The weather outside is frightful, but choose the right car and driving in winter can still be delightful. Our selection below covers a range of budgets and types of cars that, when combined with a good set of winter tyres, will keep you moving when the weather turns nasty.
Up to £5000: Subaru Impreza
Subarus are renowned for their outstanding durability in all weathers, and our £5000 budget is enough to find a good selection of used Imprezas. All come with the Japanese brand’s symmetrical all-wheel-drive system and flat-four engine for optimum weight distribution, and so long as they have been properly maintained the engines will soak up six-figure mileages with ease.
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Up to £10,000: Peugeot 2008
Peugeot’s small SUV might not feature four-wheel drive, but the company’s Grip Control system, which can juggle power between front wheels for optimum grip, is remarkably effective in snowy conditions. It appears only on higher spec Allure and Feline 2008s that are fitted with a 1.6-litre petrol or diesel engine and a manual gearbox, but that still leaves plenty to choose from.
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Up to £15,000: Kia Sorento
If you value the reassurance of a long warranty it’s hard to beat the seven years and 100,000 miles of cover that comes with every Kia. Of all the Korean firm’s cars, it’s the four-wheel-drive Sorento with its 2.2-litre diesel engine that is best equipped for winter weather. Plenty are available for our budget, but you will need to ensure maintenance work has been carried out by an approved Kia dealer for the warranty to remain valid.
Search for used Kia Sorentos for sale on CarGurus
Up to £20,000: Suzuki Vitara
If you’re nervous about changing car there’s a lot of be said for choosing an Approved Used model. This will instantly narrow your search to cars that have been through an extensive pre-sale inspection and come with a manufacturer-backed warranty. With up to £20,000 to spend, a low-mileage Suzuki Vitara AllGrip from a highly rated dealer represents an excellent choice of winter wheels.
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Up to £30,000: Audi TT
While it is tempting to think of the perfect winter car as a high-riding SUV, there’s no reason it couldn’t equally be something sportier. The Audi TT is a case in point, because many come equipped with the company’s quattro four-wheel-drive system. Our suggested budget buys you one of the latest generation TTs, which is a brilliant all-rounder with a snug two seater layout and secure handling.
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Up to £40,000: Range Rover Sport
Frankly any Land Rover product could justify a place in this list at any price point. However, going by the searching habits of CarGurus users the model that most takes your fancy is the second-generation Range Rover Sport. What fine taste you all have too, for this is a deeply impressive car, regardless of whether your priority is space, comfort, great handling, or simply lots of power.
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Up to £50,000: Volvo XC90
For an SUV with even more space than the Range Rover Sport, Volvo’s seven-seat XC90 is a safe bet. Being a Volvo, it really is safe too, with features such as window airbags that protect occupants in all three rows of seats, plus an automatic emergency braking system that can detect other cars and pedestrians. This budget gives you a choice of the D5 diesel or T8 Plug-in Hybrid, both of which are packed with equipment.
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Above £50,000: Tesla Model S
D: that’s the letter you’re looking for when searching for your Model S in winter-proof specification. It stands for ‘Dual’ and refers to the fact the Model S in question is fitted with not one but two motors, one acting on the front axle and the other on the rear. This makes the Model S four-wheel drive, adding even more appeal to Elon Musk’s pioneering electric car.
Search for used examples of the Tesla Model S on CarGurus
So there you have it – eight brilliant cars across a range of budgets that are perfect for tackling the winter weather. All that’s left is to head to CarGurus, enter your postcode and choose the one that takes your fancy. As if by magic (it’s actually some very clever data-crunching software), CarGurus will show you great deals from top-rated dealers in your area. Now that really is cool.
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