Snow performance?
Thread Starter
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 18
Likes: 4
From: new york
Snow performance?
This past May we moved from our 2005 LS 430 with 225K miles to a 2016 LS 460L AWD. The 430 was helpless in the snow but we are hopeful that the 460 AWD will be a big improvement. Please share your experiences...thanks.
Pole Position
Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 2,857
Likes: 1,004
From: NH
I have not driven RWD in snow but AWD works great with right tires. I have driven and still driving the car in NH, VT and NY in winter and it felt much better compared to my previous car which was RAV4 AWD.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 18,101
Likes: 1,742
From: Ohio
I must be the only person with a 430 that does great in snow......but I'm running Michelin CCs
If you put those on an AWD 460 it would be an absolute monster in snow, short of high centering you won't get stuck
If you put those on an AWD 460 it would be an absolute monster in snow, short of high centering you won't get stuck
Pole Position
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 3,221
Likes: 51
From: Michigan
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Racer
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 1,525
Likes: 354
From: Utah
I have driven Corvettes and Z28’s thru the Utah snow for years with out any issues. The biggest difference between a good or bad car in the snow is generally always the tires. The inherent design advantages or disadvantages can be overcome with good or bad tires. I have had to run studded winter tires on some cars. Anything that’s designed for fun in the summer is usually poor in the snow. But 4 good winter tires, and a good deal of caution will get most cars thru all but the worst blizzards. There is usually a point when the snow gets so deep that the car is either pushing snow and creating a barrier to your progress or sometimes the snow gets so deep and heavy that your car almost becomes high centered/ sliding over it. This Carrie’s some of the cars weight and leaves the tires struggling to propel the car forward. I can usually get around fine until the snow is so deep I run into one of these issues. They will slow down the best awd vehicles.
My rwd GS400 with a set of Blizzak tires gets me around all winter without much drama
My rwd GS400 with a set of Blizzak tires gets me around all winter without much drama
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Pole Position
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 2,417
Likes: 218
From: Ontario
I have a rwd been driving in the snow with snow tires no issues. I only encountered problems in deep deep snow and packed snow ice where any car would have had an issue. It’s probably a good idea for me to get traction board for those situations and snow chains just in case…. Haven’t yet tho lol so fingers crossed
Pole Position
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 2,561
Likes: 365
From: New Hampshire
I had absolutely ZERO issues driving my LS460 RWD through five New Hampshire winters WITH SNOW TIRES, without them? I couldn’t get out of my driveway. They made that much of a difference for me...and then that excellent traction control/stability assist could just take over and handle almost anything I threw at it. Drove right through snow storms, just about anything except once I had a hard time going over a hill when I discovered the ENTIRE other side was ICE. That was scary, but I’m not sure AWD would have faired better.
I can only imagine how well their AWD vehicles are in the winter because the RWD was shockingly good for me.
I can only imagine how well their AWD vehicles are in the winter because the RWD was shockingly good for me.
Rookie
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 26
Likes: 3
From: Ca
Pit Crew
Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 149
Likes: 39
From: VT
I found my LS, which is an L and AWD, is very good in the snow. The Bridgestone turanzas are pretty good in the snow for an all season. Take in account it is a heavy car. I use blizzaks and they are great. Its helpful to raise the height of the car if the snow gets deep also. Like others said in this thread, tires are the most important.
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 528
Likes: 8
From: Boston, MA
I had absolutely ZERO issues driving my LS460 RWD through five New Hampshire winters WITH SNOW TIRES, without them? I couldn’t get out of my driveway. They made that much of a difference for me...and then that excellent traction control/stability assist could just take over and handle almost anything I threw at it. Drove right through snow storms, just about anything except once I had a hard time going over a hill when I discovered the ENTIRE other side was ICE. That was scary, but I’m not sure AWD would have faired better.
I can only imagine how well their AWD vehicles are in the winter because the RWD was shockingly good for me.
I can only imagine how well their AWD vehicles are in the winter because the RWD was shockingly good for me.
Pit Crew
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 157
Likes: 37
From: ohio
Good tires, AWD and air suspension, if I can't get to the end of the drive and get high centered I press the button on the dash and raise car. I then back up and put it back in the garage go in the house have something warm to drink. I figure if I can't get out, where I was going is probably closed or it wasn't that important trip to begin with.
CL Community Team
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,264
Likes: 481
From: MA
As several here have said, it's all about the tires, RWD, FWD, AWD doesn't make a difference if you aren't running snow tires in snow and ice. Just go to Youtube and search winter vs all season or summer tires. There are tons of videos demonstrating how superior winter tires are to all season or summer tires, This video can be a little tedious, but it strikes me because I use Michelin tires on both my Ferraris. On the FF I use the Pilot Sport 4S in summer and the Pilot Alpin in winter.
That being said, I only run the Pirelli P7 Cinturato on my LS, but then in really bad road conditions I don't have to drive it.
That being said, I only run the Pirelli P7 Cinturato on my LS, but then in really bad road conditions I don't have to drive it.