The Best Rental Cars for Driving in the Snow

The Best Rental Cars for Driving in the Snow
When renting a car, it's best to make sure that the car rented is safe, especially in colder climates with severe weather and snowy and icy roads. Some car rental companies like Alamo even offer snow tires to help their customers with traction on winter roads. This is usually available for an added charge. However, if snow tires or chains are not available, it's important to choose the safest vehicle available.

Jeep SUVs

Many standard-size SUVs, like the Jeep Cherokee, Patriot or Compass, have roll stability control that helps the driver maintain control behind the wheel during skids or instances of hydro-planing. SUVs are also higher off the ground than cars so they can maneuver through snow piles easier.

Toyota Highlander

The Toyota Highlander is another standard-size SUV that has been named as one of the best vehicles for snow by Forbes Magazine. The Highlander's all-wheel drive, heated side mirrors, and windshield wiper de-icer are the outside features that make it popular for snow-covered roads. Inside, the Highlander offers heated seats to help passengers warm up quickly.

Subaru Outback

Although some dealerships don't offer a large selection of Subarus, they are a great vehicle to have in the snow. They provide all-wheel drive and the Subaru Outback was another car Forbes magazine chose as a great choice for snow. Hertz offers Subarus in several of their rental offices.

Chrysler Sebring

The Chrysler Sebring is a mid-size sedan and is an affordable option for stable winter driving when travelers cannot afford to rent an SUV. Most models come standard with front-wheel drive, but some upgraded models have all-wheel drive, perfect for driving in snow.

Audi A4

The Audi A4 sedan was voted the number one winter car by AskMen.com, a leading men's online magazine. They reported that it was fun to drive in the snow and handled well. Its standard tires grip the roads well and are less likely to skid. The Audi A4 is a luxury sedan and may be hard to find at most car rental offices, especially if traveling to a smaller locale.

Resources

Article Written By Kelsey Childress

Kelsey Childress runs a freelance creative business called Awen Creative that specializes in SEO Web content, social media marketing and blogging. She has been writing for online and in-print publications for over six years, and has a bachelor's degree in English literature and creative writing from Kansas State University.

Write for Trails.com
  • Editor's Pick

    5 Top North American Wildflower Hikes

    5 Top North American Wildflower Hikes

    Springtime brings a sense of new beginnings and new life as flowers begin to bloom and fill the air with their sweet and pleasant fragrance. Luckily we can see wildflowers all summer long, since spring hits at different times throughout North America. See flowering cactu...

    More National Parks...
  • Popular Article

    National Park Substitutes: Great Spots Without the Crowds

    National Park Substitutes: Great Spots Without the Crowds

    Coping with crowds at national parks can get tiresome, especially during the peak tourist season. If you want to escape from the herd, or just take a breather from the bustle of bigger attractions, the United States has plenty of less-visited but still worthwhile spots t...

    More National Parks...
  • Featured Destination

    Prevent Yourself from Getting Lost While Hiking

    Prevent Yourself from Getting Lost While Hiking

    When you're hiking you're going to want to make sure you stay found. What I mean by that is that you've put an itinerary in the car, you know the area that you're hiking to, you know the route and the trail you plan on being on, you know what the trail markers are going ...

    More Camping Basics...

Hotel Finder

Destination
Check-in
Check-out
Adults (18+ yrs)
Children (2-17 yrs)
Get Rates and Availability

Outdoor Gear & Equipment

ALL NEW Trails Gear Store powered by:

Trail Finder

US Map

Search by Keyword