How does that MINI handle the snow?

MINI. I have always wanted one. I think that after watching the old school Italian Job movie I knew a life goal of mine was to have one. It was like a pipe dream for most of my life. Until my MINI I had never had a brand new car ever.  I have had all sorts of vehicles starting with a 1987 Jeep Cherokee. This post is not about them though. I will mention them in regards to comparing handling later though. The title of this post is a question I get asked almost any time it snows. I do have to laugh because it gets asks so much I feel like a robot answering this question. So I thought why not REALLY talk about it on here and share some of my favorite all time pictures of my two MINI's I have had Duke. His nickname is the snow tank in winter.

Handling:
My MINI handles so well but why? A lot of science goes into these cars. With that being said just some numbers if you are a number person real quick.

Base Curb Weight (lbs.): 2760
This car is relatively light weight for a car so not a ton of weight is getting pushed around driving in slush, ice and snow.  This helps if the car starts to get stuck too as it is easier to free itself.

Dimensions:

Wheelbase (in.): 98.2

Length, Overall (in.): 151.9

Width, Max w/o mirrors (in.): 68

Height, Overall (in.): 55.7

The wheel base on this car is a good ratio to the length and width of the car. It causes it to feel truly grounded while you are sliding around out in the winter weather. I never feel like the tail end gets away from me in this car. It is also off of the ground enough to clear at least 12 inches of snow easily.

FWD
I mean this is a must in the winter around here. It helps the car push around without the tail end getting crazy.

Horsepower (Net @ RPM): 189 @ 4700
Torque (Net @ RPM): 207 @ 1250
Turbo charged (S model)
Let me tell you that you need torque and horsepower to be able to move in snow and slush. The car has just enough horsepower to push through 6 inches of snow like a little knife. I never feel like I am going to get stuck and on ice the tires take a hot minute to move but I get a moving at the light quicker that most cars.

Winter tires:
If you do not have winter tires on your car you need them badly. I constantly explain to people that putting them on my MINI each year makes my MINI a little snow tank. If you have never driven a car with winter tires you need to get them. They ground your car in a way like your car is wearing little snowshoes. They are specifically made for colder temperatures out of materials that thrive in winter. I would not say they are more sticky but that is how they feel when on the snow.

Comparison:
I often compare this car to our Jetta, our AWD BMW and my older AWD Murano I had and honestly it is far superior in every way. The BMW will not get stuck that is true but it is heavy and slides around a lot. The Murano may have had AWD but it felt like I was driving a out of control horse. The AWD would only kick in when the car was already out of control and over correct all the time. The MINI just feels right in the snow. So good it was the car we selected to drive to Toronto and we drove that sucker through a huge snow storm on the way back. Ryan even picked it over the AWD BMW when we had the epic storm last year that dumped 2 feet of snow. I mean I know a lot of people will balk at the idea of a tiny car being the ultimate snow car but I would put bets on my little car.

In closing I love my MINI and it handles like a little snow tank in the snow!

Here are some fun car pictures.

Snow tank in action.

This was when it was -50 F with wind chill. Started every time like a boss!

A little snowball in the snow storm.

Yes my cross county ski's fit.
Other things that fit:
A table
All my gear for the weekend up north
My husky with cats in their crates
Groceries ( I buy a lot)
4 grown adults conformably

 

Until next time~
XoXo Emily