bigblack06

iTrader: (20)

Hey has anyone driven this car in snow, I know that it's FWD but how is it in snow does it slide or is it some what good in snow. We are about to take a trip and I really want to drive the ES and see how it drives on long distance, and it would be a good break in for my fathers car.

Creid

I live in Boston, and I can say that from the few minor snows (1-3inches) we have had here, it can slide at times. For the most part it is pretty good overall.

DASMan

Creid, do you have dedicated winter tires on your ES or was your experience with the OEM tires it came with? And if you don't mind, which tires are on the car?

Thanks!

bigblack06

iTrader: (20)

Was gonna ask that as well. Also how bad a slide would you say, this being a FWD car is it mostly when you take off and have you used the snow mode at all.

lemon397

Slides at times. i do not have winter tires.

SW17LS

My previous ES's have been okay in the snow. I would never choose to drive it over the Jeep, lets just put it that way.

Slackbus

I took the chance this winter of using the brand new michelins in the snow... its been ok. I definitely agree it slides, but that's really to be expected with all seasons. (I'm admitting my lack of winter tires is not an exceptionally bright move).

Still, I find the various driver idiot proofing technologies to be a little sharper on this car than others I've driven and it corrects any problem I have quicker than I'm used to. Of course, it can't make you stop faster. That's a good tire's job.

bigblack06

iTrader: (20)

Well couldn't really test it, the snow was to high to even try.

bigblack06

iTrader: (20)

Ok this car is really ok in snow but when it comes to deep or even snow with ice underneath its terible due to the front wheels only pulling the car. I struggled to get my dads car out of snow, granted it was about 2ft or less due to melting, It was hard to get it out.

ElliotB

Isn't the traction control supposed to prevent wheel spin?

Creid

So as you guys know the northeast just got slammed this past weekend, so I had a chance to test the car for a bit in the snow, and overall im pretty pleased. It did slide a little on turns, which I kinda expected, being that I am using OEM tires, and not snow tires.

I was even able to pull out of my parking spot at home without doing alot of shoveling. So overall I give it

SW17LS

If the traction control totally prevented wheelspin you would never get anywhere. Its a fine balance, the system has to let the wheels spin some to get going.

bigblack06

iTrader: (20)

Looks like you just drove out. I tried to drive out our garage with no success, I had to rock it back and forth to get out.

yahya77

I live in Pittsburgh and with the stock tires it is not the best in the snow. Its about as good as any other FWD I have owned before. My old Cadillac STS was maybe a little better. The Lexus is a lighter car I would imagine so that probably doesn't help. Its a lot better on gas then any other luxury car I have had so I won't complain. I would invest in snow tires if you have to drive your ES in the colder climates.

pab12

My wife, who got scared by all the snow we had in New England last winter, thinks she wants snow tires on our Lexus. I'm not convinced since it is a FWD car with the OEM tires with ~10K miles.

Getting snows would seem like a real pain, we have no garage for storage. If I did that I assume I would get spare wheels (did that for my RWD Jaguar S-Type) and that would just make storing them that much more of a pain.

What sorts of experiences have others had with these cars during winter in the North East?
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