[coopermine]

Acadia Owners in the snowy areas, could you please share your experience driving it in snow? Thanks.

 

[admin]

We only got about an inch last week, so that was no issue for our FWD Acadia. We're being told to expect much more snow in the next few days (DC area), so I'll report on how ours does soon...

 

[Jasper]

We got some real slippery snow today in PA and the vehicle handled great. As a first time AWD owner, I was impressed with my experience. My ownly concern is that I don't want to become too confident in the sure-footedness of the vehicle. Also, I'm anxious to try it out in deep snow. Yesterday I thought of driving up a grassy hill to get out of my office parking lot, but the more logical side of me said to not try it. I don't know how I would have explained to my coworkers how I got hung up on the sidewalk while trying to get back on the road.

 

[Pelle31]

Yeah. I think I'm about to find out how well it does tonight and tomorrow morning. The Philly area is about to get some snow....then ice

 

[kjf]

One thing to remember - AWD will help you start; it will not help you stop. I'm constantly amazed by the way I see people drive. I see 4WD/AWD vehicles off the road all the time when it snows.

Kelly

 

[Pelle31]

One thing to remember - AWD will help you start; it will not help you stop. I'm constantly amazed by the way I see people drive. I see 4WD/AWD vehicles off the road all the time when it snows.

Kelly

agreed.

and the other note: the only thing AWD does for you on ice is make 4 wheels spin instead of 2

 

[coopermine]

One thing to remember - AWD will help you start; it will not help you stop. I'm constantly amazed by the way I see people drive. I see 4WD/AWD vehicles off the road all the time when it snows.

Kelly

agreed.

and the other note: the only thing AWD does for you on ice is make 4 wheels spin instead of 2

Agreed, but overall body design, weight, brakes play some part too. I will be buying an AWD version, but still interested to hear experiences of both AWD and FWD drivers.

 

[bablake]

One thing to remember - AWD will help you start; it will not help you stop. I'm constantly amazed by the way I see people drive. I see 4WD/AWD vehicles off the road all the time when it snows. 

Kelly

I definately agree with you that there are a lot of people that make the roads very dangerous just because they have AWD/4WD.  But I disagree with you when you say that AWD/4WD will not help you stop, that all depends on the driver.  Living south of lake erie in the snow belt, there have been many times that I have crawled down hills in 1st gear and 4LO, touch the brakes and you'd be going for a ride.  Severe ice is a totally different story, tire chains or not driving at all are you only safe options.

My advice is to do only one thing at a time in the snow as much as possible... accelerate, decelerate, or turn.  Another thing I suggest is finding an empty AND SAFE snow covered parking lot and test your vehicle.  I'm not saying to go out and do donuts, but just slap on the brakes like you're stopping in an emergency, just so you can learn how your vehicle is going to react and feel in different situations.

Regardless, take it easy and be safe out there.


My mom has had her Acadia in some light snow and said that it went well.  Not really enough to get any impressions good or bad.  They are going to be getting snow, then sleet and ice, then more snow in the next 24 hours, I'll have to get her a call and see how the Acadia did.

 

[kjf]

I disagree with you when you say that AWD/4WD will not help you stop, that all depends on the driver. Living south of lake erie in the snow belt, there have been many times that I have crawled down hills in 1st gear and 4LO, touch the brakes and you'd be going for a ride. Severe ice is a totally different story, tire chains or not driving at all are you only safe options.

Good point about using low gear to creep down a hill. Still, many people think the 4WD/AWD that can get them going too fast for the conditions will somehow help them stop. Doesn't happen.

Kelly

 

[etgus]

Still waiting for our Acadia with 19" wheels. We purchased Blizzak Snow tires for our Chrysler which has 19" wheels. I did a 360 when I hit an icy patch a few years ago with no warning, going like 25 mph. It was like driving on 4 surf boards with those wheels! It was the next day we purchased the snow tires. Not that they help so much on the ice, but it is a good feeling and they handle snow tremendously. We went with the FWD Acadia, knowing that we will invest in snow tires again next year for safety.

 

[Jacko]

One thing to remember - AWD will help you start; it will not help you stop. I'm constantly amazed by the way I see people drive. I see 4WD/AWD vehicles off the road all the time when it snows.

Kelly

I definately agree with you that there are a lot of people that make the roads very dangerous just because they have AWD/4WD. But I disagree with you when you say that AWD/4WD will not help you stop, that all depends on the driver. Living south of lake erie in the snow belt, there have been many times that I have crawled down hills in 1st gear and 4LO, touch the brakes and you'd be going for a ride. Severe ice is a totally different story, tire chains or not driving at all are you only safe options.

