MK2 Leon - Very poor in snow

[tommy_a]

well up until this morning my cupra has been fine in the snow. turned into my works unit earlier, hit a little spot of ice and slid towards the curb. this all happening at around 5mph, and there is nothing worse than sliding slowly towards a curb not being able to do anything. managed to bump up it with the wheels straight so no damage done.

thinking about it, its probably more down to me not fully concentrating rather than the car being bad in the snow !!

 

[/dev/null]

uh oh dev's here...feel this thread is turning into another...bad drivers thread

just kidding

Ha, no, not at all, it just pains me when it takes me over an hour to make a 25 min journey last night, purely because people think that driving at 15mph on a bit of frost is the only way to go! If anything it makes it more difficult to control the car when moving because you're in a lower gear and so start wheel spinning with slight pokes of the throttle. Once you're going you're pretty much fine on a straight road.

Then again, maybe I'm biased with living in the hills!

 

[Paulki]

What does mums have to do with schools?

It's because some teachers don't live local to the school, and because of road conditions and trains being cancelled, they can't get to the school; so not enough teachers and the school is closed.

Shame really, just when all the mums finally have a reason for having a 4x4 to drive their kids half a mile to school in the city!

 

[Nath.]

What does mums have to do with schools?

A lot. It's the mums in the 4x4's that take the kids there and back isn't it.

The little darlings don't walk anywhere these days, I think there's going to be a walk to school game on the Wii out soon with special shoes that have a controller built in.

 

[/dev/null]

My mum once saw anothe woman in a 4x4 who had got stuck in the snow because she didn't know how to get it into 4wd pmsl!!

 

[Donnyboy]

Its the people that are charging around in Qashqai's and Kuga's and the like, unaware that most of them are 2wd!! They think cause it looks like a 4x4....it is a 4x4.

 

[GainfulShrimp]

I didn't realise they weren't (all) 4x4 - you learn something new every day! I can see even less point in that category of vehicle now...

 

[/dev/null]

I didn't realise they weren't (all) 4x4 - you learn something new every day! I can see even less point in that category of vehicle now...

Me too. I suppose they give you a little bit of extra room but I can't imagine it being all that much more than an estate would.

 

[flyeon]

We had a 2wd qashqai - and it was much better in the snow than the Leon. Probably the tyres but the ground clearance also helped in the deeper stuff. They don't have any more room in than the focus but so much more practical in my view. Driving over kerbs, parallel parking and not worrying about the alloys or tyres. Reversing or driving forward into parkings until you hit the kerb - much less stressful than worrying about tyres and rims and catching bumpers/spoilers etc. And on bad B roads the ride is fantastic. Very comfortable!

 

[andytaylor1980]

My FL Cupra is great in the snow, pulls away with no issues and handles aswell as you drive it. Went out in my wifes 09 reg focus the other day and ill never ever do it again !! what a load of shite !! i had to be pushed up the street

 

[Leonidas]

Iv a pair of snow socks on. I went to visit my granny last night and on the way home the rear end of the car just went left in a shot. I didnt suddenly brake or turn a corner. Just a straight section of road at around 30kph.
The rear left hit something fairly hard and bounced back onto the road. Luckly no damage done but it just show's that its important to get winter tires on the rear as well. p.s I find the Leon realy unpredictable at best in compacted snow. Using my girlfriends 00 1.0 Ibiza mk3 mostly and it brilliant

 

[IRC Kevin]

After another epic journey along the hills and dips of the Crook Rd in 8" of snow, I'm still impressed by the Leon's capabilities for a 2 WD car. Came to a stop part way up a couple of the hills, as lots of cars were getting stuck and the Leon started off from stationary without much difficulty, passing those less fortunate. Talking to people afterwards, can't believe that most don't seem to know that you have to switch of traction control in the snow if you want to get anywhere!

 

[Fl@pper]

Talking to people afterwards, can't believe that most don't seem to know that you have to switch of traction control in the snow if you want to get anywhere!

most don't seem to know how to drive in snow full stop

 

[SpursMadDave]

most don't seem to know how to drive in snow full stop

Very true, TC off, low revs, if you do get stuck rock back and forwards slowly... have never had a problem in the Leon using those little tips

 

[Willie]

Very true, TC off, low revs, if you do get stuck rock back and forwards slowly... have never had a problem in the Leon using those little tips

But also you live in East London which isnt exactly known for the huge snow falls

 

[RobH]

Dont know what the fuss is about, its not that the leon wont drive in snow its that people fit incorrect tyres, if everyone fit winter tyres this thread wouldnt even be here in the first place

Stop moaning and fit proper tyres or just put up with attempting to drive in summer tyres simples.

 

[Haddock]

For anyone sat on a fence and trying to decide whether to fit winter tyres - this is the difference a set of Vredestein Snowtrac 3's made on a mates BMW 118D.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aahMDAr0ksM

 

[SpursMadDave]

For anyone sat on a fence and trying to decide whether to fit winter tyres - this is the difference a set of Vredestein Snowtrac 3's made on a mates BMW 118D.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aahMDAr0ksM

What is that supposed to show?

All I can see is a typical BMW driver with no regard for anyone else on the road... looked to me like he was driving far too fast for the conditions even given the extra bit of grip given by the tyres.

 

[RobH]

+1 Would have loved to see it get wraped round a lamp post!

 

[Haddock]

The clip while overtaking is speeded up, 150% from memory..

In answer to your question of what does it show - It shows the improvement, a good benchmark as everyone has seen a stuck BMW at some point