The lovely winter season is here, and it is about time all those of you who love to ski start making plans ahead of time. After all, it is that time of the year where a trip up the mountains will require special gear and equipment. So in order to make that an easy and enjoyable process, skiers and snowboarders should start making arrangements ahead of time.
Unfortunately, the perfect ski conditions do not equate to perfect weather conditions to drive up the mountains and to a ski resort. That is why it is crucial to have a car that is capable of withstanding the harsh weather, accumulating snow, and big enough to carry you and your gear. So to save yourself the adrenaline for skiing, it is better to get an appropriate vehicle.
So whether you are planning for an epic ski season in North America or venturing off el-piste in Alaska, an appropriately equipped vehicle is what you need first and foremost. Now when we say appropriate-equipped, naturally, it means a roomy, 4-wheel drive that allows the right moves along the snowy hills and good heating to keep you safe.
It needs to be a perfect combination of comfort and strength. Because it has to be rugged to handle the harsh snow, sludge, and ice but comfortable enough to make your ride back a luxurious one while housing all your equipment and probable friends that you are traveling with. And while there are many such cars, we have narrowed down the top ten for you.
Top 10 Best Cars for Skiing
Here is a list of our favorite top ten cars that are the perfect combination of sturdiness and luxury for a successful ski trip. Let’s take a look, shall we?
1. Jeep Wagoneer
The all-new Jeep Wagoneer has to be the most powerful sport utility vehicle out there today. Not only is it large and spacious, making it a luxurious ride for skiers with their ski equipment like the Rossignol Experience 76 Ci Skis.
But its rugged old-world charm can withstand the strongest of hale and snowstorms. The SUV carries a tenacious body that houses spacious seating for eight passengers, including the driver. In addition to the many standard SUV features, the Jeep Wagoneer has an impressive 10,000-pound towing capacity. So it is safe to say that if you ever even did get stuck in the snow, you can easily be towed out. Moreover, for automotive enthusiasts who need a strong engine, the Jeep Wagoneer has a mild-hybrid v8 engine that can send 392 horsepower to all four wheels for a comfortably smooth ride. Additionally, with heated seats and a steering wheel, the complete package allows advanced all-terrain features making this SUV the perfect pick for riding to the ski resort.
2. Kia Telluride
Kia Telluride has to be the brand Kia’s finest creation when it comes to a full-sized sports utility vehicle. Not only does it deliver an excellent standard of power, utility, and cabin space, but it also has the comfort to make it the perfect ride for skiers and snowboarders riding up mountains during winters. Despite these amazing exclusive features that can only matter to ski and sports enthusiasts, the Kia Telluride has a luxurious look that sells the car to normal buyers. The broader outskirts give it the look of a car that can speak to a high-end family household as well as a group of skiers. With its 291 horsepower trims and a V6 engine coupled with an eight-speed automatic front and all-wheeled drive, the Kia Telluride seems promising enough for a ski adventure. In fact, a couple of extra $1000 and you can get yourself road grips for enhanced safety. Additionally, the automatic climate control, keyless entry, and remote start complete the contemporary high-tech demands for a perfect SUV package.
3. Toyota RAV4
Looking for a comfortable, four-wheel drive that is both budget-friendly and easy to maneuver? Well no need to search when you have the perfect blend of all features in the all-new Toyota RAV4. This car should make it to everybody’s wish list in 2021, given how amazing the overall car design, feature, and engine are with the price tag it offers. The all-new redesign has given the beloved car an adventurous look, tuning it to the liking of all skiers and snow sports lovers. With the outdoorsy TRD Off-Road trim, this beast can become a dedicated upgrade to your family car.
In addition to these external features, you get heated seats, a heated steering wheel, automatic rain-sensing wipers, and one of the coolest features ever – a hands-free power liftgate. Moreover, irrespective of which of the RAV4 models you choose, every version is powered by a 203-horsepower four-cylinder in combination with an eight-speed automatic transmission. This allows the SUV to be smoothly driven down a hill without losing engine strength, making it one of the safest choices out there for skiers.
4. Honda CR-V
Honda CR-V might not have made any noteworthy changes for their newest 2022 model. Still, even without any major updates or changes, it is one of the best compact sports utility vehicles in the market. It is a five-passenger compact seater, making it quite a family favorite SUV. However, that doesn’t mean it isn’t as strong or powerful to be taken for a ski adventure. Honda CR-V is a Honda drive, after all, and is one heck of a promising ride. You even get a choice between all-wheel drive on all trims or a range-topping touring model standard fit. In fact, if your sole purpose of buying the CR-V is to take snowy adventure trips, then you can even choose Snow Belt dwellers edition of trims.
This will allow you to get the heated seats, remote start, and automatic dual-zone climate control. This automatic climate control may come as abstinent in your hometown but is very much necessary on your snowy trip to a ski resort where it will settle the temperature and resolves issues of being too hot or cold in passengers.
5. Chevrolet Tahoe
Fully redesigned for 2021, the Chevrolet Tahoe has been the complete opposite of its Honda counterpart for bringing out much-needed changes. The upgrades can be seen with how much of the passenger as well as cargo space has been added to the same high-definition body. Moreover, the redesigned rear suspension delivers standard space and a complete adult-friendly third row that can house adult passengers and not just kids. So now you can easily fit in seven to nine people, making the Tahoe an ultimate car for going skiing with friends.
