How well does your Focus drive in snow?

[copernicium112]

Originally Posted by 2012silversel

I can't believe how well my Focus handled with the Blizzaks installed, also far better than I hoped for. I made a point to drive on residential streets that were hard packed and crunchy snow with ice at the stop signs and slushy connector streets and it handled great on both. As much as I don't want it, I can't wait for a major snowfall to see how the do.

Good to know! I just had my Blizzaks thrown on last week but haven't had an opportunity to test them out in the snow yet.

[Elizabeth]

Still not a flake of snow here.

[PratoN]

Originally Posted by Elizabeth

Still not a flake of snow here.

You forgot to knock on wood.

[csvt2060]

Got our first snow this morning. Had not switched over to my winter tire package and it was a light 1-2 inches so I figured I would just drive careful to work on the PS3's. As soon as I got to the road I knew it wasn't going to happen, it reminded me of driving a mustang in the snow, very dangerous. I turned around and switched to my winter tires and what a difference. Handling is much more mushier but traction is awsome. I went with the 15" Michelin X-Ice xi2 to replace the 18" Michelin Pilot Sport 3's for the winter. Very quiet and smooth winter tire on the highway.

So there's no driving in the snow with the OEM handling package tires.





On a side note I counted 6-8 cars in accidents or in ditches on my 40 mile drive to work, some were SUV's. People forget how to drive in this stuff.....wait they were probably too busy texting or something to worry about driving conditions or turning their headlights on!

[BetaDnB]

I finally got to drive in the snow today. The traction control didn't really seem to slow me down. As a matter of fact the only thing it seemed to do was flash the indicator at me. For a FWD it seemed slightly tail happy too.

[VOLDAR]

The last two days we had some black ice on the roads and I can say that there is no difference between my last car and the Focus. The ESP and TC act both as expected, even "smoother" because I didn't feel at all any "break on the wheel" even though the TC light lit for a few times. Today, going from a stop, while my car advanced and the TC light was flashing, the car next to me was spinning wheels and didn't advanced at all (Honda Accord). And yes, we are all imposed by the law to have winter tires before 15 dec til 15 mars so I don't think it was a difference because of my winter tires. The Accord is heavier so it should perform better than a lighter car. But it did not. So, all in all, I am very happy with my Focus and how it behaves on winter roads.

[hotleadsingerguy]

Put on some Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3s a few weeks ago (235x40) and they're doing pretty well! It's only snowed twice (and both times not too much), but enough that I could usually tell a difference. If I hit the accelerator too hard I lose a bit, but while driving the traction is pretty great.

Then again, I'm using fairly wide tires...seems like most of the people in this thread are on SE/SELs with smaller tires. The 18s on the Titanium have nice and wide tires lol they work great.

[Joey D]

Awful, even with winter tires on. The traction control is possibly the worse system I've ever dealt with in a car. I was trying to leave my driving the other morning and there was no more then an inch of snow, the tires barely slipped and the traction control went nuts and the car would barely move. I like the idea of traction control but not when it's overly invasive.

[VOLDAR]

Originally Posted by Joey D

Awful, even with winter tires on. The traction control is possibly the worse system I've ever dealt with in a car. I was trying to leave my driving the other morning and there was no more then an inch of snow, the tires barely slipped and the traction control went nuts and the car would barely move. I like the idea of traction control but not when it's overly invasive.

Before anything, shouldn't you solve the problems you have with the tranny ? Because as far as I understand, after the last TSB your tranny is even worse and now you have to get the car to the dealer. And yes, if the tranny doesn't behave as it should, the TC is not going to be normal either.

Originally Posted by Joey D

Needed it and got it about a month ago. The update made the car far worse then it was prior to the update.

And I'm dropping my car off Monday night for them to keep it for a few days....

[Vernl]

I took advantage of the free rims and winters tires when I bought my car. I think its as good as one can expect given the fact of low ground clearance and only front wheel drive.
Common sense as much as anything else keeps you from getting stuck.