Which would be better in snow?

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lightning

lightning

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High Peak
This has been a friendly argument between myself and my missus today.

Which would be better in Winter snow conditions, my 2005 Defender 110 on standard fitment tyres or her 2020 Jimny on the standard fitment tyres.

The Jimny has traction control and ABS but my Defender CSW doesn't.

The Jimny is about 2/3 the weight of the Defender, not sure if that would be an advantage or disadvantage
 
Most likely the Jimny , if its anything like our street in the winter with cars abandoned everywhere, the only access is up the path which will suit the Jimny no end
 
The Defender will charge through a snow drift the Jimny will not. Just a few inch's of snow not much in it until you meet a steep hill. There is a video on the tube where a fancy big SUV [ expensive ] cant make it and Jimny just goes by.
 
lightning said:
This has been a friendly argument between myself and my missus today.

Which would be better in Winter snow conditions, my 2005 Defender 110 on standard fitment tyres or her 2020 Jimny on the standard fitment tyres.

The Jimny has traction control and ABS but my Defender CSW doesn't.

The Jimny is about 2/3 the weight of the Defender, not sure if that would be an advantage or disadvantage
Click to expand...
Depends on the nature of the terrain. For example, narrow gaps between trees, or tight corners after a gateway, the Suzi will just drive through, the Defender may have to stop and reverse, and may not get going again.

There are some places where small and light is an advantage, others where big and heavy is.
 
Snow is a real enemy of any Land Rover in my experience. Don’t know why that is but I’ve managed snowed in roads in my partners aygo that the defender struggled with. Both made it fine it’s like to add.
 
Some of it will come down to driver ability and experience.
To be a completely fair test both would need to be on exactly the same model of tyre to rule out compound and tread differences
 
My missus is scared to death of snow, we had to sell her 90 last year when covid hit my business but now she's got a Jimny.

l am looking at buying some steel wheels with Winter tyres for the Suzuki

And yes the heater is superb plus it's got heated seats
No heated screen though. Her 90XS had that.

lf only the Jimny was 25% larger....
 
I have to drive along snowy forestry and mountain tracks for work, you can't beat four chains.
Often I have to smash my way through snow drifts sometimes having to take several runs at a drift.
 
payydg said:
Snow is a real enemy of any Land Rover in my experience. Don’t know why that is but I’ve managed snowed in roads in my partners aygo that the defender struggled with. Both made it fine it’s like to add.
Click to expand...
I drove to Aspen and back for over 30 years to work. 125 miles round trip. Suzuki's, an Isuzu, 3 Nissans and 2 RRCs. All 4 wheel drive. Snow here in the Colorado Rockies can be brutal.

The 95 Range Rover is the best of them all in the snow
 
lightning said:
My missus is scared to death of snow, we had to sell her 90 last year when covid hit my business but now she's got a Jimny.

l am looking at buying some steel wheels with Winter tyres for the Suzuki

And yes the heater is superb plus it's got heated seats
No heated screen though. Her 90XS had that.

lf only the Jimny was 25% larger....
Click to expand...

They were like rocking horse crap when trying to get one.
I always think they are like the true follow up to an early 90.

Cheers
 
Surprisingly, the one vehicle on the street I used to live on, that had no problems in snow was a Citroen 2CV (though I can't remember any defenders or jimny around).

I once pulled a transit flatbed up a snowy incline using my RRC and I don't think a jimny would have done it.

I am no expert at off road or snow driving, but unladen I suspect the jimny would have the edge due mainly to how light it is. Might be different when you load them up or get them towing though.

Would be interesting to see, both with and without chains.
 
Dr Strangeglove said:
Surprisingly, the one vehicle on the street I used to live on, that had no problems in snow was a Citroen 2CV (though I can't remember any defenders or jimny around).

I once pulled a transit flatbed up a snowy incline using my RRC and I don't think a jimny would have done it.

I am no expert at off road or snow driving, but unladen I suspect the jimny would have the edge due mainly to how light it is. Might be different when you load them up or get them towing though.

Would be interesting to see, both with and without chains.
Click to expand...
My 2 Suzukis were fine most of the time. However they floated all over slushy roads.
 
Narrow tyres with a bit of knobble to them, what we used to call town and country and smooth steady driving/braking. Like the 2CV above in snow a few years ago a not that steep hill caused chaos for all sorts of modern cars and even SUV 's With a smile on her face my daughter said her little Corsa had no problem.
 
tottot said:
Narrow tyres with a bit of knobble to them, what we used to call town and country and smooth steady driving/braking. Like the 2CV above in snow a few years ago a not that steep hill caused chaos for all sorts of modern cars and even SUV 's With a smile on her face my daughter said her little Corsa had no problem.
Click to expand...
I used to take the wheels with the Fedimas off the Ninety, and put the wheels with Town and Country on when it snowed.
But what made the biggest difference was the locking diffs in the axles, Detroit in the rare, Tru Trac LSD in the front.

Also, as you say, I always found a front wheel drive car was just about as good as 4wd, but I don't know why that is.
 
Dr Strangeglove said:
Surprisingly, the one vehicle on the street I used to live on, that had no problems in snow was a Citroen 2CV (though I can't remember any defenders or jimny around).

I once pulled a transit flatbed up a snowy incline using my RRC and I don't think a jimny would have done it.

I am no expert at off road or snow driving, but unladen I suspect the jimny would have the edge due mainly to how light it is. Might be different when you load them up or get them towing though.

Would be interesting to see, both with and without chains.
Click to expand...
The worst vehicle I ever drove in slippery conditions was a Transit with the double wheels at the back. They just don't sink in at all, and it skates about all over the place.
 
I think more problems in the sort if snow we get are caused by people not being able to stop rather than getting stuck. Unfortunately its a lot harder to stop a 2 ton vehicle than a 1 ton one. And 4wd doesn't make any difference when braking, only helps when engine braking
 
Snow braking is one situation where ABS may not help. I was taught as last resort to lock the wheels [ only works in fresh snow ] this causes a build up of snow in front of the wheels causing more drag. When it's frozen hard packed snow or ice chains it is. My friends mum did a milk round in a Mazda rear wheel drive pickup with chains and it was better than my Land rover without. All that milk in the back may have helped. :D
 
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