The Best SUVs for Snow in 2024 (2024)

When a winter storm is approaching, you’ll want to have a good car for driving through the snow. No matter what time of year you are shopping for a car, if you live in a part of the country that gets a lot of snow—or even just the occasional storm, if your town isn’t regularly prepared for snow—then you have to be thinking about snow driving performance. Otherwise, you could end up stuck on the side of the road when winter rolls around.

Luckily, there are plenty of great SUVs on the market today that offer terrific performance for winter driving. And the key to a great winter vehicle is one that handles those responsibilities well, but without detracting from its drivability the rest of the season. All-wheel drive (AWD) isn’t a must-have if you’re willing to invest in snow tires, but we recommend vehicles with high ground clearance for snowy weather. Whether you are looking for a new car, an affordable option, a luxury model, or one that can tow and haul, there are great options here for you.

Subaru Forester
BMW X3
Subaru Ascent
Acura RDX
Subaru Crosstrek
Jeep Grand Cherokee
Toyota RAV4
Land Rover Defender
Kia Sportage Hybrid
Chevrolet Tahoe

Subaru Forester

Best for: Those who prioritize foul-weather capability

When the weather gets truly harrowing, the Subaru Forester is more like a snowmobile with doors and a roof. Year after year, it’s ranked as one of the best cars for snow. Symmetrical AWD comes standard on the Forester, as does 8.7 inches of ground clearance. If you opt for the Wilderness model, that ground clearance number grows to 9.2 inches and you also receive all-terrain tires. These are all helpful features for nasty road conditions.

The Subaru Forester is more about capability than outright performance. It comes standard with a 2.5-liter horizontally-opposed four-cylinder engine that makes 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque. It’s decent at low speeds but tends to show some weakness when you get up onto the highway and need more oomph. This engine routes power through a continuously variable transmission (CVT) to the aforementioned AWD.

More than just a capable powertrain and impressive ground clearance, the Forester comes loaded up with the latest advanced driver assistance features in a suite called EyeSight. Using a number of sensors and cameras, EyeSight includes standard forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, and automatic high beams. There’s no guarantee that it will operate perfectly in heavy snow, but it’s a helpful collection of safety features. And if you’re looking for the winter driving capability of the Forester but in a wagon format, the Subaru Outback is as capable as many SUVs. In some cases, it’s more capable.
Research the Subaru Forester

BMW X3

Best for: Those who want a more luxurious winter ride

The BMW X3 packs a ton of versatility and luxury for a vehicle its size. Despite being a compact luxury SUV, it boasts 62.7 cubic feet of cargo space, which is great for the class. The X3 comes standard with a power liftgate and it is available with a hands-free power liftgate. That will come in handy when you have gloves on and don’t want to take the key fob out of your parka pocket.

The X3 provides a spacious cabin with terrific visibility for the driver. It has plenty of headroom and legroom, as well as helpful features such as the iDrive infotainment system. This touchscreen comes standard with wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto. The X3 is also available with wireless device charging, which is another nice feature when using gloves.

The BMW X3 comes standard with a turbocharged four-cylinder that puts out 248 hp. It should be noted that xDrive AWD system does not come standard, so you’ll have to opt for it—and if you live where snow is a concern, then we recommend picking an xDrive trim over a rear-wheel-drive (RWD) one . The upgraded X3 M40i, on the other hand, comes standard with a more powerful six-cylinder engine and AWD.
Research the BMW X3

Subaru Ascent

Best for: Families looking for a capable three-row crossover

Like the Forester, the Subaru Ascent provides 8.7 inches of ground clearance and the automaker’s Symmetrical AWD system is standard. And like the Forester, there’s only one engine option, but in this case it’s a more energetic 2.4-liter turbocharged horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine. It makes 260 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque, routed through a CVT. Despite the added power, it has similar low-speed strengths and higher-speed weaknesses to the Forester.

A midsize crossover, the Ascent is the largest vehicle in the Subaru lineup. It has three rows and seating for up to eight passengers. That capacity falls to seven passengers if you opt for the second-row captains chairs, but those individual seats offer an easy in-car pathway to the rear seats, as well a divided space if you have two children. The Ascent can be had with helpful rubberized floor mats, which are great for keeping your car clean when passengers start tracking in snow in the winter.

The base Ascent comes equipped with cloth upholstery, tri-zone automatic climate control, four USB ports, and a portrait-oriented 11.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto. The Ascent provides up to 75.6 cubic feet of cargo space and a power liftgate comes on all but the base trim.
Research the Subaru Ascent

Acura RDX

Best for: Buyers who want a sporty luxury SUV

The Acura RDX is a high-tech and athletic compact luxury SUV. It has a long list of advanced driver assistance features, including automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, traffic-sign recognition, pedestrian detection, blind spot monitoring, and much more. Inside, the RDX comes standard with a large digital infotainment display featuring wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa. The main downside is that it’s not a touchscreen. Instead, it’s operated via a touchpad in the center console, and it makes for a very awkward operation.

The RDX comes standard with a 272-hp turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Power is routed through a 10-speed automatic transmission to the front wheels or Acura’s available Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD). More than just traction control, this system uses torque vectoring, which can split power among different wheels if it senses wheel-slip in inclement conditions.

Standard features in the RDX include heated front seats, synthetic leather upholstery, and power-adjustable front seats. A heated steering wheel and heated rear seats are available. A standard power liftgate gives way to up to 58.9 cubic feet of cargo space. A hands-free liftgate is available.
Research the Acura RDX

Subaru Crosstrek

Best for: Those undecided between a car and an SUV

The Subaru Crosstrek blurs the line between a hatchback and an SUV, but it does have 8.7 inches of ground clearance, standard AWD, and some extra plastic body cladding compared to the standard Subaru Impreza hatchback, upon which it is based. Like the Impreza, the Crosstrek has been completely redesigned for the 2024 model year. The new Crosstrek has solid cabin space for a vehicle its size, with up to 54.7 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded. With the rear seats in use, there’s 19.9 cubic feet of space.

