Our top 10 budget winter car buys

As soon as snow falls car owners will be divided between those that have cars that can get them out of their driveways and those that can’t. We look at ten of the best winter car buys.

We should understand that the worst car you can own for travelling on icy roads are high performance cars with rear wheel drive and low profile tyres. The owners of such cars may enjoy flouncing their superiority in the dryer months but once the winter hits it’s the more practical car owners that can give a wry smile.

Over the years more and more car drivers have realised that 4x4’s are best vehicles equipped to deal with adverse road conditions. Now that more and more 4x4’s are becoming environmentally friendly the demand within this market is especially high. Because of such demand it has meant that prices are still relatively high. The average person would need to consider remortgaging their house in order to afford a second hand top of the range Range Rover or BMW X5!

4x4’s aren’t the only cars that are capable of holding their own in wintery conditions. You just have to take a look at the Audi TT Quattro for a great example of a sports car that can still give you good handling on tricky road surfaces. We’ve taken a look at ten top winter car buys that we feel gives you a bit of everything throughout the year and won’t break the bank.

2008 Audi TT – Target price: £12,000 - £16,000
Audi’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system is second to none and provides great traction in all weather conditions.

2009 Land Rover Range Rover – Target price: £20,000 - £25,000
The Range Rover is sure to get you to any destination no matter what the condition thanks to its superior off-road stability.

2010 Honda CRV £17,000 - £21,000
The CRV is light on its feet but firmly planted due to its 4-wheel drive mechanics.

2008 Volvo XC70 – Target price: £20,000 - £23,000
The XC70’s high ground clearance and 4x4 system makes it extremely capable off road.

2010 Nissan Qashqai – Target price: £9,000 - £12,000
Nissan’s four-wheel-drive version is ideal for dealing with poorer road conditions.

2010 Ford Kuga – Target price: £12,000 – £17,000
Although not a real 4x4 in the conventional sense its four-wheel drive dynamic is able to tackle snowy roads relatively easily.

2010 Mini Countryman- Target price: £14,000 - £19,000
Its 4-wheel base system make it a perfect companion on icy roads.

2009 Audi A8 – Target price: £15,000 - £20,000
Standard adaptive suspension and standard adaptive steering resistance makes the A8 more than capable in icy conditions.

2011 Ford Fiesta - Target price £6,000 - £8,000
Standard safety equipment with the Fiesta includes ESP stability control, Traction Assist and an ABS system with Emergency Brake Assist.

2010 Vauxhall Insignia – Target price £7,000 - £10,000
There are several 4x4 models in the Insignia range which makes finding a bargain relatively easy.

These are our top ten winter car buy but there are many more that we could have listed. If you’re thinking of buying a used car for the winter then you will benefit largely by carrying out some extensive research into the best cars for snow. If your budget can’t stretch to any suitable cars then you can always invest in some quality snow tyres for your existing car!