First Snow Driving Experience

[Platonium]

It was bound to happen....Snow has finally hit the Western part of Michigan and over the last week dumped equivelant of a foot. To complicate matters, ice fell first on Friday and now light powder has been falling for the last 72 hours straight. I have had a chance to evaluate the CX-7 AWD in this time and I have to say I could't be more pleased!
I did some intentially bone-headed stuff (in a remote location) just to see and feel what the limits would be. First, the AWD and traction control seldom even needed to kick in, as the car handles most things happily in front wheel drive. I later got on a little ice, and instead of having to manipulate the throttle and wheel angle, I was just miraculously pushed around the corner on my intended line as if there was no ice on the ground. This little dash light blinking hello all the way.
I was able to move more confidently on the highways as well with the excellent and communicative steering really letting me know what type of surface I was on. This car really is a very good winter companion. While I will never say our CX-7s are "Trail Rated" it is good to have confidence and sport in one vehicle. I respect this car more every day! (first)

 

[Byrnie]

interesting, I would be interested in hearing a FWD driver comment on their snow experience (I have FWD but haven't experienced any snow here in DC yet).

 

[CXRabbit]

The AWD/4WD system indicates when the car is distributing torque to the rear wheels? There's an indicator light?

 

[singlemalt_18]

The AWD/4WD system indicates when the car is distributing torque to the rear wheels? There's an indicator light?

The indicator light is for the TCS, not the AWD. The light was flashing to let the driver know that TCS had detected wheel spin, and was automatically applying braking to the wheels individually, as needed, in order to prevent the wheels from loosing their grip, and causing the vehicle to slide.

As I said in the other thead, on ice, AWD can't do much because it NEEDS RESISTANCE !

If you want to do doughnuts in an empty snow-covered parking lot - you need to turn off the TCS.

 

[5280_CX-7]

I also got to try my wifes (AWD) CX-7 in the snow last week.
Overall I was impressed for a "Crossover". I didn't get into any hard stuff, but for town and country it was fine.
I don't like anti-lock brakes in the snow, they just lock-up and slide.

Now you gott'a understand I come from a Real 4x4 truck background. I have a 1994 Ford Ranger with the heavy duty towing package (hefty axles and lower gearing), and 31x10.50 BFG All Terrain tires, which I take down to Moab Utah from time to time when I'm not tearing up the rocks in Colorado.
So for myself all that foo-foo crap (traction control, stability control and anti-lock this, that, and the other thing) is just a lot of junk to breakdown and not a very good excuse for poor driving technique.

Having said that, the only thing I really didn't like was the anti-lock brakes.
I found I could stop much quicker by applying just enough brake to slow down without engaging the anti-lock and down shifting the manu-matic.
If you drive in snow learn to downshift while braking and stay off the anti-lock.

The vehicle will push in corners, like any other four wheel drive, if you try to corner too fast. The CX-7 dose have pretty good straight line traction in snow and it try's not to fishtail when you stomp on the gas. I didn't get too crazy with the wife in the car but it didn't seem to drift much when trying to go sideways.

 

[oversteer]

FWD in snow

We got between 5" and a foot here in S.E. Kansas last Thursday, depending on where you were. I, of course, had to drive through the worst of it. It was my first time taking my CX-7 FWD through snow and it handled great! On open roads I was able to move at a pretty decent pace without feeling like I was loosing control. Stop and start traffic once I got to Wichita was easy. I was pulling away from traffic lights and around corners with ease. The TCS "swirvey car" light occasionally coming on as I rounded corners or accellerated. On a snow-packed but desolate industrial road I floored it and it easily pulled me up to speed. Then I slammed the brakes and it calmly chitter-chattered it's little ABS heart to a dead stop straight and quick. We only get a few days like that a year in Kansas so I'm glad I didn't spring for the AWD, this car is handling great as is.

 

[Platonium]

The indicator light is for the TCS, not the AWD. The light was flashing to let the driver know that TCS had detected wheel spin, and was automatically applying braking to the wheels individually, as needed, in order to prevent the wheels from loosing their grip, and causing the vehicle to slide.

As I said in the other thead, on ice, AWD can't do much because it NEEDS RESISTANCE !

If you want to do doughnuts in an empty snow-covered parking lot - you need to turn off the TCS.

What he said- Though as I indicated, the car works very well and is seldom in need of the Traction Control. I would imagine with the weight of this vehicle that the FWD editions should do very well in the snow, too.

 

[1Sleepy93]

Front drive here and snow was no problem. Only had a problem on a icy hill trying to get moving from a dead stop but I attribute that to the sucky tires. Traction control did it's job and got me moving.