Moreover, Chevrolet has done little to no update with its standard features, because quite frankly, the car is a people’s favorite for a reason. Along with a choice of three engines, a 355-horsepower V8, 420-horsepower V8, or a fuel-efficient 277-horsepower turbo diesel, Chevrolet Tahoe can tow a maximum volume of 8400 pounds. Talk about tenacity and style – safe to say if you own of these. You’ll be THE person asked to go skiing with friends.
6. Subaru Forester
An affordable price tag is always an attraction but never a sole deciding factor unless you really can’t adjust your budget. However, if an affordable price tag comes with great features and an overall standardly great care, that vehicle becomes a people’s favorite. Subaru Forester is definitely one such care that is famous for its affordable price tag and for allowing an abundance of passenger and cargo space and a classic all-wheel drive. In fact, the best part of the Subaru Forester sports utility vehicle is that no matter which trims you choose, all the cars have the extra grip and an essential all-weather capability that makes the all-wheel-drive steadfast and smooth when going up or down a snowy hill.
Next, you can say your blessings for a 182 horsepower four-cylinder engine that allows you a continuously variable automatic transmission for a more gripping-edge drive. Overall, it can be said that the Subaru was definitely designed keeping two main things in mind: comfortable ride and confident handling – both of which are extremely necessary if you are taking a trip up to a ski resort.
7. Hyundai Kona
Need a practical sports utility vehicle that provides you with the best of both worlds? That is, a standard SUV drive for work or household use and for occasional sports adventures? Well, then the Hyundai Kona is meant for you. The price tag gives you a stylish SUV that is sturdy and menacing – the best combo for keeping the fam and the friends happy.
The standard Kona shall give you a front-wheel-drive, but you can upgrade to an all-wheel drive, available on all trims with extra charges going as low as $1400 to the endpoint. Furthermore, you get toasty seats with the SEL trim, which is just a single level above the base model. Additionally, you will also get other upgraded features like keyless entry, added driver assistance, and blind-spot aid to rear in an enclosed traffic situation easily. A 147 horsepower engine serves as your base along with reasonable levels of thrust while you enjoy a ski trip up north.
8. Ford Expedition
This has to be our personal favorite when it comes to all-rounder sports utility vehicles. The Ford brand does add to the price tag getting heftier, but it also adds to the whole SUV ordeal. The car is definitely big where it needs to serve! The large three-row seating arrangement might make you reconsider this car as a household ride, but if you have a family of +5 and friends, even more than this is your calling.
![Matchbox Jeep Wagoneer, MBX Road Trip 22/35 [red]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41+MrjVLO+L._SL500_.jpg)
The Expedition may seem too big, but the promising minimal body roll attributes are extremely useful when treading up a road covered with sludge and snow. Even on ice, the 375 horsepower engine doesn’t give up the grip. The V6 carries a 10-speed automatic gearbox that comes essentially in an FX4 Off-Road package along with other coherent features like tougher shocks, an electronic limited-slip differential, skid plates, a heavy-duty radiator, side steps, all-terrain tires in a smoothly complete four-wheel drive.
9. Dodge Durango
Want a family-friendly ride that wears a sports jacket? The all-new Dodge Durango is your pick for this winter season. Talk about melting and crunching snow under your healthy rubber grip tires. Durango’s Hemi V8 engine makes this veritable muscle car your ultimate sports utility vehicle fantasy. We all are well aware of the hype surrounding V8s and that they are terrific fun and games for snarly growing cars that make you look cool. But with the Dodge Durango, their standard V6 is also perfect subpar for most sports enthusiasts.
You can opt for an all-wheel-drive over a front-wheel one and get a respectable 18 mpg as you drive around in the regular city traffic while hitting 25 mpg on a generally cleared-out highway. The standard features can be listed as heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and an additional power liftgate. An upgrade to the GT trim shall allow you a heated second-row too.
10. Lincoln Navigator
You never know; we might have saved the best for last because here we have the beautiful, majestically black Lincoln Navigator. An opulent ride that looks and delivers nothing but luxury. Even the name has that appeal to it that you can’t revere about the car without imagining an out-worldly experience driving it. Hence, safe to say that the Lincoln Navigator is an awesome way to go about your winter skiing with your friends you want to impress. The quite large sports utility vehicle that this is, the Lincoln Navigator, houses three rows allowing a cavernous space inside for eight people to fit in all snuggly and cozy. In fact, even after that, almost 20 cubic feet of space is left where you can easily place all your ski gear and equipment like Ski Poles, etc.
With a 450 horsepower engine that ignites like a roaring king of the jungle, the turbocharged V8 will have heads turning and jaws dropping in no time. Even the standard features of this not-so-standard car have tri-zone automatic climate control, heated as well as ventilated seats both front and back and even a Wi-Fi hotspot. That is probably the nearest you are getting to owning your private jet, if we may say so!
Our Final Thoughts
We hope your skiing adventure experience is positively enhanced after taking a pick from our list of the top ten best cars for skiing. We have ensured that no matter which car you pick, your trip is safe, complete with all your gear, and a splendid ride up and down the ski resort amidst the snow. Cheers!
