vehicle again as long as I lived in the snow belt. For 20 plus years I owned labs for bird hunting so pickups were my vehicle of choice. 4X4 of course. Still got stuck once in a while which required the help of a tractor a time or two. But the option of only 2 wheel drive wasn't going to happen.

While getting around in the snow is not nearly as dramatic as rock climbing, it is a life requirement, not a life option for me at this time. Probably not many have to crawl over rocks to get to work or grab groceries but that nasty white stuff is around in the winter getting between me and my errands quite often. I'm very satisfied with my decision to choose a Jeep Wrangler for my snow adventures.

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[AFD]

Doesn't seem too bad. I've plowed through snow that high in my car when the plows blocked the end of my driveway. Usually takes a few tries, though. Once it freezes like that, forget it.

 

[Dyolfknip74]

Wranglers also require longer snow brushes for cleaning the roof off as well.

Up here you can be ticketed for not cleaning your car off. We take our snow laws seriously. Lol

 

[Heimkehr]

Driving home last night after another snowy day which followed another snowy day, my wife called me from her Cherokee. She told me she would not be able to get in the garage as the plow had come by and the snow at the end of the driveway was high. Higher than her, she said,...

"Higher than her"?

 

[COJeeper]

You want a real good vehicle for the snow? Get a Subaru! However, a Subaru is nowhere near as awesome as a Jeep. That's why I traded mine for a Wrangler!!

I do miss the comfort and fuel economy of my Subaru and I'd buy another one for sure but the wife is instead set on a Rav4 hybrid. So, when Toyota stops talking crazy about charging people MSRP or go away, I think we're going to end up with one of those.

Driving in the snow is still fun in the Jeep and now I have a winch and a bunch of other recovery gear so I can help people out in snow storms who get stuck, couldn't do THAT in my Subaru!

 

[Hogdreamer]

Doesn't seem too bad. I've plowed through snow that high in my car when the plows blocked the end of my driveway. Usually takes a few tries, though. Once it freezes like that, forget it.

I actually would have paid to watch anyone with an automobile, either rear wheel or front wheel drive, try to get out of the street and into my driveway. The video is a bit misleading as I had already driven over the snowbank and then backed through it again so my wife could get the video she wanted. It was quite a bit higher before I drove over it twice.

The issue in this instance is you can't "plow" through this snow. I didn't realize that until I got out my snow blower to clear that snowbank away. The temperature was about 30 degrees so the snow should be soft, maybe even fluffy. Ah, nope. Because the snow was so wet as well as compacted by the snowplow it was HARD. My snowblower couldn't cut through it and my snow shovel wanted to bounce off it rather than dig in. Had to get my spade shovel out to chop it into smaller pieces and then heave the snow into my yard.

What you're saying is 100% correct though, if the snow wants to play along. When I worked at a military base before I retired we had huge spring snowfall. The gate to my base was closed so I drove to an adjacent base and found that entrance manned with security and since both bases are connected I figured I'd go that route. None of the roads on the base were plowed but since I was driving my Dodge Ramcharger with full time 4X4 that didn't matter. I came to an area where the snow was drifted high. Higher than the hood of my truck which made the depth at least four feet. Puff, my Dodge went through that drift like it was a cloud.

Around here we could get a six inch snowfall of dry, fluffy snow and even front wheel drive cars with halfway decent tires can get where they need to go. Four inches of wet, heavy snow and those same cars are getting hung up all over the place. Especially in intersections where a plow may have left the snow a little deeper or going up an incline. Many times the roads are plowed but the parking lots are not yet cleared. A couple of days ago a employee at work came in a she was furious that the lot wasn't plowed yet. She was swearing like a sailor as she drove in her husband's SUV for the added clearance but since it was only front wheel drive it still got stuck.

