The worst cars for handling snow are most commonly the cars that look hot, sexy, and sporty. Most of these cars will turn heads during the summer but the stares you get in the winter will be those where you are stuck in the ditch waiting for help.

If you have ever driven in real snowy conditions and have felt the car careen out of control, you know it is a horrible experience. As you slide all over the place trying to gain control, the car seems to have a mind of its own.

You put on the brakes and the car skids in the opposite direction of where you thought it would go, so you turn the wheel the other way and end up headlong in the ditch. You then hear “Poof!” as the snow sprays your windshield as you send out a stream of cuss words. This is not a fun experience.

Driving in the winter can be tricky business and the vehicle that you are driving can make a big difference in whether you keep the wheels on the roadway or find yourself headed for the ditch.

Let’s take a look at some of the particular items you want to think about that can put a vehicle in the category of the worst cars for handling snow.

Rear Wheel Drive

Because the rear wheel drive is geared toward improving quick acceleration, this can be hazardous in snowy weather. Often the rear wheel drive is found in luxury cars and sports models where quick acceleration is one of the features.

However, these cars often do not have the proper weight to torque ratio and this can cause a skid quicker than you can blink your eyes. Most people who drive rear wheel drive in the winter will experience that “fish-tail” affect in slippery conditions.

Tires

The hot little sports cars usually have big huge, wide tires that do very little to help keep the vehicle on the road. Often these tires need heat to experience the true grip the tires are designed for. Because heat is the last thing you are going to find in wintry weather, these drivers will find themselves in the hair-raising experience of a snowy slide all over the road.

Ground Clearance

Sports car drivers who take their cool set of wheels out in the slick conditions learn all too quickly how important ground clearance is. Rear wheel drive added to a car that is designed to hug the road can be a disastrous situation. Even sports cars that have all-wheel drive learn that this feature does no good for the car that sits so low to the ground.