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Best cars for snow and ice in 2023 and 2024

What's the best car for snow? The real answer is "the one with winter tires." What do we mean by that? You could have the finest, most advanced all-wheel-drive system or four-wheel drive in the world, but if you're running all-seasons (the spork of tires), your fancy four-wheeler won't matter much. The odds are, any vehicle on the road running good winter tires will probably perform adequately in slippery, slushy and/or snowy road conditions. (Here's a more complete explanation of why winter tires are totally worth it). In other words, you don't really need any of the cars on this list. With a set of winter tires, countless others will do the job, and even these will be at their best with proper rubber. You can find a variety of winter tires for your car here at Tire Rack. Keep in mind that you will need a full set of four snow tires for safety and performance, no matter what you're driving. The days of your dad putting just two snows on the family truckster to get it moving in a straight line are long gone. Don't get us wrong, getting a car that performs well in snow and ice is still a worthy criteria for car buyers. According to the U.S. Transportation Department, 70% of Americans live in places that get snow and ice. And much of the country has been blasted with arctic air for much of the new year. So let's look at the cars. First, we're highlighting choices for a variety of buyers and price points. Second, we're not just considering snow; we're considering general wintery conditions people will experience driving to work or school. As such, these are all choices with advanced all-wheel-drive systems, usually with "torque-vectoring" systems that not only automatically shunt power front and back, but side to side between the rear axles. Most have extra ground clearance for getting through deep snow, and we prefer those vehicles with more responsive steering, throttles and transmissions that provide a greater sense of vehicle control in slippery conditions.    Acura RDX Read our Acura RDX Review Acura's Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive system was one of the first to offer torque-vectoring, and besides often being touted for its ability to greatly enhanced dry-road handling, its benefits in the slick stuff can be profound. It's actually surprising that Acura hasn't leaned into this capability further by offering more rugged versions of its vehicles.

2020 GMC Acadia refresh brings a new engine, AT4 trim level

It's mid-cycle refresh time for the GMC Acadia, and the updated 2020 model kicks off its changes with a new face. It has a square-jawed grille seemingly pulled straight off the Sierra full-size pickup, and the size is amplified by the slender new LED headlights on either side. At the rear, the LED taillights are taller and more chiseled. A new AT4 trim level adds more visual distinction with black trim and wheels, plus all-terrain tires to make it a little more capable off road. The AT4 also boasts standard all-wheel drive. Under the revised skin, the Acadia hides one of two carryover engines, or a new turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4. This new engine makes 230 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque with the help of a twin-scroll turbocharger. To make it more frugal, it's able to deactivate two of its four cylinders. The turbo engine is standard issue on the SLT and Denali trim levels. The carryover engines include a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter 4-cylinder making 193 horsepower and 188 pound-feet of torque, and a naturally aspirated 3.6-liter V6 making 310 horsepower and 271 pound-feet of torque. The V6 is standard equipment on the AT4 trim. No matter the engine, all 2020 Acadias get a 9-speed automatic transmission. The new transmission also ditches the current Acadia's mechanical shift lever in favor of an electronic shifter with the Terrain's mix of buttons and triggers. It does free up space between the seats, but the button arrangement is still as strange as it was when we first saw it in the smaller crossover. There are a handful of other little upgrades to mention. The suspension has been revised for greater comfort; the infotainment has been revised with a bigger screen, USB-C inputs and customizable profiles; and wireless phone charging is now an option. The updated Acadia goes on sale this fall, and pricing will probably be announced close to launch.

2020 GMC Sierra Heavy Duty teased, and you better believe there's a huge grille

Chevrolet has shown us a few photos of its redesigned Silverado Heavy Duty, and today we score our first teaser of the GMC Sierra version of this truck. The most controversial feature of the Silverado HD has to be its massive grille, and the Sierra appears to be no different. Just from this photo of the face, we can already tell it's going to be as bold, some might say gaudy, as the Chevy. We'll have to wait awhile to see it all, though, as GM says the Sierra HD will be making its debut in the second half of 2019. It's no Supra teaser campaign, but this one is already starting out pretty early for a work pickup truck. As far as features and technical details go, mum is the word for now. However, we can assume the Sierra will be nearly identical with the Silverado HD powertrain-wise. We know two engines will be offered on that truck, one being a gasoline V8 and the other a Duramax turbodiesel V8 — the former will be mated to a six-speed automatic, while the latter gets the 10-speed auto. Even though it isn't out yet, the torque figure is already less than the Ram and Ford heavy duty trucks at 910 pound-feet from the diesel. The Ram Heavy Duty just revealed at the Detroit Auto Show scores a whopping 1,000 pound-feet of twist in the torque department. We'll know more about the Sierra HD when the Silverado HD presumably gets revealed with full details at the 2019 Chicago Auto Show at the beginning of February. One thing's for sure: If you want chrome and lots of it, you're gonna get it with the 2020 GMC Sierra HD. 2020 Chevy Silverado HD View 5 Photos Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.