So, yes, driving a Wrangler gives me peace of mind I would not have otherwise. I never have to worry whether I'm going to get home if the winter weather is crazy bad. Yes, you still have to drive smart and remember than although you can move forward without much issue your coming to a stop is not much different than a two wheel car. And you can go seventy miles an hour on the freeway in super icy conditions but only if you also want to do a 360 with the chance to impact the cable barrier in the medium. That's a great way to get a new Jeep but I wouldn't recommend it.

 

[cgagnon99]

You want a real good vehicle for the snow? Get a Subaru! However, a Subaru is nowhere near as awesome as a Jeep. That's why I traded mine for a Wrangler!!

I do miss the comfort and fuel economy of my Subaru and I'd buy another one for sure but the wife is instead set on a Rav4 hybrid. So, when Toyota stops talking crazy about charging people MSRP or go away, I think we're going to end up with one of those.

Driving in the snow is still fun in the Jeep and now I have a winch and a bunch of other recovery gear so I can help people out in snow storms who get stuck, couldn't do THAT in my Subaru!

My 2016 WRX was a BLAST in the winter, especially with winter tires! It was really fun to drive in the snow. I traded that in for my JLU though and it's just a different feeling. The Subaru was "fun" to drive but the Jeep feels like I can get absolutely anywhere.

 

[Hogdreamer]

"Higher than her"?

I think she meant higher than her from where she sat in her Cherokee. Even so, I believe she was exaggerating just a bit. From the road though the snow bank looked very high.

 

[five9dak]

Wife had a subaru for a while. It was on all seasons. Our FWD on snow tires, and my TJ on all terrians were way better. Unless a subaru is on the right tire they aren't really impressive. Most aren't.

 

[wibornz]

I bought my jeep to take me places that other vehicles don’t go or very rarely go.

 

[Bayfield]

last winter we had a good dumping of snow , I don't remember how long it snowed but when I got home from work there was two feet of snow on my drive . I'm on a corner lot and get all the wind and snow off the city plows as they slow down to take the corner it was four feet deep at the bottom of drive . I spent five hours shovelling my girls side of the drive and was so tired I said f#ck it put my Wrangler in FWD and climbed over the drift at the bottom and parked it on two foot of snow for the night , no problem at all ! I have a pic somewhere if I find it I'll post it , amazing vehicle !

 

[INCRHULK]

The Hulk is one of the best vehicles I've had in the snow. My KL may have beat it out, except for the Wrangler's extra clearance.

Surprisingly, my Neon Sport was one of the other "best ever" cars I had for snow. The thing was nigh on unstoppable in Canadian winters.

 

[five9dak]

The Hulk is one of the best vehicles I've had in the snow. My KL may have beat it out, except for the Wrangler's extra clearance.

Surprisingly, my Neon Sport was one of the other "best ever" cars I had for snow. The thing was nigh on unstoppable in Canadian winters.

I had an 04 srt-4 (twice) with LSD, KW coil overs, and steelies with narrow snow tires. I would raise the coil overs up when I swapped the snow tires on. With the open exhaust and tune that thing pretty much WAS a rallycar, noises and all. Best stopping and turning car in the snow I've ever owned. 2800lb curb weight probably had a lot to do with it.

 

[Cutterone]

In deep snow, yes the Wrangler can more than hold it's own, but for most winter driving up here in NH, my winter rat 2012 Grand Cherokee with its quadradrive 1 system which sends power full time to all wheels is an absolute beast. My wife has a new Merc, and if its snowing she still takes the ol' grand, it just sticks to the road, narely ever a slip, very safe

 

[Heimkehr]

Surprisingly, my Neon Sport was one of the other "best ever" cars I had for snow. The thing was nigh on unstoppable in Canadian winters.

I got through college (Western PA with a crap ton of lake-effect snow) via a VW Golf with three pedals and proper snow tires up front. One at each corner would have been better, but that's what my student budget could afford.

Anyway, that car was synergistic, meaning it did better negotiating the white stuff than I thought it had a right to do. Fun times.

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