how does S40 handle in snow/ice?

[GMad]

My V70 was no different to any other car in the snow really. The fact that I never got stuck was down to me, not the car.
Whats more, I had a months contract out in northern Germany and the snow out there was far more severe than it was in the UK!

[Guru]

A lot of talk about our Volvos and winter issues can be found in THIS LINK HERE

Bottom line line, it's all about preparing for the worst in advance.

[faffi]

Originally Posted by andy_d

er so you missed the really important bit,, its not the car its the Driver. the DRIVER gets the car up/down the hill, the car does what the driver tells it to with throttle/brake/steering.
there is NO "magic" car for up/down hills in snow,

No doubt are drivers different in how good/bad they are as drivers in snow and on ice, but that doesn't mean there cannot - and are - huge differences between cars and tyres.

I have been riding motorcycles and driven cars in snowy and icy conditions for 30 years, whithout that guaranteeing me any expert qualites, of course. However, I have this hill that had the traction control working overtime in my Scorpios and had my before that Volvos difficult to keep moving. This was with brand new, top rank winter tyres. If I came to a stop mid-hill, there was no chance of getting going again, despite traction control, be that automatic or manual tranny.

We could eaily say that this was a result of my meagre abilities to operate a car. But then I bought a Mondeo, and depite half-worn winter tyres, it was never spinning and I could come to a full stop and get going again without any tyre slipping or just a second or two of traction control assistance, depending on just how slippery it was.

To me, the clearly indicates that there are huge differences between cars (which I already new from driving a couple of Saabs, also good winter cars) and that they can matter more than both tyres and driver.

I'm looking forward to see how well (or not) my S40 will do this winter. If it is as good as the Mondeo, it won't mind the continental style Michelin Alpin A4 winter tyres I've bought for it - these cannot match Nordic winter tyres in slippery conditions, but are superior on dry and wet roads, of which we have more - but if it is no good I expect to struggle from time to time.

[iainmd]

I can honestly say my S40 is the worst performing car I have ever driven in the snow. I can't really describe all the poor aspects of its performance but essentially DSTC is dreadful on ice, the car struggles to put any grip down at all and frankly when it snows I put it in the garage and leave it there. I joke not, in the south of Scotland I've had to use snow chains twice in my time of owning the S40 when neighbours managed fine on their standard summer tyres.

The wife's Audi A2 is phenomenal in the snow and all my previous cars (Golf, Audi 80, Clio) were far more competent in winter conditions. Maybe Volvo's AWD versions are better but I can't say for sure.

[SiRS2000]

Originally Posted by iainmd

I can honestly say my S40 is the worst performing car I have ever driven in the snow. I can't really describe all the poor aspects of its performance but essentially DSTC is dreadful on ice, the car struggles to put any grip down at all and frankly when it snows I put it in the garage and leave it there. I joke not, in the south of Scotland I've had to use snow chains twice in my time of owning the S40 when neighbours managed fine on their standard summer tyres.

The wife's Audi A2 is phenomenal in the snow and all my previous cars (Golf, Audi 80, Clio) were far more competent in winter conditions. Maybe Volvo's AWD versions are better but I can't say for sure.

Iain

Despite what other people have posted read my post reference my wife’s Ford fusion in comparison to the V50, it was the same as your wife’s' A2. Probably for all of the reasons I have given.

[faffi]

Getting my hands on the S40 will be even more exciting after reading this tread. The S40/V50 have received rave reviews in the Norwegian press, but nothing can beat personal experience.

EDIT: What tyre size do those of you who find the car poor on winter roads use?

[Harvey1512]

Last winter was terrifying in my S40. I eventually left it on the drive and did not drive it for two weeks. It was the worse car in snow and ice that I have ever had. I took my wife's Fiat 500 in the end and that was manageable.

I read up an awful lot about this and if you are in an area that suffers from bad weather then the only answer is winter tyres. Snow socks will get you off an ice patch but if you drive them on tarmac then they will be chewed up so they are not really any good for a commute. I have yet to hear a bad word about winter tyres and they do seem to keep the rest of Northern Europe moving during the same and worse weather.

I know people are saying here that driving style is an issue but it is not as simple as that. If you don't have traction then it doesn't matter a jot about your driving style.

Faffi - I was on the standard Volvo fit Pirelli tyres. Cars with narrower tyres seemed to fair better, ie little Fiats and Vauxhall Corsa's were driving past me with ease as I had my nightmare.

[faffi]

Winter tyres are important here, although my Scorpio 2.9 automatic was actually better in its summer tyres than the winter tyres I had. However, law dictates use of winter tyres if there is a hint of snow or ice on the road.

We usually do not have many days with snow or ice; salt is used to remove it. That's why I opted for the winter tyres made more for central European conditions than Nordic winters, the mentioned Michelin Alpin A4.

I also went for narrow-ish 195/65-15 as both grip and comfort are improved compared to wider and lower profiles.

As a front wheel drive car, plus Volvo's traditional focus on winter driving, I would have expected the S40 (and the rest of the lineup) to be excellent winter cars. Apparently, and unfortunately, that isn't entirely the case. However, with the little 115 hp 1.6 litre diesel, at least excess power should not be the biggest preventer for getting grip

[Jonnieb2009]

Harvey,

I had exactly the same problem last winter, I am an advanced driver, so my driving style was not the problem. I think it was a combination of tyres, traction control and the fact that it was extreme weather (not normal winter conditions) and the roads hadnt been gritted in our area - not enough salt apparently!. I dont think snow chains would help as you say as you would soon need to remove them when you reached a gritted/clear tarmac road.
I think the only answer is to borrow my other halfs 4X4!

[graham_S40_uk]

as Andy d said a vehicle is only as good as its driver , but i have a S40 and i cant fault it in rough weather , but it also depends on what rubber your running , i have michelin all round and i have never had a problem with them

i drive lorries for a living and i generally dont have many problems in iffy weather , but last xmas eve i got stuck down a country lane in a dustcart as the road just turned into a thick sheet of ice