Best cars for winter driving

But not to worry, there are certain cars and features that will enable you to drive confidently in those tricky wintery conditions.

It’s worth noting that any car will be made safer in colder weather by fitting a set of winter tyres. These are tyres that are specially formulated to work below 7ºC, and provide much more grip than normal summer tyres – regardless of whether you have a two-wheel-drive or four-wheel-drive car.

Best features for winter driving

• Four-wheel drive – this system engages all four wheels rather than two, which maximises traction when pulling off
• Heated windscreen – clear visibility is essential before setting off, and a heated windscreen will quickly melt any frost
• Heated seats – bum warmers keep you nice and toasty without needing to crank up the heating – which saves energy in electric cars
• Heated wing mirrors – Ensure you have all-round visibility with heated mirrors. Fitted on nearly all modern cars, you may see a separate control but heated mirrors are usually activated with the heated rear windscreen button
• Heated steering wheel – a really nice treat during those cold months to keep your hands nice and warm while driving
• Intelligent/adaptive headlights – upgraded headlights give you full-beam brightness on dark roads without blinding other drivers
• Puddle lighting – lights up under the door to show you if there are any puddles you need to avoid. Keeping your footwear dry will stop your feet from slipping off the pedals
• Apple CarPlay/Android Auto – using your phone’s navigation apps through the car’s screen will show you if there are any delays or road closures and tell you the best diversion

Best cars for winter driving

Volvo XC60

Even the most nervous driver will feel calm and collected behind the wheel of a Volvo XC60. It’s hugely confidence-inspiring in wintry weather thanks to its all-wheel-drive system and Volvo’s quest to make its vehicles the safest on the road. Sure enough, the XC60 gets far too many driver assistance features to list here. It also gets a heated windscreen, seat heaters and follow-me-home lighting, which illuminates the path to your front door. You might even be tempted to call it Jeeves.

Shop used Volvo XC60 cars for sale at Motorpoint or read our Volvo XC60 review

Land Rover Discovery Sport

Land Rovers are designed and engineered to shrug winter off like an annoying fly. The Discovery Sport might be the smallest SUV the British brand builds, but it still comes with a whole arsenal of driver-assistance tech. Want emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, traffic sign recognition, a reversing camera AND Land Rover’s All Terrain Progress Control and Terrain Response systems? You got it. Perfect for when the conditions turn wet, muddy, icy or… well, anything really!

Shop used Land Rover Discovery Sport cars for sale at Motorpoint

Volkswagen Golf

As one of the safest family cars you can buy, the Volkswagen Golf will keep you and your family safe if the worst is to happen. Let’s not think about that too much. The Golf doesn’t come with four-wheel drive – unless you buy the rabidly rapid Golf R – but stick a set of grippy winter tyres on this favourite family hatch and it’ll grip a wet road like a terrier grips a toy. There’s also a lot of standard driver aids, including adaptive cruise control and semi-autonomous driving capability, along with phone connectivity to keep you online even in the bleak midwinter.

Shop used Volkswagen Golf cars for sale at Motorpoint or read our Volkswagen Golf review

Suzuki Ignis

Wait, what’s a quirky city car doing on this list? Well, the Suzuki Ignis is a bit different. It boasts chunky, durable materials and a surprising amount of space, plus optional four-wheel drive to skip up wintry hills like a stubborn mountain goat. Its teeny-width tyres will cut through snow and ice like a hot knife, so plenty of cars will get stuck long before the cheeky Ignis. And, when the weather cheers up a bit, it’s a real hoot to drive at low speeds.

Shop used Suzuki Ignis cars for sale at Motorpoint or read our Suzuki Ignis review

Kia Sportage

Three words for you: heated rear seats. And heated front seats, actually. Even in the essentially entry-level ‘2’ trim, the Kia Sportage gives four out of its five occupants a toasty backside. That’s not all, with the Sportage also featuring a reversing camera, cruise control and climate control. Four-wheel drive is available with selected petrol and diesel engines, and in the majority of trim levels, which’ll come in handy if you live somewhere rural.

Shop used Kia Sportage cars for sale at Motorpoint or read our Kia Sportage review

Subaru Forester

Not many people know that the Queen song ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ was about the off-road capability of a Subaru Forester. Okay, that’s a lie, but there’s a reason why the Forester is a must-have in rural areas. It’s safe and assured on asphalt roads – with a no-stone-unturned focus on safety and driver assistance tech – while also very capable when the road turns to gravel and sticky mud. What’s more, Subarus are known for being rugged and reliable, which is vital when you might be some miles away from a major town.

Shop used Subaru Forester cars for sale at Motorpoint, or check out the related Subaru Outback

Dacia Duster

You don’t need to spend a fortune to feel secure in winter weather. Although it’s rare to find a Duster with four-wheel drive – it was only available on certain engines – even a two-wheel-drive Duster has plenty going for it. The high ground clearance and relatively skinny tyres make light work of slushy, slippery roads, while the inside feels durable – not to mention easy to wipe down when you get in with muddy boots. What’s more, the touchscreen is really easy to use, letting you keep your eyes on the road for more of the time.

Shop used Dacia Duster cars for sale or read our Dacia Duster review

Audi A4 Allroad

Lifted estate cars are cool, and we’ll hear no debate on the matter. Audi’s been creating Allroad versions of its A4 and A6 Avant models for a couple of decades now, with stout body cladding to stave off knocks and dings, and four-wheel drive for a sprinkling of go-anywhere capability. Excellent towing capability, too. The best bit is that this all-terrain usefulness is matched with a high-end interior full of leather and screens.

Shop used Audi A4 Allroad cars for sale or read our Audi A4 review

Skoda Karoq

A Skoda Karoq is for life, not just for winter. One of our favourite family SUVs, the Karoq is immensely versatile, good to drive and built to last. And, when cold weather hits, the Karoq’s composed driving manners come into their own. Four-wheel drive is available on the 2.0-litre petrol and diesel engines, and mid-spec SE L gets heated suede seats. Oh, and the best part? The Karoq comes with an umbrella, an ice scraper and a torch in the boot! The perfect winter car.

Shop used Skoda Karoq cars for sale or read our Skoda Karoq review

Jeep Compass

Navigate to a Jeep Compass and you’ll get a car inspired by America but designed for Europe. Jeep trades on its toughness and off-road ability, and the Compass delivers if you go for the plug-in hybrid 4xe version and the top-spec Trailhawk trim. This is specifically aimed at mud enthusiasts, with a higher ground clearance, knobbly all-terrain tyres, short approach angles, hill-descent control – a godsend on slippery slopes – and a low-range gearbox to help you crawl through gnarly terrain.

Shop used Jeep Compass cars for sale or read our Jeep Compass review