Used Vehicles for Winter in Calgary

Calgary gets a lot of snow in the winter, making it essential to own a truck or SUV with higher ground clearance. In general, all-wheel drive is recommended.

Now, before you go to a used car dealer in Calgary to buy a vehicle for your winter driving, we will show you some critical factors you should consider first so that you don’t pick up the wrong car.

Paired with winter tires, below are some of the safest vehicles for winter driving in Calgary.

Ground Clearance

If you are not a car person, you may not be familiar with ground clearance. Ground clearance is the distance between your car’s body and the ground surface. With higher ground clearance, you will be able to go through harsher road surfaces like gravels and rocky grounds without having to worry about doing any damage to your car’s body.

Since we are discussing winter driving in Calgary, where snow can pile up on the road, and your driveway, cars with higher ground clearance will give you one significant advantage. Extra ground clearance will allow you to drive through the snowy roads easily. Even when you are required to do digging, you only have to shovel some of the snow away, and you’ll be able to continue cruising again.

A vehicle like a used truck usually has a higher ground clearance compared to sedans and coupes. If a truck doesn’t suit your needs or style, you can try to look for a used SUV for sale in Calgary for a more family-friendly car.

All-Wheel-Drive

With different road conditions during winters, such as wet roads, icy roads, and snow buildups, having an all-wheel-drive (AWD) car is a huge benefit. When you want to buy a used truck for sale in Calgary, you should make sure that it is equipped with an AWD system.

With AWD, you can crawl through the snow with ease because you have four moving wheels instead of just two. It means if your rear wheels are unable to push your car forward, your front wheels can help by giving additional traction and vice versa. Just remember, AWD will not reduce braking distance!

It’s important to understand that different used SUV and trucks may have various types of AWD systems. While some may work automatically, others may require manual adjustments from you, the driver.

Winter Tires

Now that we have talked about wheels and tractions in the last part, we should discuss winter tires. Winter tires are crucial to ensure your safety while driving on a snowy surface.

Tire makers specifically design winter tires so that your car can still move, stop, and turn on snowy and icy roads. Winter tires are made with some particular compounds and are equipped with specific patterns that allow your tires to grip even in low traction situations.

Besides, the use of winter tires is mandatory in some provinces during the winter times. Therefore, it is in your best interests that you put on winter tires on your car immediately after you pick it up from the used car dealer.

Heated Seats and Steering Wheel

Lastly, let us talk about heated seats and steering wheel. Well, we should admit that heated seats and steering wheel don’t have anything to do with your safety and your ability to move on slippery surfaces. But, having those in your car during the wintertime is a great convenience!

Used Car Dealer Calgary

In short, the best car for winter driving will be different for everyone. It will depend on the road conditions on their commuting route. Regardless of what used car model you choose, find a trustworthy used car dealership in Calgary so that you can be satisfied with your used car purchase.