Awd useless. Waste of time. Why did i bother!
 

Just for information or wheel tyre help.

I went out in the snow last week and very disappointed with the XC60 AWD. I have never had a 4x4 before and thought this time it would help with the bad snow and winters I get being 1200ft above sea level. How wrong I was.

The grip is shi-e and skidding everywhere.

I have run winter tyres on cars for 15 years around here and never had a problem like I have in the Volvo. I always wondered why I overtook 4x4 cars going up hills, around corners and never struggled .

My theory is now correct. Its all in the tyres. Do not waste your money getting a 4x4. Just get a front 2 wheel drive car and get a set of spare wheels with winter tyres. A 4x4 is only worth getting for going off road and up bad tracks.
A pointless vehicle really for my use as I don't drive across fields or on dirt tracks. Steep hills I do yes but this Volvo couldn't even handle them in the snow. I parked the car up and used our Zafira and Pug RCZ which have winter tyres and wheels on.

I'm now looking at either getting a set of 16" steel wheels with 215/65/16 tyres or a set of 18/19/20" wheels with winter tyres on for between Dec to April like I do with my other cars we run on winter tyres. Tyreleader and mytyres do all the steel and alloy wheels with a great range of winter tyres.

Anyone else run winter tyres or have a view?

Did you embarrass yourself by gettng stuck, Is this the real story here? lol

Try fitting appropriate tyres or you'll look like this fella, lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ShJZnH3flQ

Lol. No embarrassment, just a big slide and struggled to get grip. My zafira and rcz I can give it some and never get in difficulty with winter tyres.
I'm ordering some 18s shortly with winter tyres. There will be ni issues then.

As you infer it's not the AWD - it's the blurry wheels AND tyres.
There was a time when cars were shod with 60 or even 70% profile tyres - and the car / Land Rover went everywhere.

I've had XC70's for years, but the last two came with 18" wheels and tyres with no sipes - so useless in the snow and not very grippy in the wet as well as a very uncomfortable ride over 'our' potholed roads.

SO I've gone back to 16" wheels and the Pirellis that Volvo used to supply. Good enough for moderate snow - that we never get here Darn Sarf.

I also grabbed a set of 16"s with proper snow tyres from a gentlemen in darkest Glasgow - 'cos they were a good price! They have more sipes and FWIW feel more sure footed in icy conditions that the other 16" set.

I'll use them again when global warming ends.

I've no experience of slim wheels with winter tyres, apart from both being very expensive (if you don't get any real weather), I doubt if they'll be as effective as a high profile tyre. Look at real snow capable vehicles and the wheels that they have - lots of rubber.

Mines an XC70 - much loved in Canada where they have real weather - so I don't know whether 16" are an option. I bought a set of 16" for an older model, fitted hub rings (? term) and use them in all weathers. Don't give a **** what the look like - just want any wheel to do its job....

If your used to using winter tyres and the xc60 doesn't have them it will be as useless as everything else in snow,

If its got the factory p-zero rosso's on they are useless on wet grass let alone snow,

As I'm sure you know....AWD doesn't help you you stop or change direction (well no so much). As you say FWD cars with winters on are all that 99% of people in the UK will ever need.

Once you get a set of winter wheels and tyres, I'm sure you'll be amazed what you can get through and set off up....

A 2 wheel drive car in snow will be better than an AWD with summer tyres on ( as my neighbour has now found out in his range rover last week that slid down his drive in the snow as he tried to get up it!! I had warned him earlier on in the year when I noticed his tyres were summers but was told by him "its a range rover it will go anywhere"). An AWD with winter tyres will beat a 2 wheel FWD drive with winter tyres going up hill or if unable to get grip on the fronts. So don't kick yourself just be happy that once you have the winter tyres on your AWD you have a very competent vehicle :)

AWD are not just for snow and off road. Watch this video and learn https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxpbI0ABpoI

I would suspect that you might be impressed with the XC60 with proper tyres. The driver can also make a big difference, I can recall driving past a Discovery not able to obtain traction on ice and having to have chains fitted in an MG ZR (without winter tyres) and indeed steering with the help of the handbrake

I had a V70 AWD with Haldex Gen 3 and I used winter tyres - good stuff in snow. Now I have a Superb 4x4 with Haldex Gen 4 but have not used it in proper snow. This Haldex kicks in much quicker than the old Gen 3. You have a Haldex Gen 4, so should be very good, BUT if you put on ballet shoes for alpine rock walking you should not complain about bruises.