February might be over, and sure, March is TECHNICALLY when it’s supposed to start feeling a little more like spring, but in Colorado we all know that’s not entirely true. And when winter continues to rear it’s ugly head when you’re wishing for warmer temperatures, there are some vehicle features that come in extra handy. Getting through winter is a little bit easier with these best winter car features – how many does your vehicle have?
Heated Seats
Honestly, heated seats are kind of the holy grail of winter driving comfort. Is there anything better than hopping into a car when you’re freezing your buns off and knowing you can just push a quick button and warm those buns up fast. When it gets cold outside, heated seats are the saving grace you need to keep yourself from shivering until the heater warms up.
All-Wheel Drive
All-wheel drive is a must have if you live somewhere that gets snow, like most of the Front Range. Snowy roads lead to less traction and when traction gets a little sketchy, you want a vehicle that can handle a little slip and slide without spinning totally out of control. By delivering equal power to all four of the tires, all-wheel and four-wheel drive help you avoid getting stuck after a heavy snowfall and keeps you from sliding around in slick conditions.
Advanced Safety Features
Top of most drivers’ minds as winter rages on is safety, as it should be! Luckily, most cars on the market now come with some advanced safety features to keep you on the road and in your lane even when winter weather hits. Things like antilock brakes and stability control can go a long way to keeping you safe on the wintery roads and are now required by government standards. Others, like adaptive headlights, automatic emergency braking, and lane departure prevention, and more may be part of a technology package on some vehicles and will come standard on others. Knowing which safety features your car is equipped with will help you paint a better picture of how safe you are on the winter roads.
Remote Start
Oh, glorious remote start. Like heated seats, this is a bit more of a comfort play, though there is a performance advantage to getting your engine warmed up a bit before you take to the road as well. One word of caution with remote start – it’s convenient and gets your vehicle all toasty warm before you brave the cold, but if you typically park in a garage, make sure your garage door is open or, even better, you’re pulled out of the garage onto your driveway before you hit remote start. Doing this will allow you to avoid carbon monoxide from the exhaust making your garage lethal or even worse, leaking into your home if your garage is attached.
Heated Steering Wheel
Like heated seats, heated steering wheels are an innovative comfort feature that helps big time when you forget your gloves. Even if you do park in a garage, chances are that steering wheel is chilly first thing in the morning after a particularly frigid cold snap. A heated steering wheel lets you drive in comfort without having to remove one hand from the wheel every few seconds to keep it from freezing.
We’re heading into March and while some milder temperatures may very well be on the horizon, we’re still staring down the barrel of some freezing cold mornings and (probably, let’s be honest) more snow. That’s why these features will continue to come in handy as the winter rages on, and for many winters to come. What’s your must-have winter feature for your vehicle?