The Crosstrek’s base engine is underpowered. Found on the Base and Premium trims, the 2.0-liter flat-four engine makes 152 hp and 145 lb-ft of torque. This engine is fine at low speeds, but when you try to accelerate or pass on the highway, it’ll expose its weak side. Instead, we recommend the Sport and Limited trims, which come with a 2.5-liter horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine that puts out 182 hp and 178 lb-ft of torque. This engine is more capable and the fuel-economy penalty is almost nothing compared to the base engine.

Jeep Grand Cherokee

Best for: Buyers looking to balance comfort with off-road capability

The Jeep Grand Cherokee has earned a reputation for stout, capable performance in all manner of weather. It can handle mud, sand, deep ruts, and snowy conditions. The Grand Cherokee comes standard with a V6 engine and is available with a V8 and even a plug-in hybrid powertrain. In fact, the extremely capable Trailhawk Trim is exclusively offered with the Jeep 4xe PHEV powertrain. The gas engine and electric motor combine to make 375 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque.

The Grand Cherokee is offered with many helpful features for rough conditions, including all-terrain tires, an adjustable off-road suspension, skid plates, a limited-slip differential, multiple terrain driving modes, skid plates, and even a camera so that you can see the trail. The Grand Cherokee’s off-road reputation speaks for itself, and that includes getting through deep snow.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee is offered in a number of capable and comfortable trims. The base Laredo includes a number of helpful driver assistance features, as well as dual-zone automatic climate control, push-button start, and an 8.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Research the Jeep Grand Cherokee

Toyota RAV4

Best for: Buyers prioritizing practicality

The Toyota RAV4 is one of the most popular compact SUVs on the market today. While the Honda CR-V might be more upscale and the Mazda CX-50 might be sportier, the RAV4 is extremely well-rounded and capable. It has a spacious cabin that even offers adult-friendly rear-seat headroom and legroom.

The current-generation RAV4 arrived for the 2019 model year. Toyota has updated the RAV4 with a new infotainment system for 2023. There are two choices, an 8-inch touchscreen and a 10.5-inch touch screen. Both include wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as a virtual assistant that responds to “Hey Toyota,” and process complex commands.

The RAV4 comes equipped with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. It puts out 203 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque and is coupled to an eight-speed automatic transmission. AWD is available, but the RAV4 comes standard with front-wheel drive (FWD). The RAV4 is no speed demon, but it’s safe on snowy roads, efficient, and one of the more affordable options in the class.
Research the Toyota RAV4

Land Rover Defender

Best for: Off-road enthusiasts

Land Rover has a lineup of capable vehicles in all kinds of weather and conditions. But if you want a serious brute for the worst kinds of snow, you could do a lot worse than the Land Rover Defender.

This tall, squared-off luxury SUV is available in two-door (90), four-door (110), and extended four-door (130) body styles. The interior is the ideal blend of upscale, modern, high-tech, and rugged. There are rubberized floors, helpful compartments, and solid fit-and finish. It looks good and can take a beating from muddy snow boots.

The Defender comes standard with a 296-hp turbocharged four-cylinder engine, but it’s also offered with a 395-hp turbocharged six-cylinder engine, and two V8 engines, putting out 493 hp and 518 hp, respectively.
Research the Land Rover Defender

Kia Sportage Hybrid

Best for: Buyers who want to save fuel withou sacrificing drivability

The Kia Sportage Hybrid is a spacious and high-tech compact crossover SUV with a fuel-saving powertrain. It was launched for 2023 as part of a redesigned Sportage lineup.

The Sportage Hybrid shares a powertrain with the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid. It combines a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with an electric motor to put out 277 hp, routed through a six-speed automatic transmission. This six-speed is more conventional than the CVT you might expect to find in a hybrid, but it provides a sportier driving feel and allows the driver more control over power output.

AWD is an option on the Sportage Hybrid, but our recommendation here is dependent upon selecting this feature. With AWD, the Sportage Hybrid returns fuel economy of 38 mpg across city, highway, and combined driving conditions. The Sportage Hybrid also provides 8.3 inches of ground clearance.

With the second row of seats folded, the Sportage Hybrid has up to 73.7 cubic feet of cargo space, which is terrific for the class. With the rear seats in use, there’s still 39.5 cubic feet of rear cargo space. A hands-free power liftgate is an optional feature.
Research the Kia Sportage Hybrid

Chevrolet Tahoe

Best for: Buyers who space and towing capacity

With its truck-like underpinnings, the Chevrolet Tahoe is a brute in the snow, you just have to respect its size and weight when driving in the winter weather. But with a standard V8 engine and available four-wheel drive (4WD) with low-range, the Tahoe is capable of pulling itself (and others) out of sticky situations in the worth winter conditions.

The standard 5.3-liter V8 engine makes 355 hp, while the available 6.2-liter V8 puts out 420 hp. There’s also an available turbodiesel 3.0-liter inline-six that makes 277 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque. When properly equipped, the Tahoe is capable of towing up to 8,400 pounds.

If you’re looking for a bit more off-road performance the Z71 package adds skid plates, tow hooks, more aggressive tires, and hill descent control. The Tahoe comes standard with a host of helpful high-tech driver assistance features and it is available with the Super Cruise highway driving system.
Research the Chevrolet Tahoe