10 Best Sedans for Snow

2017 Subaru Impreza in snow ・ Photo by Subaru

Once upon a time, if you had to get to Grandmother’s house in the snow, you’d have to opt for a 4-wheel-drive SUV or pickup truck. These days, you’ll find a flock of competent all-wheel drive sedans that will take you there in style. AWD is the first requirement for a spot on our Best Sedans for Snow list, of course. The second, third, and fourth must-haves are heated seats, heated mirrors, and a heated steering wheel. Our list leans heavily towards the luxury side of the market and includes a handful of alternative fuel vehicles. A proper set of winter tires will enhance traction in the sloppy stuff. Don’t risk your ride to a set of all-seasons. Bridgestone Blizzak, Nokian Hakkapeliitta, and Michelin X-Ice winter tires are all solid choices.

BMW 328d xDrive

The turbodiesel-powered 2017 BMW 328d xDrive is tied with the Jaguar XE as the most fuel-efficient all-wheel drive vehicles sold in America today. The 328d xDrive is EPA rated at 30 city/40 highway miles per gallon on ultra low sulfur diesel fuel and has a starting MSRP of $42,250. The Cold Weather option package is well-priced at $800 and includes heated front and rear seats, along with a heated steering wheel. A wide range of options and interior trim choices are available. As with most BMWs, the bottom line pricing devil is in the details. The 328d is also offered as a sport wagon variant, providing a brilliant alternative to SUVs and crossovers.

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2017 Jaguar XE

The new compact luxury Jaguar XE sport sedan has a starting MSRP of $38,900 when equipped with a fuel-efficient turbodiesel engine and all-wheel drive. Diesel technology is extremely well suited for use in AWD vehicles, as it delivers high levels of efficiency and torque. The Jaguar XE is EPA rated at 30 city/40 highway MPG on ultra low sulfur diesel fuel, with a respectable 7.5 second 0-60 MPH time. The Cold Climate option package ($1,000) includes heated front seats and a heated steering wheel, along with a heated front windshield and washer jets. The XE Prestige trim level includes a heated steering wheel and heated front bucket seats with Taurus leather upholstery.

Photo by Jaguar

Acura RLX Sport Hybrid

The Acura RLX Sport Hybrid (MSRP $59,950) is the only entry on our list of best sedans for the snow to offer hybrid technology. The brand's Super Handling All-Wheel-Drive system pairs a front electric motor and two rear electric motors with a V6 engine to produce a total of 377 horsepower. The Technology package includes heated front bucket seats, while the Advance package includes heated front and rear seats, along with a heated steering wheel. The Acura RLX Sport Hybrid is EPA rated at 29 city/30 highway MPG on premium gasoline. The Acura RLX earns a Top Safety Pick+ award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and a 5-Star Overall safety award from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA).

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Mercedes-Benz E300 4Matic

Need to get to Grandma’s house in a hurry? The Mercedes-Benz E300 is a safe and luxurious choice for winter driving, with a starting MSRP of $54,650. The turbocharged 2.0-liter inline 4-cylinder engine produces 241 horsepower and the 0-60 MPH time is factory rated at a very respectable 6.3 seconds. A 9-speed 9G-TRONIC automatic transmission ensures efficiency with an EPA rating of 22 city/29 highway MPG. Heated front seats are offered in the Premium 1 option package ($3,950). The Warmth & Comfort option package ($600) includes a heated steering wheel, along with heated front armrests and upper door panels. The IIHS named the Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan a Top Safety Pick+.

Photo by Mercedes-Benz

Audi A4 quattro

The all-wheel drive Audi quattro is one of the most reliable sedans for driving on snow-covered roads. All 2017 Audi A4 quattro models are equipped with a 252-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine mated to a 7-speed S tronic dual-clutch automatic transmission. The A4 quattro Premium has a starting MSRP of $39,400 and includes heated side exterior mirrors and heated windshield washer nozzles. You’ll need to step up to the Premium Plus trim level ($43,200) to gain heated front bucket seats. The Audi A4 quattro is EPA rated at 24 city/31 highway MPG on premium gasoline. The IIHS named the A4 a 2017 Top Safety Pick+.

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Cadillac CT6

The luxurious Cadillac CT6 offers all-wheel drive with the choice of two engines: a naturally-aspirated 3.6-liter V6 and a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6. Heated exterior mirrors, a heated steering wheel, and heated front bucket seats are included with all Luxury trim levels. Heated rear seats are available with the Premium Luxury trim level. The 3.0L Twin Turbo Platinum trim level has all the high-tech safety bells and whistles, including Night Vision for enhanced visual detection of pedestrians and animals after dark. The 2.0-liter turbocharged Cadillac CT6 AWD is the most fuel-efficient of the bunch, with an EPA rating of 21 city/29 highway MPG on premium gasoline.

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Dodge Charger

The 2017 Dodge Charger is a solid choice for snowy driving. It’s offered in two trim levels with all-wheel drive: the SE AWD ($30,245) and the SXT AWD (31,995). Both are equipped with a FlexFuel-capable 292-horsepower 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. You’ll want to opt for the SXT AWD to gain heated front bucket seats. The AWD Plus option group ($2,495) includes heated second-row seats and a heated steering wheel. These vital cold weather features are also included in the AWD Premium option group ($5,995). The Driver Confidence option group ($595) includes heated exterior mirrors with blind spot detection. The Dodge Charger AWD is EPA rated at 18 city/27 highway MPG.

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Lexus GS 350 AWD

The luxurious Lexus GS 350 AWD is an intriguing option for winter driving, with a 311-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 engine mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. The Lexus GS 350 AWD carries a starting MSRP of $51,340 and is EPA rated at 19 city/26 highway MPG on premium gasoline. The GS 350 AWD needs to be optioned up to best cope with cold weather. The Premium option package ($1,760) includes heated and ventilated front seats and leather upholstery. The Cold Weather option package ($290) includes a windshield wiper de-icer, headlamp washers, water-repellent front-door glass, and rain-sensing wipers. You can opt for a heated steering wheel ($150) or a heated leather-trimmed steering wheel ($800).

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Ford Fusion Sport AWD

With 325 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque on tap from the 2.7-liter EcoBoost 4-cylinder engine, the brand new 2017 Fusion Sport is a stealthy sleeper. Intelligent all-wheel drive puts the power to all four corners, no matter the weather. The Fusion Sport is fitted with heated mirrors and heated front bucket seats wrapped in Dark Earth Gray Miko suede and leather upholstery, with 10-way power adjustment. (Front seat coolers are optional.) The AWD Ford Fusion Sport carries an EPA fuel economy rating of 17 city/26 highway MPG. The IIHS named the 2016 Ford Fusion a Top Safety Pick+ when equipped with the optional front crash prevention technology.

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Subaru Impreza

The Subaru Impreza was completely redesigned for the 2017 model year and is the most affordable entry on our list of 10 best sedans for snow, with a starting MSRP of $18,395. It’s also one of the most fuel-efficient entries on the list, with EPA ratings of 28 city/38 highway MPG. Symmetrical all-wheel drive is standard on all models, as is a 2.0-liter horizontally opposed boxer 4-cylinder engine. Heated front seats, heated side mirrors, and a heated windshield are standard in the Premium ($21,195) and Sport ($21,995) trim levels. The IIHS named the Subaru Impreza a Top Safety Pick+ when equipped with the optional front crash prevention technology.

Photo by Subaru