My advice is to do only one thing at a time in the snow as much as possible... accelerate, decelerate, or turn. Another thing I suggest is finding an empty AND SAFE snow covered parking lot and test your vehicle. I'm not saying to go out and do donuts, but just slap on the brakes like you're stopping in an emergency, just so you can learn how your vehicle is going to react and feel in different situations.

Regardless, take it easy and be safe out there.


My mom has had her Acadia in some light snow and said that it went well. Not really enough to get any impressions good or bad. They are going to be getting snow, then sleet and ice, then more snow in the next 24 hours, I'll have to get her a call and see how the Acadia did.

Couldn't agree more with all of you. I also live in the snowbelt south of Lake Erie, and the most important thing about getting around in the snow is caution and good sense. I'm driving a FWD Grand Prix right now, and have passed many a 4WD and AWD in ditches, but I hope to be in an Acadia AWD before next winter, and know it will make my driving chores much easier in the snow. Good luck to all, and keep the rubber side down!

 

[NY_Joe]

Good luck to all, and keep the rubber side down!

LOL!! Keep the rubber side down..never heard that.

 

[sandman]

I'm a guessing that if you have ever been upside down in a ditch, it would have been one of your wishes

 

[njgeneral]

First impressions in the snow....the Acadia handled fine. The conditions outside were 2-3 inches of a very slushy mix making conditions very slick. On straight aways I left the TCS on and disengaged only when I was about to make a turn into a slushy mess to keep those wheels spinning.

Having owned Audis and VWs with full-time all wheel, the Acadia does not rate as high on the "fun-factor". But it is good enough to keep you and the family safe under these conditions.

 

[kjnorman]

Why would you switch off TCS for the corners? I would have thought that would be were you need it the most!

 

[njgeneral]

Particularly in lightly packed deep snow, you want this off, but I have found the same positive effect applies in mounds of slush. TCS applies brakes to wheels that are slipping. Try to imagine one or more wheels stopping mid-turn....you would slide right into the curb, or even worse, a parked car.

 

[coopermine]

Particularly in lightly packed deep snow, you want this off, but I have found the same positive effect applies in mounds of slush. TCS applies brakes to wheels that are slipping. Try to imagine your wheels stopping mid-turn....you would slide right into the curb, or even worse, a parked car.

really? I dont believe that? I think TCS is for slippery conditions like this.

 

[njgeneral]

Particularly in lightly packed deep snow, you want this off, but I have found the same positive effect applies in mounds of slush. TCS applies brakes to wheels that are slipping. Try to imagine your wheels stopping mid-turn....you would slide right into the curb, or even worse, a parked car.

really? I dont believe that? I think TCS is for slippery conditions like this.

I would try this for yourself if given the chance. Make a turn with and without the TCS engaged and see which mode allows your vehicle to recover quicker. In my experience, TCS ON causes spinout by over compensating with engine cutoff and/or brakes.

 

[admin]

Conditions here in the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains were icy yesterday too. I counted no less than 8 "slip" lights (which indicates my TCS had to intervene) on the way home in my G35, while my wife said the Acadia was very sure footed. No slippage, no problems at all. I'm guessing the extra weight and big tires go a long way to keeping it planted firmly, even with only FWD. So far, I can think of almost nothing negative to say about this thing...

 

[GMCdriver]

Particularly in lightly packed deep snow, you want this off, but I have found the same positive effect applies in mounds of slush. TCS applies brakes to wheels that are slipping. Try to imagine your wheels stopping mid-turn....you would slide right into the curb, or even worse, a parked car.

really? I dont believe that? I think TCS is for slippery conditions like this.

I would try this for yourself if given the chance. Make a turn with and without the TCS engaged and see which mode allows your vehicle to recover quicker. In my experience, TCS ON causes spinout by over compensating with engine cutoff and/or brakes.

I disagree.
While the traction control systems used several years ago were somewhat abrupt and had the potential to do what you are discribing I found the system in the Acadia(as well as most newer vehicles) to be very well designed. I took an Acadia AWD out for a very spirited drive on snowy roads yesterday and found the traction control system to be anything but abrupt, in fact, I found it very well measured and effective.

From my own personal experience I would reccomend that people keep the TCS on unless they are actualy stuck and need to be able to spin their tires to build momentum and get moving.

Just my opinion, you can take it or leave it as you see fit.