Cruising with your car through the snow is far from an easy pursuit. If you live in a place where the snow flies in the air every year, you must have seen people driving recklessly, often meeting with an accident. Well, this should not scare you to an extent that you end up vowing not to explore the snowy trails.
With a little caution and care, you cannot just drive on snow, but even can go on long road trips. You just need to have the right car with smooth control on the steering wheel and sturdy tires with proper control on brakes and gear. In this regard, it’s hard to overlook a car as robust as the Honda Civic!
Is Honda Civic good in the snow?
Yes, Honda Civic is a reliable car to drive out in the snow.
Driving in snow can be a little difficult, and calls for advanced skills. However, the performance of the Honda Civic in the snow is pretty good. You just need to prepare a little before taking it on the snow-laden road, and you will be good to go.
Well, if you think that your Honda Civic is always ready to hit the road when it’s snowing, that is not the case. You need to prepare your car first and go for a hassle-free drive. There are some preparations that you need to take to make your car strong enough to hit the roads during the snow.
Switch to snow tires
No doubt, tires need regular servicing and maintenance, as they continue to be one of the prime interfaces between the vehicle and the road. It depends on the type of tire your cars have that makes your car suitable for driving in different weather conditions. For most of the year, normal tires do just a fine job when it comes to driving. However, for winters and during the snowfall, tires need a change.
Regardless of the intensity of the snowfall, you need special snow tires. These tires are capable of handling any of these conditions with utmost ease. The materials used in snow tires stay soft even in winters and come with a specific stride meant to ensure smooth rides on roads with snow. Without them, you might be at risk while taking your Honda out in the snow. You can easily switch to snow tires during winters yourself if you have them with you.
Be prepared for perils
You can expect to get stuck in some uncertain situations on the road due to snowfall like an accident or heavy snowfall. Always keep some necessary stuff with you in the car before you go for a ride. Check on your flashlights and signals before you start your journey. In case of a breakdown, they would assist you to seek help. Therefore, keep some food, water, and a shovel in your Honda Civic. Eventually, these tools can save your day!
How long can you drive Honda Civic in the snow?
With a ground clearance of 6.7 inches, Honda Civic is a small car. Therefore, it comes with a limited capacity to drive for long hours in the snow. If you have simply a thin sheet of snow, driving through it won’t be much of an issue. However, if the road has a layer of thick snow, your Honda might not work that well. It can take up to 4 inches of snow, not more than that.
Does a Honda Civic have snow mode?
No, this car does not come with a dedicated snow mode. This mode helps in improving a car’s control and managing during the snow. However, Honda Civic has traction control along with vehicle stability assist, that works similar to the snow mode.
Why Honda Civic can perform well in the snow?
The Honda Civic is not one of the large cars that often dominate the market. However, this does not imply that you cannot take it on the road and think about speeding through large heaps of snow. It is small but a fuel-efficient and practical car. This series of Honda has strong engines and can ride quite well in snow. Honda Civic has various commendable features that help it to combat snowfall.
Vehicle Stability Assist
The vehicle stability assists feature complements its already enriched array of winter driving aids. During lesser snowfall, the vehicle stability assist feature will keep the car stable and help in avoiding any mishaps. The feature offers sensors that help in monitoring your car’s acceleration, wheels’ rotational speed along with steering wheels. With proper data records on these conditions, the vehicle stability assist will easily determine your Honda Civic’s stability. In case your car is getting out of your hands, this feature will automatically decrease the engine power slowing down the car, and will apply a brake on both the tires as well.
Traction control
The traction control feature of the Honda Civic will decrease the speed of the wheelspin, regulating good traction. It is a life-saving additional feature on Honda since it helps in solving one of the biggest issues that drivers face during winters. The system utilizes a computer that tracks the speed of the wheel. If the wheel is spinning fast, indicating lost traction, the traction control feature quickly reduces wheelspin through the synchronized application of brakes reducing engine output.
Antilock braking system
The Honda Civic has computers installed that non-stop monitor the motion of the wheels. In case the wheel decelerates at a very quick pace as compared to others, this antilock braking system will pound or pulse the brakes to gain its speed back. In this process, the brake releases and applies brakes again on the affected wheel. By reducing the pressure on the brake, it also mitigates the probability of locking.
Electronic brake force distribution
This feature increases safety, especially when the roads are wet. During snowfall, wheels often get locked which increases the risk of the car slipping. This feature proportionately distributes brake force so that the car stops on time. Moreover, when electronic brake force distribution is in place, the system distributes the brake force among the wheels based on the load. They receive as much force as they can handle.
Climate control with the heat on the seat
This is one of the most comfort-providing features Honda Civic has in store to offer. With heated seats, driving in winters will no longer pose a problem. Additionally, this series of Honda offers not just front heated seats but heated rear seats as well for the comfort of the whole family. The climate control system makes the cabin warm even in really cold weather.
Road departure mitigation system
This unique feature assists in preventing you from departing the road even by mistake. After all, you cannot ignore the risks of your vehicle skidding during the snowfall off the road. The road departure mitigation system keeps a track of your car by alerting you in case you are going off-road. This feature can even apply brakes if your steering wheel does not stop your car on time from slipping.
Conclusion
Next time if you have doubts regarding taking the Honda Civic out in the snow, you know it has got adequate gears to stay strong. With all these additional features, you can depend on Honda for sure. It is perfectly suitable for shorter rides during winters. You can take it for a long drive as well if the snow is moderate on the road. Honda Civic will give a very comfortable ride on the snow but is not apt to plow through roads with heavy snowfall.
