Tips for driving big automatic in snow?

[Deman77]

Originally Posted by Considered1

still very little engine braking with these 8 speed geartronics.

I agree - I can’t feel more than a couple of shifts down coasting from 50 to about 15 - that’s what a 5 gear box would do 15 years ago though it would give more engine breaking because of wider ratios.
I believe that’s their fuel saving feature. They hold on to the highest gear possible hoping that when you accelerate again you will be happy enough with higher gear acceleration. That’s where the hesitation in slow corner or roundabout behaviour comes from - when you add more than minimum accelerator input it realises you need to speed up fast and tries to shift down only then. The shocking thing is they even use it in sports mode. They really need to have a mode which shifts down if accelerator input is zero and the car is slowing down so your gear is engaged and turbo is spoiled when you press the accelerator. I don’t see a scenario (other than fuel efficiency tests) when someone will want to stay in the same gear having dropped 20mph of speed. Given that they have 8 gears to play with this is really poor refinement.

[Quacker]

I've swopped to narrower tyres for more 'bite' for the winter months. 235 instead of 275 width. Am too stingy to swap out the perfectly good summer-biassed tyres for winter ones though. If it gets that bad, the Volvo won't be able to negotiate the deep drifts anyhow.

[jaysmith60]

From another thread: https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showp...3&postcount=18
...this is how I imagined it might be to drive on snow.
I would definitely invest in winter/all season tyres (I've put Michelin CrossClimates on other cars and they give massively improved traction on snow) but unfortunately that's not what it will be fitted with for the drive home from the dealership.
Any chance for a big thaw overnight?

[gaby]

Perhaps you can wait to pick up the car until roads are clean(er).
Not an easy exercise of course...

[Jcbrown]

gentle...gentle...gentle

Been out over the last few days in the S90, and it is not nice out there. Seen the aftermath of quite a few accidents. Most look like slow-speed bumps, but a couple look pretty serious and it would not surprise me if there were some injuries (though I hope not) and/or the car was a write-off.

Try and plan ahead and no sudden acceleration, braking or turning. Everything smooth and gentle.

Try not to come to a complete stop if you can avoid it, always try and keep some momentum, however little. Drive much slower than you would normally, and keep a much bigger distance from the cars in-front. DO NOT be pushed on by the t**t in the 4x4 sitting on your tail flashing their lights because you are doing 30MPH in a 40-zone.

Be prepared to switch on "Sports Mode", especially if you have come to a halt, and are spinning the wheels trying to get moving again. As counter-intuitive as it sounds, engaging "Sports Mode" can help. From the manual (which you can find here)

"Sport mode also provides maximum traction if the car has become bogged down or is driving on a loose surface, such as sand or deep snow"

The manual will also shows you what to look for in Sensus to activate "Sports Mode".

Assume every other driver is a f***ing idiot and try and plan accordingly. You will probably be right 90% of the time or more

Though as Gaby says, you probably should consider waiting a day or 2. As much a disappointment as it will be, do you really want to risk your brand new car, with an auto you are not familiar with, on treacherous roads?

[Dougieb16]

Snow has been horrific in Glasgow with parts of garden knee deep. Put a set of Continental winters on the new XC90 in January(mocked by some as winter almost over) but have managed to get anywhere with no problem - great fun driving normally through deep snow

The XC90 replaced a X5 and the XC90 wins in all departments (apart from the continual dirty back windscreen) on all fronts.

[Tony H]

Bumping this to see if anyone has any other hints or tips? This is my first auto box car and driving in the snow tonight in the Cairngorms was more interesting than it was in the past with my C30 or V40.

I missed being able to just put the car in second or third and plod along (didn't think of the +/- option)

I did turn off the lane keep assist as it kept trying to steer me out of the tyre tracks I was trying to drive in.

Had a bit of a moment on a bend I can normally take at 50mph when only doing 20 at the time - I though I was going slow enough.

I'm pretty sure the tyres are all season, but I think full winters might be the way to go.

[XC90Mk1]

It should have the winter ‘W’ button on the box which makes it very slow and steady to start and selects a higher gear.

It should be every inch as good as a Manual really.

[EssexExile]

Originally Posted by XC90Mk1

It should have the winter ‘W’ button on the box which makes it very slow and steady to start and selects a higher gear.

It should be every inch as good as a Manual really.

Do the new ones have a winter button? Can't say I've noticed one, but then again I haven't needed it. Just be gentle.

[Philip Fisher]

Originally Posted by EssexExile

Do the new ones have a winter button? Can't say I've noticed one, but then again I haven't needed it. Just be gentle.

There is not a "Winter button" that I have ever seen on any SPA or CMA car I have driven.