The Subaru Forester, small SUV, is one of the most practical snow buggies on the road.If you live in the Chattanooga area, you've probably asked yourself at some point this week: Is it safe to drive in this weather?
Maybe you checked the tread-wear on your tires, or lamented passing on all-wheel-drive when you bought your last SUV. (It's hard to swallow that $2,000 upgrade when you buy in July, right?)
Although it has not been an especially bad year for snow and ice in the Tennessee Valley, it doesn't take much frozen precipitation here to present a giant hazard. Take it from someone who has damaged three cars driving to work in the snow, it's worth considering snow-worthy options the next time you buy.
This week we want to highlight a few of our favorite "snowmobiles" from recent Test Drive reports. Whether you're looking for an economical snow buggy, or a luxury SUV that can plow through snow drifts, here are five vehicles that you'd appreciate having in your garage on a snowy, winter day.
SUBARU FORESTER
* MSRP Price Range: $22,195-$33,095
For economical winter driving, nothing beats the Subaru Forester, a small SUV that does well in comparison tests against better-selling rivals. All Subarus have standard all-wheel-drive, which has made them perennial best-sellers in American's snow-belt locales, notably New England and the Mountain West.
Locally, Chattanooga's Kelly Subaru has always done a brisk business. Mountain residents here love to purchase -- and hang onto -- Subarus because of their mountain-goat traction. The Forester's 2.5-liter boxer engine, with horizontally opposed cylinders, also lowers its center of gravity, making the SUV sure-footed in the snow.
When we last tested the Forester, Subaru had just released the redesigned 2014 model, which we noted at the time "offers up improved fuel economy, snappier styling, a new continuously-variable transmission and more rear-seat and cargo room."
Visibility is an underrated Forester strength. There's tons of window area in all directions. With the moon-roof exposed, you feel like you're driving under a glass dome.
The 170-horsepower engine and CVT transmission is a good pairing for light-load driving. The Forester seats five comfortably and gets about 32 mpg city and 24 mpg highway. A good choice is the mid-trim 2.5i Premium model, which stickers for about $27,000.
AUDI ALLROAD
BASE PRICE: $42,400
The Audi Allroad is, without doubt, the hippest snow buggy you can buy. Along with Audi's growling cache as the "in" brand for hipsters, the Allroad delivers on its name -- it's great in "all road" conditions.
The Allroad comes with Audi's excellent quattro, all-wheel-drive system, and it's also one of the best-looking wagons on the road today. Think of it as a cross between the Audi A4 and the Subaru Outback. The exterior of the Allroad manages to look both rugged and refined.
The Allroad is powered by 2-liter, turbocharged engine that makes 220 horsepower and propels the wagon from zero to 60 miles per hour in a brisk 6.5 seconds. The Allroad has both a tenacious grip and a relatively low center of gravity, making it perfect for tackling snowy roads. The all-wheel-drive system sends 40 percent of the power to the front wheels and 60 percent to the back wheels.
The Allroad, available and Audi Chattanooga, is a good solution for families who need all-weather practicality and want it wrapped in an elegant package.
LAND ROVER/RANGE ROVER
Price Range: $83,495-$186,495
There's something I find amusing about the phenomenal Range Rover SUV, which might be the best snow conveyance in the world. Check out that price range (above) and imagine spending $103,000 just on options and upgrades. I realize that when you reach the six-figure price-range for an SUV, all things are relative, but still ... .
The great thing about the Range Rover, Land Rover's top dog-luxury SUV, is that you could drive into a snow drift and live there comfortably for a week. When we tested the Range Rover last fall from Land Rover of Chattanooga, I observed: "The Range Rover has reached dizzying heights of popularity by being several things at once: an all-terrain SUV, a virtual limousine and a rocket ship."
The interior of the Range Rover is a bit like a luxury apartment that's been shrunk to fit on top of four wheels. Among the luxury extras available are Oxford leather seats, laminated glass panels, virtual gauges and a two-part rear hatch that opens like a mouth. Our $112,000 tester also included a 510-horsepower supercharged engine that propelled the Land Rover from zero to 60 miles per hour in an absurdly fast 4.7 seconds.
The average Range Rover spends only about nine days on a dealer's lot, so good luck snagging one.
CHEVROLET COLORADO 4X4
PRICE RANGE: $29,220-$34,415
For a fair number of motorists in the Tennessee Valley, vehicle shopping starts and stops with pickup trucks. Among our favorite vehicles of the last year is the dramatically redesigned and improved Chevrolet Colorado, a midsize pickup for the masses.
As anyone who has ever driven a rear-wheel-drive truck in the snow can attest, pickups (because of their uneven weight distribution) can be dicey foul-weather vehicles. Four-wheel-drive obviously helps, as does adding weight to the truck bed to press down on the back wheels.
The Colorado offers several 4x4 options, including an entry-level, four-cylinder LT extended cab that starts at under $30,000 ($29,220 to be exact). A more practical option is a V-6 crew cab 4X4, which can be had in upscale Z71 trim starting at $34,415.
When we tested a Colorado crew-cab 4x4 last fall from Walter Jackson Chevrolet in Ringgold, Ga., our takeaway was that it would make a great family vehicle and should be viewed as an alternative to five-passenger SUVs.
TOYOTA HIGHLANDER AWD
Price Range: $32,430 to $44,040
Toyota sells more than 120,000 Highlanders a year, making it one of America's favorite SUVs. The Highlander was redesigned for 2014, and can be ordered in five-, seven- and eight-passenger configurations.
All-wheel-drive is an option at every trim level, and adds about $1,500 to the MSRP. It's a worthwhile choice that pays for itself when it's time to trade.
When we drove a Highlander XLE from Capital Toyota last year, we noted: "Typical of Toyota products, the interior ergonomics are first-rate. The new dash architecture includes a neat shelf that runs two-thirds of the width of the interior and is ready-made for your cell phones sun glasses and magazines. A center storage contains a spacious compartment big enough to carry a terrier -- or, more appropriately, a large purse.
The Highlander comes in three engine options, a 2.4-liter four cylinder (185-hp), a 3.5-liter V-6 (270-hp) and a hybrid that combines a V-6 with an electric motor and boosts horsepower to 280. Only V-6 and hybrid models have available all-wheel-drive.
Buy a Highlander with all-wheel-drive and you've purchased a durable snow-mobile that will hold its value better than just about any other family-hauler on the road.
Contact Mark Kennedy at mkennedy@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6645. Follow him on Twitter @TFPCOLUMNIST. Subscribe to his Facebook updates at www.facebook.com/mkennedycolumnist.